Receiving the “Vanguard” designation in the ABBA is the most prestigious accomplishment a Brahman bull can achieve. Vanguard status is indicated by the symbol (+) preceding a sire’s name in the ABBA registry.
A Vanguard bull is a sire that has earned both Register of Renown and Maternal Performance Sire status. Not only have these bulls produced progeny that garner championships in the showring, they have also sired multiple Maternal Merit cows. Dams with the Maternal Merit rank are superior females identified through participation in the BHIR program as having an early onset of puberty, a regular calving interval and consistently producing offspring that perform above average.
In the history of the breed’s registry, only 24 bulls have obtained Vanguard status. The most recent additions to this esteemed group are (+)JDH SIR LAWFORD MANSO 616/6 and (+)JDH KARU MANSO 800.
(+)JDH SIR LAWFORD MANSO 616/6
This Spring 2000 born herd sire was produced by the Hudgins Division of J.D. Hudgins. Inc. He is sired by (+)JDH MADISON DE MANSO out of JDH LADY BARA MANSO. According to Bob Hudgins, he was a moderate bull that worked well on many types of cows. He was never shown and wasn’t promoted much early on, but his first few calf crops were nothing short of extraordinary. His progeny did extremely well in the show ring here in the United States as well as Latin America and Mexico. He sired three Maternal Merit cows and one Register of Renown cow, +JDH LADY MIRANDA MANSO, who was dam to the 2012 National Champion and Show Bull of the Year +DF MR. SNOWMAN 91/9. Some of the most notable herd bulls he has sired include: +JDH SIR SHANK MANSO 51/7, +JDH MR ELMO MANSO 309/4 (2008 National Champion), JDH SIR CORONA MANSO 367/7, JDH DENTON DE MANSO 592/7 (2010 International Champion), JDH MR HOOKS MANSO 352/7, JDH SIR PAUL MANSO 463/1 and JDH VERNON MANSO 720/8.
(+)JDH KARU MANSO 800
This 1994 fall born sire is one of the most well-known bulls in the Brahman breed. He was bred by the late Leslie “Bubba” Hudgins of J.D. Hudgins. Inc. (+)JDH KARU MANSO 800 is a (+)JDH DAKOTA MANSO 599 son out of a (+)JJ DIDOR CRATA 389 daughter. In addition to being a show ring standout and International Champion, he is a trait leader in six categories, ranking in the top 1% of the breed for Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight, Carcass Weight, Marbling and Ribeye Area. With more than 1,300 registered progeny, this prolific herd sire has had a profound impact on the Brahman breed. He has sired 18 register of Renown animals (14 cows and four bulls). He has sired many outstanding herd sires including +KF PROGENY’S SUCCESS 40/0 (back to back ABBA Show Bull of the Year), #SS PRINCIPE DE SIGUACAN, +CROSS FIRE 02/2, +MR. V8 380/6, +MR. V8 442/6, JDH MAGNIFICO MANSO 160/6, MR MENDEL DE KALLION 436 and MR. V8 463/6 to name just a few.
