Rodeo Empire Agency: Texas

This is a website we are very excited about! The group and their direction, paired with our design techniques, created the perfect look for the Rodeo Empire Agency, Inc. (REA).

Cowboys Logan Medlin and Turtle Powell are just a few of the clients that REA is working with to help them get the most out of their advertising and promotions.

Christi Bland and Kathleen Collier make up the Hereford, Texas based REA, whose motto is "Helping Cowboys Stay Cowboys." They both come from rodeo families and saw a need to keep the Western heritage and way of life alive. Thus, they created the Rodeo Empire Agency.

REA offers cost effective advertising to their clients for their target markets, while promoting them on a regional, state and/or national level.

Check them out, www.reatexas.com! They are ready and willing to take you to the next level.

Why we hate the words "CLICK HERE TO...."

People here at RHD affectionately (NOT) refer to me as the web updates nazi at certain points because I have very particular pet peeves and standards that we follow for all web updates. For example, consistency in captions like things like using Exhibited by vs. Shown by vs. Owned by for captions. Another example is consistent image sizes, or not using music on websites, and things like that.

Perhaps my biggest pet peeve and web design no-no is the use of the words CLICK HERE TO.....bla bla bla. As in:

Click here to view videos
Click here to read our newsletter
Click here to see our sale catalog

The only way this could be worse would be if it is accompanied by a flashing icon that says CLICK HERE

Ugh I almost have a panic attack just looking at that!!!

Yet continually, we do have clients who ask us to put in the words "CLICK HERE TO..." and though we do it if the client specifically asks, I really hate to do it. And here is why.

The bottom line is it is insulting to your viewer. It implies that people aren't smart enough to know that if there is something that's a link, that you click on it to access it.

Second, it's unnecessary words. As trained journalists we are always working to keep things as concise as possible. Get your message out in the least amount of words as possible. Click here to is 3 un-necessary words. 

As the updates nazi, I suggest replacing the words Click Here To" with something as simple as:

View Video or Watch Video

Read our Newsletter 

Browse our Sale Catalog 

All of these are active voice, direct, to the point, and the least amount of words as possible.

Here's another great blog on the history of why not to say CLICK HERE....
So CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG. 

HA HA HA I just had to say it!

Sullivan Farms :: Dunlap, Iowa

I remember very clearly the first time I had spoken with John Sullivan about a website for his Shorthorn farm. It was back in the summer of 2003 and I was driving from College Station to Huntsville, Texas to watch my little cousin in a rodeo. This was at the time when I still operated RHD alone, out of my dining room in College Station. When I talked to John about his website, this was one of the largest breeder sites we would be doing at the time. I was ecstatic.

That's been nearly 10 years ago! And wow have things changed since then! It really seems hard to believe that we have been working with the Sullivan account, and many others, for 10 years!

Here at RHD we keep a list of each site, along with the date it was designed, and last updated. Then we try to periodically check with clients who have an older design and recommend we give it a little fresh look about every two years or so. We also have the "Top Ten Oldest Design" list in which we identify the oldest 10 designs currently in use. Then we really try to encourage those people to get a new look.

Well, to cut to the chase, the Sullivan Farms site was #2 on our "Oldest Design" list. We began asking John about a year or two ago if we could work on a new look. But, we got so busy working on projects for the exciting Stock Show U last year, that it seemed that the new website for the farm got put on the back burner. After a year of friendly reminding (lol) we started putting John's print designer, Arin Strasburg, in the mix of this pleading. Me, Arin, John, and Dede set a goal to have a new site up and running before August 15th of the year so that it would be up just before they began posting sale photos from their fall sale.

I have to say, this is one of my all time favorite sites. I just love it. I love the awesome photos, the colors, the logo, the style, and the great family history behind this business. Oh and it doesn't hurt that the pictures are great Shorthorns too by the way!

So, I really hope everyone will take a moment to visit www.maternallegends.com (named after their sale) and see our latest creation! We love it and hope you do too!

Younge Cattle Company :: Iowa Angus Breeder

We always love working with Angus breeders on new website designs and Younge Cattle Company is our latest creation!

