SPEAKER_00 0:00

If you're new to our From the Pasture podcast, this is one of our special pre-sale episodes. Our regular shows feature ranch stories, breeder interviews, and cattle knowledge. But today we're focusing specifically on this weekend's Texas Longhorn sale.

Jaymie 0:15

So if you're wanting to learn more about Texas Longhorn Cattle Markets or you're a registered Texas Longhorn breeder looking to expand your herd, you'll want to tune in to today's episode.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

I'm Jamie. And I'm Molly. We're the owners of Hired Hand Software and Hired Hand Live, and we're excited to bring you a closer look at this upcoming sale. In today's episode, we'll be talking with the sale host about consignments, sale details, and what to watch for in the ring. You can view consignments at hiredhandlive.com and in most cases, visit the consigners' hired hand-powered websites to learn more. Now let's jump into this weekend's sale preview.

Jaymie 0:56

I'm here with Anne Gravit, the managing partner and sale host for the upcoming Millennium Futurity, which is held this coming weekend, October 16th and 17th in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Bluegrass Stockyards. Ann and I will be talking about the sale details, sponsors, consigners, and of course the consignments. As we talk about the consignments, you can follow along on Hired Hand Live. And if you want to dig deeper, take a look at the consigners, Hired Hand websites. Hey Ann, how's it going today? I'm good. How are you today? I'm doing pretty good. Are you ready for another millennium? I am ready. For sure. Awesome. Well, can you introduce yourselves yourself in case somebody is unsure who you are?

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Yep. Um, Ann Gravit. Um, my husband and I together started the Millennium Fraturity in two the year 2000. Kind of brought it in from the horse world where we were part of at that point in time, thinking that it would increase the value of our younger animals, i.e. heifers at that time. Now it's progressed into younger bulls as well. Um the fraturities have really just taken off, which is amazing. Kudos to Ben for doing what he did. So this event is near and dear to my heart to keep it going for what he started.

Jaymie 2:14

For those who have never been to the millennium before, what are some things that they should know before they get there? Maybe like the basics with drop-off water, hay, that type of thing.

SPEAKER_02 2:24

There'll be signs at the bluegrass stockyards. If you've never been to that facility, be ready to be amazed. It's probably my favorite facility in the whole country. Um, there'll be signs directing you where to drop off your animals, where to unload at. Um, super easy process there. Uh, that'll happen on Thursday for all the animals to come in. Water tank water tubs will be filled up for everybody. Sale animals will be hayed and taken care of. Obviously, some people will still want to grain their animals, and that's fine if they do. Um, hay will be available for sale for fraturity animals if people need to buy some as well. So then just have your health papers ready to hand to Amon Mast who will be unloading your cows on Thursday. He'll be collecting health papers as cows unload.

Jaymie 3:14

And if people want to buy hay for their fraternity animals, do they talk to Allie and Ammond or they somebody else? Mm-hmm. Yeah, either them or Sean, yes. Okay. Um, and is there any, as far as paperwork, is there any special paperwork the sale animals may need over the fraturity animals?

SPEAKER_02 3:30

Yeah, sale animals have to be uh have to have some blood work done because simply for the fact that you don't know what state they're going to from the sale. Uh, but fraturity animals just need health papers, travel papers to and from home. So it's a a little bit more involved for the sale animals, but it's nothing too drastic.

Jaymie 3:52

So the cattle arrive on Thursday roughly from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. Um inside that window of time. And then what where what kicks off on Friday?

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Um, well, speaking of the time frame again, if people do have problems, sometimes flat tires things happen, um contact Sean or myself or Am and uh and let us know if you're gonna be coming in at a later arrival time too, just so that somebody will be there to meet you. So um, so then what was the next question? Sorry.

Jaymie 4:23

Um, Friday. Where do we what happens on Friday? What time do we start?

SPEAKER_02 4:27

Friday is going to be the heifer faturity. Um, so that starts in the morning, and I believe we've got it at 10 o'clock, and that will last until we get through all the heifers. There's 154 heifers this year. Um immediately following that, we'll take a small break for people to get up and stretch their legs and move around a little bit, and then we'll move from that right into the Millennium Fraternity Partners meeting. That'll be back in the sale arena for anybody that's a partner. Just come back in and join us and we'll go through a recap of last year's event and discuss some things for the upcoming years. Oh, and then after that is a sale.

