National Ranching Heritage Center will Host 55th Annual Ranch Day April 20

The 55th Annual Ranch Day promises a fun-filled day at the ranch for all ages from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC) on the Texas Tech University campus.

Made possible by The CH Foundation, this beloved annual event offers a blend of education and entertainment for both the young and young at heart as horses, cowboys, cattle, ranch wildlife, and chuck wagons greet visitors. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 per family.

Food and refreshments will be available to purchase by cash or card throughout the day including: Now We Taco’N food truck, tea from One Pour Pony, Just Dunn Poppin’ Kettle Corn, lemonday’s ade and water.

“Hands-on activities and demonstrations will focus on ranch skills and the history and science of ranching,” said Julie Hodges, Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Director of Education. “Children will have an opportunity to churn butter, participate in a stick horse rodeo, see wildlife and ride a horse. They also can learn about beef science, entomology, anthropology, forensic science, ranch wildlife and much more.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet real cowboys and cowgirls from the Texas Tech Ranch Horse Team, who will be providing horse-gentling demonstrations in the round pen throughout the day. Horse and cattle demonstrations with cowboys from the Jones Ranch will happen at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the grassy area behind the Matador Half-Dugout. Visitors can also experience an old-time “Snake Oil” magic show by magician Barry Moffitt at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the 1909 Four Sixes Barn.

Horseback rides will be offered by the Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additionally, children can enjoy a stick horse rodeo organized by the Texas Tech Rodeo Team, create their own paint brand, and learn how to tag cattle with Texas Farm Bureau.

Cabela’s Outpost will provide a safe shooting environment for children to shoot BB guns and practice archery at targets placed inside an inflatable range. Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Texas Tech E.L. Reed Herbarium will educate on native plants and soil, and Texas Tech Fire Ecology will demonstrate prescribed fire tools. The South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will feature live birds of prey for visitors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering visitors a chance to learn more about native wildlife on a ranch.

Ranch Host volunteers will don period attire as they inhabit various historic structures throughout the park, immersing visitors in an educational journey through ranching history. Providing insights into the lives of historic cowboys, they offer a captivating glimpse into the past. Volunteers will also offer tours of the c. 1909 Barton House throughout the day.

Children can become “Ranch Hands” for the day and receive work cards to earn wages for a hard work. Ranch hands who complete six “work” activities can go to the 1880 Matador Office to collect their wages (reproduction of 1869 currency) and buy special prizes.

“Becoming a ‘Ranch Hand’ is a fun way to learn and experience all Ranch Day has to offer,” Explains Lea Ann Lust, NRHC Outreach and Education Program Manager. “From feeding real cows, learning about historic tools of the trade, and riding a horse, to learning about quail and native wildlife, meat science, and archeology on a ranch, there is a plethora for all ages to learn and discover.”

Ranch Day wouldn’t be possible without more than 150 volunteers, Ranch Host volunteers, student organizations and industry organizations that come together each year to make the event a success.

For additional information, visit ranchingheritage.org.

About the National Ranching Heritage Center Supported by Texas Tech University and the Ranching Heritage Association, the NRHC is a 27acre museum and historical park that offers educational programs and exhibits about ranching history and contemporary ranching issues. The center is located at 3121 Fourth St. in Lubbock, Texas, and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, and the historical park is wheelchair- and stroller accessible. For more information, visit ranchingheritage.org or call (806) 742-0498.