SG_USA_February_2022

2022 SGBI ANNUAL MEETING

REVERSE BOURBON RAFFLE MAKING THE SELECTION By Darren Richmond, SGBI Member Services Representative

I n just two short months, the Commonwealth of Kentucky will be hosting the 71st Santa Gertrudis Breeders Inter- national (SGBI) Annual Meeting in Lexington, the home of Kentucky bourbon and the finest in Thoroughbred racing! The bourbon industry is worth an estimated $8.6 billion to the state of Kentucky and accounts for more than 21,000 jobs, so the significance of bourbon to the state is very apparent. In mid- December, SGBI Board members Nolan Taylor and Craig Lopossa and I were invited to visit New Riff Distillery in New Port, Ky., on the banks of the Ohio River. New Riff Distillery is a family-owned and Kentucky-bred business based on an old tradition of distilling Kentucky bourbon. New Riff is a craft distillery, producing bourbon from corn, rye and malted barley. New Riff’s dynamic, single-barrel program is the leader in the industry. We arrived at the distillery and met our tour guides who gave us a very thorough tour of the barrel storage and bottling facilities. Afterward, we met with the single-barrel experts. We got to choose from three different single-barrel bourbons from a variety of in-depth bourbon descriptions of more than 10 different options. We were unanimous in our choice of two of the three bourbons that we chose to taste. After sampling the bourbon, we unanimously chose the single barrel for the special SGBI limited edition engraved bottles that will be available for raffle at the upcoming annual meeting.

The limited-edition New Riff SGBI bottles will be awarded

using a reverse raffle at the SGBI Annual Meeting in Lex- ington, Ky., April 7-9, 2022. One hundred fifty tickets will be offered for $150 per ticket. The last ticket drawn will receive bottle No. 1 of 50 of the SGBI limited edition bourbon, a cask head from the SGBI limited edition bourbon distillery cask barrel and $250. The last tickets drawn from 50 to 2 will receive a corresponding numbered bottle of bourbon. To purchase tickets, contact any of our SGBI Board mem- bers. We look forward to a great gathering of Santa Gertrudis members and breed enthusiasts in the Bluegrass State! Our annual meeting includes board and committee meet- ings along with our awards banquet with opportunities for Kentucky Bourbon Trail tours and a group outing to watch live Thoroughbred racing at the nearby Keeneland race- track. There will be plenty of time to explore all that central Kentucky has to offer, such as the Kentucky Horse Park and Thoroughbred farms where you can take pictures with former Triple Crown winning horses! Let the spirits lead you to the 71st SGBI Annual Meeting! The SGBI Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky., April 7-9, is open to all members. It provides a unique opportunity to net- work with breeders, get association updates, attend commit- tee meetings, meet the office staff and directors, and address any issues within the association. This is what sets our breed apart in the beef industry. Our members are continually striv- ing to improve genetics, marketability and communication with breeders to enhance our presence and success in the beef industry. I am thankful we have so many opportunities to exhibit, market and learn about Santa Gertrudis cattle and hope to see you all at the Dixie National Santa Gertrudis Open Show in Jackson, Miss., on Feb. 15! JUNIOR LETTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

We would like to extend a big thank you to New Riff Distill- ery and their staff for a very enjoyable tour and tasting. Also, thank you to John Ford and Nolan Taylor for reaching out to New Riff and making this happen! While in Kentucky, if you have time and are a bourbon fan, make sure to check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail near Lexington where you will find several of the finest Kentucky bourbon distilleries.

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SANTA GERTRUDIS USA