Milroy Powell, Concho Ranchman, 31, Started Career with Sheep at 5

As a tribute to my father, Milroy Powell, here is a copy of the article featured in January 1959 Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  My parents were hard working ranchmen and I am proud to be their daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below, Mr. and Mrs. Milroy Powell, are shown with their stock dogs and Quarter Horse mare, Pecos Miss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDEN

In 1936, 9-year-old Milroy Powell showed the champion Rambouillet ewe at the Texas Centennial in Dallas.

Twenty-two years later Powell, now a Concho County ranchman, still showing champion Rambouillets.

He exhibited the champion ewe at the State Fair of Texas in 1957 and the reserve champion ewe at the 1958 Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show in Fort Worth.

Showing his registered sheep takes up a major part of the young ranchman’s time.  A full show flock is prepared for the circuit each year.

Usually Powell exhibits at Abilene, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and several of the smaller shows.  He entered sheep in 11 of the smaller shows last year.

He explained that he also would show at San Antonio, but he serves as superintendent of the Quarter Horse cutting horse show there.

None of his sheep were shown at the 1958 State Fair of Texas because his fourth child was born last fall.

Powell is married to the former Joan Auld, daughter of Dan Auld, Kerr county ranchman.

The Powell children are Milann, 8; Mac, 7; Jan, 4, and Mark, 5 months.

Reared in Coryell county, the young sheep breeder is a son of Guy Powell, who served 34 years as a county agricultural agent, retiring last year because of poor health.  The elder Powell became Kerr County agent in 1947.

Milroy Powell began showing sheep when only 5.  Being a county agent’s son, he never participated in the junior shows as a 4-H Club member.  All of his animals were exhibited in the open divisions.

The champion ewe at the Texas Centennial, a yearling, was owned by J. P. Heath of Argyle, Denton County.

But the youngster later bought the champion ewe from Heath.  Many of the Powell champions are descended from this outstanding individual, which died in 1957.

Powell has been a Rambouillet breeder 26 years.  His breeding stock has remained generally the same throughout the years, with new animals added occasionally.

These high quality sheep now also are shown by Mac Powell.  The youngster had the first place ewe lamb and the first place yearling ewe at Fort Worth in 1958.

Mac’s first place ewe lamb at Forth Worth was undefeated in 12 shows last year, winning a championship at Houston.  Her twin sister was reserve champion ewe of the Houston show.

Both Mac and his father have sheep entered in the 1959 Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show.

Powell ranched on leased land in Kerr County about 10 years before moving to Eden in April 1957.

He purchased a 12-section ranch 7-1/2 miles south of Eden, extending into Menard County.  The land previously was owned by Houston Callan, pioneer Menard County ranchman.

Before Powell bought the ranch, the 12 sections of land were in one pasture with no cross fences.  The only improvements were two windmills.

Neither sheep nor goats had ever been run on the land, which was operated as a cattle ranch.

The land now is cross-fenced into four pastures with a corner of each pasture at the corral in the center of the ranch.  Approximately 27 miles of fence were built, and excellent corral facilities have been provided.

Since there is no ranch house on the land, the Powells reside in Eden.

Powell is running registered and commercial Rambouillets, Angora goats and Angus cattle on the ranch.

He explained he also has owned cattle practically all his life.  Last summer he purchased a registered Angus bull from a Nebraska breeder.

Occasionally Angora goats from the Powell ranch are exhibited in stock shows, but the Angus cattle have never been shown.

Powell is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Rambouillet Breeders Association, the Texas Purebred Sheep Breeders Association and the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association.