Our herd, JC Longhorns, was started several years ago after I met and married Jeanette and moved to Victoria Texas. Having grown up around cattle while living in Shiner, Texas and having worked parttime for a ranch there that raised registered Limousine cattle and 42,000+ laying hens, I found it a great opportunity when I was asked to work for and manage the Double M Ranch at Victoria. When the talk of raising Texas Longhorn cattle became a serious issue with the Double M Ranch group, I was the first in line to try to talk Matt Vanek out of this crazy notion. My limited knowledge of Texas Longhorns made me believe they were nothing more than skinny-looking roping steers with a lot of horn to give you trouble. I was soon proven very wrong! The more I studied about them and looked at various Longhorn herds and ranches on the internet, the more I was attracted to the classic beauty of these great animals.

My first dealings in shopping for and purchasing some Registered Longhorn cattle was with Rick Adams and Bill Plaisance at the Cedar Creek Cattle Company. While at their ranch and looking for stock for the Double M Ranch, I spotted a pretty little black heifer with a lot of horn. After making a deal on a few cows for Matt’s herd, I went back home and began to tell Jeanette about this great looking black heifer that I had fallen in love with over in Lockhart. It took some serious talking and a whole lot of persuasion, but we made a decision to purchase that heifer for the start of our own small herd of Longhorn cattle. Once the heifer was at the ranch, Jeanette became more interested in the cattle and when those first baby calves hit the ground, with their wild and varied colors, you could say she was really hooked.

We run a very small herd that resides along with the Double M Ranch herd located in DeWitt County, between Victoria and Cuero. We have been very pleased with the results from that pretty black heifer, named CC Backstreet Affair. She has given us some outstanding calves through breeding opportunities with sires from well-recognized breeders such as Cedar Creek Cattle Company, Lonesome Pines Ranch, and the Double M Ranch. Through our association with other Texas Longhorn breeders, we have been fortunate to meet a lot of very nice people who have never hesitated to help us with questionsand/or problems that they have already learned about from their ranching experiences. It has also been through these folks that we have become connected with the South Texas Longhorn Association. I have been honored to serve as Vice-President of our organization for the past few years. We have also become involved with the Longhorn Shows at Austin and San Antonio each year where we exhibit some of our cattle in the Non- Haltered (Freedom) Classes. During these shows, you will usually find me working cows in the non-haltered pens and getting everything set up for the show. Through these events, we are able to meet more breeders and other people interested in the Longhorn cattle. You also get to see the young people showing off their animals. During the shows, you really have the chance to enjoy the majesty and beauty of the Longhorns. We think there is nothing more grand than watching a beautiful Texas Longhorn walking through the pasture or out into the show ring.

This takes me to the family part of our lives and our youngsters. Jeanette and I have three grown children, along with four grandchildren. One of our grandsons, Jacob, lives with us now. Jacob is only seven years old, but when it is time to go to the ranch and work cows, he is always ready to give me a helping hand with penning or giving shots. I think we have a young cowman in the making. Does this mean that there will be some halter breaking in the future? along with some “haltered” show animals? Time willcertainly tell!

Jeanette and I would like to extend our thanks to all of the people who have helpedus along the way as we’ve started raising Longhorn cattle. We always enjoy the great times we have with everyone— whether it’s working together or just having fun!

You can contact Clarence and Jeanette at their place in Victoria , Texas . Their phone number is (361) 648-6249 or visit them on their website at www.jctxlonghorns.com.