STLA History

Every attempt has been made to accurately piece together history and events over the last forty years. If individual’s name, sales, events, ranch tours, shows, or other major occurrences are omitted — it was not intentional. Fact and omissions corrections are always welcome.

STLA owes a deep appreciation to Debbie Davis, from Tarpley, Texas, who managed the research and did the writing of the association’s history from its charter date into the early 2000’s.

The STLA also wishes to thank Tom Peoples for his inspiration and resolve to record a large portion of this history before it was lost, and most of all thanks go out to the various contributors who helped compile facts and information: Betty and John T. Baker, H. C Carter, Bob and Gail Coffee, Mike Crocker, Shirley Frazier, Barbara Homer, Carolyn Hunter, Velna Jackson, David Karger, Jan Koehne, Mary Beth Peoples, Alan Sparger, Laney Weise, Wilton and Carolyn Wilton, Cliff and Gail Woerner and a special thanks to Mike Settles whom provided detailed records including dates, names and prices for events ’74-’86 and loaned his collection of Longhom Journals (’83- ’86).(Did you know Velna Jackson and Betty Baker were both twirlers with the Texas Longhorn Band while they attended the University of Texas?)Also, retired King Ranch foreman Leonard Stiles offered fascinating insight into the origin of the King Ranch Longhorn herd. Bob Kleburg traded Graves Peeler 30 Santa Gertrudis heifers for his first 30 Longhorn cows in 1961. His herd grew to 500 in its prime but only 32 museum quality specimens remain ( in the early 2000’s) from that original herd – but that is an entirely separate article.

Past Presidents of STLA