The 5th Annual Joint SCHA & RAAC 2025 Sale Dedication
The 5th Annual Joint SCHA & RAAC 2025 Sale is dedicated to Jerry Simpson of Union County, North Carolina. Jerry spent 34 years as an Extension professional in North Carolina. A 1976 graduate of NC State, he returned to Union County. He began his career teaching Veterans in the local Community College, working on a purebred swine operation, and teaching Vocational Agriculture at a local high school. He soon returned to NC State as manager of the NC Central Boar Test on the Central Crops Research Station in Clayton, NC. He moved closer to home in 1980, serving as cross-county livestock agent for Cabarrus and Stanly Counties. Then, in late 81 returned to his home county as an agent responsible for swine and corn production. In 1998, he received a Master’s degree from NCSU and was named County Extension Director. As Director he managed the Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, oversaw the construction of the Union County Agricultural Complex housing, all Ag related agencies, along with conference facilities, and created the Union County 4-H and Youth Development Foundation, a 501-c to support 4-H and FFA activities. Upon his retirement in January 2009, he entered the registered Red Angus business, purchasing the KC Long cow herd, one of his long-time cooperators. He later added Trask influenced Polled Herefords. In 2010, he was elected to the Union County Board of Commissioners, serving 12 years, five as Chairman. As Commissioner, he oversaw the construction of the Special Events Center, a meeting/show facility. The facility is now the Simpson Events Center. The venue holds multiple annual events, including the Union County Bull Sale, March Madness Sale, Santa Gertrudis of the Carolinas Sale, Sweet Union Junior Jackpot Show, livestock meetings and 4-H and FFA contests. As a member of the Red Angus Association of the Carolinas, Simpson assisted with the creation of the “Stocking Stuffer Sale” held in Marshville in Union
County. After several sales and the loss of the facility, the sale moved to Union Grove, NC, and later ceased due to the lack of numbers. Elected as President of RAAC, Simpson moved to create marketing opportunities for members. “We were a fledgling organization and simply could not
generate enough consignments to support a sale. With the creation of the partnership between the Red Angus and Hereford Associations to promote the “Premium Baldy”, the opportunity presented itself to join with a local State Hereford Association and produce a joint sale. Fortunately, the SC Hereford Association saw the potential. Despite the hiccups of a new endeavor and the impact of COVID, the sale now enters its 5th year. “As purebred associations, we are in the business of selling heterosis to the commercial industry”, states Simpson. Herefords and Red Angus offer fertility, efficiency, and longevity individually, and as maternal breeds offer productivity and profitability when used in a crossbreeding system.” As Red Angus popularity continues to grow in the Southeast and joins forces with the heritage of Herefords here, opportunities for market share continue to grow. This sale can be an opportunity for young breeders and those new to the business to get a start while providing a showcase for the breeds to market to commercial producers. According to Simpson, “It all starts with an Abundance Mentality. The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts. One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.”
South Carolina Hall of Fame
Earl Forrest -2013 Buddy Fowler -2013 Ed Hutton Sr. -2013 John King Jr. -2013 Neil Trask -2013 John Williams -2013 Frank Chastain -2014 Paul Sloan -2014 George Wasson -2014
Dick Wheeler -2014 Silas Courtney -2015 Deryl Keese -2015 Robert McClain -2015 John Wise -2015 O.W. Black -2016 Terry McConnell -2016 Mark Nevins -2016 J.K. Rogers -2016
Wirron Rodgers -2016 Norris Fowler -2017 Shirley Myers -2018 Dale Stith -2019 Greg Fowler -2021 Alvin Baker -2022 Brad Forrest -2023 Dr. Steven Meadows -2024
The 5th Annual South Carolina Joint Hereford & Red Angus Sale 15
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