The Oklahoma CattleWomen are honored to be hosting the 2023 ANCW Region IV Meeting & WIRED event May 5^th & 6^th, as we work together to cultivate successful and knowledgeable ranchers through hands-on experiences and trainings. The theme for this event, “Cultivating CattleWomen”, may sound familiar to you all because WIRED was the inspiration for my presidential platform! I am thrilled for OCW to once again partner with Kelli Payne to bring forth this event and am thankful for her generous sponsorship as our host.

We will kick off the weekend in the historic Stockyards City on Friday for the 2023 ANCW Region IV Meeting. Our meetings will take place at the Cattlemen's Steakhouse Special Event Center where we will hear from the newly installed 2023 ANCW President-Elect, Ruth Coffey, Region IV Director - Ddee Haynes, and Region IV Committee Representatives. You will have the chance to network with your fellow CattleWomen while working together to uplift the beef community. Enjoy a delicious lunch provided by Cattlemen's Steakhouse before you take a tour of the Oklahoma National Stockyards and Stockyards City Main Street! That night, CattleWomen will board a riverboat on the Oklahoma River as they enjoy hor dourves and refreshments.

With exciting guest speakers, workshops tailored to hot topics in the industry and hands-on learning opportunities, WIRED is the perfect place for all women with a passion for beef cattle to gather together! Join us for Saturday, May 6th at the Payne Ranch in Mustang, OK for an empowering chance to grow as an individual and advocate for the beef industry! Attendees will participate in a full day of sessions focusing on animal health, media training, machine safety and more. Lunch will be served onsite provided by Payne Ranch for a farm to fork experience. Attendees will leave with a special WIRED t-shirt and a newly found confidence in their ranching skills!

Registration is open to all members and non-members. You can register for one day or both! Go to okcattlewomen.org/regioniv-wired to claim your spot today. We do have a room block available for all of our out-of-town travelers.

 

I hope you will consider this your personal invitation to join us for this spectacular experience! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at ocw@okcattlewomen.org!

Wising you all beef & blessings!

Oklahoma CattleWomen headed down south to attend the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, LA last month. While there OCW members networked and learned alongside their fellow American National CattleWomen to become better advocates and ranchers. I continue to be in awe of the presence and impact of OCW on the national stage.

We were proud to once again see two CattleWomen from Oklahoma installed on the ANCW Executive Team. Ddee Haynes has rejoined ANCW leadership as the Region IV Director. In this position she will continue to be a direct line of communication between ANCW and the three states in our region: Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. I have enjoyed working closely with her on the Region IV Meeting & WIRED event coming up on May 5^th & 6^th!

Past OCW President, Ruth Coffey, transitioned out of the position of ANCW Vice President and into President-Elect! Over the next year, Ruth will support the initiatives of ANCW along with fellow officers President Pam Griffin of Arizona and Vice President Nikki Weston of Utah. I want to take a second to thank Jill Worthington and Tammi Didlot for a job well done as they transition off the ANCW Executive Team as the Business Manager and CFO respectively. Tammi has held a seat on the ANCW Executive Team for 11 years and has done an excellent job representing Oklahoma CattleWomen on the national stage for over a decade!

I am excited and humbled to share that I was named the 2023 ANCW Beef Promoter of the Year! What a surprise! I truly did not see it coming so hats off to everyone that helped coordinate behind my back (including my sneaky husband!). I have a profound joy for promoting the beef industry and have loved being able to use my platform as the OCW President and ANCW Public Relations Chairman to do so. CattleWomen has helped formed who I am as an advocate and producer, and I am incredibly thankful to the women of this organization that have become so much more than friends.  I am even more excited to share that all three ANCW awards were presented to CattleWomen of Region IV this year!

Past OCW President and current ANCW Region IV Director, Ddee Haynes, was named the 2023 ANCW Educator of the Year. In her 25 years of service to both the OCW and ANCW, Ddee has served in a variety of leadership positions with education of the foremost importance. Her most notable position, one that she currently still holds, is that of the OK Beef Advocate Co-Chair. In this position Ddee has assisted in the creation of hundreds of beef advocates from elementary children to collegiates. Of these students, many have gone on to serve in the National Beef Ambassador Program.

