Green River Valley Cowbelles, Cattlemen’s Association honor past and welcome future

A squalling snowstorm did not keep many away from this year’s sold-out prime rib dinner, hosted on March 2 by the Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association (GRVCA) to honor lifetime members, Centennial ranch families and anticipation for the beef industry’s future.

Every year, the GRVCA plans agency discussions, knowledgeable presentations and business meetings on the Friday before and Saturday of the annual banquet, which draws everyone from toddlers to old-timers.

This year’s banquet at the Southwest Sublette Senior Center in Marbleton opened with outgoing GRVCA President Mike Vickrey and incoming President Kristi Wardell, while Treasurer Audra Rouge and Secretary Kim Bright were reelected. 

Vice President Walden Campbell of Bondurant couldn’t make the banquet, opting to head home for his grandmother Pat’s 95^th birthday.

The evening included longtime favorites of Lucky 7’s donated pistol-rifle raffles and scholarship raffles of Pickaroon Timer’s posts and poles. For the past several years, Rocky Mountain Power Sports has generously donated a kid’s motorbike for the youth raffle.

Guest Auctioneer Tim Sims took bids for dozens of business donations, from delivered alfalfa round bales to local vet services.

Vickrey honored Ranchers Kip and Bonnie Alexander as 2024 Lifetime Members and the Green River Valley Cowbelles did the same, having already named their honorees at their Feb. 24 convention luncheon.

Cowbelles’ retiring longtime Treasurer Terrie Springman welcomed newly elected Treasurer Jenna Montgomery and President Haley Clark’s term runs one more year, with Vice President Hanna McNinch, Historian Karli Christensen, Parliamentarian Sissy Walker and Secretary Marsha Barlow reelected.

Clark named Dianne Boroff as the 2024 Ranch Woman of the Year – the group’s highest honor – and Springman honored Jennifer Rees as a 2024 Lifetime Member. The Springman and Rees families were also recognized as Centennial Ranch honorees. 

Barlow read her nomination of Joy Ufford as the 2024 Friend of Ag recipient – another high honor.

One of the best parts of the Cowbelles’ and GRVCA’s meetings and events was seeing how many children were in attendance – a great omen for the future of the Green River Valley’s long tradition of beef ranching in the mountains and high desert.

Joy Ufford is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.