Jim Davis of Boise, Idaho, was honored with the John V. Robbins Distinguished Service Award at the Red Angus National Convention in Reno, Nev., Nov. 1-2. Ryan Ludvigson of Billings, Mont., and Red Angus Association of America CEO Greg Comstock presented the award.
Davis is one of Superior Livestock Auction’s most successful representatives and has earned a legendary reputation for being a true champion for his customers. He is committed to marketing his customers’ calves at top dollar then following up with the feedlots after the sale so he knows how the cattle perform on feed. Davis was also at the forefront of video marketing that is so popular today.
Davis’ success can be attributed to his genuine interest in advancing the quality of his customers’ genetics. “He is not your typical order buyer,” said Ludvigson. “He takes a great interest in helping his customers select top genetics that perform in the feedlot and in the packing plant. At the end of the day, he is able to garner a market premium for their calves because he is familiar with their genetic potential.”
“Jim has been a great supporter and advocate of Red Angus genetics,” continued Ludvigson, “and he will point out very quickly that Red Angus has been crucial to improving quality and value for his customers.”
Some of Davis’ top customers hail from the harsh environment of the High Desert country in Nevada, Oregon and Idaho, and feeders respect their Red Angus cattle for their quality.
“But that wasn’t always the case,” said Comstock. “In that part of the world, bull traders used to show up with semi loads of bulls and ranchers would pick from what was on the truck. Jim Davis proposed a better way to select bulls, believing that if ranchers invested in quality genetics, their calves would be worth more money at market time.”
Ranchers placed their trust in Davis and, today, they can boast of top dollar for their calves on market day. Many have also won the coveted Grid Master Award for raising and feeding Red Angus cattle that meet and exceed strict carcass quality criteria.
Davis also envisioned holding a video auction in the small desert town of Winnemucca, Nev., the end of July. Today, the Video Royale sale has grown to 240,000 head of cattle. “It is recognized as the hot spot for quality feeder cattle,” said Comstock. “The rest of the industry sits back and says, ‘That’s Red Angus’ domain.’”
“Jim is a very deserving recipient of the John V. Robbins Distinguished Service Award – an award that recognizes outstanding dedication and service to the breed – for his contribution to the growth of Red Angus-influenced cattle in the Western United States,” concluded Comstock.