The Younge's came to us by a word of mouth referral from their friends at Four Corners Farms, another Angus client of ours. The folks at FCF were happy with the work we did and they told their friends.

After a quick phone call early one morning with owner Marc Younge, we had a service contract faxed back in and a design proof rolling! That's the kind of customer we love working with.

The Younge Cattle Co operation is a family business. It all started when Marc and Robin wanted to help their children learn responsibility and work ethic by showing cattle. Marc, being a businessman, chose The Business Breed: Angus! :) (We always love to throw in that slogan whenever we can.)

The family began studying Angus genetics and decided they were going to focus on proven cow families....Georgina, Keymura Katy, Champion Hill cow families, and more. They felt that these cow families were the best investment for both their daughters show heifers as well as future production.

We loved working on this site. We hope you will visit it at http://youngecattle.com and see some of the great Angus females owned by the Younge's. 

Indian Mound Ranch :: Hereford Cattle Ranch

Isn't this an adorable ranching family!

One of our newest cattle website designs is Indian Mound Ranch, a family owned and operated business located in Canadian, Texas.

Owner Lee Haygood is the 4th generation on the ranch that was founded by his great grandfather in the mid 1880s. Today, he operates the ranch with his wife Jacqui and their two sons Luke & Mark (who we are all in love with here at RHD by the way....aren't they just adorable little cowboys!)

With it's rich history, Indian Mound Ranch has stayed on top of technology which allows them to offer fault-free and functional cattle. Their Herefords are raised on range country with minimal inputs. They breed top quality herd bulls and use strict culling to keep the cow herd moving in the right direction.

Bull development is also important for the Haygoods. Bulls are fed a 20% range cube diet at a minimal rate. Bulls are kept in a pen and feed tested to identify the bulls that can thrive and perform on range conditions. When you buy a bull from Indian Mound Ranch, you can expect him to go straight to work, without melting or falling apart when he gets in the pasture. The Haygood family also collects a lot of performance data and conducts carcass ultrasounding to provide the most information possible to clients.

Sounds like a recipe for success to me! I hope you will visit www.indianmoundranch.com and check it out.

We are so appreciative of all of our Hereford website clients that have joined the RHD family in the past few months. We are currently designing and maintaining about 25 different purebred Hereford ranches, including many of the leading breeders in the nation both commercial and show oriented. Our team includes two Hereford ladies: KC Kinder and Ashley Middleswarth, and we are very passionate about this breed.

GR Construction :: Texas

One of our newest sites to go on line is GR Construction, a construction firm based out of Wharton County that serves the Texas gulf coast and greater Houston area. GR Construction is owned by Garrett Rod, a native of El Campo, Texas. He started the business in January 2010 after graduating from Sam Houston State University with a degree in industrial technology / construction management.  

Starting from the ground up, Garrett began getting the hands on experience to match his degree by working with various companies in the Houston area. After a few years, he started his own company. Initially, he began with working on small remodeling jobs, and through the years has steadily grown. 

In the past year, he has completed a variety of construction projects including remodels, commercial construction, ground up constructions, home additions, and more.

As a motivated small business owner, Garrett seeks to continually expand his services. He recently added the technology to offer his clients computer aided design for site work, floor plans, and 3D renderings. 

Here at RHD, we know what it's like to start your business from nothing, and then put in the long hours and efforts to make it a success. That's why we love working with businesses like GR Construction to help them expand their marketing efforts. 

We invite you to check out his site, and if you are considering a home building project, a construction project, or even a re-model to contact Garrett at 979-541-9488 or email garrett.grc@gmail.com. 

Moore Land & Cattle :: Jerseyville, Illinois

We love working with family businesses in the cattle business and our newest website is a great example of families working together and having a great time!

We made contact with Moore Land and Cattle through an old Shorthorn / MSU connection with our good friend Robbie Duis, who is now working at Moore Land & Cattle.

And, just check out this picture! Isn't it awesome! It's not every day that you can find four purple banners from the Denver stock show! WOW!

