Postcard from the Past: Valley Bull Brings Big Price
Bonnie Lad 19th, bred and raised by W.M. Turnbull, sold to Colorado Hereford breeder for $2,250
Thus reads a headline in the Nov. 28, 1918 issue of The Saratoga Sun, accompanied by the following news item:
What is said to be the highest cash price ever paid for a Carbon County Hereford at private sale – $2,250 – was received by William Turnbull for his fine two-year-old Hereford bull Bonnie Lad 19th. George W. Baker of Littleton, Colo. was the purchaser.
The sale was consummated on Thursday of last week, and the animal was shipped to Baker’s farm the last of the week.
Bonnie Lad 19th was sired by Bonnie Lad 13th, and his dam was by Beau Carlos Second, being a half-sister to the famous “Wyoming.” He was raised on the Turnbull ranch, a couple of miles from town, and is one of the most promising young bulls ever raised in the valley.
Bonnie Lad 13th was also formerly owned by Turnbull and was sold last fall to C.D. Terwilliger of Encampment.
Baker is the owner of the celebrated A.L. Weston Hereford Farm in Littleton, Colo., having purchased Weston’s interests last year, and owns one of the finest herds of registered Herefords in the entire West.
The Weston farm is the home of Bonnie Brae 15th, a celebrated sire for years at the head of the Weston herd, whose place will now be taken by Bonnie Lad 19th. The Weston farm also brought out Beau Carlos, Bonnie Weston, Bonnie Lad 13th and other Hereford sires of national reputation.
According to W.C. McConnell, who left here recently for Colorado, Baker now has the finest herd of breeding Herefords in the entire state, he having visited all of the foremost Colorado Hereford farms within the past few months.
The fact Bonnie Lad 19th has been purchased by Baker to head this herd is concrete evidence of the kind of stock now being grown by Turnbull at his Saratoga ranch. The sire of Bonnie Lad 19th was a product of the Weston farm, and Baker well knew what he was buying when he came here to purchase the son.
Turnbull has made a number of sales of registered Herefords this fall, among them being the one to Terwilliger, a herd bull to H.A. Hunter of Big Creek, one to W.C. Condict of Brush Creek and two range bulls to John Swanson, all the latter sales having been made within the past six weeks.
Turnbull is developing a fine strain of Herefords and is now taking his place among the foremost breeders of the valley. His recent sales will assist materially in spreading the fame of Platte Valley Hereford.
