Events Calendar

2023 TBA Spring Meeting  June 9 & 10  Waco, TX

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN  - There are 4 registration options.
#1 TBA Member: Saturday Conference and meals. $90
#2 TBA Member: I'm coming to the Friday night BBQ as well, adds $10 
  
#3 Non-Member Conference Registration (includes Friday Night social event) $130
#4 NEW MEMBER Special! Conference Registration & one-year TBA Membership $170 
If you are ready to join the TBA, save $30 on your first-year membership. Includes all conference and meals. 
REGISTER HERE: ------->  TBA Spring Conference Registration
The Menu: Bison is on the menu for Saturday lunch and dinner.  Lunch will feature a bison lasagna and for dinner we will serve bison filets. Those meals alone would excite me enough to attend the 2023 Spring Conference. If you have special dietary needs and cannot consume bison lasagna or bison filets, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate.  
Hilton Room Block & Conference Venue: The June 10 portion of the conference will be held at the Hilton Waco, and it is where our guest speaker presentations and main events will be held.  The TBA board has worked with the Hilton to block rooms at a discounted rate of $169 plus taxes, these room blocks are for 2-night stays (Friday & Saturday evenings). The discounted room rate also includes a free hot breakfast, valued at $25. These rooms are available on a first come first served basis and the discounted rate expires May 10th. The number of rooms is limited so act quickly. Hotel reservations can be made, at the TBA discounted rate, by using this link. ------->   TBA Hilton Discounted Room Registration
Hilton Waco is located at 113 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76701
Friday events: Both Friday events are 'come and go as you please' events. 
The Friday afternoon portion of the conference will take place at Bill Johnson's bison ranch.  While at Bill Johnson's bison ranch, we will have 3 different rotations, running continuously from 3pm - 7pm. The 3 rotations are:
  1. Attendees can spend time with Tarleton State University Ag students identifying grasses, weeds and determining stocking rates.  
  2. Attendees can view Bill's bison herd as well as walk through Bill Johnson's corral system, including holding pens and squeeze chute.  
  3. Attendees can visit with local Law Enforcement and talk about potential issues like, "what happens if a bison escapes?" What should I do? What action will Law Enforcement take?
Bill Johnson's Ranch Address: 1897 S Old Robinson Road Waco, TX 76706
The Friday evening Social and Dinner event will take place at Coach's Smoke BBQ restaurant. Join us for great food, soft drinks and great conversations with fellow TBA members. Adult beverages are available at attendee's own expense. The upstairs venue is limited to 50 attendees; however, we will have an overflow section on the main floor in order to accommodate more attendees.  You will have plenty of time to attend dinner if you attend the events at Bill Johnson's bison ranch. Dinner at Coach's is available from 6pm - 10pm.
Coach's Smoke BBQ Restaurant Address: 330 Austin Ave Waco, TX 76701
Saturday Evening Auction: As many of you know the TBA fundraising auction is a large source of funding for the TBA and it allows us to keep offering low-cost learning and social events to TBA members and students studying large animal studies, including bison related studies. This year we have some special and unique items that have been donated by TBA members, sponsors and friends of the TBA. Please bring/donate items to the conference to help with the fundraising efforts.
The TBA would thank Apache Spirit Bison Company for donating this wonderful Cowboy Hall of Fame Commemorative Winchester Rifle for the Saturday Evening Auction.

 

More Information About The Presentations & Topics: 
-Why & How To Create a Website: Ever thought of having a website to promote your ranch? If you are involved in meat sales, animal sales, ag tourism, event hosting, or other offerings, this presentation will discuss the benefits of having, and creating, a web presence in order to get your message out to prospective customers.   Isaac Russell, who is a website designer, will discuss how to have an internet presence and what are some of the options you have available. From simple and affordable solutions to more robust options. 
 
