U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, and his opponent in the primary election, Lauren Boebert, owner of Shooters Grill in Rifle, are scheduled to speak Feb. 8 during the morning session of the annual meeting of the Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association in Cortez.
The meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Cortez Elks Lodge, 2100 Dolores Road, will include a potlock lunch at noon provided by the Southwestern Cowbelles and a steak dinner at 7 p.m. Presentation of the Stockman of the year and the Southwestern Cowbelle of the Year will be made during the dinner.
“We award a cattleman, a rancher or someone involved in the livestock industry,” said Joe Lanier, president of association. “It’s to honor their support of the industry over their whole life and what they’ve done for ranchers.”
Lynelle Brumley, the association’s secretary, said similar criteria are used by the group’s Cowbelles, the womens group of the association, in choosing their Cowbelle of the Year.
All events are held at the Cortez Elks Lodge.
Besides Tipton and Boebert, Lanier expects other elected officials to speak during the morning session, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon. They are state Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose; state Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose; Montezuma County commissioners; Montezuma Sheriff Steve Nowlin; and a member of U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner’s staff. Other candidates for office in upcoming primary elections also are expected.
In addition, representatives of the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are all expected to present reports during the morning session.
About 1 p.m., the association will hold its business meeting and elect new officers. Lanier said the business meeting also offers members time to address the board with matters of interest and to present the board with ideas to pursue in the coming year.
From 3 to 10 p.m., a silent auction will be held to benefit the association’s Scholarship Fund.
Each year, the association awards six to eight scholarships to high school seniors who are entering college.
“We focus on kids with an agricultural background who have excelled in community service and are going to college in an ag-related field,” Lanier said.
The steak dinner, at 7 p.m., will be followed by a dance with music from The Vanishing Breed.
Tickets for the dance are $30. A few tickets will be available at the door, but the association recommends purchasing tickets in advance.
To purchase tickets, call James Snyder at 560-4629, Lynelle Brumley at 565-1972, or Lanier at 560-2363.
parmijo@the-journal.com
