Branding a New Business
People might have expected that Mark McClintock would become a trainer or a jockey after growing up on a horse ranch in southern California — but Mark was always more interested in cattle than in the horses on his father’s ranch. And he turned that lifelong love of cattle into a career and eventually, into his own business.
Mark started raising dairy calves as a youngster and showed beef cattle through high school. In 1977, he earned an animal science degree from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, where he was a member of the livestock judging team.
After graduation, he went to work as a herdsman for Bright Brothers Hereford Ranch in LaGrand, Calif. Three years later, he accepted a herdsman’s position with Lone Star Hereford Ranch in Henrietta, Texas, where he was also in charge of sale cattle.
Little did he know then that his move to Texas would open up opportunities to work with nationally recognized cattle herds and travel the world as a cattle judge — not to mention introduce him to his future wife.
At the National Western Stock Show in Denver in 1980, Mark met Teresa McCabe, a registered veterinary technician who had recently graduated from Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas. He hired her to work for Lone Star Hereford Ranch, and the couple married a year later.
Move to Rocking Chair Ranch
A year after Mark and Teresa married, they moved to Rocking Chair Ranch in Ft. McKavett, Texas. Mark was the ranch manager in charge of the registered Hereford operation, including breeding, marketing and sales. Teresa managed the Braford operation at the Lipan Springs division of Rocking Chair until 2004, when she went to work for Fred Mueller and Mueller Metals in San Angelo.
Mark worked for Rocking Chair for 27 years, and he and Teresa raised their two sons, Ryan and Mason, on the ranch. Although he has since moved on to start his own business, Mark is still involved with Rocking Chair as a consultant, helping with breeding and merchandising.
In Demand as a Cattle Judge
Mark’s impressive credentials and resume make him in demand as a judge of all breeds of cattle. He has judged at all the major U.S. shows, as well as shows in Canada, South America and Asia. In June 2008, he accompanied a herd of 250 Herefords to Kazakhstan. The herd included 10 Rocking Chair Ranch bulls and, Mark proudly points out, two McClintock bulls.
However, he is quick to give credit for his success to all his former employers and to the nationally recognized herds of cattle he has been able to work with over the years.
“I’ve had the good fortune to work with good, knowledgeable people throughout my career,” Mark says. He recalls that James Bright had experience and a real understanding of the politics of the cattle industry. At Lone Star Hereford Ranch, manager Doug Bennett shared his extensive knowledge of cattle. And Rocking Chair Ranch owner Loyd Whitehead offered his business expertise.
“All of these men were instrumental in helping me succeed,” he says. “And, of course, I would not be where I am today without my family’s support.”
Starting His Own Business
In 2009, Mark and Teresa made another big move: starting a new consulting business. The timing seemed right. Their boys had grown and moved away. Ryan and his wife, Tiffany, were living in Dumas, and Mason was in dental school in Houston.
With his experience, his contacts in the cattle business, and Teresa’s help, Mark launched McClintock Ranch & Consulting. He saw a need for a consultant to help cattle producers at all experience levels to have more success with their herds.
He found that beginning ranchers often need input on breeds of purebred cattle. He also wanted to help established ranchers looking to upgrade their herds, as well as assist cattle producers who need to take a fresh look at their existing herds. Mark is excited about his new venture. His goal is to use his knowledge and experience to help ranchers have success with their cattle and to get his clients excited about their herds, large or small.