The Moore operation is located in Jerseyville, Illinois, and includes mostly Simi and Maine cattle, but they also have Angus, Shorthorn, Charolais, and some club calves. The Moore's will be hosting their fall production sale on October 6th. They are about an hour and a half from Illinois State Fair and they are inviting anyone to come out and look at the calves while you are at the fair.

This is an awesome family, and we are honored to do their website. Check out all of their winners at http://moorelandandcattle.com/winners.html...you will quickly recognize some of the recent greats in the Shorthorn and Maine and Simi breeds.

Thanks to the Moore family for choosing RHD!!!

3K Land & Cattle :: Texas Red Angus Breeders

Word of mouth referrals is one of the biggest ways we get new clients at RHD, and that is sort of how we first developed a relationship with 3K Land & Cattle.

For many years, we have handled the website for the Texas Red Angus Association. During this time, we made a friendship and working relationship with Judy Kay Ferguson, who volunteered for TRAA on their website. Through working with her on that site, we made contact and enjoyed working with this volunteer who was always organized and pleasant to work with.

Recently, Judy Kay decided she needed a website for her own ranch, 3K Land & Cattle, and she immediately came to RHD. We loved this project. The 3K site has a very western, ranchy look which is one of our favorite design styles.

3K Land & Cattle is a family owned and operated ranch located in the north Texas town of Drop, Texas. It was originally started by Wayne & Judy Kay Ferguson and originally had crossbred cattle. Wayne and his youngest daughter Brenna went to an auction to purchase "A" show heifer and came back with 13 heifers! Today the ranch is managed by Judy Kay and son-in-law Kyle DeVoe. The DeVoe family lives on the ranch and Kyle manages the day to day operations.

So how did they get the name 3K? It stands for the three females in the family...Judy Kay, Amanda Kay, and Brenna Kay! A family tradition continues with the next 3K generation....Karlee Kay, Kenedy Kay DeVoe and Emerson Kay Owens!

Four Oaks Shooting Sports :: Texas

Another new website going up (making this new web site #79 for 2012) this week and it's one that we love!

Four Oaks Shooting Sports is a specially designed training facility located on the famous Mound Creek Brangus Ranch in Leona, Texas.

And just as a side note, I love Mound Creek Ranch! It is owned by my friend Eddie Blazek with lots of help from consultant Tracy Holbert. This duo selected one of my polled Brahman cows for a flush about 10 years ago to start some of their foundation Brangus. I always look forward to seeing them at Houston each year. These guys are great!

So back to Four Oaks Shooting Sports. Currently, someone else does Mound Creek Ranch's website and I always give Eddie a hard time when I see him about why he doesn't get me to do his site since we are friends! So when they needed a new website for this new venture, they finally gave me a chance! :)

We began working with Tracy Holbert initially on this site,which began with logo development for the business. We created the logo you see here with the four oak trees and the rustic look. We felt like this website was designed in a great way to capture the essence of the facility. Four Oaks Shooting Sports is becoming a great training facility since it is located so close to Dallas / Fort Worth, but has all the charm of small town life. The facility has some great bunkhouses, beautiful sunsets, and even serves Brangus steaks straight off the grill!

Though I'm not a shooting sports enthusiasts, it's easy to see that this is a one-of-a-kind facility. I hope you will check it out at http://fouroaksshootingsports.com/index.html and be sure to tell them RHD sent you!

Barber Ranch :: Channing, Texas

Oh boy are we excited to post this new website!
We have been working on the new website for Barber Ranch since early spring, and it is one that we are exceptionally proud of. 


We began working with the Barbers back in 2001, and they were one of our first website clients back in the days of "Two Girls Web Design." I had known the Barbers for forever through showing in TCCA. I mean let's be honest, if you're from Texas, and you hear the word Hereford, Barber is one of the first names that comes to mind. Actually, that probably remains true for the whole U.S. When you think of top Hereford show cattle and commercial bulls, the Barbers have an excellent reputation of quality cattle. 


We had done their website from 2001 to 2004, when they decided to switch to another firm. The period of 2003 to 2004 was one where our business was in a transition as I worked for Texas A&M full time. Because of my full time job, most of my website work was done at night and on the weekends, so at that time the Barbers wanted to switch to a company that did web design full time. I totally understood and though we didn't do business together anymore, we were still good friends. 