Jaymie 5:10

And the sale starts at 5 30. 5 30. Yep. Um, let's back up to the fraturity. Who are you having for judges?

SPEAKER_02 5:18

The judges this year are Micah Landis, Colin Wyatt, Luke Pine, Kurt Twining, and Brett Krause. So I think it's a really good, really good panel of judges, very knowledgeable.

Jaymie 5:33

Yeah, and kind of from all over. So maybe a little different, a little different take on each one of the animals. So it'll be fun. Yeah. Um, all right, so let's talk about the sale.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

The auctioneer is. Dan Huntington will be doing the auctioneering. Uh, Chase Vasut will be doing commentary for us that day. So um they make a really good team, so always exciting to listen to and entertain us a little bit as well.

Jaymie 5:59

And we talked earlier about Amund and Ali Mass. They will be handling the cows for both the futurity and the sale. Yes. Um, is there anybody who has come forward before the sale saying that they're willing to be haulers?

SPEAKER_02 6:14

Not as of this moment. We'll probably have that list updated day of, like when you start your hired hand live, we'll have that list available for then. But obviously, um Sean uh will be heading back east towards us, so we'll have room probably. And uh Dan Grove, he will be there. I'm not sure how loaded he will be or not. Um he usually has space. Dylan Scarpa will be heading back to Texas. Again, not no, I don't know how many, you know, how much space he will be having, but um there it's typically easy to get transportation from there since it's kind of central located. So we'll we're willing to help anybody with anything they need to get animals where they need to be.

Jaymie 6:57

Well, let's talk about the sponsors for the event. Where do you want to start? Who do you want to start with?

SPEAKER_02 7:04

Oh my goodness, there's so many. I mean, um the we have the $1,500 sponsors, those are class sponsors. They will um be able to get their picture taken when the awards are presented, um, large banners, uh a little bit bigger social media out there putting their names out there. Um do you need do you want me to list them all? Sure, yeah. If you want to mention them all, go ahead. Yeah. Okay, we've got Ricky McLeod, Home Branch Ranch, um, James Presley Longhorns, Daryl Presley, Cindy Bolan, Bolan Longhorns, Travis Johnson, LTJ Longhorns. Uh, we've got the Hoosier Longhorns, Indiana, uh, the Randolphs, Lonesome Pine Ranch, which uh is a little bit uh hits different this year because it's a Lonesome Pine sponsorship. And as we all know, we've lost John this year. So this one hits a little differently this year, but Christy and Dylan are are going to be there and are step doing that Lonesome Pine sponsorship. Myself, uh Suzanne and Bill Torkelson, BCR Longhorns, um Tom and Amy Buxton, who are some of our new partners this year, and Scott Kensel just um just in the past couple of days. Blue Duck Farm has has stepped up and done a $1,500 sponsorship. So um excited about excited about all that for sure.

Jaymie 8:34

Well, and you have another whole whole page of consigners this year. Um it looks like as long as my math is mathing, they there's from roughly 10 different states. So that's also kind of fun when you have that many consigners from all over. It is definitely fun, yes. Okay, so let's now go into the consignments. Do you have any scratches or any subs that we should know about?

SPEAKER_02 9:01

Um as of now, um what lot were uh the Baskins? They're they've scratched theirs. He had um some health issues this year and had to have a surgery, so it's kind of put them, slowed them down a little bit. They were some of our our our newer our newer partners. In fact, let me look. They just came in this year as new partners. So it's a shame that that happened, but he's doing well now. We wish him the best. But they had to they had to pull their heifer just because of health reasons. But like I said, he's doing he's doing really well now.

Jaymie 9:36

Good. And I did just take a peek at the sale catalog, and it looks like their lot is lot four. So for those people wondering, it's lot four. Um, any embryo lots this year? Has Jay given you an embryo lot or has he moved on from that?

