Westphal Red Angus in Montana: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Westphal Red Angus is the Grass Range, Montana, seedstock ranch of Vic and Shari Westphal, who have raised Red Angus since 1976 and sell bulls and heifers at an annual March production sale. The Red Angus Association of America named the ranch its 2025 Pioneer Breeder of the Year.
| Location | Grass Range, Fergus County, central Montana |
|---|---|
| Founded | Red Angus cattle raised since 1976 |
| Sectors | Red Angus seedstock (bulls and females); commercial calves |
| Scale | About 300 mature cows, as reported by the Lewistown News; 79 yearling bulls sold at the 2024 sale |
| Why it is notable | 2025 Red Angus Association of America Pioneer Breeder of the Year; nearly five decades of production sales |
| Ownership | Vic and Shari Westphal |
| Official website | Red Angus Association of America 2025 Pioneer Breeder of the Year announcement |
History of Westphal Red Angus
Vic Westphal first noticed Red Angus cattle in the 1970s, when he saw a herd along a highway near his hometown of Great Falls. The Westphals began with a few purchased cows and heifers in 1976, and Vic's father-in-law, Doug Delaney, encouraged them to raise Red Angus rather than black cattle and to hold their own production sale.
Vic also spent 30 years as a basketball coach in Grass Range, and he has said that preparation habit carries over into the cattle business. In late September 2025 the ranch received the Pioneer Breeder of the Year honor at the 72nd National Red Angus Convention in Loveland, Colorado.
What Westphal Red Angus Grows and Raises
The ranch raises purebred and commercial Red Angus under range conditions and sells bulls and females as seedstock, while selling calves by the pound in the commercial market. The sale offering page says every animal sold is out of a Westphal-bred female and stresses maternal strength, sound structure, calm temperament, longevity and adaptability.
Selection is blunt. Vic says a cow that creates extra work is culled, and problem animals go through the Lewistown Livestock Auction. The program aims for low-maintenance cattle that perform on paper, through expected progeny differences, as well as in the pasture.
How Westphal Red Angus Makes Money
Annual production sale
The ranch holds a production sale each March, offering yearling bulls and heifers. At the March 2024 sale, 79 yearling bulls averaged $6,048 and 42 open registered heifers averaged $2,776, according to the Lewistown News. Results vary by year.
Commercial heifers
The 2024 sale also included 50 open commercial heifers, which averaged $2,327. Offering commercial females lets buyers who do not need registered cattle still buy Westphal genetics.
Calves sold by the pound
Calves not used as seedstock are sold by the pound in the commercial market, so the herd earns from both genetics and beef.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Westphal Red Angus
Cull for the work you do not want. A written rule that high-maintenance cows leave the herd gives a seedstock program a clear identity, and buyers can see what the ranch values.
Sell more than one product from the same herd. Registered bulls, registered heifers, commercial heifers and calves reach different buyers, which smooths out the year-to-year swings of any single market.
Any ranch where the culling policy comes from a basketball coach deserves a seat on the bench, and Westphal Red Angus has earned its place. Fans of farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes about cows that fail the 'extra work' test should head to farm.FM, where every punchline is low-maintenance and ready to calve on its own.
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How to Contact Westphal Red Angus
Website: https://redangus.org/westphal-red-angus-named-2025-raaa-pioneer-breeder-of-the-year/
No ranch website, street address, phone or email was found in the sources reviewed, so the best verified public page is the breed association's award announcement, November 2026. Sale dates and catalog requests should be confirmed through the breed association or Montana livestock press before traveling.
Westphal Red Angus Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Red Angus Association of America - 2025 Pioneer Breeder of the Year announcement
- Lewistown News - Westphal Red Angus named Pioneer Breeder of the Year
- Lewistown News sale report - March 2024 bull and heifer sale results
- Western Livestock Journal - March 2025 production sale report
- USDA Census of Agriculture - National and state farm and ranch statistics
Westphal Red Angus FAQ
Where is Westphal Red Angus?
The ranch is just outside Grass Range in central Montana.
What honor did the ranch receive in 2025?
The Red Angus Association of America named it the 2025 Pioneer Breeder of the Year.
When is the Westphal sale?
The production sale is held each March at the ranch, offering yearling bulls and heifers.
How many cows does the ranch run?
The Lewistown News reported about 300 mature cows.
Westphal Red Angus shows how a family can build a respected seedstock program from a few purchased cows by selecting hard for easy-care cattle and holding a sale every year. For more notable operations and practical guidance on markets, programs and credit, see the Montana farms guide.