I taught the Billings Ranching for Profit School last month with Melinda Sims, and each evening we would split up class sections to lead the next day. Some days we picked the topics we were most comfortable with, and some days we picked topics we wanted some feedback on. Since Melinda is actively involved in a multi-generational ranch, I asked to lead the succession part of the school so she could tell me if I was dropping the ball on anything. This is an important piece to our school’s curriculum so I want to do my best on it.
After I taught the succession part, Melinda and I reflected on my teaching. She pointed out that I can be pretty factual during the instruction because I don’t have direct experience with succession on a ranch. I have worked with many families through the process, but it has not been my family or a business I work for that is going through the succession experience.
Throughout our week at the Billings Ranching for Profit School, we heard a few succession stories from the class and I want to share one of those stories. Here I have paraphrased, but I have also included some direct quotes.
Tragedy struck the Vbox Ranch one regular day while gathering cattle. Dad was running the ranch with three full-time employees and five children growing up as they waited on their time to join the ranch. That time for the kids showed up quicker than expected when Dad was killed in an accident. “God worked through the tragedy and brought us together as a family.” Mom and the siblings reacted to the situation by running the ranch together for ten years, each with their respective roles on the ranch. Mom’s role was a humble leader. The oldest brother cared for the main herd and the horse sale. The second brother managed the parcel in the next valley over. The sister helped Mom with the books and marketing. Another brother managed the haying and the equipment. The last brother took over starting and training the horse colts.
As they all grew passion for their responsibilities, they worked on how to split the ranch. For the land, each sibling was already positioned on a section of ranch they had been working. By now four of the five siblings were married and starting their own families. The equipment was split up into mostly equal lots and divvied out to the siblings. They could then decide to keep their equipment or trade it to other siblings. “This made for an entertaining day!” The cowherd was gate cut so every person ended up with the same head counts and age groups of cattle.
Here is my favorite part.
The sister came up with an idea for a celebration of life for the Vbox where they hired a professional caterer at the main ranch house one day. She put together two books worth of history, pictures, notes, accomplishments, and production statistics for them to see. They shared memories of rough and hard days but also fun and laughter days too. Their mom had a cowhide branded with the Vbox in the middle and the kid’s brands around the outside. This provided closure for Dad’s ranch, and at the same time a blessing for the new businesses that were formed. “Through Dad’s death and the ending of the Vbox, God was still able to bring forth new life. Even though Dad didn’t get to meet the majority of his grandchildren (potential 6th generation ranchers) his legacy and values are being taught to them today.”
I don’t know about you as readers, but I consider this to be a success in my opinion. At the end of the succession discussion during the school, I like to give one last thought: that profit is measured in dollars, but success is not. Then we brainstorm some other ways to define success in our lives apart from money or equity. It was such a blessing to me to be able to have one of the siblings from the Vbox Ranch in my Ranching for Profit School.
To go a little deeper on this concept take a listen to Dave Pratt define legacy in the video below, and also read his article Two Legacies about being a pioneer or a builder in your family.
There is still time to register for the Ranching for Generations: Succession Intensive led by Dave Pratt if these discussions are important to your operation. Here is a hint, it is important and succession is coming sooner than you think!
