Release from the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair Foundation announced Monday that Brad Rayl of Buhler, Kan. is the 2021 Wall of Honor inductee. Brad grew up attending the Kansas State Fair, and as a young 4-H’er helped his dad, who was the Kansas State Fair poultry superintendent in the poultry barn. Brad started his 4-H career showing chickens, then moved to exhibiting lambs in the Bison arena. From there he began investing in Suffolk ewes. He built a respected Suffolk herd called Flying R Suffolks. Brad sold his Suffolk herd and used the funds to cover most of his college expenses at Kansas State University.
Brad’s experience with 4-H and the Kansas State Fair were important to his development and he wanted his children, Abby and Parker, to have the same opportunity. Both children exhibited sheep, swine, and cattle. They gravitated to the cattle industry, particularly the breeding side of the business. The first Rayl Angus females were bought from McCurry Angus near Burrton, Kansas in 1997. The Rayl family became very involved in the National Junior Angus Association, where Abby and Parker won many awards. During one National Junior Angus event, Parker and Mark Gardiner visited about breeding show heifers utilizing Gardiner Angus embryos. Today, Rayl Angus is a 100 head cow/calf operation run by Brad and his wife, Jolie. The breeding program consists of artificial insemination of selected embryos which focuses on optimizing genetic traits. The goal at Rayl Angus is to produce breeding stock that are highly accurate in all EPD traits for the commercial cow calf rancher.
In 1995, Brad was asked to be on the Kansas State Fair Board where he served for 21 years. In that time, he was instrumental in lobbying and securing $29 million to renovate and improve the Kansas State Fairgrounds which in large part built the Prairie Pavilion and the Swine, Sheep and Goat Barns being used today.
Brad helped establish the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and worked with others to set the groundwork to create the spectacular showcase it has become. It is a signature event for 4-H and FFA youth exhibiting livestock at the Kansas State Fair. In addition, he was involved in the formation of the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, which was established in 2003. The Foundation also Established the Wall of Honor which inducted its first honorees in 2005.
Professionally, Brad worked in the insurance business, providing property and casualty insurance needs for local businesses, industry leaders, and ag-based operations. Brad was also instrumental in the founding of Kansas Ethanol in 2006, an 80-million-gallon fuel alcohol facility which produces 260,000 tons of distiller grains. Kansas Ethanol purchased and formed Kansas Protein Foods, located in Hutchinson, Kansas. This entity purchases and extrudes soybean flour to make products for the food industry. Between Kansas Ethanol and Kansas Protein Foods, brands including Kansas Kitchen, Kattle Energy, Kinetic Elite, and Rack Elite have been developed and introduced to market.
Brad continues to be active in his local community as well as in statewide organizations. Brad currently serves on boards including Kansas Ethanol, Barkman Honey, Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, and RCB Bank. Brad hopes the Kansas State Fair is as impactful in others’ lives as it has been for him and his family.
The Wall of Honor was initiated in 2005 by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation to recognize and honor those individuals who have made or are making a significant difference in the livestock shows at the Kansas State Fair and in agriculture in Kansas. The Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation plays a pivotal role in the success and execution of the renovation and beautification of the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The Kansas State Fair board creates project priorities and works with the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation and their partner organizations to bring private funds to the table for renovations, rebuilds, improvements and beautification of the Kansas State Fairgrounds.