View From the Range

REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Showing cattle is looked at as a hobby by many people, but for those at Copeland & Sons Herefords, it gives them a chance to highlight their cattle breeding program for potential customers and spend time with those people who mean the most to them.

Copeland & Sons Herefords in Nara Visa, New Mexico, is participating in DTN's View From the Range series, where DTN will follow a year at the ranch to give readers an inside look at how the ranch operates and cares for its animals.

This segment in the series looks at how the Copelands use showing cattle to showcase the genetics they raise on their New Mexico ranch.

"While many people go out and buy cattle to show, and we are thankful for those people because so many are our customers," said Matt Copeland, "when we go to a show, we are taking what we have bred and raised at our ranch."

At this year's New Mexico State Fair, Matt and Alyssa's oldest daughter, Cally Jo, made her debut in the show ring to be the fourth generation of Copelands to start their show career at that fair.

"When we went to the fair, we didn't plan on Cally showing, but she asked if she could," Alyssa explained. "We knew the heifers we took were tame enough because she had been washing, brushing and blowing on them at home, so how could we say no? And we found out she was watching everything that happens around her because she knew what to do without much coaching."

It was all 3-year-old Cally's idea, which made the experience even better for them all. While Alyssa and Matt said the purple banners are always what they hope to come home with, watching their daughter show for the very first time sent a whole different set of emotions through them. She was also lucky enough to win a banner and buckle. "Showing was fun," said Cally. "I liked it a lot. I want to do it again."

CONTINUING THE FAMILY LEGACY

Seeing the next generation start in the showring meant a lot to Matt and Alyssa. Alyssa grew up in Tennessee and started working on an Angus farm when she was 8. The cattle business wasn't part of her family roots, but when she got the chance to work on cattle, it became her passion. She showed at Angus and Hereford junior national shows as well as many local and state shows in her area.

Matt got his start at the New Mexico State Fair when he was 4. His grandfather took him through the showring and started his passion for the game. The Copeland family showed at the Arizona National Livestock Show many times, and after Matt was in high school, they started showing at other shows across the nation. He too showed at the Hereford junior national shows, and his last year of competing won champion bred and owned heifer at the show and the same heifer was named reserve in the owned show the next day, which Matt said is a hard accomplishment to make.

The previous generations were involved deeply in the industry too. Matt's dad, Cliff, is one of few people who served as president of the American Junior Hereford Association Board of Directors as well as president of the American Hereford Board of Directors.

QUALITY CATTLE WORK IN MANY PLACES

Raising show cattle isn't the main focus at Copeland & Sons Herefords. They want to raise cattle that can survive on the range, and having the same genetics win purple ribbons in the showring is an added bonus for them. Alyssa said they have sold cattle straight out of their stalls at a show in the past. "We want to promote our program. At the National Western in Denver, we have commercial producers stopping by to look for bulls and replacement heifers," Matt explained.

Matt's grandpa told him the show cattle world is like a pendulum. "It swings back and forth with trends and as long as you stay in the middle, you'll have the cattle everyone likes."

The Copelands have sold cattle of all breeds to more than 30 states. They say that number could increase with their online sales on Oct. 11 and 12.

"One of the other great things about going to a show is the people we meet from all across the country who become like family," said Matt. "They are the ones on the sidelines cheering for Cally when she does well, and we are doing the same for them."

That networking is what brought Alyssa to New Mexico to work in the Copeland show barn and eventually she became part of the family. Their hard work and dedication to the industry led to being voted as Hereford Herdsman of the Year by their peers. Matt won in 2011 and Alyssa in 2021, making them only the second married couple to win the award separately in the Hereford breed.

"We have a lot of national champion banners, but the Hereford herdsman awards are our biggest wins," Matt said. "It shows that others see we have the talent, work ethic and cattle to get the job done."

Alyssa added winning the premier breeder award at shows like the Fort Worth Stock Show and National Western Stock Show are very meaningful because it shows the cattle they are raising and exhibiting are all placing well.

The couple agreed that watching their daughter go through the showring for the first time -- and loving it -- was a joy, because all the work done at the ranch and the hours in the barn are done for the next generation to see success in whatever way they can.

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Editor's Note: To see previous stories in this series, go to:

-- "New Mexico Ranch Shares View From Range," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "Copeland & Sons Herefords Raise Cattle to Provide for Family, Customers, Environment," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranch Relies on Cows with Good Mothering Ability," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Have Recorded Performance Data to Measure Herd's Progress," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranch Branding Tradition Unites Generations," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Strategically Breed Cows to Advance Herd," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranch Sets Cattle Health Program for Optimal Herd Performance," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- "New Mexico Ranch Reveals Effective Pasture, Range Management Techniques," https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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