By Paul de la Peña-Franceschi

The fourth annual Cattle Baron's Ball and Heritage presentation, hosted by the Texican CattleWomen's Association, will be held at the Laredo Country Club Saturday, April 5. Seventeen young men and women respresenting our area's ranching heritage will be presented. As local ambassadors for the beef industry, they will participate in local events and play an active role in many of the beef promotions and projects sponsored by the Texican CattleWomen in the upcoming year. The evening will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation at 7:30, followed by dinner.
This year's youth honorees from the ranching industry include Marci Brice, a junior at J.B.Alexander High School, representing Piedra Parada Ranch of Webb County; Alfredo G. Collazo, a senior at St. Augustine High School, respresenting Los Tejones Ranch of Aguilares; Emilio Davila III, a sophomore at St. Augustine, representing La Florida Ranch; Melissa Martin, a junior at Alexander, representing La Gloria Ranch; Michael Martin, a sophomore at Alexander, representing the Casa Blanca Ranch of Webb County; Jared Mathis, a junior at Alexander, representing the Bar M Ranch in Gillespie County; Kristina Raquel Sanchez, a senior at United High School, representing El Indio Ranch in Jim Hogg County; Katie Schwarz, a sophomore at Alexander, representing Schwarz Ranches of Brewster County; Katie Leigh West a freshman at Cotulla High School, and Mazie Chapman West, a sophomore at Cotulla High, representing the Rancho Solo Ranch of Jim Hogg County; Jessica Lynn Garcia, a sophomore at St. Augustine, representing San Juan Ranch of northwest Webb County; Laura Vanessa Garza, a sophomore at Freer High School, representing the M. J. Rodriguez, Jr., Ranch; Kristina Jacqueline Vela, a sophomore at Zapata High School, representing Los Lazos Ranch of Zapata County; Adam Frugé, a senior at United South High School, representing El Pescadito Ranch of Webb County; Rebecca Patricia Perez, a sophomore at Alexander, representing La Cruz Ranch of Webb County; Rebecca Patricia Perez, a sophomore at Alexander; and Stephanie Kryselle Williams, a sophomore at Alexander, representing the Whataburger Ranch of Dimmit County. All of these students have proven themselves academically and likewise supplied numerous hours in service projects throughout their respective communities.
The Texican CattleWomen's Association of Laredo has four main goals: to promote a positive image of the beef and cattle industry, to inform consumers about the contributions the cattle industry makes toward the nation's economy, to educate the community with reliable information concerning the nutritional values of beef, and to foster the proud ranching traditions that were passed on to them by their ancestors through its Cattle Baron's Ball and Heritage Presentation.
Promotional activities at the local, state, and national level include Around the World with Beef, Texas Beef Cook-Off, beef gift certificates, Beef for Father's Day, Beef Education, in-store promotions, Texas Beef Short Course, 4-H Beef Ambassadors Contest, Ag Day Projects, scholarships, and joint projects with the American Heart Association, American Cancer Association, and the American Diabetes Foundation. They are also active with a Legislative Alert System to mobilize support at the local, state, and national levels regarding legislation pertinent to the beef industry.
A promotional event unique to the Texican Cattle Women of Laredo is the annual Steak-O-Rama plate sale, which is held in conjunction with the L.I.F.E. Fair. In addition, the Laredo chapter sponsors raw steak sales throughout the year, a Christmas Gift Basket Exchange for the elderly, donations of beef gift certificates to local food banks and non-profit organizations, visits to area classrooms during Farm/City Week to educate students about the benefits of beef and its many byproducts, and a float in the Washington's Birthday Celebration Association Grand Parade.
The Texican CattleWomen use the monies raised from donations and projects like these to award a Chapter Calf Project to a local 4-H or FFA Club as well as for scholarships. The youth of the ranching and cattle industry presented at the Heritage Ball are encouraged to participate in all CattleWomen sponsored events as local Beef Ambassadors.
The Texican Cattle Women, is led by president Dee Dee Martin, offer many opportunities to area students for involvement and advancement. In addition to the Heritage Presentation, the Cattlewomen award several thousand dollars in scholarships to high school seniors from Laredo and surrounding areas who have shown a calf or steer project at L.I.F.E., and have chosen to pursue careers that directly or indirectly support the beef industry. They are currently accepting applications for prospective members, scholarship recipients, and future Heritage Presentation participants (ages 15-18). Active membership is $55 a year. For more information about the Cattle Women or the Heritage Presentation, contact membership chair Nancy Brice at 723-1775, scholarship chair Minita R. Enriquez at 717-0985, or Heritage Presentation chair Rosanne Winch at 723-8875.