2011 Louisiana Cattle Festival Cattleman of the Year- Bryan Veazey

Bryan Veazey of Pecan Island is the 2011 Cattle Festival Cattleman of the Year.

Bryan is a lifelong rancher with his father, who at one time ran the largest herd on Pecan Island and the surrounding marshland.

Bryan started in the cattle business in 1969 at 18 years old when he purchased his first crossbred heifer.

By keeping his better heifers and purchasing a few females at a time he grew his interest in the herd up to 200 head.

He and his father Glen grazed cattle together using the pump-off land on both sides of the front ridge of Pecan Island from May to October and Mulberry Ridge on the Gulf of Mexico the rest of the year.

For years, their cattle drives back and forth from Mulberry were a highlight for cowboys in the area.

It remains a unique and efficient approach that only a few producers continue.

In 1981, Bryan started in the purebred Brahman business purchasing three heifers from Clyde Prejean. Over the years he grew his Brahman herd up to 37 head. Because of the constant threats of tropical storms and hurricanes and finally the storm surge of Hurricane Rita, Bryan and his father sold out of the commercial cattle business. Bryan maintained a few head of Purebred Brahmans and has since entered into the commercial side again. Currently he has 10 Brahman cows and 10 commercial crossbred cows.

Bryan has been a supporter of the cattle industry and beef youth projects. He was a board member of the Vermilion Parish Cattlemen’s Association for 25 years and served as president in 1990 and 1991.

He served on several LCA committees and represented the parish concerns at multiple state conventions. He and his family have hosted many Vermilion Cattlemen’s barbecues on Pecan Island helping to raise thousands of dollars for the Association. The Pecan Island barbecues were always the most popular. Bryan has sponsored the 4-H Livestock Show’s Brahman division for the past 10 years.

He has helped to shape programs for ranchers in the parish by serving as a member of the Extension Beef Advisory Committee. He has served on the Abbeville General Hospital Board, was a Pecan Island Volunteer Fireman and is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Pecan Island. He raised two children Jamie and David and has three grandchildren. It is quite fitting that Bryan Veazey be honored as Cattleman of the Year for the 2011 Louisiana Cattle Festival.

Bryan will be recognized at this year’s Cattle Festival in Oct. 13-15. He will be honored at the banquet on Oct. 13.