Women in Ag: WEBO Angus Ranch inspires women across the West
No stranger to the agriculture industry, Buttons York of Lusk has always had a passion for ranching.
“I have been ranching my entire life, and it’s what I love to do,” Buttons explained. “I never wanted to do anything else.”
Buttons grew up helping her family raise commercial Angus cattle in Laramie and Centennial until she was 15 years old, then they moved to Wheatland.
“My dad said he was tired of coughing up snowballs, so we moved,” Buttons stated. “Today, my mom Kathleen Jackson is 93 and is still involved with cattle.”
In 2002, Buttons moved to Lusk, where she met her husband Waldon of 15 years, and in 2015 she had to say goodbye when his life was cut short by pancreatic cancer.
“I am so blessed to have had him in my life. I’m not happy he’s gone, but I’m extremely happy I had him,” Buttons said. “He was humble and had a wealth of knowledge with incredible skills.”
It never crossed Buttons’ mind what to do next. Ranching was all she knew, and she wanted to preserve the WEBO Angus Ranch legacy and pass it on to her daughters and future generations.
“You have to know what is going on and pay attention – I taught my girls this and how to spot a good cow from a bad one,” she added. “We don’t run like a normal operation. We can’t because we physically don’t have the strength, so we don’t keep problem cows.”
Strong women
Today, with the help of her daughters Odessa Mathias and Elly Wurdeman, Buttons carries on the family business.
“Elly’s oldest daughter Lainey has grown up on the ranch, is now in sixth grade and continues to help out,” Buttons explained. “Elly stays busy, as she is also an insurance agent in Douglas. Odessa, the most stubborn of the girls, is engaged to Kolby Eddy, who brings much-needed skills to the outfit.”
Buttons’ oldest daughter Megan Franzen lives in Sundance with her husband Josh and their two children, Josey who is in seventh grade and Jax who is in fifth grade.
“I raised three strong young women,” Buttons stated. “Education was first, and all three of them earned degrees from the University of Wyoming (UW). I am so proud of them all.”
She continued, “Megan received her bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and owns her own consulting business. Elly earned a bachelor’s degree in business, while Odessa completed her bachelor’s degree in animal science.”
Buttons has worked hard all her life and passed her tenacity and determination on to her girls.
In July 2023, Buttons suffered from a stroke and Odessa moved back home to run the ranch and help her mom recover.
“It took me three months to learn how to walk again, and I am so thankful for those doctors, nurses and therapists who helped me recover,” she mentioned. “I gained a new respect for those who work in the medical field – they are a blessing.”
When Buttons returned home in October 2023 after a lengthy recovery, her family and friends had everything under control.
“I have been blessed and have pretty much fully recovered, and I’m thankful to the many who prayed and helped us keep the ranch running,” Buttons expressed.
Buttons still goes to physical therapy three times a week and continues to swath hay and “offer the girls her opinion” from the corrals.
The ranch
WEBO Angus Ranch gets its name from the first initials of Waldon, Elly, Buttons and Odessa, and they run about 300 registered Angus and nearly 225 commercial cows in Lusk.
“It all started in 2006 when Waldon and I had the opportunity to purchase a set of registered Angus cows,” Buttons said.
“WEBO Angus stands behind our cattle. We want to know about any issues. We will do what is right and correct any problems to the best of our ability. Our goal is to make sure our customers are happy and satisfied with the results,” Buttons added.
The ranch focuses on fertility – the number one trait – and continues to select for feed efficiency and good feet.
“We raise good range cattle that don’t need a lot of babysitting. They have to be functional here in Wyoming,” she continued. “Our bulls are efficiency tested at the UW Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) in Lingle by SAREC Director Steve Paisley.”
The operation strives to raise bulls which sire market-topping feeder calves and hit target weights of 1,450 to 1,550 pounds in an efficient and timely manner.
“In 2022, we invested in a new bull from the Midland Bull Sale in Montana. We spent a good chunk on Moore Big Chexs,” Buttons remarked. “He is a performance bull with top-of-the-line efficiency, and he is highly maternal, with good feet, structural integrity, power and a look to go with.”
His calves are just starting to hit the ground, and the team is excited to see his offspring grow and mature.
“We are raising quality cattle to make our customers happy, while also making them money,” Buttons said.
WEBO Angus produces efficient and performance bulls that can work across the Cowboy State.
They sire replacement females and produce feeder calves and yearlings which are in demand by buyers.
She concluded, “We host an annual sale the first Tuesday of every April and sell about 100 bulls, around 80 yearlings and 25 two-year-olds.”
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
