{"id":23591,"date":"2025-02-10T17:02:10","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T00:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cattlewoman-and-stockman-of-the-year-honored-at-livestock-banquet\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:38:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:38:58","slug":"cattlewoman-and-stockman-of-the-year-honored-at-livestock-banquet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/cattlewoman-and-stockman-of-the-year-honored-at-livestock-banquet\/","title":{"rendered":"Cattlewoman and Stockman of the Year honored at livestock banquet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The vintage red and white brand quilt from 1963 sold for $4,600 at the Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association\u2019s annual banquet. Proceeds supports its scholarship fund. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Feb. 8, the unassuming indoor arena at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds became the banquet space for the Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association\u2019s 76th annual gathering.<\/p>\n

A stage big enough to support the five-piece Vanishing Breed Band was set up at one end. Opposite that, the perimeter was partly lined with rectangular folding tables for the silent auction.<\/p>\n

Those tables had everything from hand tools and table saws to coffee and hay bales, and people browsed and bid on the prizes.<\/p>\n

\"The
The indoor arena at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds decked out for the annual Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association\u2019s banquet dinner the evening of Saturday, Feb. 8. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019ve sold about 350 tickets to the banquet,\u201d said Drew Gordanier, a past president and current board member of the Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association.<\/p>\n

Gordanier said the event this year is a bit bigger than in years past, which worked well since there\u2019s a greater capacity at the fairgrounds than the Elks, where it\u2019s usually held.<\/p>\n

It was open seating, except for the 16 round tables closest to the stage. Those were VIP, which is a new addition to the event as of this year.<\/p>\n

Folks from the auctions and banks and farms that paid the $700 to sit at a VIP table were advertised on banners, in something of a collage behind the stage.<\/p>\n

Around 7 p.m., dinner began.<\/p>\n

Tables were called, one by one, to get in line. Students from the local chapter of the Future Farmers of America program served steaks, corn, baked potatoes, salad and rolls.<\/p>\n

\"A
A full plate followed by a full belly at the livestock association\u2019s banquet. The steak was half the plate! (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWe cooked 350 steaks,\u201d said Shannon Gailliot Englehart, who owns End of the Trail Catering<\/a> and cooked for the event. \u201cThey\u2019re all hand cut.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said her daughter, son and son-in-law all helped out; \u201cI love being here and doing this. Our community is awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

When everyone was served and seated, the FFA kids walked around with pitchers of lemonade and water, refilling glasses and clearing empty plates. Toward the end of the meal, the live auction began.<\/p>\n

A Navajo rug that Notah-Dineh Trading Co. in Cortez donated was the first to be auctioned off, and it sold for $1,000.<\/p>\n

\"A
A Navajo rug, courtesy Notah-Dineh, was auctioned off at the livestock association\u2019s 76th annual meeting on Saturday, Feb. 8. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

NAPA Auto Parts bought the infamous traveling Pendleton whiskey, which has been auctioned off many a times now, for $900.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever you do, don\u2019t drink it,\u201d an auctioneer said. \u201cIt\u2019s 12, 15 years old now.\u201d<\/p>\n

A wooden table with a blue streak running through it like a river sold for $850.<\/p>\n

Next came a vintage red and white brand quilt from 1963. Proceeds from that piece went to a scholarship fund for a high school senior from Montezuma or Dolores County.<\/p>\n

Gordon Steves, a cattleman in Pleasant View, bought it for $4,600.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of bulls cost a lot more,\u201d said Steves.<\/p>\n

A patriotic quilt with the American flag and two eagles, one soaring and another seated, sold for $1,500. A VIP table to next year\u2019s event was auctioned off last, complete with custom wine glasses and wine.<\/p>\n

After the live auction wrapped up, a Cowbelle member named Beverly Scott presented the special Cowbelle award \u201cto honor an outstanding member.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis beloved 46-year member has served on our organization throughout the years on various committees, even when her health was failing her,\u201d said Scott.<\/p>\n

The \u201clovely lady\u201d served many meals at meetings and picnics, spent \u201clong hours in our ag booths over the years\u201d and continues to create beautiful quilts.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur quilts define our organization and \u2026 are our biggest fundraiser,\u201d Scott said. \u201cOver the years she has sold thousands of dollars of raffle quilt tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a young 95 years old, the best choice we could make is our beautiful Ann,\u201d said Scott.<\/p>\n

\"Ann
Ann Neely, 95, was honored with a special award from the Cowbelles\/Cattlewomen. She\u2019s been a member of the group for 46 years. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Everyone cheered as Ann Neely accepted her honor and bouquet of colorful flowers.<\/p>\n

The Stockman of the Year\u2019s profile detailing his contribution to the association and area at large was read next.<\/p>\n

He was born in Cortez and grew up helping his grandparents with the cows, alongside his brother. As he\u2019s grown up and time passed, his own herd of cows has grown with him, from Arriola to Dunton, to Cahone and Pleasant View.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is knowledgeable and an excellent steward of the land,\u201d the announcer read. \u201cHe has a large connection with the ranching lifestyle filled with family history.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a well-respected and hardworking cattleman. We are proud to recognize the 2025 Stockman of the Year \u2026 Gordon Steves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Gordon
Gordon Steves, the 2025 Stockman of the Year, posing with his custom belt buckle. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A close-up of Gordon Steves\u2019 personalized belt buckle. (Cameryn Cass\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The crowd erupted all over again as Steves made his way to the stage to pose for photos and accept his personalized belt buckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re running out of old people to give it to,\u201d Steves said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the awards, the Vanishing Breed Band came on to wrap up the night.<\/p>\n

They played songs from musicians like George Strait and Hank Thompson; the kind of music that lead singer Odis Sikes once called \u201ccountry to the core.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though we weren\u2019t at a place called The Jug and there was no Linda Lou, we sure did cut up a rug.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight\u2019s been terrific,\u201d said Lynelle Brumley, the secretary treasurer for the Livestock Association, with a smile. \u201cIt\u2019s a great crowd, great audience participation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

and Gordon Steves were honored this year <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,29],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-23591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23591"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78189,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23591\/revisions\/78189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23591"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=23591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}