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The Midwest Cattleman · October 22, 2020 · P16
Generations of Influence

By Wyatt Minihan

In central Kansas, just a few wintered on the ranch. The next
miles east of Raymond, Kansas year in 1979, he held his first An-
lies a sixth-generation ranch nual Production Sale the third
where Shorthorn cattle roam Saturday of October. Lawrence
through acres of green grass. Grathwohl, Eddie’s brother, came
Ryan and Nancy Heter are the to work for Deer Trail Ranch as a
owners of DTR Cattle Company herdsman and managed the show
that raises purebred Shorthorns barn. Lawrence was very active in
and Shorthorn influenced cattle the family’s show operation and
in central Kansas. Nancy comes traveled across the nation helping
from a family dedicated to the them with their show cattle, while
Shorthorn breed. Her passion for also helping with all areas of the
Shorthorns came from her father, operation.
Eddie Grathwohl, who grew and In 1999, Eddie passed away
developed the Shorthorn side of from cancer, but Deer Trail Ranch for and fit their cattle. A scholar- from 1994-1997. Junior Nationals
her family’s operation, Deer Trail continued to produce Shorthorn ship is given to a senior each year took place in Des Moines, Iowa, the
Ranch. cattle and host their Annual Pro- in Eddie’s memory. During Short- year she was elected on the junior
The Roots duction Sale with Lawrence as horn Junior Nationals, the Cham- board and she served as the Pres-
herdsman. In 2003, the last An- pion Senior Showman is award- ident her last year. “I was very ac-
“When my dad was 12, in 1959, nual Production Sale took place. A ed a $250 Lawrence Grathwohl tive in the Junior association and
he bought his first Shorthorn heif- few years later, Lawrence passed Scholarship and a traveling tro- looked forward to attending the
er as a 4-H project, and from there away in 2005 from a car accident. phy. Also at Junior Nationals, the Junior National every year,” says
it really developed his interest in Eddie’s children kept several of highest Prospector I individual is Nancy.
Shorthorns,” says Nancy. the cow families that originated at rewarded $50 from the Lawrence Nancy started attending Short-
After years of raising and show- Deer Trail and meant so much to Grathwohl Memorial to encour- horn Junior Nationals a few years
ing Shorthorn cattle, her father, the family over the years, but the age their continued interested in before she was able to show, but
Eddie, went on to establish Deer remainder of them were sold. the Shorthorn breed and associa- has been attending them ever
Trail Ranch in Powhattan, Kan., Eddie loved Shorthorns and tion. since she first stepped foot in the
in 1978. The name came from the was very active in the breed. He The Lawrence Grathwohl Me- show ring. She showed at every
large herd of whitetail deer that was the first president of the morial Herdsman of the Year is Junior National until she aged

Kansas Junior Shorthorn Asso- honored each year with a trophy out.
ciation as well as many offices in buckle in memory of Lawrence “Getting involved in the AJSA,
the Kansas Shorthorn Associa- Grathwohl and sponsored by the provided opportunities to develop
tion. He was a state delegate for Shorthorn Foundation. The selec- leadership and communications
the American Shorthorn Associ- tion of Herdsman of the Year is skills that helped shape the per-
ation annual meeting for several done by peers of the association. son I am today. It is a great way
years, a member of the Northeast Members of the ASA present at the for juniors to contribute and make
Kansas Shorthorn Breeders Asso- National Shorthorn Show nomi- life-long friends. We have a junior
ciation and also a member of the nate who they see fit in receiving program that is second to none,
Kansas Livestock Association. He this memorial trophy buckle. and I am very grateful my chil-
was named Builder of the Breed “The Herdsman Award is a dren are growing up in this orga-
in 1986 for their functional, per- great tribute to Lawrence’s mem- nization,” says Nancy.
formance-oriented cattle that had ory. He was a competitor at heart Present Day
numerous success across the na- and had the opportunity to exhib- While serving on the Junior
tion by both his family and buyers. it many champions during his ca- Board, Nancy attended Kansas
Eddie passed on his knowl- reer. He really valued the Short-
edge, love, dedication, and drive horn friends he made over the State University in Manhattan,
Kansas, and majored in Animal
for Shorthorns to his children, years traveling to shows across Sciences and Industry with a
Nancy, Rebecca and Andy - who all the country,” says Nancy. Communications emphasis. Grow-
continue to pass Junior Years ing up in the beef industry, Nancy
those traits on to Nancy was very involved in knew she wanted to continue to be
their children. In the show cattle industry and the involved in the agricultural indus-
memory of Eddie National Junior Shorthorn As- try through her education, career
and Lawrence, sociation during her youth. She and future.
the family host started showing in 4-H at the age Nancy graduated from Kan-
several memorial of seven, which was also her first sas State in December 1998 and
awards, contest year to show at a junior national. stayed through the spring semes-
and scholarships. She attended local, state and na- ter to continue for her master’s
The Eddie tional shows throughout her show degree. She then went on to South
Grathwohl Me- career and had great success. The Dakota State University in the
morial Beef Clinic Grathwohl house was lined with Fall of 1999 and received a mas-
is an education- ribbons, trophies, awards, and ter’s in ruminant nutrition in De-
al event at the many other outstanding accom- cember of 2001.
Brown Coun- plishments from their cattle. Upon graduating with her
ty Fair to help Nancy served on the AJSA master’s, Nancy has worked for a
younger 4-Her’s board of directors for the Nation- couple of different companies in
learn how to care al Junior Shorthorn Association the genomics field. She current-