WEBVTT 00:00:14.189 --> 00:00:20.969 Creeping over fields of green Remembering the 00:00:20.969 --> 00:00:27.269 faces The moments unseen The hands that built 00:00:27.269 --> 00:00:33.590 a dynasty The vision in their eyes Echoes in 00:00:33.590 --> 00:00:38.810 the auction bar Beneath an endless sky This is 00:00:38.810 --> 00:01:03.219 the bull buy Turn the bar It's a bitter, cold 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:06.780 morning in 1967. Ray Brubaker, 41 years old, 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:09.219 a legend in the making, is walking into the office 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:12.359 at Lakeside Farm in Wisconsin. And he's feeling... 00:01:12.569 --> 00:01:14.310 Well, he's feeling the justified satisfaction 00:01:14.310 --> 00:01:18.090 of a major win. He is carrying a check for $16 00:01:18.090 --> 00:01:22.370 ,500. This is the cleared payment from a critical 00:01:22.370 --> 00:01:25.170 bull sale in Japan, a deal that took weeks of 00:01:25.170 --> 00:01:28.310 international travel, of negotiation. It validated 00:01:28.310 --> 00:01:31.030 his judgment on the global Holstein stage. He's 00:01:31.030 --> 00:01:33.390 just there to hand that money to William Haston, 00:01:33.450 --> 00:01:36.189 the farm owner, and settle his expenses. For 00:01:36.189 --> 00:01:38.709 14 years, Ray has been the manager at Lakeside, 00:01:38.829 --> 00:01:41.290 systematically building this place into a national 00:01:41.290 --> 00:01:43.609 powerhouse. a herd that could compete with any 00:01:43.609 --> 00:01:46.069 in the world. And for 14 years, it was all defined 00:01:46.069 --> 00:01:48.790 not by lawyers and paperwork, but by the quiet 00:01:48.790 --> 00:01:51.109 understanding of a handshake. But the partnership 00:01:51.109 --> 00:01:53.170 is already poisoned. Waiting in an office, sitting 00:01:53.170 --> 00:01:55.230 beside a mentally declining William Haston, is 00:01:55.230 --> 00:01:57.250 his new wife, Dorothy. And when Ray presents 00:01:57.250 --> 00:01:58.969 the check, she delivers the news that shatters 00:01:58.969 --> 00:02:02.519 that foundation of trust. completely he announces 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:05.079 without apology that because of what she deems 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:07.659 higher than expected travel expenses they will 00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:10.199 only pay ray half of what they promised he delivered 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:11.740 the sale he covered the costs up front brought 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:14.699 back this huge windfall and now now the terms 00:02:14.699 --> 00:02:18.680 are changing retroactively over a simple expense 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:21.319 account that handshake that loyalty that entire 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:24.430 career at lakeside It's about to end, not with 00:02:24.430 --> 00:02:26.590 a contract negotiation, but with a statement 00:02:26.590 --> 00:02:28.750 of non -negotiable principle. And it will all 00:02:28.750 --> 00:02:31.189 be over in the next 60 seconds. Welcome to the 00:02:31.189 --> 00:02:32.870 Deep Dive. Today, we are immersing ourselves 00:02:32.870 --> 00:02:35.370 in the legendary life and career of Ray Brubacher. 00:02:35.550 --> 00:02:38.270 And we are exploring what became known as the 00:02:38.270 --> 00:02:40.990 Ray Brubacher Standard. I mean, this is the Holstein 00:02:40.990 --> 00:02:43.750 Titan who proved the fastest, most effective 00:02:43.750 --> 00:02:47.530 way to build an unshakable career. It wasn't 00:02:47.530 --> 00:02:49.789 by chasing stability or the next dollar. It was 00:02:49.789 --> 00:02:52.229 having the radical courage to walk away from 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:55.389 broken promises. We have some just incredible 00:02:55.389 --> 00:02:57.969 source material for this deep dive, pulling from 00:02:57.969 --> 00:03:00.689 decades of industry history, including these 00:03:00.689 --> 00:03:03.550 really detailed excerpts from Doug Blair's interviews 00:03:03.550 --> 00:03:06.710 in Legends of the Cattle Breeding Business. And 00:03:06.710 --> 00:03:09.289 they really capture Ray's voice, you know, the 00:03:09.289 --> 00:03:11.710 weight of those decisions made decades ago that 00:03:11.710 --> 00:03:14.050 still echo today. Yeah, they do. Our mission 00:03:14.050 --> 00:03:16.550 today is to trace this dramatic arc. I mean, 00:03:16.550 --> 00:03:18.590 from a boy pulled out of school in grade eight 00:03:18.590 --> 00:03:21.289 to judging livestock on four continents and to 00:03:21.289 --> 00:03:23.550 really understand how integrity became his most 00:03:23.550 --> 00:03:26.449 valuable, his most appreciating asset. And this 00:03:26.449 --> 00:03:28.949 isn't just history. You know, it's a manual for 00:03:28.949 --> 00:03:30.789 survival right now. You look at the numbers, 00:03:30.849 --> 00:03:34.229 the USDA projects that between 2024 and 2028, 00:03:34.310 --> 00:03:37.110 we're going to see 5 ,900 U .S. dairy farms just. 00:03:37.769 --> 00:03:40.789 Wow. That's a 22 % contraction in the industry 00:03:40.789 --> 00:03:42.949 in four years. 22%. So when the market is that 00:03:42.949 --> 00:03:45.569 volatile, when the ground is shifting under everyone's 00:03:45.569 --> 00:03:48.449 feet, and when, as Ray experienced, you know, 00:03:48.449 --> 00:03:51.069 contracts start replacing handshakes, you need 00:03:51.069 --> 00:03:53.770 an anchor. Ray's journey shows you that the only 00:03:53.770 --> 00:03:56.189 thing you own that truly compounds in value is 00:03:56.189 --> 00:03:59.129 your reputation. Okay, let's untack this. We 00:03:59.129 --> 00:04:01.229 have to start with the stubborn root of Ray's 00:04:01.229 --> 00:04:03.710 progress, the character trait he inherited from 00:04:03.710 --> 00:04:07.460 his father, Abraham, or A .B. Brubaker. And that 00:04:07.460 --> 00:04:09.860 story starts in Ontario, Canada in the early 00:04:09.860 --> 00:04:12.599 1920s. And it doesn't start with a cow. It starts 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.280 with the cold. Right. A .B. lived in this deeply 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.180 traditional, very strict Mennonite community. 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:20.620 Tradition wasn't a choice. It was enforced. And 00:04:20.620 --> 00:04:23.399 yet A .B. had this deep, almost non -rational 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:26.160 passion for Holstein cattle. Ray recalled his 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.399 father, even as a small boy, would walk miles 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.579 out of his way just to gaze at a neighbor's black 00:04:30.579 --> 00:04:32.720 and white herd. But that passion for tradition 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:35.500 met a really painful reality one bitter Sunday 00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:37.829 morning. A .B. was making the customary drive 00:04:37.829 --> 00:04:40.550 to church in his horse and buggy, and that Ontario 00:04:40.550 --> 00:04:43.129 winter was just vicious. By the time he arrived, 00:04:43.250 --> 00:04:45.149 the extreme cold had set in, and his fingers 00:04:45.149 --> 00:04:47.509 and his toes were physically frozen solid. And 00:04:47.509 --> 00:04:50.189 that physical pain, that unnecessary hardship 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:53.449 imposed by tradition, that was the breaking point. 00:04:53.810 --> 00:04:56.569 A .B. was many things. But he wasn't reckless. 00:04:56.810 --> 00:04:59.629 He was intensely pragmatic. He decided that, 00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:01.410 you know, frozen appendages were not an acceptable 00:05:01.410 --> 00:05:04.370 price to pay for cultural compliance. So the 00:05:04.370 --> 00:05:07.850 very next Sunday, he shows up to church driving 00:05:07.850 --> 00:05:11.050 a car. And the immediate absolute consequence. 00:05:11.290 --> 00:05:13.250 He was instantly kicked out of the church. Just 00:05:13.250 --> 00:05:15.750 like that. He became an outlaw in his own community. 00:05:16.029 --> 00:05:17.750 And you have to think about the social cost of 00:05:17.750 --> 00:05:20.189 that decision in a tight -knit, tradition -bound 00:05:20.189 --> 00:05:23.610 area. He chose progress and physical well -being 00:05:23.610 --> 00:05:26.209 over social acceptance. That's so fascinating 00:05:26.209 --> 00:05:28.470 because it reveals this crucial trait that Ray 00:05:28.470 --> 00:05:31.490 inherited, right? The ability to fuse a deep 00:05:31.490 --> 00:05:34.389 love for the product, the whole Steinbreed, with 00:05:34.389 --> 00:05:37.569 this absolute non -negotiable demand for pragmatic 00:05:37.569 --> 00:05:39.649 progress and survival. It wasn't just about the 00:05:39.649 --> 00:05:41.730 car. It was about defining his own standards 00:05:41.730 --> 00:05:44.389 for acceptable risk and efficiency. Exactly. 