The strong family bonds shared between brothers Justin and J.C. Niesen and their mother, Lori, have been instrumental in fostering the brothers’ success in life. They motivate each other to excel while still supporting each other with love and kindness. It’s a unique situation that those closest to the family truly admire.
“They are always looking out for you before looking out for themselves. They’ve gained the trust and support of anyone that’s ever done business with them through their integrity and compassion towards others,” said Jeff Peck of New Plymouth, ID. Peck buys and sells cattle throughout the country and works with the Niesen brothers on a regular basis. He continued, “Their bond between their mother and grandmother shows each day in how they treat and talk about each other.”
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Today, Justin and J.C. are familiar faces representing the next generation at Western Video Market (WVM). Justin is among the largest representatives for selling cattle and has clients in nearly every Western state. J.C. also represents cattle but has built a strong following for WVM by serving as a representative for the company’s internet bidding platform through DVAuction. In addition, he works with seedstock producers by assisting them in planning their production sales with videos and marketing materials.
The trio’s bond has always been exceptionally strong. Justin and J.C. grew up under the watchful eye of Lori, who doubled as their ag teacher at Maxwell High School in Williams, CA. It was there in Northern California’s cattle country that the Niesen brothers discovered their love for agriculture.
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The brothers’ early years were spent on a ranch managed by Lori’s boyfriend, Tom Griffith, until a tragic horse accident left him paralyzed, and he sadly passed away a few years later. The tragic loss deepened the bond between the brothers and their mother. From there, they began looking out for each other more than ever before. Though their paths would diverge after high school, their commitment to each other’s success would soon bring the brothers back to working together.
From cutting horses to cattle trading
Chasing his passion, Justin initially ventured into the world of cutting horse training but realized it wasn’t his calling. This marks the point when Justin’s path began streamlining towards where he is today. He met and began working for Tyler Martinez—a skilled commodity broker, real estate agent and rancher—in Red Bluff, CA, to whom Justin attributes much of his commodity knowledge.
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It was during this time that Martinez helped connect Justin with Matt Norene, grandson of Shasta Livestock Auction Yard owner Ellington Peek, on a blustery winter sale day at the yards in Cottonwood, CA. Justin offered his assistance with penning back several thousand head of cattle, undeterred by the wind and chill. Despite Norene’s insistence to go home and get out of the adverse weather conditions, Justin stayed into the night to help finish the work.
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“I always wonder if I hadn’t stuck around that night if I would have gotten the future opportunities, because it all snowballed from there,” Justin told WLJ.
From that night on, Justin’s involvement at the yards gained momentum, eventually leading him to take on the role of driving for Peek during the summer months. This paved the way for an invitation to participate in the spring WVM video sales, which Justin said was initially nerve-racking. Through hands-on experience and engaging with consignors, he mastered the intricacies of working in the yard and handling shipping logistics. Justin said Peek stressed the significance of making connections with consignors; it didn’t matter if they had five head or 5,000 head, every person was important and Justin needed to make a connection with them.
“That’s the nice thing about Ellington: he doesn’t baby you,” Justin said. “If you want to be good, you need to get out there and call people, and don’t be afraid to cold call them. Call these guys that have no idea who you are. Eventually, you will probably get something done with them if you treat them right.”
Peek attributed the success of the brothers to their work ethics and humble attitudes, saying, “People just like them because they trust them. They’ve got a good heart and know cattle. They’ve been fantastic for us.”
Exiting the rodeo arena
J.C.’s path back to cattle trading took a little longer than Justin’s, but he was never without the support of his family.
Lori says of that time, “I wanted them to go find themselves and chase what they loved. They always had a place to return to if it didn’t work out. Regardless of what it was, we all knew there would be good horses and cattle involved!”
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J.C.’s talents as a team roper earned him a rodeo scholarship at Central Arizona College, and a brief stint on the professional rodeo circuit. It was at this point that the brothers’ bond became even stronger. Justin prodded J.C. to return to California and work alongside him on Peek’s yearling operation. With the two brothers side by side once again, they became fixtures at the Shasta Livestock yards on Fridays and shipping cattle. Having little experience in trading cattle, J.C. initially relied on Justin and Ellington’s guidance with shipping cattle, learning along the way the complexities of the business.
“Those things just take time,” J.C. said. “You just have to do it over and over and over again to get that stuff down,” referring to the many intricacies of shipping cattle.
The late-night cattle processing following Friday sales and the early-morning turnouts served as foundational experiences, paving the way for subsequent opportunities and mentorship from Peek.
“The doors he opened for us were just amazing,” J.C. said.
