Ryan ranches with his family near Kilgore, NE in Cherry County. Born and raised in the Sandhills, Ryan left to attend college and to briefly work as a head diesel tech for MARC then as a tech for Frontier Equipment in Torrington, WY, before returning to ranch. Ryan serves his community in several capacities including the Cherry County Extension board, the Cherry County Horse 4-H Committee (as a horse project leader since 2001), and represents Nebraska on the National Grazing Lands Coalition Board. He has also previously served on the Cherry County 4-H Council and the Nebraska Grazing Lands Board for several years. Ryan is married to Jamie and they have three children: Rylie, James (who passed in November 2021), and Addie. Rylie and Addie actively work on the ranch and receive pasture rent and feed for their animals in exchange for helping in the day-to-day operations. Jamie was a 3rd grade teacher in Mullen before stepping back to help full time on the ranch and raise their children. Ryan and Jamie involved their children in every aspect of the ranch from an early age, even an infant Rylie was carried with her mom on horseback while sorting cattle. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys team roping, hunting, and fishing. He has trained horses for over 35 years and acknowledges that while he has always enjoyed riding a young horse, the older he gets the more selective he is about what he will ride. Ryan’s favorite time of the year is spring: “When everyone starts neighboring to brand. Anytime that I get to gather and sort cattle is a good day.”.