Our Story

A family-owned and operated company, The Judge Source is mainly comprised of Joel & Kourtney Judge, with the additions of Ashley Wagner and Jason Judge. The evolution of the business model began when they both consistently witnessed that purebred seedstock producers felt traditional marketing avenues and methods left much to be desired. While the old adage of networking and an established customer base still rings very true, the Judge’s set forth to elevate the experience for cattlemen and cattlewomen.

Joel’s background plays host to over 35 years in the cattle business, spanning show cattle selection and development, bull development - including marketing and establishing a significant commercial clientele base for each seedstock customer, female selection and mating selections to accelerate genetic advancement, and the understanding that an established and respectable network within the industry connects all the dots for success. As a young man, his experiences developing such foundational cow herds such as Bruin Ranch, and being an integral part of the growth pillars of the bull marketing base for such operations as Vintage Angus Ranch, laid a comprehensive grasp on how to get a producer where they need/want to go to reach their goals. His time with Zoetis helped sharpen his knowledge in product positioning, marketing, and sales via solid relationships. His personal favorite hobby is still evaluating and sorting some of the nation’s best show cattle while making a positive impact in the eyes of the junior showmen at the end of the halter, as well as watching his two daughters, Ashley & Jessica, make an even larger impact in the show cattle and livestock judging industry.

Kourtney was drawn into the Angus and seedstock business by Joel, but she’s not a complete stranger to the industry; she graduated from Oklahoma State University, where she also worked on the Purebred Beef Cow/Calf Unit, and was in charge of overseeing the daily care of the young bulls destined for the Cowboy Classic annual sale. In her life, the horses have always been front-and-center, and her experiences in breeding bring a laser focus to the quality of pedigree, while her time sales prepping and accompanying racing Quarter Horses to some of the country’s most prestigious sales lends a tremendous hand when it comes to the marketing & positioning of selling livestock. She firmly believes presentation is everything, as does Joel, and her experience is reflected in her standards for presenting animals, as well as the clearcut difference in marketing programs & animals versus brokering. After graduation, Kourtney spent 15 years in marketing/sales of animal health products, from nutrition & nutraceuticals to pharmaceuticals, which lends a great hand to the building of relationships and firm business principles. Her hobbies include showing Reined Cow Horses, and figuring out how to raise a feral child.

Looking forward, the crew at The Judge Source is excited for all that awaits on this marketing forefront, and are consistently working on innovative ways to highlight their clientele, sales, and the purebred beef business!