wcw SPRING MEETING AT TENDRIL’S RESTAURANT
SAGECLIFF RESORT & SPA
BEEF BARN CREW
KITITAS COUNTY FARM FAIR 2024
KLICKITAT COUNTY CATTLEWOMEN
A RECAP OF THEIR ANNUAL BANQUET
“We weren’t born in the wrong generation. We were put here to keep the old one alive.” This generation of Cattlemen and women are doing their best to pay homage to the agricultural history of the county while farming and ranching in the twenty-first-century.
Tammy Kayser started the evening off with a very nice invocation to the sold out crowd. Senator King and his wife, Lois, attended the event as our representative and guest speaker.
While guests enjoyed their Prime rib dinner prepared by The Legion, Cattleman President Dan Lee introduced the eighteen Steer of Merit exhibitors from the 2033 county fair carcass contest. Ag-West and Lacey Underwood, sponsored each exhibitor’s ticket to the banquet. Nathan Cosner from Centerville, was 3rd place, Issac Garcia from Goldendale was 2nd and Maci Molnar was 1st. The top three received a certificate, trophy and cash reward. The cash reward was donated by Carla Nowlin. The Grand Champion Market exhibitors, swine, Grand Champion Isabella Bensel, Reserve Champion Emily Anrig; goat, Grand Champion Ashley Villalobos, Reserve Champion Nicolena Thiemann; sheep, Grand Champion Madison Gamble, Reserve Champion Paisley Hill; and beef Grand Champion Lydia Hanning, Reserve Champion Maci Molnar. These exhibitor’s dinner tickets were sponsored by Dr. Carl Conroy at Mid Columbia Vet.
Billi Bare kicked off the Memorial Awards with the Jean Schilling Memorial Award. Jean was Bill’s maternal grandmother. Emma Maegher, was the recipient of this year’s lamb sponsored by the Rolfe Family. Emma’s ambition and strive for excellence, including being a 1st year Grand Champion Showman and a Washington State Archery Champion, is what drew the Rolfe families’ attention to Emma.
The Bernice Thiele Memorial hog was awarded to Bailey Richman. Bailey and her pig, Mable, was 1st in Market Class and 1st in Showmanship in her age division. One of Bailey’s favorites quotes is “Long Live Cowgirls.”
John Stephens Sr. gave a genuine introduction of Andy Tuthill, the 2024 O.P. Kreps Memorial Award. “I was asked to highlight a person from our community that has shown a lifetime commitment of excellence to our profession of ranching and farming. A few words to describe him…..successful, mentor, knowledgeable, hard working, a good neighbor. I hope to be as good a neighbor as he has been to me as well to many of you in this room. Definitely a goal to strive for. This definition describes many of you in this room tonight.”
Mr. Tuthill’s family was Cattlemen of the year in 1983 and he served as treasurer for the Klickitat County Cattleman.
The next award, The Jim Bridgefarmer Award, presented by Jim’s son-in-law, Neil Kayser, is for community service and involvement. This year’s awardee is a native to Goldendale, has raised her four sons here with her husband Walt, and is an accomplished pianist. She has worked for thirty-nine years at Goldendale’s Farm Service Agency. Betty Fahlenkamp is known far and wide for her agricultural knowledge and ability to facilitate government programs to farmers and ranchers. When Betty does retire, she will be missed both throughout the state and locally for these skills.
The last award of the evening was earned by Pace and Virigina Amidon as the 2024 Klickitat County Cattleman of the Year. After college Pace returned to Goldendale to farm with his family. Since then, Pace and Virginia were married and with their four children they continue to run a successful cow/calf, hay and wheat ranch on Knight Road in Goldendale. Their field day will be Saturday, June 29th.
The entertainment for the night was the Cattlemwomen’s card games, dessert auction and the Cattlemen’s gun raffle. Lance Mills, a budding and talented auctioneer, helped to lead the fun of the evening with the Live Dessert Auction.
