The Show's commitment to the cattle industry is exhibited in its world-class commercial heifer sale.In 1967, then-Show President Louis M. Pearce Jr. had an idea about involving more commercial cattle raisers in the expanding Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He approached J. D. Sartwelle Sr., son of one of the Show's founding fathers and a lifetime vice president of the Show, and Show Assistant General Manager Don Jobes about his goals for promoting top-quality cattle for the commercial cattle industry. Thus, the All Breeds Sales Committee was established. Although the committee began with a "few good men," today the Range Bull and Commercial Heifer Committee, as it is now named, boasts 67 talented men and women among its ranks. The purpose of this committee is to offer for sale superior breeding cattle. "A selection committee drives thousands of miles to view potential animals for the sales, selecting only the best," said committee chairman Phil Sandlin. Thirteen to 16 breeds of bulls and several heifer crosses are screened for inclusion in the sale. Prevailing market conditions dictate which breeds are selected as well as the quantity of bulls and heifers selected. In the last several years, as many as 700 heifers and 140 bulls were run through the ring. Most of the range bulls go to area cow herds for commercial cattle production. Heifers are "generally accepted maternal-cross females that are demanded in this area by commercial cattle raisers," said J. D. Sartwelle Jr., also a lifetime vice president of the Show and president of Port City Stockyards. "Range bulls come from purebred seed-stock animals," Sandlin explained. A unique aspect of the bull sale involves the grading of the animals by 20 commercial cattle judges who examine the bulls and rate their qualities and their anticipated usefulness in the pasture. "This is not a sale of cattle that includes everything and anything, but a sale providing premium cattle which discriminating cattle raisers want to buy," said Sartwelle Jr. "What we do in these two sales sets the tone for the pricing of bulls and replacement heifers out in the country. This is a very important aspect of these sales."
Committee members work hard, often rolling up sleeves and dirtying jeans and boots to get the job done. Toiling behind the Sales Pavilion, volunteers load, unload, feed and account for the hundreds of animals. The hospitality exhibited by this committee's members is well known among the consignors and buyers. They are provided meals and awarded premiums and prizes donated by "pardners," who are industry leaders affiliated with the committee. An additional testimonial to this committee's efforts was this year's prices--558 heifers brought an average of $1,010 per head, while 123 bulls averaged $2,097 per head. This year, on the Committee's 30th anniversary, the men credited with starting the committee were honored -- Pearce, Sartwelle Sr., Jobes and Rayford Smith, who is an ex-officio board member of the Show. Also honored were John T. Cook, the committee's outgoing officer in charge; and Jim Theeck, owner of Rafter T Land & Cattle Company of Brenham. The fact that Theeck has returned 29 years to consign cattle for the committee's sales speaks volumes for the quality of the range bull and commercial heifer sale. "This is a very important committee to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo," said Cook. "The Range Bull and Commercial Heifer Committee is one of those committees that really underscores the word 'livestock' in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo."
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