Earlier this April, Te Mania Angus Farm Manager Edward Gubbins travelled to Ashland, Kansas to attend the 46th Annual Spring Production Sale at Gardiner Angus Ranch (GAR) — one of the United States’ most respected and long-established Angus seedstock operations.
Held on 5–6 April 2025, the visit included a pre-sale dinner and a full day of sale proceedings — with over 500 registered buyers, 368 Angus bulls, and 525 elite females and commercial heifers presented. For Te Mania Angus, the opportunity to observe GAR’s breeding, marketing and operational systems first-hand was invaluable.
Disciplined Breeding with Commercial Focus
With more than 45 years of production sales behind them and an unwavering focus on precision breeding, GAR has built a program with clear intent: to improve commercial profitability through disciplined Angus genetics. Operating across 48,000 acres, GAR runs 4,500 registered and commercial breeding cows, using only artificial insemination and embryo transfer — no mop-up bulls since 1964 — and implants approximately 2,500 embryos annually.
This kind of scale and structure enables remarkable consistency and control, but what stood out most was the alignment in breeding philosophy — a shared belief in driving genetic gain with integrity, science, and a long-term commitment to the commercial sector.
Smooth Operations, Strong Market Interest
Lot 1, GAR Beacon, a young sire that gained significant attention as a population-changing, multi-trait outcross, was as popular on sale day as it had been in the weeks leading up to the sale. After several minutes of intense competition, both on-site, by phone, and online, Mike Relk of MI-HUD Angus Ranch, Kuna, Idaho, secured the winning bid of $200,000 for the top bull. This competitive bidding underscores GAR Beacon’s appeal as a high-impact genetic contributor for the future of the breed.
Takeaways for the Te Mania Angus Team
For Edward, the visit was an opportunity to observe another high-performing, data-driven Angus seedstock program up close. While GAR and Te Mania Angus operate in different environments, both businesses are underpinned by a dedication to profitability, innovation, and delivering measurable genetic improvement to commercial beef producers.
Seeing Gardiner Angus Ranch in action reinforced that success in Angus seedstock breeding comes from sticking to clear priorities — genetic consistency, commercial relevance, and systems that deliver results year after year.
A sincere thank you to Mark and Eva Gardiner and the entire GAR team for their warm hospitality and generosity in sharing their time and insights.
