Longhorns are not called longhorns for nothing. One of the defining characteristics of a this widely adored breed of cattle Longhorn is their large and impressive longhorns. Th horns are one of those features that many breeders admire so much when letting them graze on their land. These parts of the cattle offer an opportunity for a great many things including attracting mates and self-defense. One farmer in Alabama can add another thing to that list of things that are special. His Longhorn has set a brand new world record for officially having the world’s longest horns.
Pancho Via is all of six years old. He’s a Texas Longhorn but he doesn’t live in Texas. Instead, he’s part of a local herd residing in Alabama. Goodwater, Alabama in Clay Country is a small place but it’s home to a big claim. Jeral Pope Sr. fell in love with the breed a few years ago. He loved the way they looked and the fact that they were known to be not only lovely to look at but also quite gentle with everyone. This leads him to make a request of his local vet. He wanted a Longhorn of his own.
A World Record
When Pope reached out to his vet in search of a new family pet for his farm he hardly thought about how he might one day attract the attention of one of the world’s most famous books. The six-month-old Longhorn he brought to his farm was a very animal that became part of his family. It also started a friendly rivalry with his son. Son Dennis liked the idea of a Longhorn he decided it was time to find one. His own Moo arrived six months before his dad spotted Poncho Via.
Pope Sr. took some time to measure the Longhorn’s horns every son often. He took great delight in noting how quickly they grew. At the same time, while he nurtured some faint hope of breaking the world record, he knew it could take time. A longhorn needs a bit of time for their famous longhorns to reach full fruition. Nearly all Longhorns who have earned the record have been at least nine years. This meant a long wait was probable for young Poncho Via. Still, Pope Sr. watched and watched as his prized family pet had horns that continued to expand.
By the time to steer was six years old, Pope Sr. knew it was to get in touch with the authorities. Much to his delight, the horns on his pet are ten feet, 7.4 inches. That’s an incredibly long length. Imagine a grand piano. Extend it just a bit further and you’ll have an idea of the size of these horns. That’s all the way from one tip of the horn to the next. For the people at the Guinness Book of World Records is was enough. They validated Poncho Via’s horns and allowed the steer to claim the desired prize.
Right now, Poncho Via remains at home. His horns are likely to continue growing. However, as much of this growth begins very early in the Longhorn’s life, his owner is confident this steer can and will manage to hold his head up high. They let him run and watch in amazement as he navigates ant obstacle in his path. This is a clever and proud steer who has earned the adoration of his family. He’s also brought a little bit of fame to a corner of Alabama. The family’s going to keep careful watch on their prized Longhorn steer.