00:05:44.589 --> 00:05:47.769 And that stubborn pragmatism defined his business 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:50.160 decisions when the world fell apart. We're talking 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:52.579 about the early 1930s, the Great Depression. 00:05:52.860 --> 00:05:55.920 Cattle breeders were just decimated. The economy 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:58.300 was collapsing and they couldn't afford to market 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:01.160 or move their animals. So A .B. steps into that 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:04.579 vacuum and launches an auction business. The 00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:07.740 risk there? Launching a high overhead business 00:06:07.740 --> 00:06:10.779 during the worst economic downturn in modern 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:13.699 history. It's incredible. Why an auction house? 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.860 Because he recognized the core economic constraint. 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:19.160 Breeders couldn't move their cattle, whether 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:21.139 because local markets vanished or the cost of 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:23.420 shipping was prohibitive or buyers just weren't 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:25.720 traveling. A .B. thought, somebody better do 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:28.180 something about that. And he decided to centralize 00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:30.699 the market. The sources detail that very first 00:06:30.699 --> 00:06:33.379 sale at the Winterfair building in Gulf. It set 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:35.300 the stage for the family business. It wasn't 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:37.379 a record setter, but it was successful. It averaged 00:06:37.379 --> 00:06:40.899 about $225 per head. But here's the absolute 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:43.720 perfect foreshadowing of Ray's entire career. 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:47.220 That top bull in AB's first Depression -era sale, 00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:50.620 it fetched $355. And do you know where it went? 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.199 Where? To Elmwood Farms in Illinois, the very 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:57.310 foundation of Ray's international career. 20 00:06:57.310 --> 00:07:00.610 years later, was literally purchased at his father's 00:07:00.610 --> 00:07:03.029 inaugural auction during the Depression. No way. 00:07:03.129 --> 00:07:05.269 That connection just shows you how small and 00:07:05.269 --> 00:07:07.370 interconnected this world has always been. It 00:07:07.370 --> 00:07:09.470 all comes back to A .B.'s decision that frozen 00:07:09.470 --> 00:07:12.490 toes were not worth the tradition. It set the 00:07:12.490 --> 00:07:15.949 whole trajectory. Okay, let's pivot now to Ray's 00:07:15.949 --> 00:07:19.029 own development act, too. Education and validation. 00:07:20.139 --> 00:07:22.699 Ray inherited the passion and the stubborn streak, 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:25.120 but he also inherited the consequence of growing 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:27.939 up in that era. A massive chip on his shoulder 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:30.480 about his lack of formal education. It's a moment 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:33.040 that defines his self -identity. You have to 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:36.160 picture Ray, maybe 12 or 13, on the farm in Ontario, 00:07:36.420 --> 00:07:38.420 and he's realizing his peers are still in school. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.139 And A .B. delivered the common reality of farm 00:07:41.139 --> 00:07:43.480 life then. Ray, you're big enough to stay home 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:45.399 and work on the farm. You tell the principal 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:48.199 you have to stay home. His formal education ended 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:50.689 right there. The principal fought for him, saw 00:07:50.689 --> 00:07:53.389 he was a sharp kid, and managed to secure just 00:07:53.389 --> 00:07:56.110 enough time to push Ray through grade 8. And 00:07:56.110 --> 00:07:58.589 then he was done. No high school, no diploma. 00:07:58.889 --> 00:08:01.709 And the sources capture this as a defining, painful 00:08:01.709 --> 00:08:06.069 humiliation. Years later, Ray is working cattle 00:08:06.069 --> 00:08:09.009 when George Clemens visits, the secretary of 00:08:09.009 --> 00:08:12.069 the Holstein Association. A man Ray considered 00:08:12.069 --> 00:08:15.430 absolute royalty. And Clemens, seeing this sharp 00:08:15.430 --> 00:08:17.829 young man, looks him in the eye and asks the 00:08:17.829 --> 00:08:20.949 blunt question, Why aren't you in school? That 00:08:20.949 --> 00:08:22.930 must have landed like a physical blow. Ray's 00:08:22.930 --> 00:08:24.589 internal quote from the sources is, what the 00:08:24.589 --> 00:08:27.350 hell do you tell him? That private shame, that 00:08:27.350 --> 00:08:29.829 sense of being judged or seen as less than because 00:08:29.829 --> 00:08:32.070 he lacked the piece of paper, it became absolute 00:08:32.070 --> 00:08:34.590 rocket fuel for him. It's a profound lesson in 00:08:34.590 --> 00:08:37.029 self -reliance, isn't it? When formal gates are 00:08:37.029 --> 00:08:38.750 closed to you, you have to acquire an expertise 00:08:38.750 --> 00:08:41.769 that renders those gatekeepers irrelevant. Ray's 00:08:41.769 --> 00:08:43.850 real education happened at 4 a .m. in the barn. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:46.500 He learned to see structural integrity, mammary 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:48.659 system development, the health metrics that matter 00:08:48.659 --> 00:08:51.080 not in a textbook, but three lactations down 00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:53.620 the line. That's the depth of expertise you just 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:55.639 can't get in a classroom. And he proved that 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:59.139 expertise with a cow that was, on paper, disqualified 00:08:59.139 --> 00:09:02.539 from greatness. Ormsby, Dutchland. Posh May. 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:04.860 A phenomenal animal that Ray and his brother 00:09:04.860 --> 00:09:08.779 Mike brought for $1 ,025. But they ran immediately 00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:11.899 into a crisis. Their farm suffered a brucellosis 00:09:11.899 --> 00:09:15.049 outbreak. Brucellosis, often called Bang's disease, 00:09:15.389 --> 00:09:17.870 it causes abortions and reproductive issues in 00:09:17.870 --> 00:09:20.389 cattle. And while Posh may remain productive, 00:09:20.850 --> 00:09:23.529 she was forever classified as a Bang's reactor. 00:09:23.870 --> 00:09:26.649 So why does that classification matter so much? 00:09:26.789 --> 00:09:29.179 Because of federal show regulations. Being a 00:09:29.179 --> 00:09:31.600 bangs reactor meant she would always test positive 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:34.919 on required blood work. It barred her from entry 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:38.240 into almost all major federally regulated livestock 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.759 exhibitions across North America. So she was 00:09:40.759 --> 00:09:43.179 a champion trapped by paperwork. Exactly. So 00:09:43.179 --> 00:09:45.840 Ray's great cow, his vindication, was ineligible 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:47.879 to compete. And this is where the audacity comes 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:50.480 in. They found an exception. A friend leveraging 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.059 connections arranged a clean blood test specifically 00:09:53.059 --> 00:09:56.450 for one event, the Gulf Championship show. It 00:09:56.450 --> 00:09:58.629 was a massive risk, blurring the line of what 00:09:58.629 --> 00:10:01.129 was strictly allowed, all for a single day of 00:10:01.129 --> 00:10:04.590 competition. Ray led her into that ring. It was 00:10:04.590 --> 00:10:07.470 the only show she ever attended. Judge Clarence 00:10:07.470 --> 00:10:09.549 Goodhue studied the cattle, and when the dust 00:10:09.549 --> 00:10:12.250 settled, Ray and Posh May won Senior Champion 00:10:12.250 --> 00:10:15.139 and Grand Champion. They took one perfect photo 00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:17.960 from that one perfect day, her entire competitive 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:21.059 resume, and they entered her into the most prestigious 00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:24.340 evaluation contests on the continent, the 1946 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:27.519 All -Canadian and All -America Contests. And 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:29.720 think about the conviction required to do that. 00:10:30.009 --> 00:10:32.230 You are submitting a photo of a cow that your 00:10:32.230 --> 00:10:35.269 rival saw only once, challenging the elite animals 00:10:35.269 --> 00:10:37.330 that had dominated the entire circuit all year 00:10:37.330 --> 00:10:39.950 long. It's an act of supreme confidence in your 00:10:39.950 --> 00:10:42.809 own eye. And the triumph was complete. Ormsby 00:10:42.809 --> 00:10:45.309 Dutchland Posh May was named both an All -American 00:10:45.309 --> 00:10:48.009 and an All -Canadian four -year -old. The cow 00:10:48.009 --> 00:10:50.289 with no show record beat the elite of the continent. 