Welcome to the Ranch!

Family is one of the most important things in this world to Cross Creek Cattle Company.  We are a family-owned and operated ranch located in Grimes County.  My children are active in the community as we represent ourselves as well as our ranch.  This past week has been an extraordinarily busy one as the 59th Annual Grimes County Fair consumed most of our time and attention. 

Saturday, June 4th, Jake DeHaven showed his Beefmaster heifer at the fair.  This was her last show and she went out with a bang.  Together Jake and Sugar won Reserve Champion Beefmaster.  Needless to say, Jake was thrilled and excited and we were so proud of him. 

We have retired Sugar from the show ring.   Jake already has his eye on his next beef heifer project for 4-H.  He will begin the process of halter-breaking soon.

Jake’s success with his show heifer has inspired my daughter, Kyla, to also want to do a beef heifer project next year.  Isaac and Andrew, my youngest boys, were able to show Sugar in the Pee Wee Beef Heifer Show.  They had so much fun in the show ring with her.  The show sticks were twice their size, but they worked hard to handle them correctly.  They cannot wait until they are old enough to be in 4-H and show heifers, too.

Kyla was busy with her own animal projects.  She won 5th place with the goat, which qualified her for the Premium Sale.  The most impressive part of the day was when she won a belt buckle for Junior Showmanship.  She wears it proudly. 

Both Kyla and Jake had swine projects.  They did not do as well as they would have liked; however, they learned a lot about raising pigs.  Despite the fact that they did not place high, Kyla was called back for Showmanship.  This was a great honor because most were not.

In Creative Arts, Jake won Grand Champion for his watercolor of one of our dairy goats.  He also got Reserve Champion for a crocheted dishcloth, which he sold at the silent auction.  Kyla won Grand Champion for embroidering her little brother’s name on a homemade blanket.  Their other projects including jewelry design, photography, etc. received blue ribbons.

Isaac and Andrew competed in a Kids Rodeo.  The events were stickhorse racing, dummy roping, and a boot scramble.  Isaac won 1st place in dummy roping.  He spends time outside practicing with Jake and the practice paid off.  He won a brand-new pale green lariat.  I have never seen a child more proud of a lariat before. 

All in all we had a very good year at the Grimes County Fair.  Our family and ranch was well-represented.  I speak for all of us when I say that we are so proud of Kyla, Jake, Isaac, and Andrew.  They worked hard, learned a lot, and it shows.