The Herdsman of the Year is a prestigious award sponsored by the Shorthorn Foundation and honored with a trophy buckle in memory of Lawrence Grathwohl. Lawrence Grathwohl was a loyal member of the ASA who passed at the young age of 41. He was best known for raising Shorthorn cattle, which he showed all across the country. The award is voted on by fellow Shorthorn breeders and announced during the National Shorthorn Show each year.

2017
Ron Rutan was named the 2017 American Shorthorn Association Herdsman of the Year. The award was presented to Rutan during the National Western Stockshow in Denver, Colorado on January 15, 2017. Each year, an individual is selected by fellow Shorthorn breeders as Herdsman of the Year. The recipient is honored with a trophy belt buckle in honor of Lawrence Grathwohl.

2016
Nate Tice was named the 2016 American Shorthorn Association Herdsman of the Year. The award was presented to Tice prior to the selection of the National Champion female at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado on Monday, January 16, 2017. Each year, an individual is selected by fellow Shorthorn breeders as Herdsman of the Year. The recipient is honored with a trophy belt buckle in honor of Lawrence Grathwohl.

2015
Caleb and Seth Vance were named the 2015 American Shorthorn Association Herdsmen of the Year. The award was presented to Schoufler prior to the selection of the National Champion female at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado on Monday, January 17, 2016. Each year, an individual is selected by fellow Shorthorn breeders as Herdsman of the Year. The recipient is honored with a trophy belt buckle in honor of Lawrence Grathwohl.

2014
Kyle Schoufler was named the 2014 American Shorthorn Association Herdsman of the Year. The award was presented to Schoufler prior to the selection of the National Champion female at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado on Monday, January 19, 2015. Each year, an individual is selected by fellow Shorthorn breeders as Herdsman of the Year. The recipient is honored with a trophy belt buckle in honor of Lawrence Grathwohl.

2013
Jeff Stump, of Fisher Cattle Company was named the 2013 American Shorthorn Association Herdsman of the Year. The award was presented to Stump prior to the selected of the National Champion female at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, January 19, 2014. Each year, an individual is selected by fellow Shorthorn breeders as Herdsman of the Year. The recipient is honored with a trophy belt buckle in honor of Lawrence Grathwohl.

Stump has been the herdsman at Fischer Cattle Company, of Great Bend, Kansas for 10 years. Stump is involved in all aspects of the operation ranging from calving to show-day preparations. Fischer Cattle Company strives to breed high functioning cattle that are competitive in the show ring, yet are equally valuable as breeding tools for their customers. Fischer Cattle Company notes that since Jeff’s involvement in their operation, numbers of Shorthorn cattle have increased along with their quality.

2012
Jess Recknor, chosen as the 2012 Herdsman of the Year, has been with Cyclone Trace Cattle Company for five years and is responsible for the show and sale cattle. During his time in that position he has assembled a team of fitters and technicians that are a credit to any operation. Jess’s attention to detail and tenacious approach to completing the tasks has been instrumental in the CYT program into a prominent position in the Shorthorn breed. His efforts have had a huge impact on making the annual production sale a real highlight in the breed. Jess and his team have made the CYT prefix familiar in championship lineups.

2011
Jared Boyert was named as the 2011 Herdsman of the Year. Boyert has been working for Cates Farms, Modoc, Ind., for nearly two years, since July of 2010. He grew up with Shorthorns, and even showed Shorthorns from Cates. He operates at Cates Farms under the title of Show and Sales Cattle Manager, but gives credit to everyone that works there as having a large part in what goes on around the farm. Most time is spent in the show barn working cattle for the sale and shows, but responsibilities shift given the season. Now that major fall/winter Shorthorn shows have wrapped up, time will be spent calving cows and doing daily chores as well as preparing for the Modoc Madness sale in which Boyert has been taking pictures and even started his first hand at videoing of the sale cattle. Come Spring and Summer he will keep busy with hay production and helping junior members with projects for the National Junior Shorthorn Show. He has great interest in helping out the junior members since that is how he got his start at Cates Farms – spending summers working there. Boyert’s future plans include staying where he is, as he loves his job, but would like to start a ShorthornPlus program at Cates including owing some interest in those cattle and eventually starting his own operation to raise good functional cattle with his brothers Jake and Clayton.

2010
Jeff Sargent, was selected as the 2010 Herdsman of the Year. Jeff, better know in the industry as “Sarge,” has been assisting WHR Shorthorns in Van Alstyne, Texas, owned by Bill and Becky Rasor, since the early 1990’s and has been fulltime with the show and sale cattle for the last 8 years. “He has presented our cattle in a professional manner and developed a good relationship with the many customers he has assisted. He takes special pride working with beginning Shorthorn enthusiasts. His dedication during the preparations for our annual sale and also during the sale week is highly commendable,” comments Mr. Rasor.

2009
Tyler Cates of Cates Farms was selected as the 2009 Herdsman of the Year. Cates is a part of a long-time family tradition in the Shorthorn industry that prides themselves on the success of their customers. There are several Cates Farms influenced cattle across the country that speak for the dedication of the breed of Cates and his family. He received the honor at the 2009 National Shorthorn Show in Denver.

2008
Josh Greenhorn, co-owner of Greehorn Cattle Company of Waynesville, Ohio was selected as the 2008 Herdsman of the Year. Over the years he earned a respectable reputation among several breeders, including the owners of RL Cattle Co. After building a working relationship, Greenhorn now also serves as the herdsman for cattle jointly owned between Greenhorn Cattle Co. and RL Cattle Co. Genetics from GCC can be seen in many herds as well as in the show ring. Greenhorn was selected for the Herdsman title at the 2008 National Shorthorn Show in Louisville.

2007
Travis Pembrook, herdsman for V8 Shorthorns received the honor of Herdsman of the Year for 2007. Travis and his wife Beth also own Pembrook Cattle Company in Fairview, Okla. Where they run a herd of 200 head of registered cattle and operate a custom fitting service. They became increasingly active in the Shorthorn show ring when they were hired by Jim Williams to manage the show and sale cattle at V8. Since that time, Pembrooks have exhibited several All-Americans, show heifers and show bulls of the year. The honor was presented at the 2007 National Shorthorn Show.