00:10:50.629 --> 00:10:52.970 And what was confirmed for Ray in that moment 00:10:52.970 --> 00:10:55.769 was that his personal judgment, his ability to 00:10:55.769 --> 00:10:58.350 see what mattered, was superior to the gatekeepers 00:10:58.350 --> 00:11:01.779 in the pedigrees. That single win was his diploma. 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:04.740 It was his validation, and it was the fuel that 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:06.860 propelled him into the next phase of his career. 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:09.139 And that confidence took him south of the border, 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:11.360 right back to that farm connected to his father's 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.860 first auction, Elmwood Farms. Act III opens in 00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:17.700 the early 1950s in Michigan, and Ray is about 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:19.879 to meet the most eccentric mentor he would ever 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:24.470 have. Bob Rasmussen. Rasmussen was a study in 00:11:24.470 --> 00:11:27.269 contradictions. Ray recalled he had sold the 00:11:27.269 --> 00:11:29.889 National Tea Company to A &P for $20 million, 00:11:30.409 --> 00:11:33.509 an immense amount of wealth in that era. Yet 00:11:33.509 --> 00:11:35.429 he was totally unconcerned with appearance. He 00:11:35.429 --> 00:11:37.529 was constantly changing whys and often dressed 00:11:37.529 --> 00:11:39.409 like he just stumbled out of bed. But when it 00:11:39.409 --> 00:11:42.090 came to cattle... Brilliant. A visionary breeder. 00:11:42.210 --> 00:11:44.830 He spotted Ray at a sale, saw the capability, 00:11:45.149 --> 00:11:48.009 and offered him a huge opportunity. Take his 00:11:48.009 --> 00:11:50.029 show string to the major state fairs across the 00:11:50.029 --> 00:11:52.909 Midwest. This was a life -changing chance, but 00:11:52.909 --> 00:11:56.049 there was a hurdle. Ray was Canadian and with 00:11:56.049 --> 00:11:58.429 a young family, he needed a green card and he 00:11:58.429 --> 00:12:00.570 needed it fast if he was going to accept this 00:12:00.570 --> 00:12:02.669 multi -state commitment. Rasmussen's handling 00:12:02.669 --> 00:12:05.090 of this is legendary. He didn't say, let's call 00:12:05.090 --> 00:12:08.029 an attorney. He simply told Ray to write down 00:12:08.029 --> 00:12:09.970 his number and said he talked to the governor 00:12:09.970 --> 00:12:12.389 about what they could do. And he did. Ray had 00:12:12.389 --> 00:12:14.929 that green card in hand within a month. That's 00:12:14.929 --> 00:12:17.129 the kind of political and social capital that 00:12:17.129 --> 00:12:19.570 Rasmussen wielded. But the defining lesson Ray 00:12:19.570 --> 00:12:21.809 learned from Rasmussen didn't involve politics 00:12:21.809 --> 00:12:25.070 or money. It involved luggage. They were packing 00:12:25.070 --> 00:12:28.230 for the long drive to Lincoln, Nebraska. Ray 00:12:28.230 --> 00:12:30.389 has his traditional proper leather suitcase. 00:12:31.210 --> 00:12:33.649 Rasmussen throws a crumpled, plain brown paper 00:12:33.649 --> 00:12:36.389 bag into the back seat. The paper bag philosophy, 00:12:36.509 --> 00:12:38.889 right? And what was inside? A toothbrush, toothpaste, 00:12:39.210 --> 00:12:41.690 clean underwear, and a few pairs of socks. That 00:12:41.690 --> 00:12:43.710 was it. It's the ultimate statement, isn't it? 00:12:44.129 --> 00:12:46.289 Rasmussen was a millionaire, traveling across 00:12:46.289 --> 00:12:48.370 the country to showcase world -class cattle. 00:12:48.690 --> 00:12:51.210 He didn't need the trappings of wealth to define 00:12:51.210 --> 00:12:53.639 him. He was teaching Ray that your reputation 00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:56.039 and your results are the only currency you need. 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:59.100 Travel light because your expertise is your heaviest, 00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:01.700 most important asset. That's a powerful lesson 00:13:01.700 --> 00:13:04.440 to receive early on. And the nickname Ray earned 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:07.019 that first summer perfectly encapsulated this 00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:10.240 spirit. After their first big success at Mooseheart, 00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:13.000 Mike Stewart, the leading figure, asked Rasmussen 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.220 who the kid leading their cattle was. Yeah. And 00:13:15.220 --> 00:13:18.000 Rasmussen replied simply, oh, he is some hotshot 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:21.240 Canadian kid. And that name stuck. He was the 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:23.200 young outsider proving himself purely through 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:25.620 results. But Rasmussen, despite his brilliance, 00:13:25.740 --> 00:13:28.399 wasn't infallible. And Act IV details the lesson 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.899 Ray learned about commitment and visibility, 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:33.440 the lesson of showing up. This story is so crucial 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:35.620 because it shows even the most successful visionary 00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:38.419 people can sometimes outsmart themselves. They 00:13:38.419 --> 00:13:41.039 had a two -year -old heifer named Phobes Weber 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:43.879 Burke, and she was crushing the competition. 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:47.080 That summer, she'd won first place at Mooseheart, 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:49.399 Springfield, Milwaukee, Des Moines, and Lincoln. 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:52.440 She was dominant. A lock for the biggest show 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:55.879 on the circuit, Waterloo. But as they loaded 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.000 the cattle for the final decisive show, Rasmussen 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.120 decided to pull her from the string. What was 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:04.320 the logic there? He was getting tactical. Rasmussen 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:06.759 thought she was getting a little stale, slightly 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.120 over -conditioned from the summer tour, and he 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.159 wanted to rest her to level her udder for the 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:15.139 following year. He reasoned that Judge Kildee, 00:14:15.340 --> 00:14:17.759 who had seen her dominate all summer, knew she 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.480 was the best, so they didn't need to risk her 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:22.100 in Waterloo. And Ray saw the flaw immediately. 00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:24.460 He told Rasmussen, Bob, she won't get a vote. 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:27.139 He was warning him that excellence that is unseen 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:30.980 cannot be rewarded. But Rasmussen was firm. Phobes 00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:34.059 Weberberg stayed home. And Ray remembered standing 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:36.620 next to Bob at Waterloo, watching Judge Kildee 00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:39.279 scrutinize the two -year -old class. Ray said 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.460 he could physically see Kildee's eyes searching 00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:44.279 the ring, clearly looking for something, someone 00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:46.759 who wasn't there. The champion cow was missing 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:50.100 from the moment of decision. The aftermath validated 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:52.600 Ray completely. She was nominated for All -American, 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:54.879 giving her incredible record that season. But 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.419 when the votes came in, zero. Not a single vote. