Kansas City, Mo. - Friends and colleagues of the late James Bennett paid tribute to the seedstock performance pioneer, and long-time patriarch of Knoll Crest Farms, Red House, Va., via choice of the top two bred heifers offered by Bill and Claudia Tucker, in their April 17 Tucker Family Farms Professional Replacement Female Sale in Amherst, Va. The Tuckers, long-time Knoll Crest cutomers, made the offering in honor of Bennett, their friend and mentor, with all proceeds supporting the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) and ongoing education and research projects.

When the final gavel fell, the choice of legacy bred heifers sold for $10,000 to a group of fellow Hereford breeders from across the nation as well as Bennett family friends and colleagues from animal science academia and the beef industry. After winning the bid, the group and supporters donated the heifer back to be resold and add to the memorial. The final bid for FHF Miss Acclaim K592F was $5,000, going to Walker Polled Herefords, Morrison, Tenn., and Sandrock Ranch Herefords, Benton, Wis. All told, the lot generated $15,000 in honor of Bennett.

Bennett passed in January 2024. He cast his positive  influence across the industry the industry locally, statewide, nationally and internationally.

“The knowledge from this counsel will ring in my ears for the rest of my days and is an awesome gift from a great man,” says Bill Tucker.

Bennett’s accolades included being named the National Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Seedstock Producer of the Year in both 1978 and 1998, induction into the American Hereford Association (AHA) Hall of Fame, and the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame. He also received both the BIF Continuing Service and Pioneer Awards. He spent decades serving on different industry boards, including acting as the chairman of the American Polled Hereford Association, President of BIF, National Cattleman Beef Board, Virginia Beef Expo, Dominion Bank, Central Fidelity Bank and First Bank and Trust Agriculture Advisory Board.     

“A huge HYFA thank you to the Hereford breeders and industry friends from across the country who came together to recognize James Bennett’s legacy and impact by supporting this wonderful tribute,” says Amy Cowan, Director of Youth Activities and Foundation for the American Hereford Association. “These proceeds will go a long way in benefitting the foundation’s research mission, which aligned so well with the passion of James Bennett.”

James Bennett Legacy Heifer Supporters:

• Breezewood Hills Farm, Staunton, Va.
• Colyer Herefords, Bruneau, Idaho
• Cooper Herefords, Willow Creek, Mont.
• Dennis and Heather Birdsall, Torrington, Wyo.
• Dr. Ronnie Green, Lincoln, Neb.
• Dr. Bob Hough, Lone Tree, Colo.
• Dr. Jim Gibb, Louisville, Colo.
• Dr. Ike Eller, Blacksburg, Va.
• Greg Comstock, Pilot Point, Texas
• First Bank & Trust, H.B. Hunter, Lynchburg, Va.
• Holden Herefords, Valier, Mont.
• Joe Epperly, Albion, Neb.
• Loewen Herefords, Waukomis, Okla.
• Mead Farms, Dr. Alan Mead, Barnett, Mo.
• Norm Vincel, Salem, Va.
• Russ Tegtmeier, Burchard, Neb.
• SandRock Ranch Herefords, Benton, Wis.
• Sandhills Farms, Haviland, Kan.
• Walker Herefords, Morrison, Tenn.

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The Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) was established in 1986 and is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated exclusively to scholarship and educational support of youth in the business of raising Hereford cattle. The mission of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America is to encourage, recognize and reward the development of life skills and values in the next generation of leaders by providing education, scholarship and leadership opportunities for Hereford Youth.