24 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2026 Black Hereford & Angus Registered Logan & Jen Hill (970)629-8807 Stapleton, NE hislashcattle.com HORSE RACE FINISH @ 8:00PM cst April 7 - 8th th Selling Age Advantaged, Forage Developed Bulls Efficiency Hardiness Color hosted online by April 7 in contrast to his earlier use of beets tops. At the same time, Jack kept up with his brother’s innovations. His vegetable farm was one of the first two places near the Sarben area to have an irrigation well installed. Shortly after coming to Nebraska, George and Jack met the Shoup brothers of Sutherland. It was to be a fortuitous friendship. The Shoups were ranchers and owned a purebred Hereford herd. As George expanded his cattle feeding operation and started his herd, he leaned toward Herefords and, over time, he purchased a number of Shoup cattle. How much George already knew about raising cattle, what he learned from the Shoups or even from the local county agent, is unknown. However, it soon became apparent that he could select and feed cattle better than most people. His family was growing up and, like every father, he saw the future in them. So, with the county agent’s help, George and Jack’s sons – Ichio, Hitoshi, Mino, Masa and Kei – joined 4-H and started a club that would raise “baby beeves.” George would be with them every step of the way. His expertise showed right away. His nephews, Masa and Kei, both entered “baby beef” in the 1928 Nebraska State Fair and each won their class. Masa then won Grand Champion Hereford. It was a great start. In 1929, the boys were back at the Nebraska State Fair, and this time Hitoshi was the winner. His bull calf, bred in George’s herd, won first in his class and then grand champion of all baby beef in what was advertised as the world’s largest baby beef show. In 1930, at the annual Nebraska AKSAR-BEN stock show, Masa won first in the Hereford breed, baby beef and then won Reserve Champion of all steers in the 4-H competition. The calf, called Stub Maru, was purchased by George out of the Shoup Brothers herd and would lead to Masa’s next victory. The Matsutanis decided to enter the vaunted National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo., in 1931. Masa, again, entered Stub Maru. The steer had grown beautifully since the Nebraska show and the judges agreed, making the steer grand champion in the 4-H competition. Then, Masa entered his prized animal in the open competition. He, a kid from Nebraska and a son of Japanese immigrants, would compete with the best stock growers in the nation. When the show finished, the judges sided with Stub. Masa had shown Grand Champion Steer at NWSS. In fact, he won so many classes that the premiums paid set a new record for a Grand Champion Steer. Masa’s success with Stub was the pinnacle of the family’s awards, but George’s sons Ichio and Mino would continue to bring more laurels to the family. Ichio entered the 1932 National Western Stock Show and came close to matching his cousin. His steer, Chief, won Grand Champion Hereford and grand champion in the 4-H division. In 1933, his steer placed second in the Hereford THE MATSUTANI FAMILY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
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