The first meeting of the North Dakota Aberdeen-Angus Breeders Association was held in the basement of the Rudolph Hotel in Valley City, ND, during March of 1942. The first president elected to head the group was John Dawson of Mandan. He was reelected to the position in 1943. Hanna Stock Farm manager, J.D. Hooten, Bordulac, served as the first secretary from 1942-1943. In a financial statement dated December 31, 1942, membership dues were collected from the following people: Harry Christianson, Lankin; John Dawson and son, Mandan; Hanna Stock Farm, J.D. Hooten, manager, Bordulac; Hartley Stock Farm, James Noble, manager, Page; H.D. Henke, Hannover; Walter Johnson, Courtenay; Henry Krabbenhoft, Harwood; T.C. Montgomery, Harvey; Nelson Brothers, Braddock; N.D.A.C. (currently North Dakota State University), Fargo; Pederson and Hocking, Devils Lake; W.A. Plath, Davenport; Fred Port, Shields; John Skadberg, Carrington; Sampson Stock Farm, McVille; and Staehr Brothers, Douglas. [It is believed dues were collected on the basis of a $5 annual fee, plus a fee of 10 cents per animal that had been registered during the preceding year.] According to the records, dues were received for two junior members, Louise and Lyle Dawson. [Any member of a Future Farmer of America or 4-H Club could become a non-voting member of the Association upon the payment of an annual fee of 50 cents.]
The object of the association was to encourage and extend the influence of Aberdeen-Angus breeding, to promote the interests of its membership by creating better trade opportunities and, so far as possible, cooperate to their general advantage and profit, to promote closer relations between the membership and to stimulate greater activity among them. One of the ways individual members helped in the promotion was to donate money toward the North Dakota Winter Show Building Fund.
Articles of Incorporation papers dated July 16, 1958, changed the name to North Dakota Angus Association (NDAA), Inc. The three trustees named in the document were W.A. Plath, Davenport; Clyde Barks, Egeland; and George E. Strum, Fargo.
W.A. Plath and H.D. Henke were each elected president five times (Plath - 1944, 1945, 1951, 1952, and 1958; and Henke - 1946, 1947, 1950, 1957, and 1961). Jack Halvorson, Forest River, served as president in 1975 and his son, Gregg, was president in 1981. Another father/son team was Richard M. Tokach, St. Anthony (1971 and 1972), and his son, Richard C. Tokach (1994 and 1995). Richard C. is currently a director of the American Angus Association, and his brother, Brad, is on the North Dakota Board of Directors. Present secretary/treasurer for the ND Angus Association, Vern Frey, Granville, is finishing 12 years in that position. Vern Stevick, Des Lacs, and George Strum, Fargo, served as secretary/treasurer for 12 and 11 years respectively. There have been 10 different secretaries and 36 different presidents in the 60-year history of the organization.
An auxiliary was started in 1947. The purpose of the ND Angus Auxiliary, a nonprofit organization, was for women interested in the welfare of the Angus breed to be joined together for educational, promotional, social and miscellaneous functions appropriate to a women’s auxiliary. The auxiliary invited membership to all wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters of the ND Angus Association members. The auxiliary carried out a number of promotional and educational activities during the year, for which several committees were organized and responsible. An Angus queen and princesses were chosen each year (beginning in 1961) to help in the promotion. The auxiliary was very active for many years, in fact North Dakota recorded the largest state auxiliary in 1975 with 106 members. The auxiliary folded in 1989. Women were invited to become members of the association at that time. According to documents found, the most vital and important activity of the auxiliary had been the scholarship fund. The fund continues, but is in the hands of the association.
Providing leadership and personal growth activities for the youth is also a vital function of the association. Several young Angus enthusiasts are members of the North Dakota Junior Angus Association. They are very competitive at local, state, and national events. North Dakota’s quiz team placed first in national competition during the summer of 2002. North Dakota is home to former National Junior Angus Association directors Tamra Vollmer, Wing, and Chad Rotenberger, Bismarck. A number of North Dakota students have also been national scholarship winners.
From humble beginnings in 1942, the NDAA now sponsors sales of registered cattle (NDAA Select Sale, NDAA Winter Show Sale, NDAA Bull Test Sale); a commercial heifer calf sale; commercial feeder calf sales throughout the state; the NDAA Bull Test; a Tour/Forum; the ND Junior Angus Association Field Day; and this Web site. The association also publishes a Membership Directory every other year, and The ND Angus News seven times a year.
North Dakota successfully hosted the 2003 National Angus Conference and Tour at the Seven Seas Inn in Mandan, ND, September 24-27, 2003. The annual event began on Wednesday, September 24 with registration, producer workshops and an evening pitchfork fondue. On Thursday, September 25, the agenda included speaker presentations and a bus tour of Angus ranches in the St. Anthony area. The tour continued September 26-27. On Friday, September 26, the tour traveled north for stops in Granville and Rolette before returning for visits near Wing and Bismarck. On Saturday, the tour headed west for stops near Dickinson, Bowman, Regent, and New Salem. Forty-five North Dakota Angus breeders were featured on the tour.
As we reflect back on those 65 years, it is evident that the NDAA has had, and will continue to have a positive impact on the cattle industry. Steve Brooks, Bowman, ND, is serving as President of the American Angus Association (only the second in North Dakota’s history — the first being Kenneth McGregor of Page in 1941-1942), while Richard C. Tokach is on the American Angus Association Board of Directors. It is true that over the years, many changes have taken place, but the original ideals still hold true. Join us, and become a part of our rich history.