Wyoming Hereford Association honors Micheli

On Aug. 14, lifetime Hereford Breeder Dale Micheli of Fort Bridger received the Wyoming Hereford Legends Show Award during the Wyoming State Fair (WSF) in Douglas. 

The award has been presented each year for the past six years by the Wyoming Hereford Association (WHA) to an individual who has dedicated time and effort to making significant contributions to the Hereford breed. 

WHA Members Cindy and Gene Stillahn explained WHA members vote on the award recipient during their spring meeting, choosing individuals who have not only had an influence on Hereford cattle, but the tight-knit community of purebred breeders as well.

“These award recipients are people who the younger generation of Hereford breeders have looked up to for advice and watched the way they run their successful operations to garner ideas on how to make their own ranches and cow herds better,” said Gene.

In an earlier interview with the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, Micheli noted his love for the breed began at a young age and was instilled in him by his grandfather Joseph Micheli, who purchased the family’s first Hereford cattle in 1917. 

After fully taking over the operation, Micheli began to study pedigrees and work on adding dynamic females to the herd. He invested in prominent sires and started utilizing artificial insemination and embryo transfer to build a high-quality, renowned purebred herd.

In addition to running his highly-successful operation in the heart of Uinta County, Micheli has remained an active and integral force in promoting the Hereford industry across the state of Wyoming and the nation as a whole.

He has served on the American Hereford Association Board of Directors and Certified Hereford Beef. He has hosted Hereford Field Days on the Micheli Ranch in Fort Bridger, helped enhance the Hereford Show at WSF, remained active in all aspects of the WHA and was elected to the National Hereford Board in 2013.

He has also made it a priority to share his life knowledge of the Hereford breed with youth across the country, coaching both 4-H and FFA livestock and meat judging teams and judging some of the biggest livestock shows in the nation.

In 2021, Micheli was inducted into the American Hereford Association Hall of Fame. 

In receiving the Wyoming Hereford Legends Show Award, Micheli said, “I was humbled and honored to receive this award. It means so much to me to receive this recognition from my peers. I consider it a privilege to have been able to promote the Hereford breed all of these years.”