In 1958, Eldon Krebs had never been to a cattle show any bigger than the county fair.
That is until a trip to the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) with a home-raised steer that won his class. After that, young Eldon was hooked. He’s been to Denver every year since.
“I call it a disease. Once you get it in your blood, you can't take a shot or nothing for it,” says the Gordon, Neb., Angus breeder. He and his son-in-law Jake Scott recently joined The Angus Conversation, sharing stories from the past and thoughts on the future of the show ring as a marketing tool.
Through the years Krebs has seen cattle go through fads, changes in the NWSS and an explosion in Angus popularity.
“I'm a kind of history bug on that kind of stuff, but I've got the memories in my mind, and you cannot stop progress,” he says. “That's just like breeding cattle. You got to go on. Sure, I had my old favorite bulls, my old favorite cows, but it’s a whole new generation.”
He and Scott talk about everything from growing a program through the tough times and generational transfer to one of the biggest mishaps in their collective memories of Denver travels.
To hear the entire episode, “The Stock Show: Krebs, Scott on Using the Ring to Build a Ranch, Relationships,” search for The Angus Conversation anywhere you get your podcasts, or follow listen below.
The National Western Stock Show will be covered in the March Angus Journal. Subscribe today to receive this edition.