By Tony Reid
Herald and Review Staff writer / 1995

Moweaqua, IL - The last thing a champion bull needs is a bad hair day. That's why the Adcock's family recommend using Joy dish detergent followed by a thorough going-over with an electric hair dryer. "My wife, Sherry, has gotten great results with Mr. Mack, the bull we're winning with right now," says farmer Bob Adcock. "We find the oils in Joy keep his hair looking nice and keeps the dandruff away."

If your herd instinct is to break off for a giggle at this point, stick around: when the Adcock family shoot the bull about bulls, they've get a whole lot to brag about.

"We specialize in Simmental cattle, a Swiss breed, says Bob, 37. "Over the years we've won so many awards that to be real honest, I just don't know how many we have won." Last year alone, Mr. Mack trotted off with the Grand Champion bull title at the Illinois State Fair on a day that also saw the family cattle operation- Circle A - grab 13 other first place awards. "Showing isn't a money making deal," Bob says, "But it's how you build your name so that people want to buy your animals or pay to breed from them."

Circle A success has rested on both breeding champions and gambling on buying potential champion calves from other breeders. And that's where Mr. Mack comes in, bought for $4750 in 1994. Named after his father-a bull called Mackfrid-Mr. Mack didn't come from a particularly outstanding blood line at the time but Bob thought he had promise. Raised on fairly standard bovine diet of corn, oats, soybean meal and beet pulp, Mr. Mack now stands 4 ½ feet high and carries 2,000 pounds of sculpted beef. His dark red color is also the hot vogue color among today's breeders and while Mr. Mack isn't genetically perfect, he's getting so near a genetic bull's-eye it's getting to close to call.

"Last November He was grand champion bull at the American Royal show in Kansas City, MO., and 10 days later was grand champion at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY.," says Bob. "That's the first time that's ever been done by the same bull"

Mr. Mack is now busy siring future generations of champions who will only have to live up to Daddy's reputation, but also uphold a long and proud tradition of outstanding successes. In the last 19 years, Circle A has won 12 national titles that include three grand champion bull awards at the National Western Stock Show in Denver Colorado. "That's the Super Bowl for cattle," says Bob. "People spend their whole lives trying to come up with animals that'll win that one."

The headlong Circle A stampede toward glory began back in 1977 when Bob's dad, Robert, got his then 18 year old son involved with a 4-H project centered on buying and showing Simmental cattle. "We got our first big win in 1981 when we raised a cow -- called Miss Call - that was named Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Female at the Illinois State Fair," says Bob. "Later that year she became calf champion at the National Western Stock Show and that was like 'Wow, big surprise,' we never expected that. "Miss Call wound up being entered for 39 shows over her lifetime, and she was never beaten, not once. That put some major excitement into this whole cow thing."

Today, Bob specializes in the cattle side of the family farm and pitches in with his 61 year old dad; brother Tom, 39; and hired hand to farm 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans. "We own and rent land and it's a big farm, with the farming taking the priority," Bob explains. "There are lots of people who would like to have your rented land and if you don't take care of business, they'll be happy to take care of it for you". Dealing with cattle as well means long days where everyone gets up earlier and works later to get the extra chores done. At the height of the farming season, that can mean 4:00 a. m. starts and 9 p.m. finishes. But as the size of the hoofed operation has grown-Circle A now has 220 head-so have its rewards. "There are four families depending on this farm, and it takes a lot of money to keep four families going," says Bob. "The cattle are an important part of that."

And when you've got a herd of winners like Circle A, it also does a lot for job satisfaction. "My wife says I'd never make it now as just a corn and soybean farmer because I'd get too bored," says Bob. "She's probably right. Cows are more fun."

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