A member of both the Oklahoma CattleWomen and Texas CattleWomen, Desta Crawford was named the 2023 ANCW Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year! Desta is a prime example of a lifelong CattleWoman. She has held several notable positions within ANCW as Region IV Director and Membership Chairman and twice served as the ANCW Secretary under Jill Ginn and Evelyn Greene. She gave her all to each of these positions but what I find most valuable is her continued work in-between these positions.

I am beyond honored to be included in the same award class as these incredible CattleWomen and am still shocked to have stood beside my mentors with award plaque in hand. Thank you just doesn’t seem to cover it! While I am sharing my appreciation, I want to say a big THANK YOU to my Presidential travel sponsor Shorty’s Caboy Hattery for their continued support. Without their contributions I wouldn’t be able to travel around the state and nation promoting and supporting CattleWomen! Make sure to give them some love online at shortyscaboyhattery.com or when you are down in the Stockyards in OKC.

Of all the ANCW meetings I have had the privilege to attend, this year’s was by far the most impressive with captivating speakers and engaging learning opportunities. If you are not yet a member of ANCW, I highly encourage you to check out their website at ancw.org and/or plan to attend a future meeting. If you have any questions, please consider reaching out to one of the ladies mentioned above or myself and we will be happy to help in any way that we can!

Until next time, I wish you plenty of beef and blessings!

The Oklahoma CattleWomen are a voice for women who share a passion for the beef community with a focus on Beef Promotion, Education, and Legislation. While I love and am passionate about each of the three pillars of OCW, beef education has always held a special place in my heart. Agriculture’s youth are the future of our community, and their counterparts are our future consumers! As we head into the second month of the year I am excited to share with you all OCW’s upcoming educational events.

CattleWomen are invited to head back into the classroom the end of this month with our second OCW Read An Accurate Ag Book Week! OCW is once again partnering with Oklahoma Ag In The Classroom (AITC) to bring beef education to classrooms across the state. If you will remember, OCW Vice President of Education, Peggy Castleberry, along with her committee coordinated the delivery of an estimated 100 ag kits to schools during last year’s event! I had the honor of reading to several classrooms myself and I can’t wait to get my boots back in a classroom this year too. This event is a great way for CattleWomen to share with kids about the day-to-day operations on a cattle ranch. I hope you will join us! Be on the lookout for more information and resources on our website and social media.

Our education efforts aren’t stopping there! This year’s Oklahoma Beef Advocate Contest is set for April 14th at OKC West in El Reno, OK. This event takes place immediately following the Commercial Cattle Grading Scholarship Contest. The goal of the contest is to create and implement youth advocates who will further their knowledge of beef education and consumer interaction. There will be cash scholarships awarded to the top three winners in both age divisions so make sure and bring your kiddos out to participate. You can find more information and training videos on our website, okcattlewomen.org.

Let’s talk scholarships! Each year OCW awards 4 educational scholarships. The Oklahoma CattleWomen Scholarship is a $1,500 scholarship that is awarded to one full-time college student annually who is seeking a degree in an agriculture or an agricultural related field of study. The Nancy Buckminster Scholarship is awarded to a full-time college student who is an active and productive member of the OCCW. This scholarship is in the amount of $1,000 and given once a year. Established in 2022, this scholarship was created in honor of Oklahoma CattleWomen member and friend, Nancy Buckminster. We also have the J.B. and Betty Smith Scholarship for high school seniors that is awarded to two students annually: one female and one male. Each scholarship recipient will receive $1,000 to be used for furthering their education! Make sure you or the student in your life submit the application prior to May 2nd to take advantage of these great scholarships! Applications can be found at okcattlewomen.org/scholarships.

This is just a small glimpse of the events we have coming up. We have plenty in store for the coming year for each member to get involved. If you have any questions on upcoming events or would like to get involved in one of our many committees, head on over to our website for a full directory of officers, directors and chairmen.