SPEAKER_02 9:51

No embryo lots and no donation lots this year, so we'll be able to move. Um, we'll I say we'll move right into the sale, but we do, as we all know, the rooster, the millennium rooster has uh become a tradition the past few years. Ricky McLeod will be bringing him back and we'll see what happens with the rooster this year as far as who buys him and who gets the honor of carting him around for a year, which is fun. We also have uh we auction off the catalog cover for each year. This year's catalog, for those of you who have already got it, um the Torkelson's got the cover this year, did a really good job. Um, so we'll auction that off. And also we have a booth, uh, the highly coveted private viewing booth um this year. That's one of the fun things about this sale barn at Bluegrass. And one of the larger ones will be going up for auction. So we'll do that. Um actually we'll probably do that Friday.

Jaymie 10:51

So that won't be it during the sale, but but if anyone wants to get on the action of the rooster, that's Friday before the sale. Yes. Well, we'll see who that lucky person is. Um, okay, are you ready for a round of catalog roulette? All right. We'll start with lot three, Taylor Maid from Hudson Longhorns.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Yeah, she's a really cool hired uh or heads-up uh heifer, just beautiful. Brendel and white line back on the bottom side, she's a higher ground granddaughter, so pedigree for days. These higher ground or heads-up heifers have been averaging about $33,000 at sales throughout the country. Um, that's including the old the older ones as well, but um just as pedigree, and she's just beautiful. So I think she's gonna do really, really well for the Hudson's.

Jaymie 11:55

Next up is we'll stop on this black and white one, lot five, from um Daryl Presley, Diamond Bett JPL.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

Yep. Um, again, you said you mentioned black and white. That's seems to be the the hottest trend this year, especially for the fraturity animals. These black and whites are are highly sought after. She's by Daryl's Just Feelin' It um bull and a granddaughter of the H.O. Pony Up bull on the bottom side. So I think she's gonna do really well for Daryl. Like I said again, she's all the we we did the sale order by age, and that's what we've been doing the last couple years for the millennium, and it seems to seems to work really well. So she's one of our younger girls. So if anybody wants to sneak in and buy a fraternity prospect for next year, this will be a good opportunity for that.

Jaymie 12:50

Well, as I'm scrolling here in the catalog, let's stop on um lot 11 for the next one, GF Sunset High from Rex and Sharice Glendenning.

SPEAKER_02 13:00

Super excited that Rex and Sharice are um have got a heifer in here. Um it's been a it's been quite a few years since they've consigned to the sale. So I'm really excited to have this happen. They've always stepped up as big sponsors and supporters, as we all know. Um they've been millennium partners for many, many years. So, but it's just really exciting that they're bringing this beautiful, splashy red and white heifer, um, who's a granddaughter of Hubble's 20 gauge on top and then granddaughter of their buckwind bull on the bottom side. So I think she's gonna do really well for them as well. Just a really pretty laid-back horns, um, very correct heifer. So I hope I hope she does well for them with their first time back for a while.

Jaymie 13:49

Next up is from Mike and Callie Smith, lot 18. Um C for Cheetah's Charm.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Yeah, this is by she's by their um their PCC Dark Knight bull. He's um by rural safari sun, as we all know. And this heifer's mother is a granddaughter of Wana Chicks. She's had she's had some really good measurements come along before she's won, they said. So they're pretty excited about putting her in here again. Pretty red and white color. And um, as we all know, these fraternity animals color matters these days. So everybody's done a really good job putting in some splashy, splashy colored animals.

Jaymie 14:32

And let's hear what Lloyd Esh from Dreamwood Farms is bringing um for his lot 26. DW Rock Silently.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

Yeah, Lloyd's another new partner. He joined, I believe, last year, or yeah, I think it was last year. Um he's bringing a really good one. Uh, we all know Dreamwood Farms and what a good job he does with pedigrees and and just raising really good, solid animals. This is a kid, rock daughter, um, really pretty speckled up heifer. Uh now we're getting into the older ones. So um, and it says like right now, she's AI'd to higher ground, H L higher ground. So we're getting into the heifers now age group that are uh are are bred or have a calf by side. So that's I think she's gonna do really well. Uh impeccable pedigree, granddaughter of drag iron on the bottom side. So Lloyd just does a really, really good job. And uh I'm I'm excited for him to be a partner with us.