Back last fall, we began talking with the Barbers again about doing their ads and website once again. They had commented that they loved the work we were putting out and realized that now our business had grown to hold 3 full time updaters and a great team of marketing professionals. And we were thrilled to gain their business once again!


We began working on their sale ads for their Cowtown Classic sale. Emily traveled up to Fort Worth to photograph their sale. Then we began the process of the new website, which went live today.

Their website is one of my all time favorites. I'll admit I have a weakness for good Hereford cattle. Especially ones shown by adorable little girls like this one...


I hope you will visit www.barberranch.com to see our recent work and their great Hereford cattle. Thanks Barber Ranch for coming back to RHD!!!


P.S. Barber Ranch is part of our growing list of high profile Hereford clients. We have even more on the way that will be unveiled throughout the spring and fall! If you are a Hereford breeder we would love to give you a quote. We also have two great Hereford gals on our team if you prefer to talk to one of them. KC Kinder is available at kc@ranchhousedesigns.com or Ashley Middleswarth at ashley@ranchhousedesigns.com.

Eaves Angus Genetics :: Oklahoma Angus Website

We always find it enjoyable to work with new Angus clients on their website, and we are happy to present our latest creation: Eaves Angus Genetics. 


Over the past few months we have seen a tremendous growth in the # of Angus websites we are designing here at RHD, and we are very thankful to the Angus breeders who are choosing to use us for their designs. We are currently doing 34 Angus websites with the list growing every day. 

One of the things we enjoy about working with Angus clients is their passion for education and knowledge. Eaves Angus Genetics is at the top of this list, because they are extremely driven in their quest for performance.  In fact, their motto is EAG: The Prefix for Performance.

Eaves Angus Genetics is based out of Atoka, Oklahoma with the goal to provide bulls to the commercial cattleman containing the genetics that allow them to be profitable. With this goal, owner Ryan Eaves believes in using the total package of information available to best make his breeding and management decisions. He uses all available resources such as performance data, EPDs, index values, and carcass information to offer a sound information base to our clientele. Then, he applies stringent selection criteria to the EAG cowherd focusing on traits like fertility, conformation, and structural soundness. 


After working with Ryan, we quickly learned one thing: He gets it. He gets the beef industry and he realizes that his #1 customer is the commercial cattleman and he works hard to raise bulls that will work for the commercial-man. And that is something we can all appreciate, and relate to in the beef industry!

We hope you will check out Eaves Angus Genetics. Stacey handled the design on this one and Jessica did the content work. We think it's a great design, but also backed with great information and some awesome Angus pictures.  

Vansickle Cattle Co :: Indiana

One of our newest websites to go up is Vansickle Cattle Co., a cattle operation in Fortville, Indiana. We began working with the Vansickle's last year by helping them create custom graphics for their blog. They had previously had a website done elsewhere, and when their contract was up with that designer they wanted to switch to RHD because they were so pleased with the service we had offered on the blog design. 

 Working with Dave Vansickle is a joy. We had known of him through social media contacts because we followed him on twitter. We always enjoyed reading his thought-provoking posts and also his humorous posts too! Definiely check out @VCC_Cattle on twitter. 

Just like so many of our customers in the show cattle sector, the Vansickles are a family owned business that works together in everything they do. Dave began the business in 1999. While he was going after the club calf market, Dave is one of those smart cattlemen who also understands there is a material side to this business too. So yes, he works hard to raise high caliber show steers, but he also is just as concerned about the females. Because of this, VCC has become known as a great place to buy show steers and replacement females that can raise those clubby show steers too. 

The folks at VCC aren't 'cattle traders.' They know the business and they put their hearts into everything they do on the farm. Selection, high standards, and planned matings go into the success of VCC. They also match their cattle with a great program of customer service and integrity. Dave loves helping young folks and is happy to help every step along the way. That is one of the reasons we are so proud to work with this new client. 

Check them out at http://vansicklecattleco.com/. If you are in the market for a club calf or a club calf momma, VCC is a place to go!