Until next time, wishing you plenty of beef & blessings!

Happy New Year! What a year we have had together. It is my hope that this coming year will be filled with exiting new opportunities and events as OCW continues to strive toward our mission of being a voice for women who share a passion for the beef community.

As you create your New Years resolutions, I challenge you to add “grow as a CattleWoman” to your list! Whether that means becoming a better advocate, rancher or leader; OCW has the resources to help you achieve your goals! To become a better advocate, take a look into your beef journey and find the connection that will better convey the value of beef to both consumers and your peers. There are a few resources that can help you become a better beef advocate including the Masters of Beef Advocacy Program and the Beef Quality Assurance Program.

Looking to expand your ranching skills? OCW is excited to bring training sessions to our membership and others this year as we host the 2023 ANCW Region IV Meeting & WIRED Event so that we may all grow together! Hosted in the Oklahoma National Stockyards on May 5th-7th, this event will include hands-on trainings, workshops and sessions all designed to cultivate successful and knowledgeable ranchers in a comfortable and confidence building environment. I am particularly excited about this event as it was the inspiration for my presidential platform, Cultivating CattleWomen! You can find registration information and event details on our website: okcattlewomen.org.

Let’s talk leadership! OCW is made up of women from all walks of life that have immense passion for agriculture. It’s time to use your passions to fuel the CattleWomen around you! Throughout my time as a CattleWoman I have learned a great deal about myself as a CattleWoman and as a leader by attending American National CattleWomen meetings and events. I am looking forward to the ANCW itinerary during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, LA on January 28th – February 2nd. ALL of the ANCW meetings are open to ALL! They have quite the schedule planned for their 70th Anniversary so go check it out at ANCW.org and register to join your fellow CattleWomen as we geaux down to New Orleans!

This is just a small look at the year ahead. We have plenty in store for the coming year for each member to get involved. If you have any questions on upcoming events or would like to get involved in one of our many committees, head on over to our website for a full directory of officers, directors and chairmen. We would be happy to help in anyway that we can.

I pray you all have a blessed and healthy year and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

I hope this finds you and your herds both happy and healthy during this holiday season. This is by far my favorite time of year as we prepare to gather with our loved ones and rejoice in our ability to fellowship together once again. I always feel like this time of year flies by so quickly.

With all the shopping to do, decorating to be done and food to cook; it can be overwhelming! One thing we all know to be true is that ranch work never stops, not even for the holidays. To lighten the load, here are a few gift suggestions for your cattle obsessed loved ones.

ANCW Wildrag: As vibrant as the CattleWomen that wear them, the ANCW custom wildrags are both stylish and functional. You can purchase this year’s new design at www.ancw.org/merchandise.

BEEF: Give the gift of delicious BEEF this holiday season by slipping an OCW Beef Certificate in your loved one’s stocking! Oklahoma is home to many ranching families that sell beef direct to consumers. Head on over to our website for a database of Oklahoma producers, restaurants and grocers that accept Beef Certificates. https://okcattlewomen.org/Beef-Certificates.

Membership: The gift of an OCW Membership is the gift that keeps on giving! At just $20, an annual OCW Membership easily fits into even the smallest of stockings. Members receive monthly updates on the cattle industry, networking and educational opportunities, and the ability to gather with like minded women that love BEEF.

Speaking of the gift of membership, OCW has a junior membership option for even the smallest of CattleWomen! My daughter, Laramie, loves being a junior member and getting to meet other girls that love cows like she does. This year we’ve seen our junior members giving back to their communities by reading to kids in classrooms and assisting at local chapter booths. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the coming year!

No matter what you place under the tree, I hope you will place nutritious beef on your tables! I have my eye on some delicious recipes in the “Classic Holiday Recipes” collection on the oklabeef.org website. From small gatherings to large, they have recipes to suite any holiday gathering. If you are stuck on what to make for Christmas Dinner, this is a great place to start!

I hope these recommendations make your holiday preparations a bit easier and a bit beefier. From my family to yours, I wish nothing but blessings to you and your loved ones. See you in 2023!