Jaymie 15:33

And the last one we'll talk about from the sale is lot 28 from Buxton Longhorns, Bucks 20G Catch It.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

Yep, definitely our new partners. They joined this year, um, not too long ago. They've got the two oldest heifers in the sale, so they have the last two lots, 28 and 29. This girl, uh, I believe is the one that can come as a possible three and one. She's by Hubble's 20 gauge. Again, pretty colors, this red and whites. Uh Cowboy Catch It Checks, granddaughter on the bottom side, says she's got a heifer calf by Bucks Big's Big Bucks. And possibly bred back to Bucks Danica's Marley, who's double double bred Danica, and everybody knows those genetics. So really exciting lot that they've put in. Exciting to have them as new partners as well.

Jaymie 16:26

So that's the sale, which takes place on Friday at 5:30. Um, what happens on Saturday?

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Saturday we start the day with the bull fraturity. Um, we'll show the bulls at that point in time and then move, it will take a break to figure up awards, tally everything, get it all figured, and then move right into awards. Um so that way a lot of it's it usually to ends early enough that a lot of people can get out that day if they want, um, depending on there's lots of things to do in Lexington. So some people come to spend the whole weekend. There's bourbon tours, there's the the ARK, um, there's the horse races, there's just tons to do in Lexington. But if you want to do get an early start on your travels, you'll be able to do that on Saturday as well because the bulls, after the bulls are done and the awards are done, the event is done.

Jaymie 17:21

And the on Saturday, just like on Friday, the fraturity starts at 10 a.m.

SPEAKER_02 17:25

Mm-hmm.

Jaymie 17:26

And on Sunday, what time should all of the animals be loaded out?

SPEAKER_02 17:33

We would like them to be out of there by 10 o'c 10 o'clock in the morning on Sunday.

Jaymie 17:38

10 a.m. is a popular time this weekend. I just realized everything starts at 10 a.m. and the animals need to be out at 10 a.m. Easy to remember. Something like consistency, right? Right. I like it. Actually love it. Um okay, so there's been several times you have mentioned throughout the podcast new partners. Um who uh it seems like in the last couple of years you've really had a lot of new partners that have come on. Um, do you want to mention a few of them?

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Yes, 100%. This year for 2026, we've got Aussie Acres. We mentioned them earlier, the Baskins. Um Buxton Longhorns has joined this year, Ripplingwood Farm, Steve Davis out of North Carolina, uh Randy Murray, New Age Cattle Company, Rock Bottom Ranch, uh Ryan and Jay Bauer from Wisconsin. And just today, the announcement went out for John's Land and Livestock. They have just joined today, right before the millennium. So Doug and Robin Johns are our latest partners. So yeah, super exciting. And I think I think when we added, we've we added in a couple years ago um money, more money for for our partners to win. If they win, right now it's for grand. Uh it's a $10,000 prize if you're a partner. If you're not a partner, it's a thousand. So that was kind of a pretty big incentive for people to to want to join. So it seems to be working. And um, we're looking to to probably add more money as well for partners. We wanted to play it out and see how it went for a couple of years before we committed to something else, but it's working, so we'll probably now do more money. And with gas prices and everything else the way it is in our world, the money seems to be the most popular prize that people want to want to go for to be able to help pay their expenses and pay their way a little bit.

Jaymie 19:30

And if somebody is listening to this and they want to know more about being a partner, of course they can check out the Millennium website, but then they can always contact you, I assume.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

For sure. Call me with any questions. Yeah. Or see, or if you're at the Millennium this weekend, pull me aside, we'll talk about it. And um, yeah, it's just uh it's it's it's exciting times. Again, this this one's near and near to my heart. So I want to want to keep it going as as well as we can.

Jaymie 19:58

Well, is there anything that we have not talked about that you would like to mention?

SPEAKER_02 20:02

I don't think so. I think we covered it, covered it all.

Jaymie 20:06

Well, thank you so much for joining us. We can't wait to see you and everyone else at the Millennium this year. Make sure to check out the consignments ahead of sale date and follow us for more updates. Until next time.