William and Linda Rushton were selected as the 2004 Outstanding Purebred Producer of the year by the SC Cattlemen's Association. They are members of the Saluda County Cattlemen's association where they have played a vital role for years. They are a hard working team who love their Angus Cattle. They are astute reproductive managers and utilize the Heat Watch System to help them accurately detect heat for their AI program. William and Linda give great attention to detail and doing things right. Their herd has a heavy concentration of Yon Genetics and we are delighted to have them participate as a cooperator herd in our bull testing program. Integrity, herd health, proven genetics, and functional cattle are of great importance to the Rushtons. We are happy to have the Rushtons as friends, customers, and cooperators. We would be remiss if we didn't mention that it is especially good to have a banker, who happens to be William, that understands the cattle business!

Another Saluda County team, Clinton and Vanoy Clark, were awarded the 2004 Outstanding Commercial Producer of the year at the annual awards banquet of the SC Cattlemen's Association. The Clarks have one of the most well managed commercial herds in SC. They do a super job of keeping their entire herd on a thorough routine vaccination program. The Clarks have sent several groups of cattle to different feed yards as part of a couple of different alliances that provide them access to feedlot and carcass data on their calves. Not only have their cattle done well from a health standpoint, but they have learned that they are producing cattle with an acceptable end product. The Clarks plant winter and summer annuals for their cattle to graze and provide their young stock with supplemental by-product blends to keep them growing. They are annual participants in the outstanding Saluda County Replacement Heifer Sale held each February. We are proud to count the Clarks as bull customers and friends.