Beef & Blessings

Fall is the time for good food and great fellowship! There may be less daylight hours as the seasons change, but that hasn’t slowed the Cattlewomen down any.  

This issue will be hitting your mailboxes smack in the middle of the Fall Gatherings which are by far the highlight of the fall season. There are 12 gatherings planned with 2 in each district for members to come and enjoy. Fall Gatherings are a perfect place to not only learn and engage with your fellow cattlewomen, but they are a great way to get your neighbors and friends introduced to the OCW family! I encourage you to invite at least 1 guest to attend a Fall Gathering with you and learn about the opportunities that OCA and OCW have to offer. For a full list of dates and locations go to okcattlemen.org. 

One of the benefits of being a member is the joy of meeting and engaging with women that share your passions and values. By attending events and activities over the years, I have grown to call many cattlewomen family rather than just friend. These deep connections have been a major support system for me in both my personal and professional life and I hope that each of our members will grow to find similar connections.  

Fall also found us back in the stockyards for the Stockyards Stampede & Oklahoma’s Best Beef Competition during the 3rd Annual Stockyards 'Steak'Out. OCW interacted with over 250 students and their families from across Oklahoma at this year’s Stampede as we shared about ranching tools in the kid’s corral.That night, OCW’s ownConnie Tabor, entered her ranch into the Oklahoma’s Best Beef Competition taking home the People’s Choice Award! Join me in congratulating 4T Ranch and their family on a job well done! To see a full list of winners and details regarding the competition go to okcattlemen.org.  

We have a full schedule of events ongoing so make sure to stay connected via email or social media to get the most recent updates. I know I am excited to get out and meet as many cattlewomen as possible. If you see me out on the trail, please introduce yourself! As always, if you have any questions, reach out to your District Directors or Executive Team via the directory on our website and we would be happy to help you in any way that we can. 

Until next time, I wish you plenty of beef & blessings! 

What a year it has been for local chapters! Whether they have been active for decades or weeks, CattleWomen local chapters have been more active than ever before, and I am both excited and proud to be able to witness it. This year’s fair season in particular has been amazing to watch as every other post on my social media feed seemed to be another local chapter giving back to their community! How amazing it has been to see such an abundance of CattleWomen engagement.

At the time of this publication OCW has 11 local chapters across the state; Cleveland, Craig, Grady, Green Country, Kay, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Osage, Washington, and the Oklahoma Collegiate CattleWomen. I want to give a special recognition to both Osage and Washington County CattleWomen for being our longest running local chapters with over 60 years of service to their communities! I would also like to welcome our newest local chapter, Pittsburg County, that was just recently formed in September.

As the Oklahoma CattleWomen serve the entire state, these local chapters are focusing on their local communities and working to promote and support the producers and students they call neighbor. Technology has allowed us to be more connected than ever across the state but there is something extra special about having your fellow CattleWomen so close to you. One thing I have always loved to hear from the local chapters is their large contributions to the students in their areas with scholarships, education, and overall support. From the Pawnee County CattleWomen’s Bucket Calf Project to the Green Country CattleWomen’s upcoming fall festival booth and everything in between, CattleWomen are truly boots on the ground.

During the first year of my presidency, I was able to attend the meetings of several of these outstanding organizations and I hope to have attended at least one of every local chapter before I pin our next president. I highly recommend reaching out to a local near you and getting to know the CattleWomen in your area. There is nothing stronger than the bond of your fellow CattleWomen! You can find a list of local chapters on our website at okcattlewomen.org. No local in your area? There has never been a better time to start a local chapter! Contact OCW President-Elect Connie Tabor at ctabor67@gmail.com or OCW directly at ocw@okcattlewomen.org to learn how to get started.  

Until next time I wish you all Beef & Blessings!

I hope this finds you and your herds both happy and healthy! We are fresh off our state convention and let me tell you, it sure was nice to see everyone in person again. This convention brought us back to the Embassy Suites in Norman, OK where we enjoyed educational sessions, fellowship and friendships with our fellow CattleWomen and Cattlemen.

