Cattle

Woodford and Samantha Colson celebrate success at the 2025 Arizona National Livestock Show.

March 30, 2026
Words by Jens Odegaard.
Photos courtesy of Samantha Colson.

TS Woodford Reserve is a beautiful two-year-old Charolais bull. Hair shining like ripe white wheat over rolling hills of muscle and healthy fat. Woodford — named after the bourbon — stands shoulder high to Samantha Colson, his owner. He’s just taken Champion Charolais and Reserve Supreme Champion Bull at the 2025 Arizona National Livestock Show held in late December.

If you’ve lived in Oregon for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the stories of “cattle mutilations” on Eastern Oregon’s high desert, juniper, bunchgrass and sage ranchlands. Cattle carcasses are found by ranch hands. The cattle are missing genitalia and eyes – the wounds so clean they look like a surgeon did it. There are no footprints to be found. The carcasses are dried out – no blood anywhere.

Who did it? “It’s always aliens or Satanists,” said Dr. Sean Spagnoli with a wry laugh.