With the final bid cast and the last gavel dropped Express Angus Ranches, Nowatzke Cattle/Maple Lane and Pollard Farms was announced as the winning bidder for WILKS Rita 4728, the centerpiece of the Angus Foundation Heifer Package and a symbol of commitment to the Foundations pillars. 

They purchased the 2026 Angus Foundation Heifer Package Jan. 9 for $150,000 to continue the legacy of the Angus breed. The package, donated by Wilks Ranch of Eastland, Texas, led off the National Angus Bull Sale during Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City.  

“We are very grateful for our generous donors that continue to give unwavering support towards the foundation’s mission,” says Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “They want the very best for the Angus breed and its legacy. We cannot thank Wilks and the buyers enough for their continued support and dedication towards this mission.”  

The leading lady in 2026’s sale, WILKS Rita 4728 (AAA +*21207190), is standout female from a maternal line that has proven themselves. Her maternal sister, WILKS Rita 4067, commanded $100,000 as Lot 6 in the 2024 Wilks Ranch Sale. The consistency of this cow family is a testament to the quality of female Wilks Ranch offered up as this year’s Foundation female.  

Rita 4728 ranks in the top 1% for both $Beef and $Combined indexes, offering a powerful growth spread, elite structural correctness and eye-catching phenotype. She’s the kind of female that blends performance with presence; built and bred right and backed by a story of success.  

“She’s cowy. That’s what her mom is — she's just a good female,” said Aaron Kaiser, seedstock manager at Wilks Ranch. “I think this female’s going to be the same way but does it in a really neat number package and a neat pedigree.”  

The heifer package also includes an Advanced Reproductive Technology Package from Trans Ova Genetics; trucking to the buyer donated by Lathrop Livestock Transportation; and 30 days of mortality insurance donated by Jeanne Conover, Livestock Insurance Agent with Conover Auction Service.  

As a long-time supporter of the Angus Foundation, Wilks Ranch recognizes the value of contributing to initiatives that promote education, youth and research within the breed. Their donation of the 2026 Foundation Heifer highlights a continued commitment to supporting programs that strengthen the Foundation’s mission.  

“It’s quite an honor,” says Kevin Reed, asset manager for Wilks Ranches. “What [the Angus Foundation] does for the youth to give them opportunities, tools and the finances to grow, to do what they love and build a foundation for their future. We’re proud to contribute.”  

Since 1980, the heifer package has been sold to generate unrestricted funds to further the foundation’s mission of supporting education, youth and research, and this tradition continues in 2026. Academic scholarships, leadership conferences and cutting-edge research are among the many programs sustained by the Angus Fund.  

The Angus Foundation Heifer Package has raised more than $3 million since the inception of the program. For more information about the Angus Foundation or the annual Angus Foundation Heifer Package Sale, visit AngusFoundation.org.