The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame celebrated the 18th class of inductions into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Feb. 14 at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls, MT. The inductees were chosen from a field of candidates nominated by the general public. Inductees are recognized for their contributions to the history and culture of the state of Montana.
T. E. “Buddy” Westphal is the 2026 Living Inductee for District 10.
Buddy was born Feb. 3, 1946, in Colorado Springs, CO, to Virgil and Evelyn Westphal. He is the youngest of four brothers. Known for top Charolais cattle and performance horses for over 50 years, Buddy has a colorful lifelong history, traveling thousands of miles showing, competing, judging and enjoying the company of ranching and cowboy leaders of the world. He has judged major cattle, cutting horse and rodeo competitions including Calgary, Houston, San Francisco, Kansas City, Augusta, Jackson and Orlando, and is one of a few to ever judge both the horse and cattle shows at the Denver National Western Stock Show. He has also judged at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals, the National High School Rodeo Finals and the World Cutting Horse Futurity and Finals in Italy.
Buddy grew up in Limon, a small rural town in Colorado, and eagerly embraced football and rodeo as the best options for entertainment and involvement. His high school football team was crowned state champions three of his four years. He participated in Little Britches and Junior Rodeos starting at six years old and later earned a college rodeo scholarship from the National Champion College Rodeo team in Casper, WY, where he competed in five events. His rodeo team won consecutive national championship titles.
Buddy reflects on how rodeo has changed in the years since he was a competitor and recently remarked, “Each year, the rodeo athletes get better and train harder, both in the arena and in the gym. More people watch, understand and like rodeo and there are more fans today than ever.” He stays involved and especially appreciates the family aspects of rodeo, noting that patriotism and prayer remain key components.
Buddy transferred to Colorado State University where he served as an officer in both the student senate and AGR fraternity. His future was set in motion when his influential genetics professor stressed the merits of the Charolais cattle breed for crossing on Angus and Herefords to gain hybrid vigor, better weaning weight and carcass quality. Post-graduate study in reproductive physiology further convinced Buddy to search for a herd of Charolais cattle to launch his purebred Charolais production career. He was fortunate to find the ideal herd located in beautiful Montana and was eager to put down roots in this perfect location. Buying the cow herd led to purchasing the ranch and now there are three generations working together at Valley View Charolais Ranch, which sits at the base of the Mission Mountains along the Flathead River south of Polson. The ranch held its 58th annual bull sale in March and sells over 180 bulls to 15 to 20 states annually.
Over the years, Buddy has sold over 10,000 bulls across the U.S., as well as several cows and bulls internationally. His customers have come to be more like family, including ranches that have purchased bulls for three and four generations. Fostering those long-standing relationships has always been important to Buddy, so he and his wife, Lin, personally deliver most of the sale bulls to many top ranching operations—a journey that crisscrosses multiple states and upwards of 20,000 miles every year.
Buddy considers himself fortunate to have the support of family and others enabling him to be involved in many broader aspects of the cattle, horse and agriculture industries. At the ranch, there is a case packed full of rodeo buckles, grand champion cattle trophies, cutting awards including Reserve World Champion Amateur and multiple Montana state open and non-pro champion saddles. Buddy considers his real “trophies” to be the exceptional family and crew at home he feels blessed to live and work alongside at the ranch.
Twenty-six years ago, Buddy met Lin, who exchanged her role as senior vice president in banking to devote full-time to ranching. She is the partner and glue that helps hold things together. With her business acumen, Lin manages bookkeeping and a multitude of other support for the ranch—and also works hard taking good care of Buddy most every day!
Buddy is grateful to have lived a fulfilling life immersed in the Montana Western heritage and cowboy culture that he embodies and promotes daily. He contributes to this lifestyle in myriad ways—from personally coaching and mentoring others in cattle, horses and ranching, and providing guidance and insight through interviews printed in a variety of Western publications. Buddy has served for decades on the NCHA Board of Directors, national committees, as a 4-star judge, and is a lifetime member. He served on the American International Charolais Association Board of Directors and several committees. He was a founding member and director of the Montana Cutting Horse Association, an officer of the Montana Quarter Horse Association and served as a judge for the American Quarter Horse Association. He served on committees for the American National Cattleman Association and was appointed by Gov. Tom Judge for a term on the Montana Livestock Task Force.
Buddy enjoys active involvement with the local ranching community. His ranch has donated one of their top purebred Charolais heifers annually for eight years to the Western Montana Stockman’s Association (WMSA) Scholarship Heifer Program, awarding deserving youth applicants with a heifer to own and show at their county fair. The WMSA program is described as “the best program in Montana for promoting ranching, encouraging future generations into agriculture, and developing opportunities for youth in the livestock industry program.”
In 2018, Buddy and Valley View Charolais Ranch were honored on the 50th anniversary as “a national leading breeder of Charolais cattle for 50 years,” with recognition and commendation by the U.S. Senate as noted in the U.S. Congressional Record by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT). Buddy also received a Certificate of Recognition from the American International Charolais Association.
In 2024, Buddy was honored to receive the WMSA Lifetime Achievement Award. With a twinkle in his eye, Buddy expressed, “I’ve been lucky for 50 years, but I guess we’ve also worked hard to prepare for our luck. I definitely have the best life that anyone can ask for. When you are doing what you love and loving what you do it really makes life special.” — Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame
