CALF_News_December_2018_January_2019

18 CALF News • December 2018 | January 2019 • www.calfnews.net T he Hooker County Community Center on the fairgrounds west of Mullen, Neb., was the site for the fourth annual Hereford Crossroads (HC) Recep- tion last month. Approximately 50 attendees were greeted by a metal replica of Golden Design 14, which has greeted all comers to the Hereford Crossroads every year. “History of our early days, when Herefords dotted the landscape of the Sandhills in the ‘50s to ‘70s, is being tossed. We formed a committee four years ago to help preserve what we can. Our first HC was in Thedford in 2015. 2016 was in Alliance and last year was in Taylor,” stated Gerri Monahan, Lincoln. She along with Richard Brown, Lincoln; Linda Teahon, Dunning; Ken Stephens, Valentine; Dale Spencer, Brewster; and Dixie Hoffman and Terri Licking, Thedford, have formed Nebraskans for Hereford Heritage, a 501(C)(3). The Hereford Crossroads Receptions, from the very first, are a family reunion of sorts that give past and present Her- eford breeders a chance to stroll down memory lane while making new memories and new friends. Since 2015, the committee has inducted two key Hereford breeders who’ve been paramount to the success of Herefords in Nebraska into the Nebraska Hereford Hall of Fame. They also have chosen a herd sire to be recognized each year. This year, there are eight posters of the hall of fame inductees and four pieces of art depicting each of the herd sires. The primary goal of the group is to have a museum dedicated to the breed that made Nebraska the Beef State. By the time that happens, the walls will be adorned with Nebraska Her- eford Hall of Fame inductees. For now, the Sandhills Heritage Museum at Dunning is providing the space to showcase the Herefords. Call Linda Teahon, (308) 430-0786 to see this great aspect of Nebraska history. One of this year’s inductees included the Mousel Brothers of Cambridge. Several family members were on hand to accept the acknowledgement, including grandson Paul, 90, who gave a narrative on the family. The following excerpt was taken from UNL animal science archives: Robert D. Mousel was born in April of 1877 in a sod house on Medicine Creek. Together Robert and Henry (born in 1878) grew up on the family homestead near Cambridge, Nebraska. The two brothers got their start in 1898 and since have been known as the Mousel Brothers. They bought two heifers for $100 apiece and later in 1903 bought Princeps IV for $255. This bull started them on their road up. In the early years of the brothers’ partnership, they were active in the show ring promoting their cattle and the Hereford breed. Entries by Mousel Brothers appeared in many of the major shows from 1905 until 1919 and the trophy room at the Nebraska establishment was well hung with ribbons of varied colors. They stood high in the American Royals of 1906 and 1907 and again in 1918, and at the International in 1907, 1908, 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1919. In 1910, Precelia M. 2nd was senior and grand champion female for Mousel Brothers at the National Western Stock Show, in Denver. These early shows helped the brother pro- mote their herd in later years. These two brothers were truly devoted to livestock promo- tion and care, especially to the Hereford breed. Many of the top Hereford breeds in the Midwest can trace their lines to some of the Mousel Brothers’ cattle. The second inductee’s family ranch is 35 miles west of Mullen. Earl Monahan, son of the founder of the Monahan Cattle Com- pany, was instrumental in increasing his family’s holdings from what his father passed down to him in 1921. His father, Jim, began with two cows and two calves. On hand to acknowledge his father’s induction were son Jim and wife Hil, and HEREFORD BREEDERS MEET AT THE CROSSROADS By Terri Licking Contributing Editor LEFT: Four generations of Earl Monahan’s family accept his induction poster into the Nebraska Hereford Hall of Fame. Continued on page 21  ABOVE: Colorings of “Herfy” by the Mullen elementary students. Sixty-four colored sheets, many not your typical Hereford colors, adorned the windows.