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Michael T Samples
Farmers & Ranchers Livestock
Mike Samples was born November 21, 1949 in Ontario, Oregon. His parents Jay and Ruth Samples with sister Brenda moved to Southeast Kansas shortly after Mike was born. Mike’s father bought an eighty-acre farm North of Erie, Kansas and that’s where Mike was raised. Jay worked in the oilfield and farmed until he ventured into building a Drive Inn Café called the B&M, named after his children.
When Mike entered high school at Erie his life made an abrupt change when he met his Vo-Ag teacher Ken Buntin. Mr. Buntin told him he had to have projects therefore, Mike then started farming, raising hogs and cattle. His involvement in FFA lead him to become Star Farmer of Kansas in 1967 and a State Officer in 1967-1968. Mr. Buntin was very instrumental in shaping Mike’s life and future direction.
While in high school a friend Tim Peak’s dad had a commission firm at the Parsons Stockyard Mike was fascinated with the commotion of a sale barn and went to the sale every chance he had. This lit a desire in Mike to become part of the Auction World.
During that time, he started driving and traveling with famous cattleman E.J. Peck and learned many things about the cattle industry.
In his younger years he worked for the Fredonia, Kansas market then later ran the Chanute Sale Barn for a short while before becoming the manager of the Parsons Livestock Market for Russell and Mark McKee. Mike ran the market and also had orders to buy cattle at 3 to 4 sales each week.
August 31, 1987 Mike made a big change leaving Erie, Kansas and moving to Salina to manage Farmers & Ranchers Livestock. He quickly found the once large market had several problems and not many customers. With the help of several great people the market started a turn around. Under Mike’s watchful eye Farmer & Ranchers Livestock has become the largest market in Kansas for several years running, selling more than 200,000 head per year along with hogs and 2 large horse sales per year.
Mike has lived the last 30 plus years in the Abilene area with his wife Donna. He has 3 children Monae living in Erie, Marshall in Abilene and Micah also in Abilene, he also has 4 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Micah has joined Mike working at the market as a penner for several years now.
Mike has not yet considered retirement because of his passion for the market and his love for his producers and buyers. Mike still enjoys the people and the atmosphere of a cattle auction.