Agricultural News
Jim Birdwell of Fletcher Heads List of Honorees at Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention
Mon, 29 Jul 2013 05:42:12 CDT
Lots of cattle producers were honored at the 2013 Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Annual Meeting in Midwest City Thursday through Saturday. Among them was Jim Birdwell of Fletcher, who was named the 2013 Oklahoma Cattleman of the Year.
Fletcher served the OCA as their 31st President from 2005 to 2007. Birdwell, along with wife, Jeanne, own and operate the Birdwell Ranch, an Oklahoma Centennial Ranching operation that includes the original Birdwell homestead, which was claimed in 1902. The operation includes a 300 head purebred Angus and Hereford cow herd and a small band of Registered Quarter Horse mares.
Fletcher is also very known for his chant. Birdwell became a purebred livestock auctioneer in 1978 following employment with National Cattle Services, the American Polled Hereford Association and as Union City Vocational Agriculture Instructor. He sells more than 100 purebred beef cattle and horse sales across the nation annually. The Birdwell Ranch markets purebred Angus and Hereford bulls through private treaty sales and replacement females in state consignment sales and the OCA Fall Cattle Drive.
The Oklahoma Cattlewomen named Barbara Strahm of Pawhuska as their 2013 Cattlewoman of the Year. She has been a long-time proponent of beef promotion. Barbara has been promoting beef in Osage County and surrounding area for more than 40 years. This past year, Barbara helped conduct Ag in the Classroom programs to 25 classrooms, educating students about beef. In 2012, she also helped coordinate Beef for Father's Day and Beef for Mother's Day campaigns and promoted beef in nursing homes throughout Osage County. Barbara has also served as an OCW state officer and was active at the state level in years past. She and her late husband, Dr. Sam Strahm, who served as the national president of the veterinarian association and on various school boards from local to national levels, served as beef ambassadors everywhere they went.
Outgoing President Mike Frey of Kingfisher was honored for his two years of service as President for the organization- and Mike got perhaps the biggest prize of anyone at the 2013 meeting, as he was able to announce that his daughter, Jaryn, had been selected as the Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen's Association "All Around Junior Cattleman of the Year."
Other honors handed out-
OCA saluted State Senator Mark Allen and Representative Skye McNiel for work on horse slaughter legislation in 2013.
Mike Johnson of DuPont Crop Protection was selected by the OCA to be honored as their Allied Industry Award winner of 2013.
An original advocate of BQA in Oklahoma was honored as 2013 BQA Producer of the year by Oklahoma Beef Council-Dr Bob Smith of Stillwater.
OJCA handed out out three awards besides their "ALL Around" honors. That included:
Will Shelby of Madill wins the OJCA Steer Feedout Contest.
Braelyn Berlowitz of Cushing tops list of Top 10 Heifer Exhibitors of OJCA.
and Baylor Bonham of Newcastle wins top honors in Top 10 Steer Exhibitors.
Finally, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays was honored by the Oklahoma Cattlewomen as their 2013 "Honorary Cattlewoman of the Year."
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