Alva Review-Courier -

With a life centered on farming and ranching, Gary Gerloff certainly qualifies as the 2018 Honored Old Cowhand at Freedom. It seems like all his many careers and pursuits have been tied to the land.

Though he was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1944 where his dad was stationed in the Army, Gerloff grew up on the John Gerloff homestead until he left for college. He has fond memories as a kid riding his horse Tony. He remembers hitching Tony to a wagon and picking up pop bottles. Other early memories involve going to rodeos, hunting and fishing with Buster Shuall or staying with Dwight and Maxine Conn.

Gerloff graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in agronomy, range management option. He says he was a better college student than high school student.

After receiving his degree, he went to work for the USDA soil conservation service and then transferred to the Farmers Home Administration. During those years he lived in Beaver, Walters, Newkirk and finally Pawnee. "What great people in Pawnee," he said.

Then Gerloff returned home to work for Farm Credit. In 1974 he bought the Kirkham land north of Freedom. He quit what many would consider a dream job to pursue his dream which involved risk and volatility. In 1979 Gary and his dad created the Gerloff Ranch, Inc. They were partners until he passed away in 2003. Gary created Gerloff Land & Cattle LLC in 2005. Son Chance has taken over complete operation of both entities.

But ranching wasn't his only pursuit. In 1979 Gerloff became an auctioneer and real estate broker. He says people were extremely good to he and his wife Vanessa for the 27 years they were selling land and chattel property in New Mexico, Kansas and Oklahoma from Guymon to just west of Oklahoma City and south to Love County.

Gary and his dad also enjoyed running thoroughbred horses at Anthony Downs, Remington Park, Oaklawn (Hot Springs, Arkansas) and Sportman Park in Chicago. They participated with a group from Freedom in helping to open Woods County Downs, running every Sunday. It became successful with horses entered from all surrounding states.

He says the Calcuttas at Woods County Downs became quite large. They also ran Calcuttas at steer ropings in Vinita, Pawhuska and Dodge City.

Gerloff especially wanted to mention Tim and Gloria Cook of Vici and Bill and Bud Husted of Laverne as supporters of Woods County Downs. They also became great friends.

Like everyone in Freedom, Gerloff became very involved in the annual rodeo. Vernie Hackney and the rodeo committee asked him to be arena director for the Freedom Rodeo. He says Vernie told him to do something to make it better every year. "Every man, woman and child from Freedom and surrounding areas made it happen," says Gerloff.

He remembers for several years they held an invitation-only steer roping with all the "tuffs." One of the main attractions was Phil Lyne and Arnold Felts in a matched roping.

On their land, the Gerloffs shifted gears due to low wheat prices, high equipment cost and high production cost. They moved their farm ground into improved grasses.

Looking back over his life, Gerloff says the most important of all is his family. He and Vanessa have been married 34 years. Their daughter Lori and her husband Randy of Enid have two children, Lawson and Ashton. Son Josh and his wife Amy live in Amarillo, Texas, and have three children: Madison, Easton and Jaydon. Son Chance and wife AlyJea live in Freedom with their daughter Gray.

"Many times Vanessa and I sat on the front porch early of a morning thanking the 'Big Boy in the Sky' for the opportunity to care for this ranch," said Gerloff.

He thanks the people of northwest Oklahoma for honoring him as the Old Cowhand, and said, "You can rest assured we are going to whip and spur to the finish line."