Eight inches of rain coupled with threatening tornadoes and strong winds set the stage for the Cow Creek Ranch Sales, October 12 and 13, 2001, in Aliceville, Ala. Buyers who weathered the storm were treated to a consistent, genetically uniform set of Cow Creek bulls at value prices.

While pre-sale viewing was very limited due to the large amounts of rain, repeat buyers and new buyers alike were impressed with the looks and numbers of the 325 bulls sold. Volume buyers seeking half- and three-quarter brothers were able to satisfy their orders while buyers committed to producing a quality product on a smaller scale benefited from the steady stream of uniform, genetically consistent bull offering. In spite of the inclement weather, the demand for Cow Creek Ranch bulls remained steady throughout the entire sale with no extremes in high and low prices. As the gavel fell for the last time, thunder, lightning and a blinding downpour erupted. Buyers witnessed 325 bulls quickly sell for an average of $2,132 and gross of $692,800. One-hundred eleven buyers representing 12 states participated in the sales.

Cow Creek Ranch bull customers were again able to market their genetically-tracked Cow Creek sired commercial Brangus bred heifers who were bred back to Cow Creek bulls. The demand for these genetically superior heifers was at its highest level since the inception of this marketing program seven years ago. The final tally showed 383 heifers selling for an average price of $1038 and a gross of $397,250. In addition to Cow Creek Ranch, Cow Creek customers marketing heifers were Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Bradenton, Fla.; Williamson Cattle Co., Okeechobee, Fla.; River Oaks Farm, Searcy, Ark.; Ron Flake, Ecru, Miss.; CP Bar Ranch, Holcomb, Miss.; and Tommy Sanders, Hamilton, Miss.

Topping the bull sale at $6,000 was CCR Integrity 589K4. The massive beef bull was sired by CCR Integrity 4362B and out of a CCR Pathfinder 152W (Pathfinder) daughter. Registered Brangus breeders Deer Crossing Cattle Ranch owned by Richard and Elaine Sherrill and Robert and Lisa Sexton, Union Grove, NC, took this herd sire home. Deer Crossing Cattle Ranch is a repeat customer.

Chad and Robin Gray and family, Holcomb, Miss., were on hand to have the final bid of $4,700 on the second high selling lot, CCR Pathfinder 384J5. The double bred Pathfinder son was a very moderate framed, exceptionally thick bull with impressive carcass numbers and balanced EPD's. Cow Creek Ranch retained one-half interest and possession of this lot. The Gray family is a repeat customer.

CCR Sleep Easy 699K2, a February 2000 son of CCR Update 314C (314C), generated a selling price of $4,600 to be the third high selling bull of the sale. David Graham, Red Mule Farms, Kokmo, Miss., found the bull in the offering and really appreciated his 4.12 percent marbling score, outstanding performance and overall solid numbers.

The registered Brangus heifer sale began by selling CCR Liliondo Rose 102K3, the youth foundation heifer. All the proceeds from this sale went to the International Brangus Youth Scholarship fund. Don and Keith Thomas of Madison, Mo., helped the cause by purchasing this sweet bred heifer for $4,700. This is the second time Liliondo Rose sold with the proceeds of $15,000 from the first sale also going to the youth program. Teaming up in the original purchase were Steve and Jackie Sykes, Manquin, Va.; David and Laurie Horton, Jackson, Tenn.; John and Billie Lang, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Mike Patterson, Cookeville, Tenn.; Danny Males and Dr. Scott Vancil, Kilgore, Texas; Lynn and Dana White, Monterey, La.; Eric Storey, Henager, Ala.; John and Martha McKnight, Searcy, Ark.; Don and Rae Marie Smith, Dunnellon, Fla.; and Dick and Janice Fackler, Neosho, Mo.

Leroy Hill of Leroy Hill Ranch, Grand Bay, Ala., took home the second high selling female, CCR Ladane 384K2. The deep ribbed, long sided, fancy female will calve as a two-year old in the Spring 2002 and sold safe in calf to "314C." Hill paid $2,900 to take this broody young heifer home to South Alabama.

Active bidding continued on the remaining 25 "heart of the herd" bred heifers. When the chanting ended the bred heifers commanded a $2,104 average and grossed $54,700.

Following the sale of the commercial heifers, four ranch raised working horses from the heart of South Dakota ranching country were offered for sale by Bar 7 Bar Ranch, Owanka, S.D. The four horses averaged $3,725. Registered Quarter horse Alamitos Ranger "Cadillac" was the high seller at $5,500. His new home is with Brian and Crystal McClain of Benton, Ky.

During the two-day event, Cow Creek Ranch honored the Wes Williamson family of Okeechobee, Fla., and Greensboro, Ala., with the commercial breeder award of excellence honor and Traci Middleton, Puryear, Tenn., with the registered breeder award of excellence honor. Both recipients were recognized for their superior management efforts and utilization of Cow Creek genetics in their programs.

Volume bull buyers were repeat customers Ben Hill Griffin, Inc., Frost Proof, Fla.; Hilliard Brothers, Clewiston, Fla.; Lykes Brothers, Okeechobee, Fla.; and Johnston Cattle Co., Montgomery, Ala.

Doak Lambert, Coppell, Texas, was the auctioneer. For more information on Cow Creek Ranch or Hill Creek Beef Company (producer buy back program), please contact Cow Creek Ranch, 1170 Cow Creek Road, Aliceville, AL 35442, phone 205/373-2269, e-mail cowcreek@pickens.net.