Kurt Bollinger honored as Cattleman of the Year
Kurt Bollinger
The San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association honors this week a longtime and very active member of its Board of Directors, who is always giving back to his community and constantly striving to improve his outstanding herd of cows. Kurt Bollinger, the 2018 Cattleman of the Year, was born and raised in Paso Robles.
He has made his home on the Ted and Nancie Dellaganna homestead for the past 41 years. He entered the cattle business in 1985, when his mother-in-law passed away and left one-third of the herd to Kurt and his wife, Georgia Dellaganna Bollinger. He bought his first Replacement Heifer, which was a Limousine; her first calf was a bull and this was the seed stock that started his cattle herd. He grows oat, barley and alfalfa hay, as well as Giant Pumpkins and specialty ornamental pumpkins on his ranch.
Kurt and his wife, Georgia, have supported the Replacement Heifer Program at the California Mid-State Fair for many years, by selling some of their top replacement heifers to exhibitors and, then, always being ringside to buy them back – thus improving their breeding program every year.
Kurt has been a very active Board Member of the San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association. He has served on numerous water committees and attends water meetings on a monthly basis.
He could be called Mr. Barbeque, San Luis Obispo County – U.S.A., since he does countless BBQ’s throughout the year for many charitable causes and organizations. Kurt organizes all the cooking of the meat at the California Mid-State Fair’s Cattlemen and Farmers Day. While he doesn’t draw attention to the number of hours he spends getting the BBQ’s set-up – it is a tremendous undertaking and it couldn’t be done without him. Kurt donates and delivers the oak wood for the fires, hauling in the BBQ pits, and takes care of anything else that needs to be done in order for the event to be successful. He also handles all three days of BBQing for the Western Art Show, and is still smiling on day three!
Kurt is very proud of his 45-plus years of employment with Miller Drilling Company. He appreciates the great relationships that he has formed with customers and friends throughout the County. He began his career as a Pump Man and moved up the ladder to become Manager and President of the company.
Always giving back to his community, Kurt has been recognized at Templeton High School as Athletic Booster of the Year; received a Templeton FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer Degree and has been honored on two separate occasions for Outstanding Service to the Templeton FFA.
Kurt and Georgia have two children, Marc who is always at the pits helping BBQ alongside his wife, Rachael; and daughter, Lauri, and her husband, Andrew King, and their three children (Payton, Dalton and Logan, who just completed his first year in 4-H.) Kurt’s Mother, Carolyn Dildine lives in Paso Robles.
Kurt is a member of San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association, the California Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Association, as well as the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau, the California Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Acknowledging and honoring his many accomplishments, dedication and commitment, the San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association is proud to name Kurt Bollinger as its 2018 Cattleman of the Year.
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