OCW was excited to welcome the Fancy Lady Cowgirl herself, Courtenay DeHoff, as an educational session speaker graciously sponsored by the Oklahoma National Stockyards. CattleWomen also heard from OCCW alumna, Lettie McKinney, a producer and entrepreneur. Thank you to Stockman-Oklahoma Livestock Marketing for sponsoring her education session. These women provided helpful tools and knowledge for CattleWomen to grow in their passions and productions!

We are nothing without our devoted and passionate members, two words that I believe accurately represent our 2022 CattleWoman of the Year, Robin Richards! Robin is an OCW Director At-Large and a past Washington County CattleWomen President. She always has a smile on her face and is so welcoming to every CattleWoman in the room. We also honored our 2022 Honorary CattleWoman of the Year and former first gentlemen of OCW, Chuck Coffey! Chuck has a been a long-time supporter of OCW and we are incredibly thankful for all of his support he has given us. I hope you will join me in congratulating them both on their achievements!

This year, OCW gave out a special Lifetime Achievement Award to a woman that has truly given her all to CattleWomen. No matter what she is battling, she always ensures those around her feel like their best self. She contributes her time, devotion and love to everyone she meets and I am honored to announce the 2022 OCW Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Glenna Fisher. If you’ve seen our Ways and Means booth at convention and admired the handmade quilts, pillows, and various other items, those were graciously made and donated in full by Glenna!

OCW proudly offers multiple scholarships for all ages. In the past year we lost a dearly beloved CattleWoman, Nancy Buckminster, and proudly established a scholarship in her memory. The first recipient of this $1,000 scholarship is Riley Luginbill of Orlando, OK. The J.B. and Betty Smith Memorial Scholarships were presented to two recipients: Landry Freeman of Marlow, OK and Sophie Varner of Bristow, OK in the total of $1,000 each. Charlcie Gatewood of Stillwater, OK was awarded the Oklahoma CattleWomen scholarship in the amount of $1,500 for her continuing education. Please join us in sending congratulations to our scholarship winners!

Each of these awards and scholarships were presented at our Annual OCW Awards Luncheon where BEEF is always on the menu! I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau for sponsoring this year’s luncheon. We are incredibly thankful to all of our sponsors for helping us host such a great convention!

Convention marks a new year and a new team for OCW! While our executive officers and some of our District Directors are starting their second term, we have some wonderful new faces joining us. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together for the beef industry in the coming months. Please feel free to contact myself or any of our OCW leaders with any questions. You can find a directory for all OCW Officers, Directors and Representatives on our website at okcattlewomen.org. If you are interested in joining an OCW committee, please contact us at ocw@okcattlewomen.org.

Until next time, I wish you all the beef and blessings!

Just like that, my first year as OCW President has come and gone! It feels like yesterday that I was writing my first presidential article to you all and yet here we are. I want to start by saying a great big THANK YOU to each and every one of you that have been supportive, engaged and an active member this past year. The Oklahoma CattleWomen are nothing without our members!

There have been so many highlights from the last year, and I would like to share a few of my favorites. Immediately following last year’s Oklahoma Cattle Convention, we traveled to the rescheduled Annual Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, TN. We then had the joy of seeing our national CattleWomen again in Houston, TX just a few short months later. OCW has always had a large involvement in the American National CattleWomen and this year was no different! We now have Okies serving as the ANCW Vice President, Region IV Director and PR Chairman as well as regional representatives on multiple committees. I am proud to see so many of our members actively promoting the beef industry on a national stage.

My presidential travels don’t stop there! I have had the honor of attending several county cattlewomen meetings with more on the calendar. Each county organization has amazed me with their passions for beef and ongoing events. As an alumna of the Oklahoma Collegiate Cattlewomen, I was overjoyed to be their guest speaker not once but twice this school year. It’s a great reminder of how I started in OCW and the many memories I have made along the way.

