Historical Shorthorns 1920-1930

The decade of the 1920s, the “Roaring Twenties,” started with the conclusion of World War I and ended with Stock Market crash of 1929 and the beginning of the Great Depression. The onset of the First World War had brought unprecedented prosperity and record profits to American agriculture. This quickly ended with the conclusion of the war. Over-production, significant tariffs on imports, and declining export demand resulted in large surpluses. Plummeting prices plus stagnant market conditions and living standards came at a time when American farmers were also burdened by heavy debt. With these problems in agriculture, the twenties are still sometimes referred to as the first “truly modern” decade. At the beginning of the decade 27% of the US population was rural but considerable migration to urban areas was occurring. The automobile was being rapidly adopted, trucks began to capture trade in perishable products and with that came increases in all-weather surfaced roads. Electric utility networks were established and radios, radio stations and telephone communications began to break up rural isolation. Farm organizations and cooperatives were formed, land grant universities conducted basic research, and the first hybrid seed corn company was organized.

Many Shorthorn herds had been and were continuing to be established by industrialists with expansive outside interests. Successes in other businesses allowed for investments in Shorthorn cattle as well as other cattle breeds and livestock species. Many of these breeders still had strong ties to an agricultural background. Some of these programs were short-lived while others had lengthy involvement and created a significant impact on the breed. Their outside interests allowed these industrialist farmers to progress and prosper.

The people and events which led to the decade being called the ‘Roaring Twenties” saw a large disparity between those in rural areas and some of the urban residents. In 1929 the decade ended with the “crash” of the Stock Market and the beginning of the Great Depression.

This section includes: King of the Fairies, Prentice, Royal Count Jr., Collynie Clipper Crest, Oakdale Stanmore, Mardale, Roan Villager, Lord Collynie, and Loyal Browndale. (More to come)

KING OF THE FAIRIES 1359689 (164545)

Born: March 24, 1920

Bred by HRH Prince of Wales, Cornwall, ENGLAND, imported by HRH Prince of Wales to EP Ranch High River, Alberta, CANADA, sold to & used by Frank C. Baker Farms, Hickman Mills, MO

Sire: SHERBORNE KING CHRISTIAN 1359691 (152037)

Dam: SHERBORNE FAIRY 4TH 1359694 (v61 p1026E)

King of the Fairies was imported to head the EP Ranch herd and after a successful show campaign winning Grand Champion at the 1925 Toronto Royal and International was sold to Frank C. Baker Farms, Hickman Mills, MO. HRH Prince of Wales (King Edward VIII) owned the EP Ranch located at the foot of the Rockies in Alberta. Numerous members of the British nobility including the British Crown bred purebred livestock, many of them Shorthorns. British nobility continues to be “patrons” of various breeds of livestock that were developed in Great Britain.

PRENTICE 1005345

Born: January 4, 1921

Bred by W. J. & B. A. Thomas, Shelbyville, KY, Owned & used by Sni-A-Bar Farms, Grain Valley, MO

Sire: HARVIESTOUN GRANDEE 732379 (142814)

Dam: PEARLETTE 717724

Prentice, a half-sib to the 1921 International Champion female and 1922 International Grand Champion steer, was originally purchased for use in the Sni-A-Bar grade herd. Because of the excellence of his progeny he was transferred to the purebred herd. Sons and daughters were shown and sold to leading Shorthorn breeders across the country and won the get of sire class at the 1929 International. Sni-A-Bar Farms was established and operated from the trust of William Rockhill Nelson, founder of The Kansas City Star. Provisions of the trust stated that the farm would be operated for 30 years after his death to demonstrate methods of improving livestock, especially with the use of better sires. A grade herd was established, and a top herd of Shorthorns was assembled with the purchase of some of the best bulls and females available in the US and Great Britain. A show herd was fitted and exhibited, individual steers and carlots (typically 15 cattle shown as a group) of fat cattle were exhibited and numerous field days were held on the farm.

ROYAL COUNT JR x24290-1053938

Born: March 24, 1921

Bred by Dallas L. Miller & Sons, Mulberry, IN, owned and used by C.B. Teegardin & Sons, Oakwood Stock Farm, Duvall, OH

Sire: ROYAL COUNT x7588-708335

Dam: MINA LINDA x v7 p306-542524

His sire, Royal Count x had sired the first prize get at the 1922 International. Royal Count Jr. x was purchased as a ten-month-old calf “that looked like a great prospect, good headed, deep-middled and strong quartered but they could not foresee what a real prize they had located.” His get included the 1927 International Grand Champion bull, the Junior Champion female in 1930 and the first prize get of sire there in 1926 and 1928.

COLLYNIE CLIPPER CREST 1259323 (179676)

Born: March 3, 1922

Bred by Wm. Duthie, Collynie Tarves, Aberdeenshire, SCOTLAND, Owned by Easton & Ward, Diablo, CA

Sire: MARQUIS OF MILLHILLS 989081 (137868)

Dam: COLLYNIE CLIPPER 9TH 1259361 (v65 p740E)

Purchased at Wm. Duthie’ Collynie sale in 1921 for 1050£ ($5250) he was considered “a real bargain at that date” selling to the California herd of Easton and Ward. He went on to be a successful sire and “as his calves reached maturity they were distinguished for their style, character and wealth of flesh.” Included among his progeny was the 1930 International Grand Champion bull, Collynie Clipper Star 1554906.

