Dear Friends,
When we first set out three decades ago, we never participated in any talk of EPDs, $Indexes, DNA work, or record markets. It was just our small family working side by side, trying to build the best cow herd we could on the limited grass we had in the middle of corn country. Thirty years later, the cattle you’ll see in the following pages and in the pens on Garrett Road are the product of that daily toil often including blood, sweat & tears, and a whole lot of lessons learned the hard way. This sale represents not only the culmination of those years of breeding and selection, but also the beginning of the next chapter. And are stoked for the next 30 years for Shorthorns looks like!
From the start, we’ve believed the best way to breed cattle is by watching and learning from those with the longest tenures in the Shorthorn business. And that generally fell to those with the sharpest pencils, not the loudest microphones. As things evolved, and we were exposed to more of the greater beef industry, we began to rely on data over devotion because of the truths it shares. Whether it’s EPDs, genomics, or the $Durham index, we lean into objective measures rather than the noise of promotion, commotion, and emotion. Our confidence comes not from the way we describe these cattle through exact same words that every Shorthorn sale catalog uses in nearly every footnote, but from the way the cattle have developed and functioned over time. It is through observing and recording their function via objective, tangible measurements where the true maternal story of every one of these cow families comes to light. And we feel that’s the difference between a breeding program built on opinion and one built on proof.
At the same time, this sale isn’t just about Bowman Superior Genetics. It’s about the Shorthorn breed, and it’s about the beef business as a whole. No matter your breeding goals- whether you’re hauling haltered calves between jackpot shows on the weekends, studiously building efficient, maternal cows in order to sell bulls and replacements to your neighbors, or working to balance both- We’re all pulling in the same direction. Together, we have the responsibility to make Shorthorns better, generation after generation. And if we all do that, we’re preserving a great tribe of cattle and handing a stronger, more relevant breed to those who come after us.
That’s why this offering is intentionally diverse, and why we’ve taken on the extra time, yardage and expenses to sell cattle ready to make profitable dollars for you sooner than later.
No feeding for 20+ months until her first marketable calf…
No waiting an extra 6 months for when he’s older, bigger and stouter to be turned out with a larger set of cows…
No waiting until after she’s calved before you can market embryos…
…We’ve taken on these costs so that your days to profitable dollars are here sooner. Within these pages, you’ll find donor-quality females, herd bulls, bred heifers, and functional composite options. Each animal is in their own way somewhat different in type and design, but every one of them ties back to the same mission: cattle that work for the most critical registered breeder and the most practical commercial cattleman. Whether you’re looking to add power, maternal depth, balance, or all the above, there’s a reason you need to be in Richmond, Indiana, November 22.
Finally, and most importantly, Thank You. Thank you for your friendship all these years, for believing in these cattle, and for joining us in this special 30th Anniversary event. We’re humbled by the peers we have and partnerships this breed has brought us, and we look forward to celebrating with you. November 22, 2025, is not just about the cattle in this catalog, but it’s about all the good people we’ve met along the way that have made it all possible. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Onward,
Phillip & Luke Bowman