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.279 Not one. The consensus was, if you don't show 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.220 up at the grand final, you can't win the overall 00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:05.500 prize. And Ray reminded Rasmussen of the prediction. 00:15:06.179 --> 00:15:08.019 Rasmussen, in his characteristic simplicity, 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:11.179 just replied, okay, oh well, my mistake. The 00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:14.059 modern parallel here is so profound. How often 00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:16.200 do people, even brilliant business operators, 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:19.840 get too clever? They try to optimize their calendar, 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:22.559 preserve their capital, or hold back their best 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:38.409 work for the perfect future moment. And that 00:15:38.409 --> 00:15:40.830 lesson, that commitment, must be absolute, leads 00:15:40.830 --> 00:15:43.330 directly to the first major inflection point 00:15:43.330 --> 00:15:46.549 in Ray's career. Act 5. The first walk away. 00:15:47.009 --> 00:15:49.289 Ray applied that principle of non -negotiable 00:15:49.289 --> 00:15:51.850 commitment to his own employment. After his successful 00:15:51.850 --> 00:15:54.669 run with Rasmussen, Ray took a manager position 00:15:54.669 --> 00:15:58.730 in Ohio for a man named John Mardig. Mardig was 00:15:58.730 --> 00:16:01.509 wealthy, described as a hobbyist who treated 00:16:01.509 --> 00:16:04.429 his farm like a toy. He liked the prestige of 00:16:04.429 --> 00:16:06.769 having Ray, but he didn't respect Ray's professional 00:16:06.769 --> 00:16:09.750 commitments. The breaking point wasn't over salary 00:16:09.750 --> 00:16:12.740 or facilities. It was over integrity. Ray had 00:16:12.740 --> 00:16:15.179 given his word to the local community, the organizer 00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:17.740 of a county fair, that he would bring Mardig 00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:20.259 Farms cattle to show. But when the time came, 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.360 Mardig refused. Mardig suddenly got nervous about 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.779 biosecurity fears about bugs and brucellosis, 00:16:25.940 --> 00:16:28.879 and he forbade Ray from taking the cattle. Ray 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.919 had already given his word. Mardig broke the 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:33.259 promise. Ray's response was immediate and absolute. 00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:35.259 He quit on the spot over a county fair commitment. 00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:38.240 He did agree to stay until Mardik found a replacement. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:41.139 Because Ray was a professional, but the principle 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:43.799 was non -negotiable. He walked away from steady, 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:46.919 high -profile employment because his boss reneged 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:49.379 on a handshake promise to a third party. Why? 00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:52.000 Because Ray knew that if you break your word, 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.340 you can't look yourself in the mirror. That self 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.860 -respect was paramount. And this is where reputation 00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:59.320 starts paying dividends. Word travels incredibly 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:02.120 fast in this tight industry. Ray's Wisconsin 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:04.680 friends from the Elmwood Circuit, the giants 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.039 like Alan Hetz, Gene Nelson, and Nels Rader, 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:09.339 they started calling immediately. They knew a 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:11.440 principled man was now available, and they wanted 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.259 him back. Finally, Nels Rader just got fed up 00:17:14.259 --> 00:17:16.420 with Ray's caution, handed him his car keys, 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:20.019 and essentially said, go talk to the man. William 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:23.079 A. Haston needs a manager for Lakeside near Elkhart 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.029 Lake. So Ray drives up there for the interview 00:17:26.029 --> 00:17:28.230 with Hasen, and this meeting defined the next 00:17:28.230 --> 00:17:30.670 14 years of his life. And it was characterized 00:17:30.670 --> 00:17:33.549 by two defining high -stakes moments. The first 00:17:33.549 --> 00:17:36.349 was immediate and cultural. Ray pronounced his 00:17:36.349 --> 00:17:38.750 name the way he always had in Ontario, Brubaker. 00:17:39.250 --> 00:17:41.569 Hasen, the proud fourth -generation Austrian 00:17:41.569 --> 00:17:44.549 industrialist, stops him cold. He corrects him 00:17:44.549 --> 00:17:46.869 using Sebastian Bach as an example, making it 00:17:46.869 --> 00:17:49.789 clear. Respect the heritage, pronounce it Brubaker, 00:17:49.910 --> 00:17:53.190 or this interview is over. It was a test of compliance 00:17:53.190 --> 00:17:55.609 and respect, and Ray passed by accepting the 00:17:55.609 --> 00:17:57.829 correction immediately. The second moment was 00:17:57.829 --> 00:18:00.150 Ray's test. Learning from the Martig experience, 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:04.029 Ray knew he needed absolute autonomy. So he challenged 00:18:04.029 --> 00:18:07.190 Hazen directly. Leaning into that stubborn Brubacher 00:18:07.190 --> 00:18:10.289 pragmatism, he said, If I come up here, who's 00:18:10.289 --> 00:18:12.609 going to manage this farm? You or me? That's 00:18:12.609 --> 00:18:14.710 a career -ending question in a job interview 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:17.930 if you ask the wrong person. It is. But Hazen's 00:18:17.930 --> 00:18:20.740 answer sealed the deal. He pointed out his global 00:18:20.740 --> 00:18:23.299 network, the factories, the operations in Australia, 00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:26.420 England, Austria, and his main factory in Sheboygan. 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:29.839 He told Ray, plainly, if he were going to manage 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.839 the farm, he wouldn't need to hire anyone. That 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.119 answer signaled the trust, the autonomy, and 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:37.799 the accountability Ray required. Haston was giving 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:40.039 Ray the keys and telling him, your results are 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:42.799 the only thing that matters. Ray moved his family 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.960 to Wisconsin in late 1953. With full autonomy 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:48.240 secured, Ray got to work building a powerhouse, 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:51.059 which brings us to Act 6. He inherited a good 00:18:51.059 --> 00:18:53.559 base, but it needed serious repair. He described 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.980 the lakeside herd initially as a good basic herd 00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:58.759 in need of repair. Only one excellent cow and 00:18:58.759 --> 00:19:01.460 11 very good. And this is where Ray's technical 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:04.019 genius really comes in. It wasn't just his eye. 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.680 It was his humility to listen to the right advice. 