Through my presidential platform, Cultivating CattleWomen, we have seen over 100 CattleWomen grow in their knowledge and success as ranchers through hands on experiences and trainings. With the support and sponsorship of the Kelli Payne and the Oklahoma National Stockyards, we have hosted two events this year and are looking forward to returning next year! Watching women learning new techniques and become confident in themselves as ranchers has been the most rewarding experience.

There have been some new and exciting OCW events as well. In the fall I attended the Beef Around the World Dinner coordinated by President-Elect Connie Tab

or and the Ways and Means Committee. It was a gorgeous night of fellowship under the stars! The spring brought forth the OCW Read An Ag Book Week that was coordinated by OCW Education Chairman, Peggy Castleberry, and was a great success. I cannot express the joy I felt reading to my daughter’s class about cattle and seeing her shine with excitement to tell her friends about her cows. Just recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Oklahoma Lt. Governor, Matt Pinnell, with a wonderful group of CattleWomen for Beef For Father’s Day. OCW Treasurer, Meg Stangl, led the charge as we represented women in the cattle community at our state’s capitol. This year we also saw the rise and growth of the OCW Beef Certificate Program. Beef Promotion Chair, Amarie Griffeth, has created a new system that directly connects consumers with producers and grocers! Another new product of the year is the newly launched OCW website and database. This has allowed OCW to better connect with our members, coordinate events and promote the Oklahoma cattle industry all in one place. Our secretary, Becca Imgarten, has been working hard to ensure the website, newsletter and social media accounts are always up to date for everyone to stay connected.

Do you see a theme here? Of all the opportunities I have been so fortunate to be a

 part of this last year, working with a team of women that put the cattle community first and have a passion for what they do has absolutely been the best highlight of all. I would love to list each and every CattleWoman that has given their time, abilities and love to this organization but then they would have to print another issue of the Cowman just to fit it all! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.

I cannot wait to see what is in store for the next year! Until then, wishing you Beef & Blessings! 

If the Oklahoma cattle community is a family, then the OCA/OCW/OJCA Convention is our reunion! This month we will gather to learn, fellowship, and renew our passions about this wonderful industry. I hope you will join us on July 22 & 23 at the Embassy Suites in Norman, OK!

This year, OCW is excited to host two education sessions led by influential women in ag. We will kick off with the Fancy Lady Cowgirl herself, Courtenay DeHoff. DeHoff is a cowgirl turned television personality, keynote speaker and podcast host. DeHoff has worked on-air in front of sold-out crowds at sporting events inside Madison Square Garden and anchored live telecasts for national news networks.  From New York Fashion Week to the back of a horse, you never know where she’ll be reporting from next. Our second speaker is southwest Kansas cowgirl, entrepreneur, and farmer Lettie McKinney. McKinney will speak on returning to her family farm as well as farm diversification she has brought to the operation in the form of MC- Meat Co. and The Roundtop event center.

Of all the convention festivities, the OCW Awards Luncheon is a special highlight! We will be honoring our 2022 Oklahoma Beef Advocates and OCW Scholarship Winners, welcome our new Diamond Belle inductees and we will announce the 2022 Oklahoma CattleWoman of the Year, Honorary CattleWoman of the Year and OCW Lifetime Achievement Award! You can purchase tickets on our website, okcattlewomen.org, under the events tab.

The Past President’s Reception will once again take place on Friday afternoon, at 3:30p.m. in the OCW Presidential Suite. ANCW Vice President and Past OCW President, Ruth Coffey, is hosting the gathering and invites all our wonderful past leaders to gather and fellowship.

Speaking of ANCW, we will also have the pleasure of hosting ANCW President, Reba Mazak, via zoom. Reba will be joining us remotely as the 2022 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting is kicking off the morning after our state convention closes. We do have several leaders and members making their way to Reno, NV late Saturday and early Sunday if you are looking for a travel companion!

I personally cannot wait to see you all again as we gather as a membership! Convention has always held a special place in my heart and is home to some of my fondest memories throughout the years. I hope you will join us as we make new memories together this year! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact myself or the convention chairman, Amarie Griffeth, and we will be happy to help!

For more information regarding convention times and events, go to okcattlewomen.org.

Beef & Blessings