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Colorado Simmental Association recognized two cattle operations during the 2012 National Western Stock Show events.
Willie Altenburg of Fort Collins was presented a CSA Honorary Lifetime Membership, and Erroll and the late Gayle Cook of Walsh were presented the CSA Pioneer Award.
Curt Russell, CSA vice president and former Am. Simmental trustee from Sugar City, made the surprise presentations to recognize the positive, long-term impact they each have had on the beef industry. CSA’s current board members joined Russell in the ring, as Pres. James Dilka of Briggsdale presented the granite plaques prior to the Wild, Wild West Sale on Jan. 17 at Brighton.
In CSA’s 41-year history, the presentation to Willie Altenburg was only the sixth lifetime membership.
Altenburg has raised Simmental cattle for more than 35 years, and during that time he has been a tireless supporter and promoter of the Simmental breed as well as CSA.
He has also been active throughout his years in the beef industry as an active member of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Livestock Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Beef Improvement Federation.
Altenburg served as a member of the ASA Board of Trustees “during which time he was a leading member of the Breed Improvement Committee. A couple of the important actions to come out of that committee was Focus 2000 and the Progress Through Performance program, which was one of the first breed programs to bring true genetic evaluations to the show ring,” Russell said.
Besides his involvement in direct production of useful commercial-oriented seedstock, he has also served the AI industry for more than 40 years, first with ABS and currently with Genex, including marketing of American beef genetics internationally.
Altenburg holds a successful annual bull sale, was a founder of the Wild, Wild West sale, and was and remains the brains and the inspiration behind People’s Choice Power Bull, which just completed its eighth successful year at National Western.
He is the father of three grown children – Ryan, Jennifer and CJ, all of whom remain involved in agriculture. He and his wife, Sharon, have built a reputation as one of the most respected cattle operations of any breed.
Other previous CSA lifetime membership recipients are Bridle Bit Simmental, Steve Davies, Gene Inloes, Don Klaufman and Risinger Ranch.
Likewise, CSA’s Pioneer Award recipients are an elite group. Erroll and the late Gayle Cook of Bridle Bit Simmental were selected for the honor, but recognition was delayed by health issues.
In a bitter-sweet moment, Erroll accepted the award for he and his late wife, who died of cancer in March 2011.
Bridle Bit has raised Simmentals for 40 years, starting in the Fort Collins/Greeley area where Cook worked at Colorado State University. “There Erroll assisted with semen collection of some of the first Simmental bulls in the United States,” Russell said.
In 1986, the family and cows moved to Walsh to take over the family fuel business. Erroll served on the CSA board and Gayle served as CSA secretary for many years. During that time, they were honored with the exclusive CSA Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Bridle Bit is an ASA Performance Advocate herd, and focuses on complete data and records to help improve their herd and the Simmental breed. They use embryo transfer to preserve genetics from their top producing females and utilize the ASA’s planned mating in their AI program.
Erroll and Gayle have three grown sons –Chad, Brent and Brad, who are all involved in the family cattle, fuel, parts and feed business. They also have five grandchildren.
With this latest Pioneer presentation, Bridle Bit is the only Colorado member to receive both prestigious CSA honors. Other Pioneer recipients have been Tom Coupe, Miles and Jeanne Davies, Vernon Stone and Richard Rains.
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Colorado Simmental Association recognized two cattle operations during the 2012 National Western Stock Show events.
Willie Altenburg of Fort Collins was presented a CSA Honorary Lifetime Membership, and Erroll and the late Gayle Cook of Walsh were presented the CSA Pioneer Award.
Curt Russell, CSA vice president and former Am. Simmental trustee from Sugar City, made the surprise presentations to recognize the positive, long-term impact they each have had on the beef industry. CSA’s current board members joined Russell in the ring, as Pres. James Dilka of Briggsdale presented the granite plaques prior to the Wild, Wild West Sale on Jan. 17 at Brighton.
In CSA’s 41-year history, the presentation to Willie Altenburg was only the sixth lifetime membership.
Altenburg has raised Simmental cattle for more than 35 years, and during that time he has been a tireless supporter and promoter of the Simmental breed as well as CSA.
He has also been active throughout his years in the beef industry as an active member of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Livestock Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Beef Improvement Federation.
Altenburg served as a member of the ASA Board of Trustees “during which time he was a leading member of the Breed Improvement Committee. A couple of the important actions to come out of that committee was Focus 2000 and the Progress Through Performance program, which was one of the first breed programs to bring true genetic evaluations to the show ring,” Russell said.
Besides his involvement in direct production of useful commercial-oriented seedstock, he has also served the AI industry for more than 40 years, first with ABS and currently with Genex, including marketing of American beef genetics internationally.
Altenburg holds a successful annual bull sale, was a founder of the Wild, Wild West sale, and was and remains the brains and the inspiration behind People’s Choice Power Bull, which just completed its eighth successful year at National Western.
He is the father of three grown children – Ryan, Jennifer and CJ, all of whom remain involved in agriculture. He and his wife, Sharon, have built a reputation as one of the most respected cattle operations of any breed.
Other previous CSA lifetime membership recipients are Bridle Bit Simmental, Steve Davies, Gene Inloes, Don Klaufman and Risinger Ranch.
Likewise, CSA’s Pioneer Award recipients are an elite group. Erroll and the late Gayle Cook of Bridle Bit Simmental were selected for the honor, but recognition was delayed by health issues.
In a bitter-sweet moment, Erroll accepted the award for he and his late wife, who died of cancer in March 2011.
Bridle Bit has raised Simmentals for 40 years, starting in the Fort Collins/Greeley area where Cook worked at Colorado State University. “There Erroll assisted with semen collection of some of the first Simmental bulls in the United States,” Russell said.
In 1986, the family and cows moved to Walsh to take over the family fuel business. Erroll served on the CSA board and Gayle served as CSA secretary for many years. During that time, they were honored with the exclusive CSA Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Bridle Bit is an ASA Performance Advocate herd, and focuses on complete data and records to help improve their herd and the Simmental breed. They use embryo transfer to preserve genetics from their top producing females and utilize the ASA’s planned mating in their AI program.
Erroll and Gayle have three grown sons –Chad, Brent and Brad, who are all involved in the family cattle, fuel, parts and feed business. They also have five grandchildren.
With this latest Pioneer presentation, Bridle Bit is the only Colorado member to receive both prestigious CSA honors. Other Pioneer recipients have been Tom Coupe, Miles and Jeanne Davies, Vernon Stone and Richard Rains.