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:10.599 Eli Snutson, a respected breeder, advised him 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:12.720 not to chase the latest fads, but to buy dare 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:15.539 over sensation, and crucially, to build your 00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:17.880 own pedigree. Create value through strategic 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:20.279 breeding, don't just buy it off the shelf. He 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:23.539 also invested wisely, acquiring Whirlhill Q -Rag 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:27.339 Apple Aerial for $3 ,300. An animal who went 00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:29.940 on to make six separate 1 ,000 -pound records 00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:32.640 at Lakeside, a massive achievement for production 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.420 that drove profitability. But the strategy that 00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:38.140 truly defined Ray's commitment, was the personal 00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:40.839 investment in a crucial breeding decision. He 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:43.519 wanted to breed his cow, Athlone Admiral Grace, 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:46.319 to the celebrated Canadian sire spring farm, 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:49.220 Fond Hope. The logistics were insane. To ensure 00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:52.680 the highest quality, Ray drove 150 miles to Chicago's 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:54.900 Midway Airport at midnight to pick up a container 00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:57.940 of fresh semen flown in from Ontario. He drove 00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:00.599 150 miles back, arriving exhausted in the pre 00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:03.019 -dawn hours, and bred the cow himself. That's 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:05.460 a 300 -mile round -trip physical exertion for 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:07.990 one breeding decision. That level of personal 00:20:07.990 --> 00:20:10.910 commitment separates the hobbyist from the professional. 00:20:11.349 --> 00:20:13.950 Ray didn't delegate that task. He didn't wait 00:20:13.950 --> 00:20:16.549 for a convenient day. He trusted his judgment 00:20:16.549 --> 00:20:18.950 on that genetic combination, and he was willing 00:20:18.950 --> 00:20:21.470 to expend the physical, agonizing effort in the 00:20:21.470 --> 00:20:23.690 middle of the night to execute it perfectly. 00:20:23.990 --> 00:20:26.390 And that midnight drive paid off years later 00:20:26.390 --> 00:20:28.809 with the birth of the bull calf, Haston Fond 00:20:28.809 --> 00:20:31.829 Hope. Hi, Hope. High Hope went on to sire the 00:20:31.829 --> 00:20:34.809 all -American Hayson Fontoni, cementing the Lakeside 00:20:34.809 --> 00:20:37.470 pedigree they had built rather than bought. This 00:20:37.470 --> 00:20:39.809 commitment brought Lakeside to the absolute pinnacle 00:20:39.809 --> 00:20:43.589 of the industry. Between 1963 and 1966, they 00:20:43.589 --> 00:20:45.990 were just unstoppable. They won premier breeder 00:20:45.990 --> 00:20:48.849 at Waterloo in 1963. And for those unfamiliar 00:20:48.849 --> 00:20:51.630 with the context, Romandale was essentially the 00:20:51.630 --> 00:20:53.809 New York Yankees of Holstein breeding at the 00:20:53.809 --> 00:20:56.609 time. To win premier breeder, an award based 00:20:56.609 --> 00:20:58.910 on the quality and depth of your entire string 00:20:58.910 --> 00:21:02.029 at the biggest show, beating Romandale, was a 00:21:02.029 --> 00:21:04.190 massive statement about the quality Ray had built. 00:21:04.349 --> 00:21:08.029 It was huge. And that year, Ray himself won the 00:21:08.029 --> 00:21:11.390 prestigious... peer -voted Klusendorf Award in 00:21:11.390 --> 00:21:15.390 1964, recognizing him as the outstanding showman 00:21:15.390 --> 00:21:17.690 and manager of the year. He was now recognized 00:21:17.690 --> 00:21:20.309 as one of the Big Three in Wisconsin, alongside 00:21:20.309 --> 00:21:22.769 Hetz and Nelson, the very friends who convinced 00:21:22.769 --> 00:21:25.250 him to take the job. Ray reflected on this later, 00:21:25.349 --> 00:21:27.690 saying, Imagine me, a little snot -nosed kid, 00:21:27.750 --> 00:21:30.289 part of the Big Three. Are you guys nuts? Everything 00:21:30.289 --> 00:21:32.490 was working. He had the prestige, the autonomy, 00:21:32.690 --> 00:21:35.109 the results. Which brings us, inevitably, back 00:21:35.109 --> 00:21:37.900 to the precipice of betrayal. We return to Act 00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:41.079 7, the final betrayal and triumphant exit. Ray 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:43.380 had built his success entirely on the principle 00:21:43.380 --> 00:21:45.839 that trust was absolute, and now that foundation 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:49.119 was about to crumble. The setup was the all -Japan 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.960 show delegation. Hason, who had grown increasingly 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:54.200 detached from the farm, verbally agreed to cover 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:56.539 all of Ray's travel expenses, provided Ray successfully 00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:59.650 brokered a bull sale. And Ray delivered. He closed 00:21:59.650 --> 00:22:03.529 the deal for $16 ,500. He walks into the office 00:22:03.529 --> 00:22:06.309 to present the check and settle up, but the atmosphere 00:22:06.309 --> 00:22:09.210 is tense. Haston's health and mental clarity 00:22:09.210 --> 00:22:11.869 were declining, he was drinking more, and his 00:22:11.869 --> 00:22:14.890 new wife, Dorothy, was asserting complete control 00:22:14.890 --> 00:22:17.730 over the finances, viewing Ray's expense reports 00:22:17.730 --> 00:22:21.039 with suspicion. The confrontation was immediate. 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:24.019 Dorothy announces they will only reimburse half 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:26.759 of his expenses, citing the higher -than -expected 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:30.279 costs. Ray's position was simple. He reminded 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:32.599 them that for 14 years they had never needed 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:35.299 anything on paper. He had executed the sale, 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:37.500 brought back the check, and honored his end of 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:39.160 the verbal bargain. And this wasn't a dispute 00:22:39.160 --> 00:22:41.789 about profitability. Ray had just brought in 00:22:41.789 --> 00:22:44.950 $16 ,500. This was a dispute about the foundational 00:22:44.950 --> 00:22:47.490 principle of their partnership. When Ray asked 00:22:47.490 --> 00:22:50.650 Hasen to confirm the new, broken terms, Hasen, 00:22:50.650 --> 00:22:52.769 under Dorothy's influence, confirmed them. Ray 00:22:52.769 --> 00:22:54.750 didn't argue further. He resigned on the spot, 00:22:55.009 --> 00:22:56.950 stating simply that he was retiring from his 00:22:56.950 --> 00:23:00.450 position. The job, the prestige, the premier 00:23:00.450 --> 00:23:03.730 breeder status, it all evaporated in 60 seconds 00:23:03.730 --> 00:23:07.049 over what amounted to about an $8 ,000 difference 00:23:07.049 --> 00:23:10.069 in travel reimbursement. Ray's immediate decision 00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:12.069 was rooted in the understanding that Dorothy 00:23:12.069 --> 00:23:14.529 wasn't just saving money. She was explicitly 00:23:14.529 --> 00:23:17.109 breaking the trust he had built his entire adult 00:23:17.109 --> 00:23:20.349 life on. If they could retroactively change the 00:23:20.349 --> 00:23:22.950 terms of an agreement on an $8 ,000 expense, 00:23:23.369 --> 00:23:25.849 what guarantee did Ray have that they wouldn't 00:23:25.849 --> 00:23:28.569 compromise him on future deals with buyers or 00:23:28.569 --> 00:23:31.130 breeders? His reputation was worth far more than 00:23:31.130 --> 00:23:33.970 the lakeside salary. Interestingly, Hasen, maybe 00:23:33.970 --> 00:23:36.089 seeing the gravity of the situation despite his 00:23:36.089 --> 00:23:38.970 fog, asked Ray to organize a dispersal sale of 00:23:38.970 --> 00:23:41.390 the herd before he left. He was worried that 00:23:41.390 --> 00:23:43.369 the next manager wouldn't appreciate the quality 00:23:43.369 --> 00:23:46.170 Ray had built, and Ray agreed to manage his own 00:23:46.170 --> 00:23:49.099 exit. This exit was Ray's ultimate mic drop. 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:53.279 He hired Dave Bachman, secured Harry Strohmeyer 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:55.880 to take the iconic black and white photos, and 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:57.960 orchestrated the massive sale that followed. 