Baughman Show Cattle :: Ohio

At RHD, we take extreme pride in developing long term relationships with our clients, and in many cases we have clients we have handled the advertising accounts of for 10 years or more.

We began working with Baughman Show Cattle about 5 years ago, and the only project we did for them was to design their August ads every August. So once a year, we would hear from the Baughmans, and design their ad, and each time was a great experience.

The Baughman operation started out in 1982 with Jim and Amber Baughman, a brother and sister team that showed in 4-H and FFA. In 1997, Jim started selling cattle and helping other families with their calves. After a few years, in 2000, the younger Jim and his wife Nancy teamed up with Jim, Sr. to start selling cattle on a much larger scale. Things grew even further in 2004 and the Baughmans have continually been selling high quality cattle every year since.

This year, when the Baughmans contacted us again to do their ad, they also asked about a website and a blog. They were currently working with another design firm for their website but inquired about moving everything over to us. We were honored.

The Baughman team already had a blog set up, which they were updating themselves. All they needed was for RHD to do some matching graphics and spruce up the design, so they didn't just have the same old template everyone else did. We were able to do this in a day.

Next, we went to work on their new website, which is now up at http://www.baughmanshowcattle.com. Their annual sale will be held September 11 and will be an online sale this year. We hope you will visit this new site for a great cattle family!

Turkey Feather Ranch :: Ada, OK

If you love Herefords then Turkey Feather Ranch is definitely one of our new websites you will want to check out.

Turkey Feather Ranch was founded in 1957 and since then, has continued a commitment to building a Polled Hereford program of functional and complete cattle.

In 2007, Rindy & Ernie Bacon took over the operation and since that time have been aggressively working on building up the herd through elite donor females and herd sires that are popular throughout the country.

We worked on this site a great deal with their marketing consultant, Paul Maulsby, a good friend of RHD. While working on the site we especially enjoyed seeing the pictures of their herd bulls like STAR TCF Lock N Load, the 2011 National Champion Hereford bull in Fort Worth and 2010 National Champion Bull in Louisville.

Another favorite was STAR Shock-Wave 131Y, the 2012 National Champion in Denver.

So as you can see Turkey Feather Ranch doesn't play around! They are home of 3 past national champions (2012, 2011, and 2010) and their love of the Hereford breed is evident to anyone who visits the site. Check it out! We hope you enjoy!

New Web Site: K&G Contracting!

We are extremely excited to introduce our newest web site client – especially given recent shifts in gas prices – K&G Contracting!

Located in Houston, Texas, K&G Contracting Services is the premier company for gasoline pump instillation, removal or servicing. Whether your business is a retail convenience store, travel center, truck stop, family-owned service station, corporate fleet or municipal fuel facility, K&G wants to keep your fuel system in service.

With a large, knowledgeable staff, K&G went from a small fuel supplier to one of the largest contracting companies in the Houston area. They offer installation which includes construction permits and agency compliance, underground and aboveground storage tank instillation, driveways and curbs and much more! In addition, K&G technicians are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to meet your needs.

However, they provide all of these services with a creative, easily navigable site with colored images showcasing their works. For more information on K&G, give them a call. They would love to work with you!

Meet Happ Herefords!

Meet one of our newest web site clients: Happ Herefords!

Located in Mendota, Illinois, Happ Hereford prides themselves in the production of Hereford cattle that are built for soundness and longevity. In 2007, Chris and Janell Happ purchased a small herd of Hereford cattle from a neighbor in efforts for diversity the grain farm that has been in the family for 5 generations. After the first year of calving, Chris set out in search of sound, attractive, and maternal females to serve as the foundation of his own herd. Five years later the two still place emphasis on those three qualities on their current herd.

Happ Herefords herd currently consists of 30 registered Hereford cows, with about 30 commercial cows involved in our progressive embryo transfer program. As you can see by looking through their site, their sires and females bring forth nothing but quality.

For more information on Happ Herefords, contact Chris and Janell at any time. 

