The Angus Journal is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association programs and services; the Angus business; herd management techniques; and advertising reflecting genetics herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/435083
January 2015 n ANGUSJournal n 61 35 Keys to Success Industry Involvement & Networking @ Bob Laflin, formerly of Olsburg, Kan., was posthumously inducted into the Angus Heritage Foundation. Pictured are (from left) Schumann; Cody Sankey, accepting the award on his grandfather Bob's behalf; and Har- ward. @ Lawrason Sayre, Churchville, Md., was inducted into the Angus Heri- tage Foundation. Pictured are (from left) Schumann; Lawrason Sayre, recipient; and Harward. Don Greiman was a member of the 1950 Iowa State University Livestock Judging Team and a member of the Intercollegiate Champion Meats Judging Team. Through the years, he has judged several county, district, state and national livestock shows, as well as numerous state Angus shows and sales. Another life passion was serving on the board of directors for the Iowa State Fair. He has the distinction of serving the longest tenure — 44 years. He enjoys watching the next generation of the Greiman family participate in Angus cattle shows and events, and continue the legacy of commitment to the business breed. Bob Lafin As a true ambassador for the Angus business, the late Bob Lafin never let the dust settle under his feet. When he wasn't working cattle, he was attending Angus sales and events across the nation. Raising Angus cattle was the only way of life Lafin knew. He raised his family and built his ranch in Olsburg, Kan., with the Angus cow herd paying the way. Lafin Angus was started in 1900 by Lafin's grandfather, Eugene B. (E.B.), in southeast Nebraska. In 1962, Lafin expanded Lafin Angus to Kansas, purchasing a ranch near Olsburg. Bob had the frst Certifed Meat Sire herd bull in Kansas and hosted the very frst performance-tested bull sale. A believer in genetic technology, Lafin used all the tools made available to him through the American Angus Association. From performance information to the showring, his slogan was "muscle is the name of the game." Lafin was an active promoter of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) and was involved in the organization and fundraising when the show was hosted in Kansas. At the ranch headquarters, he hosted several Kansas Angus feld days and industry seminars, along with yearly production sales. Lafin and his wife, Barbara, have four children: Sharee, R.D., Karen and Guy, who were all active in the Kansas Junior Angus Association and the NJAA. Now, Lafin's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are forging the way with Lafin Angus genetics in their own cow herds. Lawrason Sayre After studying at Yale, serving as a Marine in the Korean Confict and working as a civil engineer, Lawrason Sayre returned home to Maryland and his farming roots. He moved his young family and purchased Waffe Hill Farm in 1960, starting with a small commercial herd and a few registered-Angus heifers. Lawrason and his family have been in the Angus business ever since, expanding the operation to include 150 registered-Angus cows on 300 acres. True to Lawrason's engineering background, data and numbers have always played a major role in Waffe Hill breeding decisions. He was an early adopter of performance testing, and enrolled in Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) when the program was newly released. A dedicated steward of the land, he has been a leader in pasture management, and has been recognized at local and national levels for his conservation efforts. Lawrason; his late wife, Jane; and their four children — Lawrie, Nancy Ann, Sally and Ned — were all active members of their state and junior Angus programs, and Lawrason served as director and president of the Maryland Angus Association. In 1991, he was elected to the American Angus Association Board of Directors. He served as president of the Association in 1998. During that time, he served two terms on the CAB Board. The Sayres continue to be active agriculture advocates in the populous Mid- Atlantic region, and have given countless tours of Waffe Hill Farm to local, state, federal and international visitors. Names of the inductees will be engraved on the Heritage Foundation plaque displayed in the library of the Association headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo. Photos and biographies will be included in the 2015 edition of the Angus Heritage Foundation booklet. For more news from the Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show, visit www.angusconvention.com. Breed Heritage