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:01.019 He wasn't just selling cows. He was presenting 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:04.220 the culmination of 14 years of expertise. The 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:07.339 result was stunning. The lakeside dispersal averaged 00:24:07.339 --> 00:24:10.980 over $3 ,000 per head, setting the record for 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:14.180 the highest averaging sale of the year. The top 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:18.019 cow. A daughter of World Hill Q Rag Apple Ariel 00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:22.279 sold for $25 ,000. Carnation Farm bought a bull 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:25.279 taff for $24 ,000. He walked away from the business 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.599 that compromised his integrity only after proving 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:29.619 the immense financial value of the integrity 00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:32.099 he was taking with him. A day or two after the 00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:34.799 sale, Dave Bachman handed Ray a final check for 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:38.180 $9 ,400, his sales commission from the dispersal. 00:24:38.410 --> 00:24:41.109 Dave begged him to stay, suggested they form 00:24:41.109 --> 00:24:43.410 the three Bs, Bachman, Bartell, and Brubacher, 00:24:43.529 --> 00:24:46.069 to create a permanent sales powerhouse. But Ray 00:24:46.069 --> 00:24:48.049 was done working for someone else's broken word. 00:24:48.170 --> 00:24:50.990 He was 41, armed with cash and an unparalleled 00:24:50.990 --> 00:24:52.809 reputation, and he was going home to Canada. 00:24:53.109 --> 00:24:55.029 So let's just analyze the immediate return on 00:24:55.029 --> 00:24:58.670 investment here. Ray quit over an $8 ,000 dispute, 00:24:58.930 --> 00:25:02.130 plus his lost future salary. The immediate cash 00:25:02.130 --> 00:25:04.609 payoff was the $9 ,400 dispersal commission. 00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:08.759 But the true incalculable value was the cemented 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:10.720 reputation that followed him back across the 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:13.799 border. Every major breeder in North America 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:16.480 now knew that Ray Brubaker, having proven his 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:19.500 financial worth, prioritized principle over profit 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:22.119 every single time. And that made him the most 00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:24.319 trustworthy man in the business. That reputation 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:27.240 was the capital he needed for Act VIII, the new 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:30.740 beginning. Ray returns to Canada at 41, ready 00:25:30.740 --> 00:25:32.539 to build his own business with his brother Mike. 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:35.119 But Ray had learned his lesson about working 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:37.980 in inadequate facilities. His condition for returning 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:40.359 to the family auction business was non -negotiable. 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:44.099 They needed a modern, dedicated facility, not 00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:46.480 the little matchbox over at Bridgeport. Mike, 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:48.839 the steady, cautious counterbalance to Ray's 00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:51.160 ambition, he agreed in principle. They found 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:54.480 a 150 -acre property near Gulf. The tension was 00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:56.579 immediate. The owners told them the for sale 00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:58.599 signs were coming down tomorrow. This required 00:25:58.599 --> 00:26:01.720 classic Brubacher urgency. They bought the farm 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:05.019 for $60 ,000 before midnight, securing the location 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:07.799 for their vision. Ray immediately started drawing 00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:10.440 plans nightly for the modern sale barn he envisioned. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:13.779 But Mike, worried about the global economic picture 00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:18.240 in early 1968, got serious cold feet. He approached 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:20.119 Ray and said they shouldn't proceed with the 00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:22.559 construction. He feared a depression and the 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:24.980 cost was too high. This is a critical leadership 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:27.599 moment, defining the future of the family business. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:31.160 Ray's reply to his cautious brother. They were 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:33.259 a little too late. The crew was laying bricks 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:35.900 on the foundation that very morning. Ray didn't 00:26:35.900 --> 00:26:38.000 ask for permission. He exercised the autonomy 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:40.099 he had fought for, securing the foundational 00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:42.640 investment before the conversation could paralyze 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:45.599 the progress. And this duality is fascinating, 00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:48.400 isn't it? Mike never fully embraced the barn. 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:50.299 Ray joked he never even knew where the light 00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:53.059 switches were. But Mike allowed Ray the authority 00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:55.720 to build that non -negotiable foundation. That 00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:58.079 succession humility preserved three generations 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:01.279 of the business. Mike maintained the steady financial 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:04.000 rudder while Ray drove the high stakes growth. 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:06.619 And their business philosophy, forged in the 00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:09.339 fires of Ray's portrayals, was simple. Protect 00:27:09.339 --> 00:27:12.240 the consigner. They knew that in an auction environment, 00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:15.420 trust in the auctioneer's honesty was everything. 00:27:15.849 --> 00:27:18.410 The famous story illustrating this is the Cecil 00:27:18.410 --> 00:27:21.970 Snodden story. It was a brutal February sale. 00:27:22.150 --> 00:27:24.910 The weather was terrible, the market was ice 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:28.230 cold, and nobody was bidding responsibly. Cecil 00:27:28.230 --> 00:27:30.349 needed those cows to bring a respectable price 00:27:30.349 --> 00:27:33.490 or his business would suffer. So Ray didn't stick 00:27:33.490 --> 00:27:36.190 to the minimum bid rule. He stepped in. He bought 00:27:36.190 --> 00:27:38.910 three of Cecil's cows himself, personally, to 00:27:38.910 --> 00:27:40.829 stabilize the price and protect his friend and 00:27:40.829 --> 00:27:44.170 consigner. He took the risk, investing $1 ,600 00:27:44.170 --> 00:27:46.839 of his own money. Six weeks later, the market 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:50.000 rebounded strongly. Ray resold the cows at a 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:52.900 substantial profit. One cow had even calved twins, 00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:55.960 adding massive value. He realized several thousand 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.259 dollars over his investment. Here's the kicker, 00:27:58.259 --> 00:28:00.240 though. The part that defines the Brubaker standard 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.099 long after he made his name. Ray told Mike they 00:28:03.099 --> 00:28:05.019 should send Cecil a check for some of the profit. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:07.599 And Mike said no, arguing that Ray had taken 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:10.099 the risk and the profit was rightfully his. Ray 00:28:10.099 --> 00:28:12.900 reflected on this decision 30 years later. He 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:15.180 estimated the profit they kept, but should have 00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:18.660 shared, was only around $500. And he said that 00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:21.920 failure to share haunted him. That quote perfectly 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:25.359 encapsulates the weight of true integrity. That's 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:27.299 the kind of thing that wakes you up at 2 a .m. 