11/23/05 Willard Wolf

Willard Wolf Sometimes the announcement of an award just doesn't tell the whole story. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back in one minute to explain what I mean. I just read an article in the Western Livestock Reporter that gave the names of the Hall of Merit award winners for the Hereford Breed. One of the three recipients was Willard Wolf, of Spokane, Washington. Willard has 33 years of work within the American Hereford Association as a field representative for the northwest. He was called a "great" breed representative in the article. This is where the comments need to be expanded. I met Willard just a few years after the American Hereford Association hired him, while I was helping a neighbor with his purebred Hereford bulls. In one of his greatest challenges, Willard was only partially successful trying to educate a couple of young dummies about the Hereford business and the beef industry in general. I think that's what makes him a great representativehe's always trying. Willard constantly teaches about and examines the Hereford breed. He isn't afraid to tell you if one of his cattle breeding projects didn't turn out just right. Willard is an educator and has all the qualifications to have been a fine school teacher, but I can imagine almost every lesson would have somehow included the Hereford bull and cow he would have had penned out back to use as teaching aids. Willard called me the other night to thank me for a program one of the people he represents had liked. I really enjoyed the phone call but the crafty rascal didn't tell me about his award, so I'm telling a few more people and congratulating Willard at the same time. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 11/9/05