Association History

The Maryland Angus Association was organized in 1930 and 1931 when there were fourteen known Angus herds in the state.

Herds like Andelot, Cremona and Wickwire helped write early Angus history, not only in Maryland but nationally, as well, along with many other herds too numerous to mention here.

The most important Association sponsored events in the early years were the Maryland Breeders Shows. The first official show was held at the Harford Hunt Club in 1933 where 20 animals were exhibited. Over the years the Breeders Shows were discontinued, then revived, depending on the enthusiasm of the membership.

The most recent revival was in 1974 when 52 head were shown at Gaithersburg in conjunction with Montgomery County Fair in August. In 1983, a Preview Show was also held at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, as a one day event. It was so well received, the membership decided to hold a one day Breeders Show at Howard County Fairgrounds and to drop the show at Gaithersburg. In 1989 (because of difficulty raising prize monies) the Breeders Show was moved back to the Montgomery County Fair.

The Annual Fall Quality Show and Sale was established and became a prime source for foundation Angus cattle. A number of years ago, the “show” portion was dropped. Currently, the fall sale is operating as a consignment sale open to all Maryland members, “The Angus Event.”

The spring “Grass Sales” were organized and served as a source of good quality unfitted Angus. We currently have also dropped the Spring sale in order to focus on having more head and of better quality in the Angus Event Sale each fall.

In 1986, a Maryland Steer Futurity Sale was established and held at the Frederick Fairgrounds. Featuring Maryland-bred steers, and later heifers, proceeds from a nomination fee is held in an account and pays special premiums to sale animals shown at specified county fairs, state, regional and national shows, to encourage young people to show registered Angus.

The Association was incorporated as the Maryland Angus Association in 1951, with the following statement of purpose:

To promote the best interest of the Aberdeen-Angus breed of cattle by means of sales, shows, meeting, publications and in such other ways as will in the judgement of the Corporation, help in the establishment of new herds and the maintenance and improvement of present herds of Aberdeen-Angus cattle.

The Corporation shall be a nonprofit corporation and neither the income nor the principal of the Corporation’s funds may be used to insure the benefit of any private member nor shall the income or principle of the Corporation be used in an attempt to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise.

In 1971, the Association helped organize a Maryland Junior Angus Association and has put stronger and stronger emphasis on aiding our Junior programs with increased monetary contributions, encouragement of and help with activities. We have been rewarded with a strong and active group of young Angus enthusiasts who have been selected to host four regional junior Angus shows to date.

The Maryland Angus Women’s Club was organized in 1957 and has always been active in state and local Angus events and programs. Their participation in Association and Junior events has helped strengthen the Association considerably.

The first Annual Dinner Social was held in 1990 at the Lisbon Firehall. This is time when the members take time out from the Holiday rush and get together to reminisce over the year and spread good cheer. The Angus Breeder and Angus Family awards are presented at this time and the selection of the new Angus Queen and Princess is announced.

The annual Angus Business meeting (formally held in February) is now held in March in conjunction with the Maryland Cattlemen’s Convention and Trade Show at Hagerstown. At this meeting the Committees report and a new Board of Directors are elected.

Since 1968, the Association has published this directory of membership every one to four years as deemed necessary by the membership.

The dedication of our older members, the constant support of our Women’s Club, the enthusiasm of our juniors and new members, has helped to weld our Association into a real Angus fellowship dedicated, not only to the promotion of our great breed of cattle, but also to promotion of an atmosphere of friendliness, cooperation and social exchange.