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:29.619 when you're 70. Not the deals you lost, but the 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:32.259 ones where you could have been better. Integrity 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:34.079 holds you accountable not just for your mistakes, 00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:36.759 but for your moral opportunities. When you protect 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:39.019 partners during volatility, you are building 00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:41.539 an account of loyalty that is priceless. And 00:28:41.539 --> 00:28:44.359 that uncompromising commitment to quality and 00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:47.200 fairness led Ray to the pinnacle of judging Act 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:49.779 IX. He was sought after globally because his 00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:52.640 reputation was pristine. He was known for his 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:55.019 almost unbelievable physical stamina and clarity 00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:57.359 of vision in the ring. He judged the Wisconsin 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:00.940 State Fair Junior Show, a marathon of 720 head 00:29:00.940 --> 00:29:03.079 of cattle in one single day. The source material 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:06.420 describes the physical toll vividly. By noon, 00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:09.240 his voice was hoarse. By three, his legs were 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:12.440 cramping. That night, his body hit absolute zero. 00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:14.779 He actually had to pull over and throw up, not 00:29:14.779 --> 00:29:17.140 from sickness, but from physical exhaustion. 00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:19.980 He was pushing past the limits of what a human 00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:22.559 body could endure while maintaining that razor 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:25.059 -sharp focus. But his eye, the one he developed 00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:27.740 by necessity after grade 8, never failed him. 00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:30.119 The moment that defines his career as a judge 00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:32.099 happened at the Kansas State Fair when he was 00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:34.859 judging the older cows. He'd heard the buzz about 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:37.900 an Ohio cow, Harbor Crest Rose Millie, but the 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:40.240 Wisconsin guys had warned him, save your money. 00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:42.519 When Millie entered the ring, Ray's internal 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:45.619 debate ended instantly. He had that unique clarity 00:29:45.619 --> 00:29:48.380 of vision, his vivid memory. She almost took 00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:50.720 my breath away. There was half a carload between 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:53.079 her and the second place cow. He immediately 00:29:53.079 --> 00:29:55.400 placed her grand champion. And the vindication 00:29:55.400 --> 00:29:57.839 was staggering. She won champion everywhere they 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:00.079 took her that year, except when she frustratingly 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:02.019 came into heat at Waterloo. And when the All 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:04.000 -American votes were tallied that year, Millie 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:07.279 received 18 first place votes. Her closest competitor, 00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:11.119 Snowboots, received just two. That level of overwhelming 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:14.720 consensus validated Ray's ability to spot a once 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:17.319 -in -a -generation animal. That clarity of judgment 00:30:17.319 --> 00:30:19.720 and unshakable character garnered international 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:22.859 trust. The ultimate accolade for Ray was that 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:25.420 he was the only man of his generation to judge 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:27.720 all four royal shows connected to the British 00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:30.200 monarchy, Toronto, Sydney, Edinburgh, and the 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:32.759 Royal Show in England. That signifies global 00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:35.440 confidence in his expertise and, more importantly, 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:38.480 his impartiality. So we've tracked the entire 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:41.240 journey, AB's frozen toes, the humiliation of 00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:43.259 grade eight, the paper bag philosophy, the midnight 00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:45.759 hustle, and the two major walkaways. What does 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:48.019 this life built on walking away from profit when 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:50.440 trust was compromised mean for us right now in 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:52.720 this era of volatility? This brings us to the 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.859 lesson segment, the integrity audit. In an industry 00:30:56.859 --> 00:31:00.019 watching yearly 6 ,000 operations vanish, Ray's 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:02.279 principles are not just historical anecdotes, 00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:04.839 they are a survival strategy. Reputation is, 00:31:04.940 --> 00:31:07.980 factually, the only non -depreciating asset you 00:31:07.980 --> 00:31:10.119 possess. And the data supports this absolutely. 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:13.140 Businesses, whether farms, suppliers, or auction 00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:15.480 houses that operate with high trust equity, measured 00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:17.720 by transparency and consistently honoring commitments, 00:31:17.960 --> 00:31:20.779 show 3 .2 times higher survival rates during 00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:22.819 crises like the one the dairy industry is facing 00:31:22.819 --> 00:31:25.119 right now. We've distilled Ray's approach into 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:27.160 four actionable tests for you to audit your own 00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:29.640 operation. Okay, test number one, the verbal 00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:32.710 agreement test. Ray's standard was simple. A 00:31:32.710 --> 00:31:34.829 verbal commitment is legally binding. He quit 00:31:34.829 --> 00:31:37.289 Martig Farms over a promise to show cows at a 00:31:37.289 --> 00:31:39.769 local county fair. So the audit question is this. 00:31:40.009 --> 00:31:42.670 In the last 12 months, how many times did you 00:31:42.670 --> 00:31:45.170 break a verbal promise to a supplier, a buyer, 00:31:45.269 --> 00:31:48.170 or an employee, even if it was convenient or 00:31:48.170 --> 00:31:51.289 slightly cheaper to do so? Think about the cost 00:31:51.289 --> 00:31:54.190 of that flexibility. When Ray walked away from 00:31:54.190 --> 00:31:56.789 Martig, he incurred a short -term loss, but he 00:31:56.789 --> 00:31:59.490 instantly advertised his principle. That decision 00:31:59.490 --> 00:32:01.750 was his fastest route to the lakeside opportunity. 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:04.900 Are your small concessions on verbal agreements 00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:07.500 costing you the big future opportunities? Test 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:10.759 two, the soft market protection test. Ray's standard 00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:12.859 was to step in and protect his partner's positions 00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:15.079 when the market turned against them, even if 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:17.099 it meant personal short -term financial risk 00:32:17.099 --> 00:32:19.859 -like, buying Cecil Snodden's cows during that 00:32:19.859 --> 00:32:22.180 brutal February sale to stabilize the price. 