Anything to do with cattle

Wesselman named Grant County Cattleman of the Year

MOSES LAKE - Wherever cattle are seen, there's a good chance Rod Wesselman was there or is on his way.

Wesselman was named 2007 Cattleman of the Year by the Grant County Cattlemen's Association. The award is given to Grant County cattle industry members demonstrating leadership and service to the field.

"(I'm) very humbled and very honored that they would have thought of me to give this award to," he said.

He didn't say specifically why he feels he deserves the honor, but thinks it's a combination of achievements.

"I guess my dedication to the cattle industry in general," he said. "I've been very supportive of state and county cattlemen's associations."

Wesselman graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor's degree in general agriculture and a minor in animal science. He spent six months in Australia learning about Australian cattle production and and marketing.

"(There are) a lot of similarities from the livestock in Australia compared to the United States and many differences in the way they run the cattle," he said.

He started his career in the cattle industry spending three and a half years as a fieldman for the Quincy Livestock Market.

"It gave me a solid background in the commercial industry," he said.

Wesselman worked for 15 years as regional manager of the American Angus Association, where he promotes cattle for Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Hawaii.

Wesselman now serves on the board of directors of the Washington Cattlemen's Association as the Allied Industries representative. Among his duties are planning the organization's convention and attending meetings at the group's headquarters in Ellensburg.

His support of the industry takes him to different locations and he estimates he spends between 130 to 150 nights away from home during the course of a year, traveling about 50,000 miles in a car in addition to miles logged in the air.

Recently he returned from a trip taking him to the Washington Cattlemen's Association convention in Pasco, Sun Valley, Idaho, where the Idaho Cattlemen's convention was held, Tetonia, Idaho, for a bull sale, and a flight to Galt, Calif., to assist an industry colleague.

Wesselman said traveling can be challenging, but he enjoys it.

"It's very rewarding. I do like to travel and see different places and go to different ranches," he said.

What he finds most rewarding about his work is getting to help others in the cattle business.

"The number one thing that I've always told people is that if I can go on to a registered ranch or commercial operation and give someone advice to help their operation, they take that information, implement it and they're successful with it," he said.

Wesselman works to be involved any way he can in the cattle industry.

" (Where) there's activities or marketing opportunities for angus cattle, I tried to be involved within my territory, anything that has to do with the cattle industry in general," he said.

Wesselman said he works a lot with the National Jr. Angus Association and is very involved with its field days, aimed at teaching young people about the cattle business.

When not working, he can busy himself with his hobbies.

"I enjoy team roping, golf once in a while, like to spend time with family and friends," he said.