I wanted to tell all my customers and friends that I have sold the Woodward Livestock Auction to Ben Hale and his family.
The Hales own Western Commission Company in Oklahoma City, Comanche Livestock Auction and also the Knoxville Livestock Auction in Knoxville, Iowa. Ben is very knowledgeable in the cattle business and is very honest and will work hard to earn and keep your business. That was very important to me as I want Woodward Livestock Auction to continue to treat the customers and employees right.
Please give Ben and his family the same opportunity you gave me and let’s keep Woodward Livestock Auction the best sale around. I will still be at the auction so you can call me at 580-334-7466, Ben Hale at 940-631-2333 or Seth Hale at 940-256-0741. Thanks again for the opportunity as it saddens me a little to sell but with interest going up, after 23 years, I feel it is time.
Again we are dry and I ask or beg of you to please pray for rain over a huge area that is extremely dry with several cattlemen saying if it doesn’t rain soon they are going to have to sell cows they didn’t want to sell.
I am reminded this past weekend of how things can change at the blink of an eye. A good friend of mine, Bernie Smith, from Englewood, Kansas, or close to Gate, Oklahoma, was loading a load of cows in a semi and a wild cow hit a gate knocking him down with his head hitting the cement. With phones like they are today within minutes we had a huge number of people all over the country asking God to let him live.
I am quite convinced that with that many people praying that even though that wasn’t our desire I know in my heart that was supposed to be his last day on earth. Right now, Bernie is in heaven with his dad and mom and I would bet my dad is walking along the side of them telling Bernie how great it is there.
My heart goes out to the Smith family. Bernie’s dad was a hard worker and taught his kids and grandkids how to work and show respect. Every one of his family has worked for me. At one time his dad had 500 baby calves that the kids were bottle feeding.
Bringing his body back home were a thing of firefighters on front of him with lots of cars following. My hat is off to Bernie—you were one heckuva a nice guy whom I sold lots of cattle for your entire family. We will see you soon.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.
