The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) will celebrate Ohio’s cattlemen, hear from industry leaders and set new policy for 2020 at the OCA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on Saturday, January 11, at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center, Ohio.
The day’s events will kick off at 8:30 a.m. with the opening of the OCA PAC silent auction, and the Cattlemen’s Challenge Written Test for youth at 9:00 a.m. This contest, along with the Youth Quiz Bowl, is part of the new Stockmanship Division of the BEST program, which is open only to OCA BEST participants ages 8-21 (as of Jan. 1, 2020). The registration deadline for Youth Quiz Bowl is December 27, 2019 at ohiocattle.org. The Annual Meeting will serve as one of the locations available to take the Cattlemen’s Challenge Written Test, and the scores from the test will count toward the overall Stockmanship Awards that will be awarded at the OCA BEST Banquet on May 2, 2020. A Youth Beef Quality Assurance Session will follow at 10:00 a.m.
The Opening Luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. and features speaker Mark Gardiner of Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kansas. Mark will share his outlook for the future of the beef industry and relate his vision to Gardiner’s daily ranch operations and future goals. At the same time, the Youth Luncheon will be open to Cattlemen’s Challenge & Youth Quiz Bowl participants. Following the luncheon, the Youth Quiz Bowl will begin at 1:00 p.m., also part of the new Stockmanship Division. OCA’s Annual Meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. and features guest speaker Ethan Lane, Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Youth Quiz Bowl awards will be presented during the OCA Annual Meeting.
During the Ohio Cattlemen’s Foundation (OCF) Annual Meeting at 3:30 p.m., the 2019 scholarships will be presented and the OCF business meeting will be conducted. OCA’s awards banquet will start at 6:00 p.m., highlighting six industry leaders and families and the outstanding county association. The event concludes with the Cattlemen’s Social following the banquet, featuring a PAC live auction with a great lineup of items.
Hotel rooms in the block are available until December 20, 2019 at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Drive South, Lewis Center, Ohio 43035 (north of Columbus off of US Route 23). Hotel rooms are available at a special rate of $129 (includes breakfast for 2 people per room). Call: 614-880-4300 to reserve a room.
The registration deadline for the Annual Meeting and Banquet is January 3, 2020. Visit www.ohiocattle.org to register online. OCA’s Annual Meeting is free to attend however the breakout sessions and evening’s events are ticketed with a price of $100 for one OCA member full-day registration, $45 for the luncheon and registration only and $60 for banquet and registration. A child’s banquet meal can also be purchased for $15. For non-member registration information, visit the OCA website or contact the OCA office. For sponsorship opportunities, call 614-873-6736.