-TBA Live Bison Auction: in an effort to help TBA bison ranchers get their live bison to market, we will discuss potential paths to accomplish this goal. This will be a working session that involves all conference attendees and will be led by Jud Seaman of Quality Auction Services. Jud has been involved in the majority of live bison auctions conducted since 1994, coordinating with industry associations and private ranches to assist them in the marketing of their animals. With the leadership and experience of Jud, and the active participation of the conference attendees, this workshop could be a real game changer in helping TBA bison ranchers get their bison to market.
-Bison Health: We will be joined by Dr. Andy Schwartz of the Texas Animal Health Commision who will provide an update on the TBA's efforts to have the OHV-2 virus added to the list of transmitted diseases that are deadly to bison. Providing an update on parasite control, as well as new data on parasite resistance, will be Dr. Michael Glade and Kaylee Kipp.
-NBA Update: Jim Matheson, NBA Executive Director, will provide an update on the NBA's priorities and how they work closely with the TBA and other Regional Bison Associations.  The TBA greatly appreciates our partnership with the NBA and how they represent bison ranchers at a national level.
-Pasture Health: Want better grazing for your bison? We are pleased to have Charles Kneuper from the NRCS talking about the importance of your soil and tools they offer to help keep your pastures operating at its maximum. George Cates, Native American Seed, will be sharing his insight on which grasses are best based on seasons and your location. When and what to plant for your bison operation. 
-TBA Update: The TBA board will provide an update on our financial status as well as some recent accomplishments and plans for increasing membership value.
-Board Elections: As we do at every Spring Conference, we will be holding board elections. This conference we will have 4 board positions up for election. If you are passionate about bison and the Texas Bison Association, have a willingness to donate your time to the TBA, and have some ideas on how to improve the TBA in order to better serve its members - please seriously consider serving or nominating someone that you believe will be a good candidate.  Currently the TBA board meets 1 hour per month, via teleconference. During the time periods of planning conferences and creating the annual Bison Journal magazine, there could be some duties that need to be performed in between monthly meetings. 
If you wish to extend your stay in Waco, there are plenty of fun things to do and see.  Beyond the world-famous Magnolia silos (plus bakery, coffee shop & restaurant), Waco offers the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum, Dr. Pepper Museum, Mammoth Park (see real mammoth bones), Cameron Park Zoo, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, river cruise, Fixer Upper tour, multiple area wineries, and several great restaurants located steps from the hotel. 
Learning and social events like this Spring Conference would not be possible without the partnership of our Sponsors. While you are at the conference, please take the time to thank them and learn more about their products and services.

 

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2022 TBA Spring Meeting

June 3 - 5, 2022 - Bandera, TX - Registration Now Open

The Texas Bison Association 2022 Spring Conference will be held in the “Cowboy Capital of the World”, Bandera, TX June 3rd – 5th.

Note: if you are registering multiple people, you need to add each one to your cart separately.

Registration is open for the Texas Bison Association Spring Conference taking place June 3-5 in Bandera, TX. The Friday Evening Social and Sunday Meeting are included in the $90 price. The Flying L has a Bar & Grill onsite so you can grab lunch at your own expense. Saturday evening you can join us at the Flying L BBQ Chuck Wagon Dinner & Show by contacting the Flying L at 830-796-7745 to purchase a $40 ticket. The BBQ Chuck Wagon Dinner & Show is open to the public, so we encourage you to contact the staff promptly as the event often sells out.

We are offering a block of rooms at a discounted rate at the Best Western in Bandera. Hotel rooms will range from $139-$149 based on King or Queen. To book your room at the Best Western and get the TBA discounted rate, use this reservation link or call 830-688-8081 and choose option “0”. It is very important that you choose the correct option so that you can speak with one of the local Best Western guest service agents -  https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.44767.html?groupId=N78HV3E3. If members would rather stay at the Flying L Ranch Resort, you can book a room at this link: https://flyingl.com/rooms/


Caprock Canyon Bison Bull - Auction

We are excited to announce that the TBA was able to obtain a young bull from the legendary Caprock Canyon herd and this bull will be a part of the annual fund-raising auction at our 2022 TBA Spring Conference. If you are in the market for a 2yr old bull, one that is a descendant of the famous Goodnight herd (now the official herd of Texas at Caprock Canyon), you will have a terrific opportunity to add legendary bloodline to your herd. Below are recent photos of this handsome boy. On January 27, 2022 the bull weighed 718 lbs.