Herdsman of the year
Each year at the National Western Stock Show
(NWSS) in Denver, Colorado, Limousin exhibitors
both up on the Hill and in the Yards make their
selections of who they will nominate for the
prestigious Herdsman of the Year award. This
honor is one that is unique and is presented to one
who not only serves the breed but offers a bright
future through his or her own cattle herd and/or
operation. Whether you have seen him hanging
out in the Hall of Education with the Thomas
and Son Farms show string during the National
Western Stock Show or have watched him play a
friendly game of kickball during numerous junior
nationals, odds are you have probably struck up
a conversation or tipped your hat towards him,
because he is no stranger to the Limousin breed.
Lonnie Thomas, your 2019 Limousin Herdsman of
the Year, is not only an influential individual within
the Limousin breed but he is also one that is truly
focused on bettering the versatile youth within
today’s agriculturally diverse society.
Lonnie resides in the quaint town of Boonsboro,
Maryland just shy of an hour west of Baltimore.
He began showing heifers from a young age
and started working more on the genetics
side of things as time progressed, determining
matings and what would be the most effective
and profitable for producers within today’s ever-
changing cattle markets. He has exhibited and
reigned successful throughout the nation at the
North American Livestock Exposition and the
Keystone International Livestock Exposition just
to name a minimal few, and when you ask him, ‘so
how far was the drive this time?’ He will sigh, begin
to chuckle, and give you the exact hour amount,
followed with, ‘but no matter how long it took
we’re just happy to be here!’ And that is for sure a
56 | MARCH 2019
2019 Limousin Herdsman award winner: Lonnie Thomas,
pictured with Katie Campbell, NALF director of activities.
sign, no matter good days or bad, Lonnie always
has a smile on his face, a true example of humbled
character.
Following his graduation from the Boonsboro High
School, Lonnie attended Hagerstown Community
College where he studied Business, but his heart
never left the farm within those years bringing
him back to continue to raise and breed Limousin,
Lim-Flex, Angus, and Crossbred cattle alongside his
brother Chris and the rest of the family. They have
seen numerous wins with females, bulls, cow-calf
pairs, and even in last years pen and carload show
at the Denver Stock Show. However, that doesn’t
stop them from continuing their behind the scenes
work at home, as Lonnie says, ‘there’s still work to
be done, we still have work to do.’ And although
we may not agree with Lonnie when he argues
time and time again that the Orioles are the best
baseball team in United States history, there is one
thing we can be sure to agree on and that is, that
we as industry leaders do still have work to do.