Jackie Davis

Jackie Davis passed away peacefully, in his sleep with his wife, Chris and his dog Jessie by his side in December 2024. He spent his last days surrounded by his family and close friends at home, with a fire in the fireplace, watching his cattle and football, just as he wanted. He was 88 years old.

Jackie was born in 1936 in McFarland, California to George and Velma Davis and raised in Delano.

He purchased his first Polled Hereford heifers and pen of steers in 1950. They would become his main project for his American Farmer Degree which he received in 1954. He traveled to Kansas City by train to receive the prestigious award.

After graduating from Delano High School, he farmed with his father, George, from 1954 to 1960, in the San Joaquin Valley, where they raised cotton, alfalfa, potatoes, corn and a few cattle.

Taking his small herd with him, he left the family farm in 1960 to embark upon what would become his lifelong career in cattle, going to work as a herdsman for longtime breeder, Vanderhoof Polled Herefords. He worked with the cow herd, show cattle and raised bulls for bull sales.

In 1963 he went to work for the very successful entrepreneurial businessman, G.D. Turnbow of Triangle T Ranches/Turnbow Enterprises, who would have an enormous impact on Jackie’s life in agriculture. Jackie began working for Mr. Turnbow as the manager developing the registered Polled Hereford unit. Eventually managing the entire cattle unit, consisting of 200 head of registered Polled and Horned Hereford cattle, over 2,500 head of commercial cattle, the 5,000 head feedlot, and a bull test on 15,000 acres in Chowchilla, California. Under Jackie’s guidance, using the herd to artificially inseminate over 1000 head of cows yearly, they provided approximately 66% of the entire cumulative testing for the Gold Seal Sire Program at the American Polled Hereford Association, providing data on birth, weaning and yearling weights, as well as the final carcass data on the cattle fed out in their feedlot. His work at Triangle T paved the way for his being named “Breeder of the Year” by the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association (CBCIA).

During this time, he and his good friend, Jerry Biggs, pooled their cattle and formed their partnership of JJ Polled Herefords. Their wonderful friendship and collaboration would help form the beginnings of what would become known as the California/Nevada Junior Polled Hereford Association.

Opportunities came in 1976 when Jackie left Triangle T Ranches to become a Partner/Manager with Antonio Mountain Ranches in Lincoln, California. Ultimately, leaving Antonio Mountain Ranches in 1979 to start Davis Cattle Service, a “full service, cattle management company”, where he served as a cattle consultant assisting with herd management decisions, promoting, syndicating, and merchandising some of the elite “changer” females and bulls of the Hereford breed, traveling into 45 states and 2 Canadian Providences. At this time, one of his largest clients, Glenn Nobmann, would offer him an opportunity to move to the beautiful wine country of Napa, California to manage and build Napa Valley Polled Herefords overlooking the Napa Valley. While building the ranch, he managed the 200 + registered Polled Hereford cattle, began the on- site donor program, embryo transplant facility, and bull test for their bulls, as well as their customers.

With the support of Glenn Nobmann, he accepted the appointment to the Board of Directors for the American Polled Hereford Association in Kansas City in 1985, serving as the Chairman of the Board in 1990-1991, navigating through some of its roughest waters. Honored for his devotion to the industry, he was inducted into the American Hereford Association Hall of Fame in 2013.

Jackie judged county and state fairs, jackpot shows, and National Hereford shows, in Denver and Fort Worth. He served as a Board of Director for the California-Nevada Polled Hereford Association from 1972-1985 and President in 1975, 1978 and 1998-2009, he was named Breeder of the Year in 2001.

Locally he served on the Lincoln Farm Foundation. Also, on the Tahoe Cattleman’s Association Board since 1999, where he was named Tahoe Cattleman of the Year in 2003 and received the Legacy Award in 2023.

A proud Cal Poly Bull Test Consignor since 1979, Jackie was inducted into the Cal Poly Bull Test Hall of Fame in 2006.

He believed strongly in “paying it forward” and has given a “leg up” to many young people in the industry over the years.

Having a beautiful voice, he was known to break out in song upon entering the kitchen, after a long day working cattle. The twinkle in his eye could soften any heart and brighten any day. He treasured his family and many lifelong friendships and will be remembered fondly for his dry wit, easy disposition, and no-nonsense approach to life.

Jackie was preceded in death by his parents, George and Velma; sister Marie; previous wives, Sandy and June; grand-daughter Niki; and stepson, Blake. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Chris of 45 years; children, Cindy (Mike), Craig (Lillian), Stephanie (Pat); bonus children, Lisa (Richard), Frank (Christina); stepchildren, Carla, Jennifer; grandchildren, Anthony (Kimberly), Nicholas, Kelsy, Aiden, Cooper; great grandchildren, Nathaniel, Rorrick and James. Cousin Evon, Aunt Kay, Neice Sue, Nephew Tim.

A Celebration of Life for Jackie was held on Saturday, January 11th, 2025, Placer County Fairgrounds, Johnson Hall.