Pam Durham Shorthorns was built the honest way — through experience, observation, and a genuine appreciation for good cattle.

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When we purchased our 5,000+ acre ranch, which connects to the place I grew up, we were running a commercial Black Angus herd. Pam wanted to become more involved with the cows, and I wanted cattle with strong maternal instincts, good dispositions, and the kind of functionality that makes day-to-day ranch work easier.

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I remembered the Shorthorn cross cows my dad kept when I was younger — gentle, heavy-milking cows that would take on twins or orphan calves without hesitation. I always liked the look of the full Shorthorns, and after some research and plenty of phone calls (and questions), we took the leap.

In November 2021, we purchased our first four bred Shorthorn heifers from Derek Jungels. Those cows marked the beginning of our Shorthorn herd, and in the spring of 2022, they rewarded us with four heifer calves that we kept. We added additional heifers from Ron Vanek in Montana, and from there, the program began to take shape.

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Our first Shorthorn bull, JSF White Knight 79J — better known around here as “George” — quickly won us over with his disposition and personality. While we unfortunately lost him in early 2025, not before leaving us with a replacement clean-up bull, his influence is still felt in our herd today.

The summer of 2023 marked another step forward when Martin Jacobson joined our operation. With decades of experience managing a large commercial cow-calf herd, Marty brought the knowledge and ability to implement an on-farm AI program. That opened the door to more intentional breeding decisions and allowed us to begin shaping a registered Shorthorn herd with March-born calves while maintaining our commercial operation.

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We’re still learning, still asking questions, and still focused on building a herd that works — cows with strong maternal traits, calm dispositions, and genetics we’re proud to stand behind. Above all, we’re grateful for the opportunity to do this together, on a ranch that means a great deal to us.