News release issued July 10, 2001, effective immediately.
For media inquiries, contact Caroline Booth Lara, Communications Specialist, (580) 224-6379.
  email: cblara@noble.org

Note: This event occurred in 2001. Please see our news releases section for upcoming events.

Baxter Black Brings Cowboy Humor to Beef Symposium

ARDMORE, Okla. - Area ranchers will be getting more than a wallopin' dose of cattle know-how during the annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium on Aug. 11, co-hosted by the Noble Foundation and Oklahoma State University Carter County Cooperative Extension. They'll also get a gut-tickling live commentary from nationally known cowboy poet and large animal veterinarian Baxter Black.

Black, well known for his unique brand of cowboy humor, will be presenting closing comments at the popular symposium. He lists himself as "head cowboy" with the Coyote Cowboy Company, based in Benson, Ariz.

Other speakers include specialists and professionals in the beef industry from six states, including Eddie Funderburg, a soil and crop specialist with the Noble Foundation, who will present Forage Fertilization - Factors to Consider. Also appearing on the program, and their topics, are Stacey Gunter, University of Arkansas Extension, Stockers vs. Cow-Calf; Jim Mintert, Agricultural Economics professor, Kansas State University, Looking Ahead in the Cattle Sector: Market Update; Bob Long, retired from Texas Tech University, Selection Criteria: Muscle, Fat and Bone - How to Identify Them; and Steve Armbruster, Armbruster Consulting, The Beef Industry - A Glimpse of the Future?

Co-ordinators of the event, Shan Ingram, Education and Special Projects manager, and agricultural economist Fred Schmedt, both with the Noble Foundation, predict this year's to be the best program ever.

"Come to the eleventh annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium," Ingram said. "Listen to the speakers, laugh with Baxter Black, and see if it's not the best one yet!"

Also listed on the agenda is the popular panel discussion segment. Slated for this year's panel and the speakers' topic areas are Don Schiefelbein, American Gelbvieh Association, genetics; Sally Dolezal, Dolezal Enterprises, animal identification and data management; Ken Jordan, eMerge Interactive, marketing; and Gary Johnson, producer, production management.

"Over the years, the 'producer-oriented' panel discussion has become a highlight of the symposium," Schmedt said. "This year is no exception. The discussants are actually doing what they will be talking about and their specialties are 'where it's at' in today's beef industry."

As at past symposiums, attendees can visit the trade show during session breaks.

Registration with refreshments begins at 8 a.m. at Heritage Hall, 201 W. Broadway, in downtown Ardmore. The first session starts at 9 a.m. Cost for the symposium is $25 if pre-registered by Aug. 6 or $30 at the door, and includes a steak lunch. Mail pre-registration payment to Southern Plains Beef Symposium, c/o The Noble Foundation, P.O. Box 2180, Ardmore, OK 73402-2180.

For more information, call the foundation at (580) 223-5810 or Carter County OSU Cooperative Extension office at (580) 223-6570.

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Symposium Schedule
Baxter Black Photos: Color Tiff (2 MB) | B/W Tiff (736 k)

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, check out the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release