In today’s Beef Buzz, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Executive Vice President of the Cattlemen’s Congress Bray Haven. Bray Haven reflected on the event’s journey as it heads into its sixth year. “It is pretty remarkable to think about being the sixth show we wondered whether we were going to continue to have a show even after the first one was complete,” he said. Haven credited the success to strong leadership and visionaries who launched the first event in 2021 during COVID-19. “The market kind of spoke, the exhibitors spoke and decided to come back for year two, and we’ve continued to grow ever since.”
Haven emphasized Oklahoma City’s strategic location in “the heart of cattle country” and its accessibility for producers nationwide. He explained that the city’s central location makes Cattlemen’s Congress attractive to a wide range of participants. “Whether you want to call us the south or Midwest it’s easy for anybody from any of the popular places to get to Oklahoma City,” he said, noting that this regional advantage continues to fuel the event’s growth.
Following the most recent show, Haven and his team sought input from producers through an advisory committee led by Jennifer Callahan. “We found some people that represented different breeds, different types of operations and said, let’s get together here in Oklahoma City, walk through the facility, talk through what works, what doesn’t work, what can we do better?” The feedback led to planned changes, including repositioning the trade show and sales area for better traffic flow and efficiency.
Haven also highlighted facility upgrades at the OKC Fairgrounds, including the new Coliseum. “It’s a beautiful state-of-the-art facility a great venue to exhibit livestock, period,” he said. Additional improvements include upgraded electrical infrastructure in all stalling barns. These changes aim to make the show smoother for exhibitors, and part of that effort includes shortening the schedule by one day “to kind of pack it in tighter and make it a little better experience.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Haven predicted continued growth fueled by a strong commercial cattle market. “We’ve added one breed’s national show the Gelbvieh and Balancer national show so their numbers should be up.” He also noted the Brahman Association moved its national sale from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City because “their numbers were so strong here.” These changes, he said, show the event is meeting the needs of the industry.
Haven pointed out that several breeds have their largest annual entries at Cattlemen’s Congress, even when their national shows are held elsewhere. “Some of that pressure has led them to move their national show here, or at least include us in a rotation,” he said. To him, that’s “really a testament to what we’re doing here” and the positive reputation the show has built in just 5 years.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
