Sunday, May 24, 1998

Greater Hill Country Hereford tour to feature some top cattle

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

An excellent ranch tour is just around the corner.

Greater Hill Country Hereford Association will stage its annual tour featuring outstanding Hereford cattle on June 6.

The tour starts at the D-Bar Hereford Ranch at Melvin with registration at 9 a.m.

A continental breakfast will be served.

The tour will roll from there to the James L. Powell Ranch where it will conclude at noon, and lunch will be served.

These nine ranches will display cattle for viewing on the tour: Case Hereford Ranch, Eldorado; Dry Creek Herefords, San Angelo; Granite Hills Ranch, Llano; Honeymoon Herefords, Marble Falls; Kreig Herefords, Eden and Rocking Chair Ranch, Fort McKavett -- plus the two host ranches in D-Bar Herefords of Melvin and James L. Powell of Fort McKavett.

Some famed Hereford cattle

The registered Hereford cattle on display will consist of some great and famous herd bulls along with cow/calf pairs, yearling and 2-year-old bulls.

Cows of donor quality and heifers will be exhibited.

Line one Domino bloodlines and Hereford crosses will be displayed for attendees to view. Participants will have a good number to view and will see excellent quality of some of the best genetics in the Hereford industry.

In addition, Craig Huffines, executive vice president of the American Hereford Association, will speak at both ranch stops about the Hereford industry, current trends and its future direction.

Huffines, a graduate of Texas A&M University, is respected as a young and dynamic leader in the Hereford industry. He comes from a family with a strong background in raising Hereford cattle.

How to get there

The D-Bar Hereford Ranch is just west of Melvin. The ranch is about 2 miles north of Highway 87 on FR 503.

James L. Powell Ranches are situated about 9 miles west of Menard on Highway 190 or 25 miles east of Eldorado on Highway 190.

For more information about the tour, please contact Jimmy Powell at (915) 653-1688 or (915) 853-2316.

Dan Grahmann of the D-Bar Ranch can be reached at (210) 349-2614 or (210) 349-0236.

Or you may contact Bardin Striegler, D-Bar Ranch manager, at (915) 286-4231.

Diane Meier, is secretary of the Greater Hill Country Hereford Association, (830) 644-2398.

This tour is designed for anyone interested in good cattle -- especially Herefords.

Wild Horse Prairie Days is June 5-7 at Haskell

The three-day "Wild Horse Prairie Days" -- a celebration of the legendary Texas working cowboy -- is June 5-7 at Haskell.

Covered wagons, ranch cowboys and horses will turn the city of Haskell into the Old West during this big event.

Haskell is a century-old town, rich in cowboy heritage and bordered by historic working ranches.

The festivities will include a two-day Ranch Rodeo, two dances, a chuckwagon cookoff, Children's Rodeo, team roping, cowboy poetry, entertainment, open calf roping and a cowboy church service.

Twenty legendary Texas ranches will compete for bragging rights and also $13,000 in cash and prizes.

The Ranch Rodeo is 8 p.m. June 5-6 at the Haskell Rodeo Arena in Haskell City Park.

Tickets are just $5 per person, and children under 12 are admitted free.

Participating working ranches are the Guitar Ranch of Abilene; Bar S (Springer) Ranch, Aspermont; Bar S (Stewart) Ranch, Munday; Beggs Ranch, Girard; Brown and Bellah Ranch, Throckmorton; R.A. Brown Ranch, Throckmorton; Clark Cattle Co., Breckenridge; Flat Top 8 Ranch, Haskell; Lyles Ranch, Benjamin; Masteron-JY Ranch, Guthrie; Moorhouse Ranch Company, Benjamin; Nail Ranch, Albany and the famed 6666 Ranch, Guthrie.

Other noted ranches in the competition are the historic Pitchfork Land and Cattle Co., Guthrie; Spikebox Ranch, Benjamin; Swenson Ranch, Stamford; Thompson Ranch, Munday; Throckmorton Land and Cattle Co., Throckmorton; Triangle Ranch, Paducah and the legendary Waggoner Ranch of Vernon-Electra.

The "Little Rock" band of San Angelo will play for the June 5 dance, and "Southern Cross" of Abilene will provide the music for the June 6 dance. The dances are 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. both nights at the Haskell Civic Center. Tickets to the dance are $7 per person.

Meanwhile, a "Chuckwagon Feed" is 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on June 6.

Also that day, cowboy poets and musicians will provide hours of entertainment starting at 10 a.m. and continuing throughout the afternoon.

The Cowboy Church Service is 10 a.m. until noon on June 7 at the Haskell Civic Center.

Paul and Becky Davidson of Levelland will lead both the poetry and church service.

For more, call the Haskell Chamber of Commerce at (940) 864-2477.