Carl ‘Soot’ Bredhoff remembered as leader in Hawaiʻi’s ranching and cattle industry

Carl “Soot” Bredhoff, a respected leader in Hawaiʻi’s ranching and cattle industry, passed away May 31 at his home in Kula. He was 90. 

During his career, he was active in the Maui Cattlemen’s Association, Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Association, Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council and was a founding member of Hawaiʻi Producers’ Cooperative Association.

Bredhoff managed the 10,000-acre Kaupo Ranch for 15 years before moving to Hawaiʻi Island to manage the 144,000-acre Kahuku Ranch for the next two decades. Shortly after he retired, parts of Kahuku Ranch were taken over by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

In 2002, Bredhoff was inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame. He was an avid, lifetime outdoorsman. In his early years, he participated in rodeos, as well as hunted and fished. He has been featured in many documentaries over the years, and was one of the state’s leading experts in cattle ranch management.

Friend and cattleman, Jimmy Gomes, said: “Soot was an icon in the cattle industry. He was humble, always willing to give a helping hand and share his mana’o. Soot loved what he did and made the ranches he worked on better.”

His first job was with Kualoa Ranch on Oʻahu. Later, he moved to Hawai’i Island to work as a foreman for the Hawaiian Ranch Company, which encompassed three large ranches in Kaʻū: Keauhou, Kapāpala and Kaʻaluʻalu ranches.

Fellow rancher, Jimmy Greenwell, said: “Soot learned the cattle business that he loved from the ground up. He often recalled his first job working at the packing house in Honolulu under my dad . He was one of the crew, a quiet giant. He was always someone we appreciated for his wisdom, passion, good sense, humility, sincerity, and caring style. He set the bar pretty high for all who followed.”

Part of his legacy was heading up the effort in the late 1970s to restore Huialoha Church in Kaupō, Maui, which had been badly neglected.

Of native Hawaiian, Chinese and German ancestry, Bredhoff was born and raised in Mānoa Valley, and graduated from Punahou School in 1952. Bredhoff left Hawaiʻi for Hebron Academy in Maine, then attended Colorado State University on a football scholarship. After earning a bachelor’s degree in animal science, he returned to Oʻahu to pursue his passion in cattle ranching.

“No matter where he worked, my dad always felt it was an honor and privilege to be a steward of the land and he worked diligently to improve pastures, water systems and livestock health,” said Sarah Bredhoff, his daughter, who lives on Maui.

It was on Hawaiʻi Island that Bredhoff met and married his wife of 49 years, Judith, who predeceased him.

In addition to his daughter, Sarah, Bredhoff is survived by many loving nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church by The Sea (Kūlanihākoʻi St., Kīhei) on Friday, June 27. Visitation will be at 4:30 p.m., service at 5:30 p.m. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Huialoha Preservation ʻAhahui (P.O Box 880139 Pukalani 96788-0139) or Hospice Maui (400 Mahalani St. Wailuku 96793).