Taking a moment of quiet, with the buzz of the Herdsman’s Social still in the background, Craig Sand stood in the halls of the barns at Cattlemen’s Congress on Jan. 9, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Engraved in silver, he read the words on his new buckle: 2026 Angus Herdsman of the Year.
“I appreciate everybody that voted for me,” Sand said. “I’ve worked a lot of years at this, so it means a lot to me and my family.”
The award itself recognizes an Angus enthusiast who has dedicated themselves to the management, strategic choices and advancement of their cow herd.
Those are philosophies Sand has held true to for the entirety of his career in the cattle industry, nearly three decades. In 1998, he entered the cattle business and grew a career built on hands-on experience and strong relationships in the years since.
Today, Sand works at Circle M Farms — Oklahoma, where he oversees the show and sale cattle operations. He joined their team in May 2024, after being approached about the position by Chan Phillips, a man Sand calls a mentor.
Sand looks to Angus breeders as drivers in the purebred and commercial business. He said American Angus Association® members provide the genetics that can help propel the entire cattle industry forward.
“The Angus breed is so important for the beef industry, not only for purebred breeders but for all cattle breeders using Angus genetics to crossbreed and make cattle better,” he added.
And while the animals themselves hold a lot of power in his mind, Sand knows it’s the people of The Business Breed that make the Association so strong. It’s a truth he’s been proud to share with both his sons, though his eldest, Colton, now understands it on a deeper level.
“My son took on a full-time position working underneath me,” Sand said, noting that the transition has only further emphasized the importance of the Angus family in his mind.
While Sand himself has put in hours of hard work in the barn, he knows it’s been a dedication his entire family has taken on, too.
“I’d like to give a special thank you to my wife, Jessica; my son, Colton, for helping all this year, to make this a success; my youngest son, Coy, for being a support,” he said.
But his list to receive a ‘thank you’ extends beyond the family tree. Sand points out Craig McCallum, his employer, and Phillips as two individuals who’ve helped him reach this point and achieve a true highlight of his career.
Looking at that buckle again, Sand just has to smile and soak in the moment.
“It just means a lot for me, knowing that my peers voted on me to win this year,” he said simply.
The 2026 Herdsman of the Year nominees were slated by a committee of previous award winners, based on their devotion and skills spent improving a specific herd and the Angus breed.
This year’s nominees were Michael Jones, Express Ranches; Cole Kaufman, Oakley Farms; and Brad Paetzel, Hortsman Cattle Company.
Peers select the Herdsman of the Year award winner through voting, hosted by the Association.
To be eligible to vote, exhibitors must have entered at least one of the following shows in 2025: Cattlemen’s Congress, National Western Stock Show, Western National Angus Futurity, Atlantic National, American Royal or North American International Livestock Exposition.
To learn more about Sand or the other three 2026 Angus Herdsman of the Year candidates, visit https://www.angus.org/angus-media/angus-journal/2025/12/2026-angus-herdsman-of-the-year-candidates-announced.