OAKDALE STANMORE 1193382

Born: March 16, 1923

Bred and shown by Joseph Miller & Sons, Granger, MO

Sire: CUMBERLAND MATADORE 926116

Dam: GOLDEN SECRET 2D 674719

The Joseph Miller and Sons Oakdale herd was a strong promoter and breeder of the “Cumberland” line of breeding. Oakdale Stanmore was a product of their program and won the Grand Championship at the 1926 International.

MARDALE x1273403

Born: June 15, 1923

Bred by Albert Hultine & Sons, Saronville, NE

Sire: MYSTERIOUS DALE 838038

Dam: MAUD 59TH x12031-1019204

Mardale x, the 1925 International Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion in 1926 was sired by the horned Mysterious Dale that was an intensely bred Avondale bull resulting from two generations of sire-daughter matings. Mysterious Dale also sired the 1924 International Grand Champion female and the first prize get of sire groups in 1924 and 1925 for the Hultines. Mardale x also proved to be an outstanding sire and sired the 1928 champion female at the International.

ROAN VILLAGER 1304097

Born: January 5, 1924

Bred by Charles E. Leonard & Son, Bunceton, MO, Owned by Frank C. Baker Farms, Hickman Mills, MO

Sire: GRAND VIEW VILLAGER 1047864

Dam: ARDMORE COUNTESS 4TH 1235282

Roan Villager was a consistent winner on the show circuit and served as herd sire for Frank C. Baker Farms. He sired the Grand Champion female at the 1930 International, bred by Baker Farms and exhibited by F. W. Hubbell, Helfred Farms, Des Moines, IA.

LORD COLLYNIE x1341965

Born: July 26, 1924

Bred by Albert Hultine & Sons, Saronville, NE, also owned and used by H.A. Hanson & Son, Mankato, MN

Sire: DALE'S RENOWN x1205599

Dam: SNOWCLOUD x14004-1079707

The 1926 International Champion, Lord Collynie x was old to the Shadybrook herd of of H.A. Hanson and Son after his win and came back to win for them in 1928. Not only was he successful show bull but he also sired numerous winners including the 1929 first prize get and Grand Champion female and 1931 Grand Champion bull at the International.

EDELLYN FAVORITE 1430250 =187387=

Born: July 1, 1926

Bred by Thos. E. Wilson, Edellyn Farms, owned and used by F.H. Deacon, Unionville, Ontario, CANADA

Sire: BROWNDALE COUNT 1156438 =142627=

Dam: BEAUFORT MOSS ROSE 654735 (v63E)

The third of the three consecutive International Grand Champions sired by Browndale Count bred by Edellyn Farms, he headed the Glenburn herd of F.H. Deacon in Canada where he proved to be a successful sire. His most notable son, Glenburn Field Marshal was used jointly in the Deacon herd and the Edellyn herd and sired, among other outstanding progeny, the 1935 International Grand Champion, Sultan Browndale 1772330.

LOYAL BROWNDALE 1464108

Born: October 7, 1926

Bred and shown by Thos. E. Wilson, Edellyn Farms, Wilson, IL, sold to Haylands Farm, Sharpsburg, IL

Sire: BROWNDALE COUNT 1156438 =142627=

Dam: AUGUSTA ANOKA 11TH 920705

Loyal Browndale was the 1927 International Grand Champion and the first bull to win this award when shown as a calf. He was the first of the three Browndale Count sons in consecutive years to be crowned as International Grand Champions. He sold to Haylands Farms, Sharpsburg, IL where he proved to be a successful sire.

BROWNDALE GOLDSPUR 1464101

Born: December 12, 1926

Bred by Thos. E. Wilson, Edellyn Farms, owned by The Allen Cattle Co., Colorado Springs, CO

Sire: BROWNDALE COUNT 1156438 =142627=

Dam: EDELLYN DOROTHY 1214058

After winning the Grand Championship at the 1928 International he went on to have an illustrious career as a breeding bull at The Allen Cattle Co. He followed other Browndale Count sons in the Allen herd and they strongly promoted “linebred” Browndales. One of his sons, Goldspur’s Baronet 2nd was a consistent winner and sired numerous champions including the first prize get of sire at the International in 1937 and ’38.

LEVELDALE DREADNAUGHT 15542134 "JIGGS"

Born: May 5, 1928

Bred by Mathers Bros., Mason City, IL

Sire: DREADNAUGHT CLANSMAN 1269926

Dam: BELLE O’ LEVELDALE 1339433

Nicknamed “Jiggs”, this double-bred grandson of Cudham Dreadnaught was a consistent winner throughout his showring career and also proved to be a highly successful sire for Mathers Bros. His dam earned many winnings over a four-year period and was selected by The Shorthorn World as the “model type” cow. He was important in popularizing the “Dreadnaught” line of Shorthorns and sired many winners including the first prize get at the 1933 International.