The Annual Texas Coastal CattleWomen Fundraising Luncheon Honors Texas Rancher, Raises More Than $67,000

Texas Coastal CattleWomen Annual Fundraiser Luncheon and Style Show, held September 24th at the Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas, not only honored Missy Bonds as the first True Texas CattleWoman recipient, but the event also raised more than double the funds of previous year for scholarships and beef awareness. The luncheon, which included a styleshow, silent auction and raffle, raised a net total of $67,255.64, with $20 of each ticket going to selected charities for beef donations, including Camp Hope, Forgotten Angels and Brookwood.

Annually, the Texas Coastal CattleWomen, which began in 1987, seeks to raise funds to perpetuate their mission of education and creating awareness of the best protein, beef. This year, the organization put the spotlight on several Texas ranchers, including members Linda Galayda of Jordens Cattle Co./ 7-7 Ranch and Claudia Wright as Outstanding CattleWomen, and two ranching families, the Sartwelle and Locke families of J.D. Hudgins, Inc. as the Generational Ranchers and Knape family as the Ranch-to-Table Ranchers for their contributions to the Texas beef industry.

The inaugural True Texas CattleWoman, Missy Bonds, is the assistant general manager of her family’s cow-calf, stocker and feeding operation. She and her family attended the luncheon as she graciously accepted the honor. In her acceptance, Bonds recanted a story from when she was a young girl attending cattle sales with her father, rancher Pete Bonds.

“Thank you for this honor; I am truly grateful and humbled to be up here today among all these other women in this room, and be singled out as the True Texas CattleWoman,” Bonds said. “One of my first memories as a child was going into the sale barns with my dad. I hoped for a cheeseburger, and I remember trying to be still so I wouldn’t buy a cow. Today, that little girl that used to be scared to move in the sale barn still loves to go to the sale barn with her daddy, but now, instead of being afraid to raise my hand, I am running the computer on the cattle, looking at sale sheets and raising my hand on purpose. I am truly honored to receive this award.”

As honored guests from the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (HLSR), Texas Beef Council, Cattleman’s Beef Board, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers (TSCRA) and more looked on, the TCCW honored ranchers and spotlighted beef’s contributions to the state. The event, which lasted three hours, provided opportunities to network among the ranchers, agriculture organizations and supporters in the packed room.

“I was honored to be a part of this event honoring one of our own, who truly deserved this recognition,” said Claudia Wright, TCCW president. “All facets of the industry attended to honor Bonds and promote Texas beef, including Dr. Jason Cleere, Dr. Ron Gill, Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, TSCRA President Carl Ray Polk, HLSR Executive Director Pat Mann Phillips, and the Hudgins Ranch family members, the Sartwelles and Lockes of J.D. Hudgins cattle, among many others. It was a pleasure to be in the same room with so many likeminded ranchers.”

The event is set for 2025, September 23, and will again recognize a Texas rancher as the True Texas CattleWoman, this time selected from a coastal county. The 2025 event will not include a style show, but will have a silent auction, shopping and raffle, as well as the recognition of Texas ranchers. Be sure to visit texascoastalcattlewomen.com for more information on this event and others coming in 2025.

Follow the association on Facebook at facebook.com/texcoastal/ and on Instagram at @texascoastalcattlewomen.

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About Texas Coastal CattleWomen

TCCW is a hardworking group of ladies dedicated to informing consumers of the nutritional value of beef and the importance of the beef industry and its contribution to the economy of the nation. In order to continue this cause today and in the future, TCCW believes in supporting youth in their academic pursuits.