Sara Stadem | Editor
Tom Ollerich, owner of Ollerich Cattle Company of Hartford, made history on Friday, November 12, when Ollerich was the first cattle buyer to receive the “Hereford Enthusiast of the Year” award from the South Dakota Hereford Association (SDHA).
SDHA Board Member Ryan Ollerich explained their board of seven receives nominations for the annual award along with an explanation as to why the nominee should receive the award. From there, the board votes on who they feel is most deserving of this.
R. Ollerich said, “It can be anybody that supports or influences as far as Hereford is concerned. As in the past, it’s been Jr. Advisors that have received it and the individual sale barn received it a few years ago.” He continued, “So, it’s not a specific person or thing, it’s whoever supports and enjoys Herefords.”
The nomination for T. Ollerich to receive said award came from Dan Fawcett. R. Ollerich explained it was not a surprise that T. Ollerich was nominated. “That’s what he lives for and loves to do and he’s good at it,” R. Ollerich said.
T. Ollerich was presented the award at the SDHA Banquet at the Swiftel Center in Brookings. The event started off with a social hour at 5:30 pm with dinner at 6:45, with those in attendance getting to enjoy a Hereford New York Strip dinner.
Those that were invited to the annual Hereford banquet are Hereford producers, feedlots, cattle buyers, etc., according to T. Ollerich.
When explaining the award, T. Ollerich said, “It was based on my enthusiasm to buy Hereford cattle.” He continued, “It’s huge. I wish my dad was here to see it. He passed away a year ago and he taught me a lot. Brian Long was his partner back in 1964 and I learned a lot from both of them so I wish he was here to see it.”
T. Ollerich buys Herefords for 100’s of ranchers, producers and feedlots each year and he gives a lot of credit to the team that works with him. “I want it duly noted in Ollerich Cattle Company, it’s also my children, Ty and Brooke, my brother Tim and Ryan my nephew. We make up the Ollerich Cattle Company and we employ Kim Mathieu, Scott Halverson and Tim Baker. They all help with this success,” T. Ollerich said. “My cousin Jerry Ollerich with Ollerich Trucking did a lot of trucking for us throughout the year. He started trucking for my dad and he’s still doing it for us today. This couldn’t be done without all of them.”
If you are in need of purchasing feeder cattle, Ollerich Cattle Company can be reached at 605-321-1881.