I’m so excited about this series of Female Farmer Fridays! If you remember back in the summer of 2020 I introduced you to the ladies of INSP’s The Cowboy Way: Misty, Jaclyn, and Kaley. Now I have the pleasure of sharing the stories of three impressive women – Katey Jo, Jennifer, and Hannah – contestants on INSP’s Ultimate Cowboy Showdown. These awesome ladies are smart, talented, tough, and ready to show that the best cowboy might not be a boy.
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Please briefly introduce yourself.

Hi! My name is Katey Jo Gordon. I am from Ryan, OK, and I currently reside in Comanche, OK. My husband, Dylan and I train performance horses and manage our own cattle. We always have a lot of horses on our ranch, and we have quite a few dogs to keep us company, including a dachshund, bulldog, mutt, and our new border collie. In addition to our own endeavors, we work alongside local ranchers and help on my family ranch in Ryan.

What type of farm do you have?

We focus more on the ranching side of things, like raising cow calf pairs on the native grass in South Central Oklahoma. My husband and I raise crossbred cows, and my parents raise registered and commercial Red Angus.

How long have you been farming/ranching?

I am a fifth-generation rancher from Jal, NM, and I have never really known anything outside of ranching. It is just what we do, and I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Do you have an off-farm job?

Outside of the ranch, I also train horses and rodeo. We use our competition horses on the ranch to check cattle, doctor, and drag calves, and to rope or run barrels in the arena. It works out well to use the horses for dual purpose.

Please share with us one of the biggest struggles you have with farming or ranching.

This is a hard one! One of the biggest struggles my husband and I faced was getting started with something on our own, especially since we were younger. Being young and trying to build a herd is expensive and finding a banker that will help is tough. In addition, the land available in our area to lease is hard to come by.

What is something about your farm or ranch life that you think would surprise most people?

Despite being surrounded by animals, I do not like fish.

What is your vision when it comes to your future in farming or ranching?

I hope my husband and I can continue to strengthen our current ventures, while also strengthening the business and legacy my dad has built.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about farming and ranching?

One of the biggest misconceptions about ranching is the amount of time and effort that we have put into the land and animals. If you aren’t checking on the cattle, then you are rotating pastures, building ponds or creating water gaps. Ranching is not a nine to five job; it is day in and day out. It is not as simple as people think.

What does “Cowboy” mean to you?

Being a “Cowboy” means a lot more to me than just being able to ride a horse and rope a cow. It means valuing your animals and land above yourself. I believe cowboys possess integrity and are confident to stand up for what they believe in. A cowboy will be the first to give the shirt off his or her own back if it will help his or her neighbor. I come from a long line of great cowboys, and I am proud to carry on the legacy.

What is one book you think everyone should check out?

My favorite book to read when preparing for competition is Mind Gym. I’ve read it multiple times, and it has helped tremendously with my mental game.

If people want to follow your farm journey, where can they find you?

Instagram: @katey_jo11, Facebook: Katey Jo Gordon

In Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, 14 cowboys (men and women) from all across the country compete for a life-changing prize. Each week, viewers will watch the strong-willed cowboys undergo a series of grueling physical and mental challenges that will test them individually and as teams. Chock full of explosive drama, and lots of ego, the last cowboy standing will walk away with a prize package that includes a herd they can take to market, a Rawhide Portable Corral, an Arrowquip Q-Catch 87 Series Cattle Chute, the coveted Ultimate Cowboy Showdown belt-buckle, and a lifetime of bragging rights. Catch the girls when it premieres Wednesday, February 24^th at 9ET/10PT.