Cowboy Up
Hinmans on 61 years of marriage, mentorship and Montana Angus cattle.
October 21, 2026
“If you don't buy this bull, you’re going to hate yourself forever.”
It was early in Hinman Angus Ranch’s history, but Yvonne Hinman already knew her husband well enough to encourage him to raise his hand another time. That $18,000 bull — a significant investment for the day — along with one they raised, helped shape the trajectory of their program.
Luckily, the banker supported the in-the-moment decision.
“Those two bulls, we combined them together and they made the program,” Dave said.
Yvonne and Dave Hinman, Hinman Angus Ranch
The couple joined The Angus Conversation to share early wisdom they gained from mentors in the breed and how the calculated risks got them to where they are today. They talked about how their philosophy of “the cows come first” works in practice, how they remain disciplined in breeding and why the legendary Cowboy Up bull was a success.
“He was the bull, and you knew it right away,” Dave said, on raising him. “The industry needed some real substance, and Cowboy Up fit.”
Meeting in eighth grade and marrying shortly after high school, the couple have been partners in every sense of the word for 61 years. They have advice for anybody trying to ranch with their spouse.
“You have to be friends,” Yvonne said. “And you have to keep business, business. You don’t always agree on everything, but you don't always agree on everything anyway in life or in marriage. But you have to give, you have to take."
They also suggest surrounding yourself with others who have been in your shoes.
“Join in, get involved, meet people and talk to them and listen,” Dave suggested. “You can learn a lot listening to people about things, mistakes they made themselves. Just listen ... and then go home and think about it.”
Listen to the full episode to learn why they moved to Malta, their thoughts on performance testing and the secret to a long marriage.
EPISODE NAME: Cowboy Up — Hinmans on 61 years of Marriage, Mentorship and Montana Angus Cattle
Get involved. That’s both sage advice from Montana Angus breeders Dave and Yvonne Hinman and also a main theme in their own story. For 61 years they’ve shared a life that included Angus every step of the way. The Hinmans share early wisdom they learned from mentors and a behind-the-scenes tale of calculated risks they took at just the right time. They talk about how their philosophy of “the cows come first” works in practice, and how they remain disciplined when looking ahead. This honest conversation covers everything from the legendary Cowboy Up bull to the secret to a long marriage.
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully
GUESTS: Dave and Yvone Hinman
Pioneer breeders of performance cattle, Dave and Yvonne Hinman of Hinman Angus, have raised registered Angus cattle since 1973. The couple and their daughters, Jill and Heidi, ran Hinman Angus in Willow Creek, Mont., for more than 20 years. That’s where they had their first production sale, joining with Bill and Jennifer Davis, Dale and Carol Davis and John and Vickie Hamilton as the Performance Breeders, a group that worked together until 2008 to market registered Angus seedstock.
In 2000, Dave and Yvonne moved near Malta, Mont., to lease an 8,000-acre ranch; and in 2005 they purchased the ranch. In Malta, they have worked alongside daughter Heidi and son-in-law Billy Lulloff for many years, mentoring them and now their grandson Tyler Lulloff to assume more responsibilities on the ranch. Together they continue to produce high-quality, reputation cattle as Hinman Angus.
Dave served on the American Angus Association Board of Directors from 2017-2023. Yvonne served as president of the American Angus Auxiliary in 1999-2000 and was honored as the Distinguished Woman Award recipient in 2007. In 2005, the Performance Breeders were recognized with the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Seedstock Commitment to Excellence Award.
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Publication: Angus Journal
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