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Gila County Cattle Growers Rancher and Wrangler of the Year

2023 Rancher of the Year

Manual "Manny" Ruiz

Manny Ruiz's roots go back to 1907 when his grandparents settled in Superior and began what is now a strong legacy that has contributed to all areas of Superior's growth and development. Manny is a third generation Rancher. Manny has been married to his wife Aurora for 70 years, and has five children, eight grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

After playing Varsity football as quarterback and baseball as short stop & first base for Northern Arizona University and earning- his bachelor's degree, he began his 33-year teaching career in Eloy. He later moved on to San Manuel High School (10 years) before teaching 22 years at Superior High School. Along with being a teacher, he served as Athletic Director and coached football and basketball. Coach Ruiz led his 1973 basketball team to Superior High School's State Championships. Under his Tutelage, Superior and San Manuel teams earned two State Runner-up honors twice and won the consolation bracket once. Manny recorded over 400 wins and coached as Arizona All - Star Coach three times. His achievements garnered him induction into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame, the Arizona Hispanic Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Arizona nominee for National Coach of the Year in 1985. The gym at the old high school bears his name.

Manny has been involved in Town government for over 30 years. Of those years he served as Mayor, Vice Mayor, and council member. He sat on the Superior Food Bank Board and was the originator and the Chair of the Superior High School Hall of Fame. His leadership extended into Pinal County where he sat on the Pinal County Juvenile Advisory Board and the Central Arizona College Board. He recently received Northern Arizona University President's Alumni Award Hall of Fame for 2023.

Manny acquired his grandparents and parents Ranch in 1965 when he moved back to Superior. He sold the Ranch this year to Amy and Mike Graph who own the adjacent Ranch. Among all his accomplishments, the one he's most proud of is running Ruiz Ranch, Inc. Manny has been a rancher for over 63 years and is a member of the Arizona, Gila County, and the National Cattle Growers Associations.

Thank you, Manny, for your many years of support and service to the Gila county Cattle Growers Association and the ranching industry.

2023 Wrangler of the Year

Velma Tucker

“Beef, it’s what’s for dinner” and “Where’s the Beef?” Both very familiar advertisements, right? You see, those ad phrases were coined through the Promotions Committee of National Livestock and Meat Board located in Chicago, Illinois. If you recall, these two ads made a huge impact, on a national scale, for the cattle industry and still do.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Wrangler continued to tend to the livestock and ALL that encompassed. Sit back and relax while I give you a glimpse into the life of your Gila County Cattle Growers Association, 2023 Wrangler of the Year, Mrs. Velma Tucker.

A high school sophomore level education, married at 16 years of age in 1949, and three children by 1954 was quite a start for Velma Tucker and she has continued to blaze trails to this day.

Velma loves a good rodeo and a match horse race. Leroy was a pretty good hand himself and then Tenna, Roy and Lee Ann were to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Rodeo was a good fit, so in 1965, Velma and a handful of other visionaries began the Arizona Junior Rodeo Association (AJRA) where she was devoted to its success and to championing the sport of rodeo at the youth level.

Early on Velma also became very involved in the Arizona State Cowbelles and was a founding member of the Gila County Cowbelles in 1971, moving through the ranks to become President in 1976. She served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona State Cowbelles and as President in 1980 where she was instrumental in organizing the National Beef Cookoff for several years. Her footprint of service through the promotion of beef has blazed a trail for those to follow as evidenced by her recognition as the Arizona Cattlewoman of the Year in 2010.

Governor Bruce Babbitt selected Velma to serve on the Board of Arizona Beef Council during the formative years of the Beef Checkoff program. During her twelve-year service she was selected as Arizona Beef Director for the National Livestock and Meat Board and served for eight years. During that time, she held a seat on both the Promotions and Education Committees. If you’ve been paying attention, it was Velma Tucker who had her finger in the pie and brainstorming sessions for the development of those famous beef catch phrases that I mentioned earlier.

Velma has been a valuable secretary to the Gila County Cattle Growers Spring Sale as secretary/bookkeeper for many years. She continues to prepare the obituaries of cattlemen and cattlewomen for presentation and recognition during the annual meetings.

Her accolades are many, however her most important of all is her love of Arizona and the life of ranching that she has lived. She is capable when the work is hard and makes sacrifices in tough times. She understands the changing seasons, El Nino, and La Nina, makes necessary adjustments during drought or high interest rates. Is mindful of the ecosystems and how the country flourishes with good common-sense stewardship. She keeps a daily journal of her lifetime of ranching, weather patterns, cattle prices, family celebrations, and all the daily stuff that have made this quality of life. She is up earlier than everyone else, cooks a mean meal and always greets you with her steady smile.

