CALF_News_April_May_2020

26 CALF News • April | May 2020 • www.calfnews.net H e was a cowboy born in Hol- lywood who cleaned a movie star’s swimming pool – a perfect script for a fed-cattle frontiers- man. Now at 102, Carl Stevenson remains a leading man in the history of serious cattle feeding in the West. Still spry and quick-witted, Steven- son was ceremoniously elected into the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame (CFHOF) during the prestigious group’s 11 th annual festivities in early February. He received the honor along with the late Don Oppliger, who died tragically in 2017. The ceremonies were part of the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show in San Antonio. Robert “Bob” Hummel, DVM, founder of what would be Lextron, a giant in animal health distribution, received the CFHOF Industry Leadership Award. Dwight Doffin, who has spent 30 years with Feller & Co. feedyard inWisner, Neb., was honored for his service to cattle feeding. The CFHOF started in 2009 to honor exceptional visionary men and women who have made lasting contributions to the cattle-feeding industry. It celebrates the industry’s rich traditions and recognizes indi- viduals who’ve devoted their careers to preserving its mission and improving production practices. Randy Blach, CattleFax CEO, emceed the ceremonies and termed all CFHOF members as “trailblazers.” Carl Stevenson Carl Stevenson certainly fits the profile. Accompanied by his children and other family members, he made the trek to The Alamo City, where he was greeted by friends, young and old. Introduced by fellow CFHOF member Bob Josserand, Stevenson remembered growing up in the San Fernando Valley of what is now greater Los Angeles. The area was rural during his youth. But he still managed to earn extra money doing odd jobs, includ- ing swimming pool duties in Hollywood. After high school, he earned a degree in animal husbandry from the University of California-Davis. While serving his country in the U.S. Army inWorldWar II, he headed one of the Army’s last remaining Calvary mule brigades. He served as a veterinary assistant.“Part of the time I also ran the horseshoeing school,” he explained during his enjoyable reminiscence. He returned to California’s Central Valley after the war to work on the Giffen Cantura Ranch. He grew to love cattle feeding. In 1951 he moved to Continental, Ariz., to start a feeding operation for Farmers Investment Co. His ability to formulate feeding rations was apparent while working with University of Arizona specialists to develop steamflaking. In 1964, he used this art of cooking and rolling grain to establish Red Rock Feeding Co., in Red Rock, Ariz. The 30,000-head yard still operates today, along with accompany- ing farmland. Stevenson, who still resides in the Red Rock area, laughed while noting he’d lived more than a century.“When you hit a hundred, you can get by pretty good,” he quipped.“But anything over than that gets tougher than hell.” Don Oppliger Don Oppliger was a modern-day innovator in cattle feeding and farm- ing. He learned to vertically integrate the two early in his career. Raised in Columbus, Neb., he attended the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor 2020 INDUCTEES HONORED • 2 0 2 0 C A T T L E I N D U S T R Y C O N V E N T I O N A N D T R A D E S H O W The family of the late Don Oppliger is proud to receive the CFHOF honor in remembrance of the late cattle feeding trailblazer. The family of the late Don Oppliger is proud to receive the CFHOF honor in remembrance of the late cattle feeding trailblazer. New CFHOF inductee, Carl Stevenson, has plenty of tales after being introduced by Bob Josserand, also a CFHOF inductee.