Circle TC Cattle Company

We welcome our newest web site client, Circle TC Ranch andCattle Company. The herd started its genetic base with a core group of females that represents a select group of successful show heifers coming from the most elite programs in the Maine Anjou breed.

Circle TC is owned by Chic and Tracy Coonrod and is conveniently located in Katy Texas, just a few miles outside of Houston. The crew is committed to the success of their herd as well as the industry as a whole. Tracy grew up in the show cattle ring and knew she wanted to continue in the future. She and father, Chic, have been able to make the production of quality cattle their goal by the utilization of only the most elite cows and mating them to premiere genetics.

By looking through their site, it is easy to see how those genetics have fared in the show ring. With a quality donor program and a keen eye for show ring necessaries, Circle TC has been able to supply their customers with banner worthy cattle.

Stop by or give them a call. They would love to work with you!

Red Barn Event Center!

Looking to host an event or gathering? If you are in the Tulsa area, you should definitely check out the Red Barn Event Center. Located in Owasso, Oklahoma, the crew at the center has made it their mission to provide their customers and guests the very best in terms of facility and location.

The crew purchased the barn in July of 2011 with no intention of hosting anything past family functions. After acquiring the uniquely beautiful facility however, they though it would work for small weddings, receptions, family reunions, call reunions and small parties.

The Red Barn in about 80 feet by 80 feet with a stage, full-functioning kitchen, and men’s and women’s restrooms. It is temperature controlled and there is an apartment upstairs which is conveniently used as a bride changing room. The facility can seat up to 100 but can accommodate up to 300 guests. It really is the perfect spot for your upcoming gathering.

But the Red Barn does not stop at hosting indoor/outdoor parties. This barn was originally built by Sonrise Ranch to host their registered Angus cattle sales. With that said, the facility is more than able to host your next livestock sale. With 10 acres of grass pens as well as 15 sorting and holding pens (both open and covered), they have the facilities needed for most any type of producer. The stage area inside converts to the sale ring and it has an auction box above the ring.

No matter what you are thinking about hosting or planning, the Red Barn Event Center is the perfect place! For more information on the Center or to book your next gathering there, check out their site or give them a call! 

Shared Lutheran Ministry

We are extremely excited to introduce our newest web site client, Shared Lutheran Ministry of Fayette County. In Fayette County, Texas, four Texas congregations made the decision to enter into a truly shared ministry. This is in efforts to provide the best tools for their members to grow as disciples of Christ and to effectively proclaim the good news of Christ in the communities and the world.

By looking this colorful and fun site, viewers are able to learn about what the church has to offer as well as staff and team member. Anyone in the surrounding area is more than welcome to attend one of the upcoming events or services.

The four churches that make up the Shared Lutheran Ministry are St. John Lutheran Church in Ellinger, Texas, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Texas, St. John Lutheran Church in Rutersville, Texas and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warrenton, Texas. The site highlights each church and give worship times and locations.  

The Shared Lutheran Ministry offers nursing home worship, home communion, youth and family groups, worship and music groups, and so much more. Check them out on Facebook or give them a call. They would love to help you!

Redesign Alert! Purple Reign Cattle Company

Redesign Alert! Check out the new and improved site from our Hereford friends, Randy and Jamie Mullinix and Purple Reign Cattle Company. Conveniently located in Toulon, Illinois, Purple Reign is premier location for mid-west cattlemen as well as purebred breeders across the nation.

By providing some of the leading genetics for registered Hereford cattle, Randy and Jamie have made the production of quality cattle a priority at the ranch. They use breed leaders in terms of performance data and phenotypic quality, allowing them to be able to not only stand behind many champion banners, but more importantly supply those winning genetics to customers across the nation.

The new site maintains the level of professionalism with a clean design, just as the previous site did – but couples this with the extra punch needed to spark interest. As you look through the site, there is no question of the level of quality the cattle possess. From current sires being used, to featured sale offerings to recent and past champions, the site is full of photo after photo of some of the best Hereford cattle in the nation – not to mention the occasional shorthorn sire

If you are interested in snagging some of these quality cattle for yourself, give Randy and Jamie a call. They would love to help you with your next ‘purple reign’.