Minnie Lou Bradley (born December 15, 1931) was inducted into the

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is located in Fort Worth, Texas, US. Established in 1975, it is dedicated to honoring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude. The museum is an educ ...

in 2006. Bradley is considered an innovator in the beef cattle industry.

Life

Minnie Lou Bradley was born Minnie Lou Ottinger on December 15, 1931, in

Blaine County, Oklahoma Blaine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,735. Its county seat is Watonga. Part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho land opening in 1892, the county had gained rail lines by the early 190 ...

. Bradley wanted a book on livestock rather than girl toys. She performed chores to pay for it. Bradley was active in the local 4-H Club, where she showed

Angus Angus may refer to: Media * ''Angus'' (film), a 1995 film * ''Angus Og'' (comics), in the ''Daily Record'' Places Australia * Angus, New South Wales Canada * Angus, Ontario, a community in Essa, Ontario * East Angus, Quebec Scotland * An ...

cattle, sheep, and swine. She was not able to join the

Future Farmers of America National FFA Organization is an American 501(c)(3) youth organization, specifically a career and technical student organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. It was founded in 1925 at Vi ...

then as it was male-only membership. Bradley was showing animals at age 9. She received her first Angus cow at age 13. Bradley graduated from high school in

Hydro, Oklahoma Hydro is a town in Caddo and Blaine counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 969. History The town was founded on August 6, 1901. Built near the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, the settlement ...

. She married Bill Bradley in 1955. She and Bradley raised one son and one daughter together

Career

Bradley is a rancher and a cattlewoman. She and her family own and operate the Bradley 3 Ranch in

Childress County, Texas Childress County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 6,664. The county seat is Childress. The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1887. It is named for George Campbell Ch ...

. Bradley and a handful of women were first to earn a degree in animal husbandry from

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

(formerly Oklahoma A&M). She is the first woman to join the Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Team. She was the first woman president of the

American Angus Association The American Angus is an American breed of beef cattle. It derives from the Scottish Aberdeen Angus population, but may only be black. Red-coated individuals may not be registered with the American Angus Association, but can be registered as Re ...

. She has been awarded many times by the agriculture industry in her long history for her contributions to the beef industry. Also in 1955, the year they were married, the Bradleys bought a ranch near Childress co-owned with Billy Jack's parents. The combined property they named Bradley 3 Ranch. The two families ran it together for some time. Eventually, Minnie became the head of the ranch. Last reports showed that Billy Jack was living in

Vernon, Texas Vernon is a city and the county seat of Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 11,002. History The original town was called Eagle Springs by the indigenous community as early as 1858. After the ...

, and Minnie Lou and her daughter were running Bradley 3 Ranch. Their son had died early. Bradley has been recognized for work of the Angus breed, her success in

crossbreed A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...

ing Angus and

Hereford cattle The Hereford is a British breed of beef cattle originally from Herefordshire in the West Midlands of England. It has spread to many countries – there are more than five million purebred Hereford cattle in over fifty nations worldwide. The bre ...

. In 2014, her portrait was unveiled to be displayed in the Saddle and Sirloin Gallery in

Lexington Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County. By population, it is the second-largest city in Kentucky and 57th-largest city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 28th-largest ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, Minnie Lou 1931 births Living people American cattlewomen Ranchers from Texas People from Childress County, Texas People from Blaine County, Oklahoma Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductees 21st-century American women