Yes, she IS the ‘chief cook and bottle washer’.

She IS Brains and Beauty,

And as she recently exclaimed to me, “This ain’t my first rodeo!”

Where’s the Beef you ask? Right there!

Thank you, Velma, for a lifetime of service to the livestock industry and the Gila County Cattle Growers Association.

Seth Durbin

Gila County Bred & Fed Winner
2019 Gila County Fair, Globe
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Dance the Night Away

to the music of Bob Bigando & the Tumbleweeds
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SOLD

to the Highest Bidder!
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Adam Diquattro

Gila Counth Bred & Fed Winner
Gila County Fair Payson
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Mike

Hemovich

2020 Rancher of the Year

Mike Hemovich, brings many unique attributes to our ranching community. Leadership, conservation principles, big-picture thinking, teamwork, hands-on work ethic, flexibility, and a life-long learner – to name a few.

After attending college Mike spent 30 years as an Army officer, serving in many places in the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia. While serving as Military Attaché to Greece, he and his wife Diana began a long-lasting love of sailing and sailed to many ports throughout the Mediterranean. After retiring, he and Diana settled in Tucson, but spent most summers on the Chesapeake Bay where they were able to continue their love of sailing. Knowing that retirement would eventually lead them to settle full time in Arizona, (Mike was born in Globe and his father was raised in Miami) Mike and Diana spent years looking for a cattle

ranch. The Bar X Ranch became available, so they gave up on sailing (for now) and started a new career in cattle ranching.

With the help of ranching neighbors, cattle organizations, the Forest Service, U of A, Society for Range Management (SRM), Arizona Game and Fish and excellent cowboys who worked for us, they were able to learn and grow into the world of cattle. Mike has worked hard to improve the ranch, doubling the size in grazing area and by four-fold in permit numbers. His efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Bar X ranch has received numerous awards for the conservation work conducted on the ranch including Wildlife Habitat Stewards of the Year for Arizona (2018), nomination for National Conservation Ranch of the Year (2015). After 15 years, Mike continues to learn and improve the Bar X.

For many years, Mike has been a staunch supporter of the ranching industry and an advocate for our Gila County ranchers in meeting the many challenges we face. He became President of the AZ Section SRM, a member of the Board of Directors of Arizona State Cattle Growers, and an active member of Gia County Cattle Growers’ Association. In 2009, Mike was elected to the Board of Directors of Directors of the GCCGA. When Mike became president in 2018, he took over during perilous times in Gila County. Ranching had once again been crippled by severe drought conditions. Fires ravaged the already devastated land, destroying many ranches. Then came the Coronavirus.

Undaunted by these challenges, Mike worked with USFS, Arizona Game & Fish and wildlife organizations to obtain assistance for ranchers to rebuild and sustain ranching operations throughout Gila County. These efforts have also been noticed. In the words of GCCGA ranchers, “He (Mike) took over at a really hard time with fires etc. He did a great job. Tonto NRCD needed a Gila County rancher to help oversee the monitoring of ranches in Gila County. We asked Mike to do that, and he has done a great job and he put in a lot of time & effort.”

“Mike has led and been a part of the GCCGA officers for 8 years and the BOD (Board of Directors) for a long time. Always willing to help out and sound out for our rights as allotment owners on federal lands.”

Thank you, Mike for your many years of leadership and support of the GCCGA and the ranching industry.

Dave

Womack

2020 Wrangler of the Year

Dave Womack has been instrumental in the process and development of water and conservation projects on many allotments across the Tonto National Forest. These projects, associated with water distribution, allows ranchers to distribute cattle to areas that previously did not have a water source. His knowledge of the conservation program and range allows for a greater understanding of what the rancher needs. Dave goes beyond what the agency expects of him.

After obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Wildlife Management and a Masters Degree in Range Management from the University of Arizona, Dave has served 22 years with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Arizona including field offices in Tucson, Springerville, and San Carlos. He is currently NRCS Range Management Specialist in the Tucson Area Office. Born in Globe, AZ and raised in Mammoth, AZ, Dave is the father of 2 adult children.

In his own words, “I have been blessed to be able to work with ranchers in Gila County and central Arizona on conservation projects to improve grazing management or restore grasslands with brush management and have been more blessed than I deserve providing service to agricultural producers in the region where was born and where I was raised.”

Gila County Cattle Growers Association thanks you, Dave, for going the extra mile for our ranchers.