HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully 

GUEST: Paul Hill

Paul Hill says he’s been lucky in life, but his path would indicate more than luck. The longtime Angus breeder grew up on a peanut farm and commercial cattle operation in Florida, but his lifetime in the cattle business has taken him from Missouri to the East Coast and eventually to Ohio. Paul and his business partner, Marshall Reynolds, founded Champion Hill Angus and grew it into a leading Angus program across the country, especially well known for their success in the show ring. Here he shares the secret to finding the right cow lines, his philosophy around seizing opportunities and the role of surrounding yourself with good people.

GUEST: Longtime Angus breeder Paul Hill is most notably associated with Champion Hill Angus, Bidwell, Ohio, which he owned and operated with his wife, Lynn, and business partner, Marshall Reynolds. They dispersed in 2017 but still remain involved in various ways. The Hills raised two daughters in the Angus business, Sarah and Neenah. Sarah served as 1992 Miss American Angus and on the National Junior Angus Board of Directors in 1993-1994.

Paul’s career started at the Herdsman Institute, with an intermission for service in the Army during the Vietnam War. He worked for Briarhill Angus Farms in Union Springs, Ala., in 1971, as in Connecticut, South Carolina and Virginia before working for Marshall Reynolds 1990. The two became business partners in 1993, founding Champion Hill Angus. The herd, which included 200 donor cows and 900 recipients, had a year-round breeding program to maximize the use of recipients and supply the demand for show heifers.

Paul served on the American Angus Association Board of Directors and was chairman in 2007-2008. During his time on the Board, he was a four-year chairman of the Angus Foundation, helping guide the structure that’s in place today and spearheading the $11 million Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus.

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer. 

RELATED CONTENT: A Purpose for Coming Home

 Champion of Opportunity

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Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

There is a special sense of camaraderie found at the National Junior Angus Show each year that’s hard to describe. This episode’s guests cover finding a supportive community within the Angus breed, the challenges of traveling long distances to attend the show, and the fun and learning experiences along the way. Cailee Flood, of California, and Tripp Gibson, from New Mexico, agree that stepping out of their comfort zones has paid off in a big way.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman, Mark McCully and Kyli Kraft

GUESTS: Tripp Gibson and Cailee Flood

Roy “Tripp” Gibson, is the son of Roy and Vera Gibson and a fifth-generation rancher from New Mexico. He attended his first National Junior Angus Show in 2020 at age 9 and was instantly hooked. This fall, Tripp will begin his freshman year at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, where he is also a member of the golf team.

Cailee Flood, from Oakdale, Calif., is a fifth-generation cattle rancher. With years of experience in 4-H, FFA and leadership roles in the Angus industry, she is pursuing a future in agricultural business and pre-law at Kansas State University.

CO-HOST: Kyli Kraft is a fifth-generation cattlewoman from the mile-high state of Colorado. She’s been active with the Colorado Junior Angus Association and the National Junior Angus Association. A recent graduate of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, Kyli now works for the Farm Credit Association in Amarillo.

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer.

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

International experience has a way of changing people, and several young Angus producers recently got the chance to learn that firsthand. While at the National Junior Angus Show in Tulsa, Okla., Sam Jordan spoke about his time at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland, and Tucker Stagemeyer and Jonwyn Ayres recapped their World Angus Forum experience from Australia. They talked about adapting to different formats and country-specific styles while highlighting the global friendships they’ve kept up since returning home.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman, Mark McCully and Jonwyn Ayres

GUESTS: Sam Jordan and Tucker Stagemeyer

Sam Jordan, Savannah, Mo., is a recent high school graduate and plans to attend Redlands Community College and judge there in the fall. His 4-H livestock judging team earned third at the national contest to earn a spot to compete at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland in June.

Tucker Stagemeyer, Page, Neb., finished his two-year degree at Butler Community College where he competed in livestock judging, helping to earn 2024-2025 Team of the Year honors for the school. He grew up on a diversified farming operation with registered and commercial cows, a stocker enterprise and irrigated corn and soybeans.

CO-HOST: Jonwyn Ayres, a third-generation Oregon Angus breeder, attends Oklahoma State University and competes on their livestock judging team. She is working toward an undergraduate degree in animal science with a pre-law emphasis and plans to raise Angus cattle with her family while specializing in water and environmental law.

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer.

RELATED CONTENT: International Success

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.