Ranchers across the country share a common challenge: protecting the heritage and hard-earned legacy of their operations while navigating an increasingly complex beef industry. Rising costs, succession planning hurdles, and shifting public perceptions make it harder than ever to ensure the ranching way of life continues for future generations.
The Ranching Heritage Association is dedicated to meeting that challenge head-on. For over 50 years, RHA has worked alongside ranching families, industry leaders, and working cowboys to strengthen the visibility, understanding, and sustainability of ranching in America.
One of the most visible ways RHA honors the industry is through the National Golden Spur Award and the Working Cowboy Award. These nationally recognized honors spotlight individuals whose leadership and hard work have shaped ranching and livestock production for decades. By elevating these stories, RHA ensures the people behind ranching’s success are celebrated and remembered while inspiring future generations to continue the tradition.
Passing down tradition, however, is not without its challenges.
As longtime rancher Tom Moorhouse and winner of this year’s RHA Working Cowboy Award-East explains, “Tradition is very important. Change is hard to do, but a lot of ranchers still pull a chuck wagon. They still drive the remuda where they’re going to be working.
“It’s important to embrace change, but tradition is a big deal to me. And I want to pass it on to the younger generation. And sometimes they don’t accept it because they don’t understand why,” Moorhouse says. “But I like to try to tell them how we did things, and why we did things, and how they might improve on things like that.”
His words reflect the delicate balance between honoring the past and embracing new practices to keep the industry strong.
Preparing the next generation of ranchers and advocates is critical to sustaining the industry long-term.
Through the Ranch Life Learning curriculum, featuring Hank the Cowdog, RHA is teaching thousands of students about the science, stewardship, and values behind ranching. Already present in more than 90 Texas school districts and growing nationally, this program is shaping tomorrow’s producers, policymakers, and consumers.
The Ranching Heritage Association also safeguards the physical history of ranching through the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas. With 55 historically preserved ranch structures and immersive exhibits, the Center connects families to ranching roots and provides the public with a tangible understanding of how ranching has evolved to feed and clothe the world.
The challenges ranchers face cannot be solved in isolation. At its core, RHA is about community. Membership creates a national network where ranchers can connect with peers, share experiences, and work collectively to secure the industry’s future. The support generated through membership and events sustains educational programs, historic preservation, and national recognition efforts — all aimed at keeping ranching strong for future generations.
The future of ranching requires a united effort to preserve its heritage, educate the next generation, and ensure the story of ranching remains visible and valued. The Ranching Heritage Association stands ready to support ranching families in that mission.
Join today and help ensure the legacy of ranching remains strong for generations to come.
Learn more at ranchingheritage.org
