Tru and Tuf Hagen are true cowboys and look to be shaping up into great cattlemen. The brothers from rural Lake City are both members of the South Dakota Junior Hereford Association. They recently had a big adventure when they traveled to Madison, Wisconsin July 8th through the 14th for the Junior National Show.
According to the American Hereford Association’s website, the National Junior Hereford Association is one of the largest, strongest and most active junior cattle programs in the country with 4,100 active junior members. Over the years, members of this association have gone on to earn international and domestic respect as models for youth organizational success.
For the Hagen brothers, Tru will be a fifth grader at Langford Area this fall and Tuf a second grader. Their parents are Calee and Brandon Hagen. Calee says that the boys’ interest in showing cattle originated in 2021 when they saw a Hereford show steer named Benny for sale from Hansmeier Herefords, west of Bristol.
“Tru fell in love instantly,” his mom said. “We hauled Benny to four or five shows that summer and Tru loved every minute of it! The rest is history.”
Calee added that Tuf started showing in 2022 when he was age eligible. He also shows other breeds including Maines and Chianinas, which he purchases from Par 5 Cattle Co. west of Lake City owned by Chuck Ringkob.
“Tuf learned everything he knows from watching Tru in the ring. He showed a Hereford as well this year though, because we knew we’d be going to Nationals,” Calee explained.
This year was the first Junior Nationals that the Hagen boys attended. At the show earlier this month, the boys participated in Quiz Bowl, the Judging Contest, a bean bag tournament, showmanship, the steer show, the heifer show and the Cow/Calf pair show. There were 802 kids from across the U.S. and even Canada at the show. South Dakota had 26 participants. Over 2,000 head of Hereford cattle were there.
Their mom Calee noted that the boys learned a lot while participating in the show, including about fitting a calf, which is using the glue and spray to make their hair poof. “They met a ton of friends from several states as well,” she added.
“Tuf loved the socializing aspect of it,” Calee explained. “He would walk around the stalls and introduce himself to kids, and soon he’d come back and say ‘this is my friend from Washington!’” Tru was just proud to have his calves there. “He takes so much pride in his Herefords and just walking them into that huge show ring had him beaming,” his mom emphasized. Both of the boys earned ribbons for their class placings.
The Hagen boys no doubt have a bright future when it comes to all things cattle related.
