The Miller Memoirs

Bull Sale
February 6, 2009

We drove to Idaho Falls to support my family with the Elkington Polled Hereford Annual Bull Sale! It's a big event for my family! My family prepares for this event for months. All of the bulls have to be washed, semen tested, tagged, and health checked. Besides preparing the bulls, my dad spends months sending fliers, calling bull buyers, and advertising for the event. He also rents bleachers, and prepares the barn to hold all the bull buyers. Every year for as long as I can remember, my parents have fed the bull buyers hamburger gravy over baked potatoes for lunch. They have also provided cookies, and donuts for the buyers to eat while they searched the corals for the particular bull they want to buy. Therefore, food preparations begin a few days before the event. My parents order donuts, and root beer. Neighbors cook potatoes, and cookies while mom prepares the gravy (along with cookies and potatoes as well). Finally on the day of the sale, bull buyers arrive early, and begin searching out their desired bulls (and heifers). Food is prepared and placed on banquet tables ready to be served. At 12:00 pm the auctioneer begins the sale, and within hours--it is over! This is how I grew up...on a ranch raising cattle. I wouldn't trade it for the world! Sometimes I wish I could give my children the same learning experiences my parents gave to me by simply living on a ranch....

The Auctioneer, Roxanne (my sister), Aunt Sandy, and Dad

Here is a picture of a bull being sold at the auction.

Another shot of the sale!

After the sale, my dad always takes the whole family out to dinner. Hailey got a bit crazy with the "all you can eat dessert bar"!