Being raised in Northern Louisiana in the late ’70s and early ’80s, my family had Brahman-crossed cattle in a rural community.

My father bought me my first three cows at nine years old; my duty was to care for the family herd and my three cows. In the fall, one of the jobs I had as a 10-year-old was to bring the cattle in from the range, which included 5-10-mile walks with a foot-tub of sweet feed, with the girls following me.

The cattle would not leave to the range after bringing them to the home-place during the winter months until the first blades of green grass in the spring. And this is where my love of cattle began!

After entering my adult life and traveling globally through my job for metals & mining, I had to visit a client in Osaka, Japan. It was there that I was introduced to Kobe beef.

I was in the hotel when I heard of a small shop specializing in Kobe beef from local farms. I went down that evening for dinner, and  I was met by the manager who asked me if I had ever experienced Kobe beef before? My answer was “no!” so he helped me place my order.

Along with another employee, he helped me cook my first piece on a small gas grill in the middle of the table. The texture, flavor, and overall taste were an extraordinary experience!

I’ve eaten many types of beef and exotic game from all over the world, but this was one of the most unique eating experiences I ever had.

The following objective was to let my family and friends understand this experience.

Once I returned home, I sought out people who raised wagyu and produced their beef. I started purchasing full blood along with F1 from someone I had been introduced to.

My passion for tasting and sharing this experience led me to become involved in breeding and feeding Wagyu cattle, learning the complex pedigrees, and designing the very unique feeds that Wagyu cattle require.