About The Ranch
Yardley Cattle Company is headquartered in Beaver Utah. The following is as told by Gib, “In February 1856, my great grandfather, James P. Anderson, along with 13 other men, settled the Beaver River Valley and our family has resided here since. My Granddad James Heber Yardley was in partners with his two brothers, and they had always been involved in the cattle business. One brother, Uncle Al, would take a herd of steers and cows and drive them to winter range down on the Arizona Strip. He would take a pack horse and potatoes and salt bacon and live in a tent out there with them all winter. In the spring of 1908, he was coming home from Arizona, and when he got to the northern end of Long Valley, he took the wrong canyon and ended up in the head of Asay Creek. He said this was the most beautiful valley spot he had ever seen in his life. It was a beautiful mountain meadow valley with some big springs and one of the most beautiful streams in the world. Al found the man who owned the ranch and found out it was for sale, so Al came home and got my granddad and together they went back and bought it for $5,000. This has forever changed our lives. They then acquired one of the first forest permits on the Dixie National Forest, running 500 head there, which joined the ranch. It is 75 miles from Asay Creek to Beaver, and they always drove those cattle back and forth on horseback, taking about three and-a-half days, until the late 1940’s when we started trucking them.
In 1920, Granddad went back to Kansas and brought the first Hereford cattle to this area. Again in 1939 and 1940, they went to Colorado and bought replacement heifers from the old master Hereford breeder of the United States, Fred DeBerard of Kremmling, CO. We continued to buy registered Herefords, both bulls and heifers, from many other top breeders of the country. We worked hard to create one of the best herds in the west. About 38 years ago, we started cross breeding some of them with Angus, and then when they brought the first Simmentals to Canada, I went up to see them and the Maine Anjou. I liked them so much I introduced them into our program, and the rest is history.
Until I was 18 years old, my dad was in partnerships with his brothers, Ike and Roy. We would start hauling hay the 20th of June and hauled hay six days a week until the middle of September. We were cutting, raking, and hauling all at the same time using eight to 10 teams of horses. Quite a few years ago, we bought two winter range allotments 40 miles west of Beaver, and we winter most of our older cows out there without feeding hay. They have to calve on their own and do it all. They have to have natural fleshing ability to take it. We have continuously culled cattle that can’t hold their own in these conditions. We have Indian rice grass and some native desert browse plants that are wonderful feed. Since then we have been scattered out for 110 miles between winter and summer ranges. We spend half or our time coming and the other half going.”
Gilbert T. Yardley has a life that is rich in history and friendships many formed from the cattle industry, acquaintences that make a life complete and full. We have been honored to know him not only as a father but as a true friend, confident, and role model. Dad was honored in 2006 at the 100th Anniversary of the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. He has shown at Denver for over 25 years. Dad spent a great deal in pursuing the lif- long dream of raising good cattle and took a little time to find a wife and raise a family. For many years he traveled throughout the United States with feeder pens and show calves. The Cow Palace in San Francisco, American Royal in Kansas City, Pacific International Show in Portland, OR, and the North American Livestock Show in Louisville have all housed Yardley Cattle throughout the years. There was never a heifer pen show at Denver, but no place in the rule book could be found a rule that said you couldn’t take heifers to compete against the steers. Dad took the first pen of heifers ever shown in Denver. The next year Denver had a heifer pen show! He had steers that won every major show and for many years dad traveled every place in the country to watch them show, but eventually time caught up and he realized he had better start raising a family.
It’s a good thing that there was a protective mamma cow that was willing to knock some sense into Gib! In 1981 Dad was tagging a calf when the cow got him down and broke his nose, a few ribs, and his determination to stay single. He asked Denise Evans to marry him in the emergency room of the Beaver Valley Hospital. The rest is history. Dad found out he had to stay home a bit more and raise a family so the traveling days slowed down. Gib and Denise are parents of seven girls and a boy. God knew that he needed more patience and sent him girls to mellow him out! Dad has managed to raise seven girls that know how to brand a calf and the pedigrees on cattle but lack most domestic skills; we all figure we have plenty of time to learn!
This lifestyle that has been passed down from generations still exists at Yardley Cattle Company. All of us kids grew up working along side dad and we feel that we have learned from the best. Yardley Cattle Company is a family operation where family values are core to our business. Dad has believed as much in raising solid children as solid cattle.
We have strived to raise cattle that are easy fleshing and structurally sound with the performance and eye appeal to work in either the feedlot or the show ring. Our cattle don’t get pampered, they have to pay their way and run like a commercial operation. We have been AI’ing to the top bulls in the nation since 1968 and striving to consistently improve our cow base. Along with an extensive A.I. program we strive to ensure that our bull battery coincides with our females, easy fleshing, sound, and moderate powerhouses, that will produce quality females and superior bulls. Our effort to produce moderate framed, easy keeping replacements that will milk and have longevity is key to our program. Our herd sires are bulls that we have hand picked from elite programs across the nation. We depend upon commercial cattlemen for success and at Yardley Cattle Co. Performance is essential to our program because we realize it is vital to the profitability of our customers. We continue to spend our time, money, and energy to produce the very best. Our main goal is TO MAKE OUR CUSTOMERS MORE PROFITABLE. We don’t get carried away by fads and trends that will ultimately take you one step forward – then two steps back. We breed cost efficient, functional cattle backed by elite genetics. We realize that all the data in the world won’t tell you about the attitude, udder quality, mothering ability, and the ability of the cow to wean a calf and breed back in a harsh environment. We take this responsibility serious and stand confident behind the cow families we are proud to own.
Feel free to call and visit with us at any time. Utah is a beautiful state and if you’re ever in the area give us a call and stop by, we would love to show you around.
Yours for a better cattle business,