The Nation’s largest Beef Cattle Show has begun it’s eleven day run at OKC’s State Fair Park- and cattle producers from multiple states are enjoying the new home for the show- OG&E Coliseum. The Coliseum has replaced the Jim Norick Arena that hosted the first five Cattlemen Congress events.
Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays was on the scene for the opening day- and ran into one of the show’s biggest fans, Oklahoma State Secretary of Ag Blayne Arthur. Secretary Arthur was watching the first shows of the 2026 Cattlemen’s Congress- and told Hays “I’ve heard wonderful comments from everybody” as she has talked to cattle producers that have arrived from across the US on the opening weekend. (Listen to Ron and Blayne in the audio link above) It’s expected that over 8,000 head of cattle shown by producers from over 40 states will be shown at Congress by the end of the 2026 show.
Arthur says the Congress allows Oklahoma to host the very best genetics that can be found in over two dozen beef breeds- “we’re number two in beef cattle production in the United States- and it’s a chance for all these beef producers to highlight their genetics- we have cattlemen coming in from all over the United States but we also host a lot of international visitors so that chance to showcase those genetics globally.”
The opening day of the show in both the OG&E Coliseum as well as the Performance Arena saw the best of the Charolais, Texas Longhorns, Miniature Herefords, Braunvieh and Gelbvieh breeds compete at the Congress.
Day two on Monday, January 5th will include:
8:00 am Belted Galloway Show – OGEC Ring 1
8:00 am ROE Class A Open Charolais Heifer & Bull Show – OGEC Ring 2
9:30 am Braunvieh Open Show – OGEC
10:00 am North American Limousin Annual Business & Membership Meeting – Cattlemen’s Bar
12:00 pm National Gelbvieh Pen Show – PER Arena
1:00 pm Aberdeen Junior and Open Show – OGEC
1:00 pm Miniature Hereford Open Show – OGEC
3:00 pm Red Angus Pen Show Happy Hour – Barn 4 Stalls
3:00 pm National Black Hereford Junior Show – OGEC
5:00 pm Congressional National Gelbvieh & Balancer Sale – B3SA
Not on the fairgrounds- but happening this week will be the Bases Loaded Elite Angus Sale. It isone of the premier genetic events held annually during the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City. The sale is set for Tuesday afternoon at 4 PM at Heritage Place. It is a high-profile auction featuring elite Angus genetics, including registered bulls and females from top-tier programs across the country. The sale grossed over $1.7 million dollars last year.
Also happening on Tuesday and Wednesday in Oklahoma City during Cattlemen’s Congress is the annual Bellringer Sale of Superior Livestock- the Bellringer will feature over 80,000 head to be sold on video platform and is happening live a the Embassy Suites Downtown OKC just south of the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Cattlemen’s Congress Executive Vice President Bray Haven Bray reflected on the event’s journey since 2021 recently 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.
You can learn more about Cattlemen’s Congress by clicking here.
