Brothers Hadley and Camden Williams were just entering their teen years when the budding entrepreneurs decided to build a herd of registered Simmental cattle.

Growing up on a commercial beef cattle farm near Milan, Mo., the two found that many producers were involved with Angus cattle. "We wanted to do something different," Hadley says. "It had to be a smaller breed, something where we could make a name for ourselves."

So they applied for the William Kenneth Ambrose Memorial Heifer Scholarship in Tennessee. "We competed for a $1,500 heifer scholarship that would go toward the purchase of a purebred Simmental heifer from the sale," Hadley says. They didn't receive the scholarship the first year, but that did not deter them. Hadley applied again the following year and won. He was just 13, his brother 11. That first year, they purchased two purebred Simmental cows. Today, their Williams Brothers Simmentals herd is at 40 head. All of the cows reach back to two Tennessee lines from Martin Farms and Slate Farms.

This year they loaded up a few heifers and a bull and headed south to the Missouri State Fair, where they competed for the first time in its breeding stock show.

RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY: Showing purebred Simmental cattle at the Missouri State Fair takes work all year long. Hadley Williams leads his bull calf into the pen. Showing cattle keeps him accountable for the care of the animal well into the show season.

Help along the way
It took time to develop a herd that was state fair show-worthy. The brothers looked for advice from seasoned cattlemen.

"The guys in Tennessee really helped us out at the beginning," Hadley says. "They talked to us over the phone and answered any questions we had."

Then they looked a little closer to home. They found Jim "Pogo" Brinkley of Brinkley Angus Ranch. "We looked at his operation and thought, 'What do we need to do to get where he is today?'" Hadley says.

Brinkley offered the boys some advice — never sell a question mark to somebody.

"If you have a question mark about a heifer or a bull in the back of your mind, don't sell it to another producer," Hadley says. Why? "You only get one chance to make a good impression," he adds. "Selling a questionable animal does not benefit a fellow producer." To this day, the brothers still follow that direction.

They also heed the advice of their parents.

Roadblock removed for show
Coming from a rural town with a population of 700, the Williams brothers attended the small high school of Green City, Mo. They were involved in everything, from sports to FFA. "Camden and I were both even in the school play," Hadley says.

However, their commitment to athletics often conflicted with the Missouri State Fair. "We had an obligation to our team," Hadley says, "and we stood by it." Even this year, Camden only came down for the weekend to help with the show because of practice. Hadley graduated high school in 2015 and is now a sophomore at the University of Missouri, majoring in animal science. So, he has a little time and decided to fulfill his mother's request.

The boys' father, Doug, never showed cattle. However, their mother, Shelly, showed Simmental cattle. Living on the farm, the boys understood responsibility. But showing livestock was a little different. "We can take a heifer and make a production cow out of it," Hadley says. "She wanted us to know what it was like to grow an animal, take care of it daily with washing, walking and grooming — then to exhibit it. It is a different kind of responsibility."

Finally, the Williams brothers made their breeding stock show debut at the state fair.

From show to seedstock
The duo hopes the Missouri State Fair show draws a little attention to their budding purebred operation.

Over the years, they have been slowly building their herd. "We want to sell registered seedstock bulls and heifers," Hadley says. He says they are looking to sell to those breeders looking to add hybrid vigor to their herds.

This year, the operation ventured into the practice of embryo transfer (ET). "We like to add new technology to the operation," says Hadley, who plans to become a veterinarian.

The brothers are also selling a few head in the sale that gave them their start in the purebred Simmental industry. "We are looking to place a few calves in the Martin Farms sale," Hadley adds.

Hadley and Camden completed the road from starting their business to showing at the Missouri State Fair to selling seedstock, in just seven years. They had an idea, a support group and the determination to make it in the purebred Simmental cattle business.