00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:26.170 So, the audit question. The last time your supplier, 00:32:26.490 --> 00:32:29.029 buyer, or employee needed flexibility or the 00:32:29.029 --> 00:32:31.430 market turned soft against them, did you protect 00:32:31.430 --> 00:32:34.170 their position or did you optimize your position 00:32:34.170 --> 00:32:37.009 and squeeze the best deal for yourself? Remember 00:32:37.009 --> 00:32:40.250 Ray's lifelong regret over the $500 he didn't 00:32:40.250 --> 00:32:42.940 share with Snodden. That regret shows the internal 00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:45.619 cost of transactional behavior. When you protect 00:32:45.619 --> 00:32:47.660 partners during a down cycle, you are making 00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:49.819 an investment that guarantees loyalty that will 00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:51.779 protect your business for decades when you need 00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:54.680 it most. That's why Ray's business grew. He was 00:32:54.680 --> 00:32:58.440 viewed as a life raft. Test 3. The Walking Away 00:32:58.440 --> 00:33:01.259 Test. Ray's standard. Walk away from profitable, 00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:03.799 high -status relationships when integrity is 00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:06.180 fundamentally compromised. He walked away from 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:08.400 Lakeside, a premier breeder operation over an 00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:11.279 $8 ,000 expense dispute. So the audit question. 00:33:11.819 --> 00:33:14.400 Are you currently staying in any business relationship 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:17.819 with a supplier, a partner, or a client that 00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:20.380 violates your core trust simply because the relationship 00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:23.859 is currently convenient or profitable? This is 00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:26.779 the hardest test. Most people rationalize compromise, 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:29.859 saying they need the stability. Ray walked away 00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:32.079 twice, and both times, he wasn't sacrificing 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:34.140 his career. He was advertising his principle. 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:37.079 Consignors knew he wouldn't compromise their 00:33:37.079 --> 00:33:38.740 sales because he wouldn't compromise himself. 00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:41.359 Your willingness to draw that line in the sand 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:43.400 is the biggest signal you send to your best potential 00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:46.859 partners. And finally, test four, the succession 00:33:46.859 --> 00:33:50.740 humility test. Raise standard. Value the stability 00:33:50.740 --> 00:33:52.720 and future of the business over your own control. 00:33:53.099 --> 00:33:55.660 He demanded the modern barn, but he didn't demand 00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:58.339 total operational control, allowing Mike to maintain 00:33:58.339 --> 00:34:00.640 his cautious financial role. The audit question. 00:34:01.330 --> 00:34:03.710 If you are the senior generation passing the 00:34:03.710 --> 00:34:06.390 torch, are you demanding control of every minor 00:34:06.390 --> 00:34:09.309 decision until you die? Or are you allowing the 00:34:09.309 --> 00:34:12.090 next generation one non -negotiable expensive 00:34:12.090 --> 00:34:15.190 change, their equivalent of Ray's new modern 00:34:15.190 --> 00:34:17.929 barn, which allows them to build their own foundation 00:34:17.929 --> 00:34:21.469 and establish their authority? We watch thousands 00:34:21.469 --> 00:34:24.110 of operations fail not just due to market forces, 00:34:24.250 --> 00:34:26.590 but due to internal ego and succession battles. 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:30.099 Mike Brubaker's flexibility, his trust in Ray's 00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:32.300 vision for the barn preserved three generations 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:34.820 of the business. You must allow the next generation 00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:37.000 the authority to build the foundation they believe 00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:39.000 is non -negotiable for their era of survival. 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:41.980 This audit is a tool for survival. You are either 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:43.800 building trust equity that will see you through 00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:46.599 the 22 % contraction or you are accumulating 00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:48.579 a trust deficit that the coming market consolidation 00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:52.239 will absolutely expose. We return now to the 00:34:52.239 --> 00:34:54.980 quiet truth of Ray's story. His legacy wasn't 00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:56.719 built in the judging ring or the massive sale 00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:59.119 toppers. It was built in the small, human moments 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:01.539 of non -negotiable character. The refusal to 00:35:01.539 --> 00:35:04.179 back down on a county fair promise. The agonizing 00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:06.860 30 -year regret over $500 he failed to share. 00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:09.940 Ray proved, definitively, that a grade 8 education 00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:12.300 couldn't teach the lessons that frozen toes and 00:35:12.300 --> 00:35:14.940 broken handshakes could. Your word is the only 00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:17.639 thing that appreciates, while all other assets. 00:35:18.110 --> 00:35:20.510 the barn, the machinery, the short -term profits, 00:35:20.730 --> 00:35:23.989 totally depreciate. His entire career was built 00:35:23.989 --> 00:35:26.389 in those decisive moments. The moments when everyone 00:35:26.389 --> 00:35:28.309 expected him to stay because it was profitable, 00:35:28.530 --> 00:35:31.030 but principle demanded he walk away. And the 00:35:31.030 --> 00:35:32.489 moments when the market would have let him off 00:35:32.489 --> 00:35:35.030 the hook, but integrity demanded he step in and 00:35:35.030 --> 00:35:37.590 protect his partners. Three generations of Brubackers 00:35:37.590 --> 00:35:39.570 built a name that still echoes in show rings 00:35:39.570 --> 00:35:42.510 and auction barns today. Because Ray Brubacker 00:35:42.510 --> 00:35:45.300 set that non -negotiable standard. All right, 00:35:45.320 --> 00:35:46.739 if you're driving to the feed store right now 00:35:46.739 --> 00:35:48.780 thinking about your next business decision, here's 00:35:48.780 --> 00:35:50.800 what Ray Brubaker wants you to remember about 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:54.199 building something that lasts. First, break your 00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:57.860 word, I walk. Ray quit two elite positions over 00:35:57.860 --> 00:36:00.539 handshake violations. How you respond to betrayal 00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:03.099 is your reputation, and that reputation is your 00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:05.539 most critical business advertisement. Second, 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:09.440 reputation is your only appreciating asset. Barnes 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:12.480 depreciate. Genetics get outdated. But trust. 00:36:12.909 --> 00:36:14.690 once earned through repeated acts of principle, 00:36:14.829 --> 00:36:17.409 compounds, and is recession -proof. And third, 00:36:17.630 --> 00:36:20.730 bad markets build lifetime loyalty. The relationships 00:36:20.730 --> 00:36:22.670 you protect during soft markets, like the difficult 00:36:22.670 --> 00:36:24.929 decision with Cecil Snodden, will guarantee you 00:36:24.929 --> 00:36:26.809 unparalleled loyalty and security for decades 00:36:26.809 --> 00:36:29.269 to come. This has been The Deep Dive. For more 00:36:29.269 --> 00:36:31.050 untold stories and profiles from the people who 00:36:31.050 --> 00:36:32.570 built this breed and to find the standards of 00:36:32.570 --> 00:36:36.170 the industry, head to www .thebullvine .com. 00:36:36.289 --> 00:36:38.469 Subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss 00:36:38.469 --> 00:36:41.320 our next Deep Dive. We'll be teasing out the 00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:43.079 legend of the bull that was too cheap to breed, 00:36:43.179 --> 00:36:45.780 and why that decision changed the face of artificial 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:49.659 insemination worldwide. See you then. This is 00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:56.400 the bull ride, turn the volume high. For the 00:36:56.400 --> 00:37:02.760 icons of the ages, they never will die. From 00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:06.599 the show ring thunder to the quiet strength they 00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:16.190 knew. now coming right on through. Oh, tell the 00:37:16.190 --> 00:37:21.409 tale, tell the tale. The Beaumont legends live 00:37:21.409 --> 00:37:21.829 here.