Guiding hand of a mentor
Under Peek, one of the nation’s most recognized cattle marketers, the brothers’ hands-on education catapulted them into conversations with some of the nation’s largest cattle operators. Their humility and trustworthiness, instilled in them by their mother, gained them the respect of everyone they dealt with. They soon began partnering on cattle with some of the customers and buyers.
Doors seemed to open up and they supported each other in venturing into not only selling cattle for customers but buying them as well. The brothers were ecstatic to be more invested in the business when Peek helped them on one of their first transactions.
J.C. says of the partnership with Peek, “The first year was great, we all made a bunch of money, but then the second year we gave it all back. I was ready to be done with that idea but Ellington said the only way to make money is to keep trading, so we got right back in!”
J.C. also shared the story of a fated encounter that led to expanding the brothers’ cattle operation. While at Shasta Livestock in the fall, J.C. overheard a conversation with Peek discussing the sale of fall pairs. This conversation captured J.C.’s interest as he saw it as a potential opportunity to lease the accompanying land.
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After a visit with Peek to inspect the pairs, J.C. and Justin officially entered the cow-calf cattle business. J.C. said it has provided some stability for the brothers as it allows them the flexibility to either wean and sell the cattle or keep them with less risk than with yearlings.
A bittersweet farewell
Shasta Livestock Auction Yard held its last auction in February 2021. Justin and J.C. said it was bittersweet, as Fridays at the auction were integral to their lives.
Justin recalled the last auction they had in the sale ring. A heifer was donated to the Andy Peek Livestock Scholarship fund, which he and J.C. bought and donated back. When the last cow was sold, there was a wave of sadness in the building, but that feeling quickly dissipated when she jumped out of the ring and found her way onto the block, leading everyone on a chase to get her back into the ring.
J.C. recounted the difficulty of breaking the habit of gearing up and saddling his horse for Friday morning sales. He misses the camaraderie and the chance to connect with fellow ranchers over breakfast at the café. He fondly recalled Peek talking to everybody and offering to buy them coffee or pay for their breakfast.
Justin and J.C. said the transition to WVM was relatively easy as they previously did country cattle sales on video, but the transition allows them to spend more time with their families and work on their operation.
Life today
Both brothers are now married with families of their own.
Justin and his wife, Alicia, live in Corning, CA, with their two small children, Jim and Mary. J.C. lives in Gerber, CA, with his wife, Mandy, and two daughters, Presley and Hannah. Family is still everything for the Niesens, and Lori continues to be active in her sons’ lives as well as those of her grandchildren.
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Currently, Lori, Justin and J.C. are undertaking a transformation of an old horse barn into a bunkhouse on Lori’s property. Justin is also in the process of fixing the pens and making other improvements while he and J.C. run yearlings on the property and lease other ground.
Both brothers have embraced the flexibility that video sales brought them. J.C. says in addition to running the yearling operation, the flexibility allowed him to work with livestock marketer Col. Rick Machado and immerse himself in various roles at WVM, from managing internet broadcasts to running the console and taking bids.
With both brothers actively engaged in the daily tasks for WVM, they’ve helped maintain the atmosphere of friendly business.
WLJ President Logan Ipsen says of the two, “You don’t stop being friends with the Niesens. Once you meet them, you are friends for life. They have a unique bond with each other and that carries over to how they carry themselves professionally. They make you feel comfortable in what you’re doing.”
Words of advice
Today, Justin and J.C. are often asked how, when and to whom to market cattle to. They’ve earned the respect of the industry and offer great insight on the current markets.
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Justin warns producers to be prepared for substantial price swings, as the market will not stay this good forever, and recommended they protect themselves with risk management such as Livestock Risk Protection insurance or by taking a position on the board. The industry could have another black swan event and experience price swings like in the past, he said.
For young producers, Justin emphasized that it is important to partner with other people just as Peek gave them the opportunity to network with other people. Justin and J.C. currently partner with several producers where they winter cattle in California and send them back to grass in the summer.
“Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone to see how people operate and don’t be afraid to ask if they would like to partner,” Justin said. “Most older guys want to see the younger producers get into the industry.”
J.C. concurred with Justin that young producers should surround themselves with people who will give them an opportunity. “We’ve been blessed with a lot of great partners, including Ellington and numerous others,” J.C. said. “We’ve partnered on cattle with quite a few people and we’ve had great partners. Surround yourself with people who will make you better.”
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J.C. and Justin expressed deep appreciation to Peek for recognizing their work ethic and determination and providing them with invaluable opportunities. With the help of Peek’s unwavering support, the brothers have evolved into the steadfast industry figures that they are today.
