22 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN September 2025 Red Angus Association of America By 1954, they felt there were enough Red Angus breeders to start an association. The association’s rules and regulations – which would center the registry around performance records – were primarily written by Waldo and the brilliant George Chiga. Meanwhile, the bylaws’ primary authors were Sal and Mrs. S. Taylor McDaniels. Their major driver in the bylaws was that the association should be member driven. With Waldo as president and Sal as the executive secretary-treasurer, the new Red Angus Association of America came into being on March 29, 1954. From the very beginning, women played a strong role within the association. Over the years, more than 75 percent of the boards have had at least one woman serving, with generally there being two or three. Four of the breed executives have been women, along with three presidents, including a mother-daughter pair. Sal herself not only served as executive secretary-treasurer but also sat on the board at various times spanning three decades. Sal Forbes Takes the Reins After Waldo’s untimely death in late 1955 at the age of 43, Sal took over as manager of the 1,000-cow ranch and continued her work to build the Red Angus breed and establish the concept of selection based on performance testing. All this while widowed at 36 and raising seven highly accomplished children. In terms of accomplishments, Sal’s annual field days were legendary. People traveled from across the country to learn about performance testing. Two of her field days featured presentations from Jan Bonsma, Ph.D., from South Africa. When the formation of the Beef Improvement Federation started to flounder, it was Sal who wrote an open letter proposing it be set up as a federation, which was the concept that was adopted. The contribution of the Forbes family to the Red Angus Association is incalculable. In addition to Waldo and Sal’s participation, two of her sons served as vice president and as members on numerous committees. Sal Forbes’ life of accomplishment was rewarded when she became the first woman to have her portrait added to the Saddle and Sirloin Gallery in 2008 – considered the highest honor in the livestock industry. Even though she came from a noted family and lived a life of accomplishment, once her children were grown, she chose to live in a humble cottage on the ranch. She would also keep any meeting lively with her bright mind and probing questions. Without a doubt, Sal was a one-of-a-kind person who left the industry and society better because she was part of it. She passed away at her Sheridan, Wyo., residence in 2011 at the age of 91. ~NC~ A PIONEERING WOMAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 © Johnston www.wvmcattle.com wvm@wvmcattle.com (530) 347-3793 Market Where you’re a Name, Not a Number Monday, August 11 - Cheyenne, WY Tuesday, September 16 - Ogallala, NE Friday, October 17 - Cottonwood, CA Tuesday, December 2 - Reno, NV Upcoming Sales
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