Winter family purchases Salina’s Farmers and Ranchers

Successful sale barn operations have a common theme—owners and employees work hard to deliver top dollar for sellers.

Two Kansas operations that follow the mantra are well-known for their customer service. So when Mike Samples and the Hoffman family decided to sell Farmers and Ranchers Livestock in Salina, they found a match with the Winter Livestock family in Dodge City. The sale became official Dec. 2, 2024.

Mason Winter is the head of operations and regularly works at the barn. He is making plans to move to Salina and he will continue to be active in the Winter family operations that has sale barns in Dodge City and Pratt, and in LaJunta, Colorado, and Riverton, Wyoming.

Farmers and Ranchers on average sells about 200,000 head of cattle a year, Mason Winter said. Pictured above (left) head of operations Mason Winter and general manager Mike Samples in this courtesy photo.

His family has always been impressed with how Farmers and Ranchers operated, and it is in a region of the state that has proximity to the Flint Hills and is an ideal location for cow-calf operations, backgrounders and feed yards. 

“The ecosystems are very diverse,” Mason Winter said about the northcentral region of Kansas in comparison to southwest region. “You have farmland that can grow grain well and then there is grassland to support livestock. Both systems feed each other well. There is quite a bit of backgrounding in that area and cattle can come out of the grow lots and they do really well.”

Samples, who plans to stay on as general manager for the next couple of years, started with Farmers and Ranchers in 1987. He remembers that economic diversity was attractive to him, too.

“One reason I came to Salina was the fact there was an opportunity here and it is in a good location. It is the crossroads of two highways (Interstate 70 and 135) plus there is grassland for cow-calf producers and it is an environment that you can grow crops to feed cattle out,” he said.

The fact that Winter understands the multiple aspects of livestock production was important to Samples.

“The Winter’s do a nice job and I have known them for years,” he said.

He remembered meeting Mason when the two were looking at cattle in northwest Kansas and Samples liked his personality, knowledge and energy.

“Over the years we’ve had a lot of interest (buyers) because we were the No. 1 barn in the state,” he said. “I really didn’t have anyone who I thought was a good fit. But I did with Mason. He is young and has good ideas that is important.”

Samples credits the Hoffman brothers for their work in the successful partnership. When Chris Hoffman died several years ago, Samples said, “that took a little spark out of me.”

At the same time when cattle prices soared it meant the operation had to handle many more dollars and consequently elevated risk, Samples said, and as a result he and Bill Hoffman made the mutual decision that it was time to step away.

While over the years he has been approached numerous times about relocating and running other sale barns, Samples said the decision to stay in Salina was one he has never regretted.

The sale barn has had a steady and loyal workforce, and employees believe in the principle of taking care of customers. “I’ve said to them the customer comes first and that’s who we serve first.”

The barn employs about 12 to 18 full-time workers depending on the season and has about 40 to 50 people who work part-time on sale day.

Mason said he has no plans to change a successful operation. “They have done a heckuva job and we want to continue that.”

His goal, he said, is to continue to learn as much as he can from Samples who appreciates Winter’s interest in all aspects of the operations.

“Mike’s been phenomenal. He’s sure taken me under his wing and it’s a good spot for me to be in,” Winter said.

While a successful sale barn operation is about selling cattle, he said, just as important is building relationships with customers and that was wisdom that Samples and Mason’s father, Brian, stressed to him.

Mason Winter, a Dodge City native, has an agricultural business degree from Oklahoma State University, said he plans to continue to assist in Dodge City. Growing up around a sale barn and livestock industry is something he relishes.

A sales price was not disclosed.

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].