On the second night of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Ranch Rodeo at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Associate Farm Editor Reagan Calk caught up with announcer Dr. Lynn Phillips and talked about the event.
Phillips has been in the announcer’s stand for all 39 years of the OCA Ranch Rodeo.
“All of these ranches are members of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association,” Phillips said. “They are some of the oldest, largest, and most historic ranches in the state of Oklahoma. There are a lot that come back year after year, but we always add new ranches to bring in because a lot of ranches want to compete, but we only have 12 ranches that can compete.”
After the Friday night performance, Phillips said Daube Cattle Co. & 3C Cattle Co. were in the lead. Fast forward through the Saturday night performance, the overall winner of the ranch rodeo was awarded to the Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co.
Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co. are located in Deleware, Oklahoma. Together they put together a six-person team to compete. This year, the 2023 team included: TJ Davis, Kevin Lawson, Kyle Rasberry, Keith Sumner, Heston Perkins and Wilder Davis.
Aside from the fellowship the OCA Ranch Rodeo provides for ranchers and working cowboys across the state, Phillips also talked about how the event is put on to help raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“Since its inception, the proceeds for this event go to the Miracle Network- the Oklahoma Children’s Foundation,” Phillips said. “Over the years, they have raised $630,000 for the Miracle Network, and that is a big part of it.”
At the Saturday night performance, two individuals who benefited from the funds raised for the Children’s Hospital Foundation were introduced to the crowd in the arena.
“Earlier today, we had our ranch horse competition,” Phillips said. “A lot of those children came out, they got to ride horses, meet the cowboys, and it pulls at your heartstrings when you see that.”
At each night’s performance, Phillips said “pass the boot” takes place, where rodeo attendees can place donations to the Children’s Hospital Foundation into the boot.
“That is the neat thing about this event,” Phillips said. “It is like a family reunion. They come from all over the state. Many of these cowboys only get to see each other about once a year.”
See full press release from the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association below, including full results:
When the dust settled and the scored were tallied, the Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Company ranch team was named Champion at the 2023 Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Ranch Rodeo.
Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co. are located in Deleware, Oklahoma. Together they put together a six-person team to compete. This year, the 2023 team included: TJ Davis, Kevin Lawson, Kyle Rasberry, Keith Sumner, Heston Perkins and Wilder Davis.
These cowboys competed against 11 other Oklahoma ranch teams in two days of performances at the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co. team placed first in two events, saddle bronc riding and team penning and third in wild cow milking.
The 2023 runner up went to Quarter Circle 99 & Rafter D Ranch from Loco and consisted of these members; Whitney Hall, Kord Kelly, Cooper Crago, Jeff Dees, Jakob Dees.
This years “Top Horse” and “Top Hand” award went to Bud Walker of Daube Cattle Co./3C Cattle Co, Ardmore Okla. The Top Horse award is given to the most impressive AQHA registered working cowhorse and Top Hand is given to the cowboy or cowgirl who the judges find to be an impressive “all-around” competitor.
The other participating ranches include; A Bar Ranch, Claremore; Barron-Highsmith Cattle Co./T and R Ranch, Oologah; Drummond Land & Cattle Co., Pawhuska; Stuart Ranch, Waurika; Daube Cattle Co. & 3C Cattle Co., Ardmore; 4V Cattle & Cross V, Bristow; Buford Ranches, Hominy; Gray G Bar Ranch, Shidler; Quarter Circle 99 Ranch/Rafter D Ranch, Loco; Lazy Rafter Slash Ranch, Lenapah; Trentman Ranch, Pawhuska/Stierwalt Ranch & Cattle Co., Shidler and Whitmire Ranch/Sumner Cattle Co., Delaware.
The results from all five events are listed below.
Saddle Bronc Riding:
1st – Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co.
2nd – Daube Cattle Co. / 3C Cattle Co.
3rd – Drummond Land and Cattle Co.
Stray Gathering:
1st – Daube Cattle Co. / 3C Cattle Co.
2nd – Barron-Highsmith Ranch & T and R Ranches
3rd – Quarter Circle 99 / Rafter D Ranches
Team Penning:
1st – Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co.
2nd – Drummond Land and Cattle Co.
3rd – Gray G Bar
Team Branding:
1st – Quarter Circle 99 / Rafter D Ranches
2nd – Buford Ranches
3rd – Stuart Ranches
Wild Cow Milking:
1st – Trentman / Stierwalt Ranches
2nd – Barron-Highsmith & T and R Ranches
3rd – Whitmire Ranch & Sumner Cattle Co.
Top Hand:
- Bud Walker – Daube Cattle Co. / 3C Cattle CO.
- Lane Stierwalt – Trentman / Stierwalt Ranches
Top Horse:
- Bud Walker – Daube Cattle Co. / 3C Cattle Co.
- Jakob Dees – Quarter Circle 99 / Rafter D Ranches
Despite it being a fierce competition being the cowboys, they don’t take home much more than bumps and bragging rights. The event is known as “Cowboys helping kids”, the reason behind this event is to raise money for the Children’s Health Foundation.
The Children’s Health Foundation has been the selected charity since 1997. Since then OCA has donated more than $630,000 to CHF to help fund children’s medical research and treatments for children here at home in Oklahoma.
During halftime, cowboy boots are passed through the crowd so that spectators can make additional contributions to the CHF. This year at the OCA Ranch Rodeo, more than $10,000 was collected during the ‘Pass the Boot’ campaign. This money will be added to the donation to CHF, as well as the proceeds of the rodeo.
Since the start of the OCA Ranch Rodeo, the Oklahoma Ford Dealers have supported the Ranch Rodeo. Because of their generous support, the Ranch Rodeo continues every year and is able to continue to help out the CHF.
