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Open Range Cowboy Association, by: Anemone Binkley
In 1933, Bob Beverly, Dow Wood and Jim Love decided to contact some of the old cowboys that had ridden the open range, meet together and renew old friendships, and talk about the days gone by. Only a few cowboys met that first year, thirteen in all, at the old Dow Wood ranch place on Highway 18 just south of the present day sale barn. For several years only a few men met there yearly, never more than 20 men,
until 1938. That year, it was decided that any old timer would be invited, who had come before 1912. Ladies were invited for the first time; and the meeting was held on the courthouse square.
In 1939, an Old Timers organization was formed in Hobbs, and they met at the Ole Swimming Hole north of Hobbs. By 1940, a county wide organization began meeting in Lovington; and with the influence of Bob Beverly and Dow Wood, was named the Open Range Cowboys' Association. In the early years, Dow Wood had officiated as President, and Bob Beverly had served as Secretary.
This organization meets once each year, on the second Saturday of September. It was set up for the original open range cowboys, those who had actually ridden the ranges before the was fences or homesteads in New Mexico and West Texas. It now includes descendants of those original cowboys.
Queens and Sweethearts who have been named throughout the year are:
1959, Mrs. Minnie Anderson, Lovington Queen; 1960, Mrs. Eva Woodward, Lovington Queen. The next year it was decided to add a Sweetheart. 1961, Mrs. J.B. "Jim" Love, Lovington Queen; Mrs. Nell Taylor Sweetheart; 1962, Mrs. C.B. Cochran, Hobbs Queen, Mrs. Jack Jackson, Loving Sweetheart; 1963, Mrs. Dick Lee, Mrs. H.H. Harris, Tatum Sweetheart; 1964, Mrs. Bessie Frier, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Clyde Browning,
Lovington Sweetheart; 1965, Mrs. Minnie Byers, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Charlcia Taylor, Hobbs Sweetheart; 1966, Mrs. Howard (Bernice) Hamilton, Lovington Queen, Mrs. John (Aye) Frier, Lovington Sweetheart; 1967, Mrs. Boon (Vallye) Hardin, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Lillie Lynch, Lovington Sweetheart; 1968, Mrs. Ace Breckon, Tatum Queen, Mrs. Clara Fowler, Hobbs Sweetheart; 1969, Mrs. Rob Garrett Thurmond, Carlsbad Queen, Mrs.
Lottie York, Lovington Sweetheart; 1970, Mrs. Jim Caldwell Lovington Queen, Mrs. Ida Foreman, Tatum Sweetheart; 1971, Mrs. Katie Beverly, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Sleta Medlin Franklin, Hobbs Sweetheart; 1972, Mrs. Eula Howell, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Tommie Cooper, Hobbs Sweetheart; 1973, Mrs. W.M. (Grace) Beauchamp, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Edith Fanning, Eunice Sweetheart; 1974, Mrs. Will Terry, Hobbs Queen, Mrs. Tom
(Libby) James, Tatum Sweetheart; 1975, Mrs. Mattie Price, Tatum Queen, Mrs. Ethyl Taylor Graham, Lovington Sweetheart; 1976, Mrs. Fannie Holloway, Hobbs Queen, Mrs. Minnie Medlin Taylor, Hope, New New Mexico, Sweetheart; 1977, Mrs. Ruth Graham, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Leona Anderson Easley, Lovington Sweetheart; 1978, Mrs. Bess Peveler, Tatum Queen, Mrs. Emma Love Hooper, Crane, Texas Sweetheart; 1979, Mrs. Brooke
Anderson, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Dollie York Russell, Sweetheart; 1980, Mrs. Georgia Campbell, Hobbs Queen, Mrs. Mamie Love, Lovington Sweetheart; 1981, Mrs. Willlie May Evans, Hobbs Queen, Mrs. Pearl Yadon, Lovington Sweetheart; 1982, Mrs. Elizabeth Clardy, Lovington Queen, Mrs. Lila Allen, Lovington Sweetheart; 1983, Mrs. Luke (Bert) Taylor, Queen, Mrs. Joel M (Mary Lou) Carson, Sweetheart.
Further information regarding the "Queens and Sweethearts", will be added as information becomes available.
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