OKLAHOMA CITY — The Buford Ranch won champion team honors at the 35th Anniversary Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Ranch Rodeo. 2019 is the third year in a row that the Buford Ranch has claimed the win. They tied for Champion honors in 2015. The cowboys riding for the Buford Ranch headquartered out of Hominy, Okla. include Doug Branch, John Holloway, Rielly Holloway, Fayth Holloway and Hayden Bethel. This win qualifies Buford Ranch will compete at the Working Ranch Cowboy Association National Finals this fall.
“While winning Champion honors is exciting, the OCA Ranch Rodeo is twelve teams of cowboys competing with one goal: to support the Children’s Hospital Foundation (CHF),” said Tim Drummond, Chairman of the OCA Ranch Rodeo Committee.
The OCA Ranch Rodeo has raised more than $500,000 to CHF since 1997, to help fund children’s medical research and treatment for children right here at home in Oklahoma.
“The winning team did not take home much more than bumps and bruises,” Drummond said. “But the camaraderie among the ranch teams paired with our mission . . . ‘Cowboys Helping Kids’ makes participating worthwhile and enjoyable.”
The 2019 participating ranch teams include: Alfalfa County Land & Cattle, Cherokee, Okla.; Buford Ranches, LLC, Hominy, Okla.; Chain Ranch, Canton, Okla.; Choctaw Nation Ranches, Durant, Okla.; Drummond Land & Cattle Co., Pawhuska, Okla.; Gray G Bar Ranch, Shidler, Okla.; Hall Ranch & Daube Cattle Co., Comanche and Ardmore, Okla.; Lazy Rafter Slash Ranch, Lenapah, Okla.; McPhail Land and Cattle, Mountain Park, Okla.; Stuart Ranch, Waurika, Okla.; Treadwell Land & Cattle, Frederick, Okla.; and Whitmire Ranch, Delaware, Okla.
With only 20 points separating the champion and reserve champion team, Drummond Land and Cattle Company 2nd overall, followed by the Hall Ranch/Daube Cattle Company Team in 3rd.
The ranch teams competed in five events mirroring everyday ranch work on Friday and Saturday night. The results for the Saddle Bronc Riding are: 1st Alfalfa Land and Cattle; 2nd Chain Ranch; 3rd Buford Ranch. The results for the Stray Gathering are: 1st Choctaw Nation Ranches; 2nd Drummond Land and Cattle; 3rd Hall Ranch/Daube Cattle Company. The results for the Team Penning are: 1st place, McPhail Land and Cattle; 2nd Drummond Land and Cattle; 3rd Lazy Rafter Slash. The results for the Team Branding are: 1st Drummond Land and Cattle Company; 2nd Gray G Bar Ranch, 3rd Stuart Ranch. Results for the Wild Cow Milking are: 1st Gray G Bar Ranch; 2nd Buford Ranch; 3rd Treadwell Land and Cattle.
Three individual awards are given. Tanner Davis, from the Whitmire Ranch Team was named the Top Hand. Aaron Saville, a member of the Hall Ranch/Daube Cattle Company Team was named the Tough Hand. The Top Horse was owned Gray G Bar Ranch and ridden by Kevin Lawson.
“We really appreciate the Oklahoma Ford Dealers for making this event possible since the first Ranch Rodeo back in 1985. The partnership with Ford works well and cowboys and Ford Trucks are both, ‘built Ford tough’. Thank you to all of our other sponsors, the ranch teams who participated and the fans that came out to cheer them on,” Drummond said.
The OCA is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. OCA is the only voice that speaks solely for the cattlemen of Oklahoma and represents beef producers in all 77 counties across the state. The OCA officers, board of directors and membership encourages you to join us in our advocacy efforts to ensure less government intervention, lower taxes and a better bottom line. For more information about OCA membership, the theft reward program or activities call 405-235-4391 or visit www.okcattlemen.org.
–Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association
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