Cattle producers from Wyoming and across the U.S. are beefed up about getting their New York strip steak and ribeye on the judges’ table during the Fourth Annual Rendezvous City Beef Roundup in Riverton, Wyo., Saturday, Aug. 26, a competition that’s all about the beef. It brings beef producers and consumers together to celebrate beef and educate the public on sustainability of beef production. Originally launched for Wyoming beef producers, the popularity and growing interest from producers in other states propelled founder/rancher Tyler McCann to create a separate beef voting division and open it up to beef producers in all states.

It’s a day-long beef festival open to the public on the grounds of Central Wyoming College in Riverton to build awareness and consumer access to local beef, offering seminars for consumers about preparation in pairing and meat tastings. Producers can attend sessions about newest industry practices to improve marketing for direct-to-consumer beef businesses. Concerts are also scheduled.

Limited VIP tickets (85) are sold for the evening dinner which help support scholarships for the agriculture program at Central Wyoming College.  

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A chef cooks all the meat entries, so that there’s an even chance for all producers to have their submitted New York sirloin and ribeye judged. 

“Oh my goodness; the producers are all so thankful that we got this beef competition going, because they didn’t think they could get the same idea to take place in the state. When we first started, every producer said ‘ours is the best beef,’ and we wanted to have a competition to vote and have someone win the best beef. We always wanted to keep Wyoming the star of the show, but the second year we opened it up to border states,” McCann said.

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TWO DIVISIONS

So, the competition offers two divisions: The Wyoming division is sub-titled Best of Wyoming. The other division titled Best of the West, is open to all other states. Colorado beef producers won that open division the first two years it opened up. That division winner last year (2022) was Kain Meats (http://www.kainmeats.com) in business over 10 years selling grass-fed and barley-finished beef direct to consumers. Winning the competition was exhilarating for owners Mindy and Mark Kain.

“We just stumbled across the beef competition. I saw the post on Facebook. We took a chance because it sounded really fun. We were right; it was really fun,” said Mindy Kain. First prize was a sparkling belt buckle with Best Beef in the West emblazoned, and on special occasions, her husband wears it.

“The idea is to get a second belt buckle so I can wear one, too,” Kain said. “We’re getting to know others in the industry. So, the camaraderie has been really fun, and a little bit of friendly competition never hurts either.” The Kains, first-generation husband and wife ranchers, raise Corriente beef and feed out steers after riders rope them out. The beef is 90% lean and has a tremendous amount of tenderness and flavor, Mindy said.

In 2021, Mountain View Meats in Fort Collins, Colo., won Best Beef in the West. 

SEVERAL STATES INVOLVED

Eager to taste a cut of the action, contestants have entered the beef competition from as far east as New York and New Jersey, south to Florida and Texas, and northward to North Dakota, and from Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington in addition to Wyoming.

The name of the chef cooking the beef for Best of Wyoming is being kept a surprise. The chef cooking for the second beef division is Chef Mike Chingman of Shoshone Rose Casino and Hotel located near Ethete, Wyo.

Judges will be local media celebrities. 

Organizers will accept as many Best Beef in the West (non-Wyoming states) until the event. Slots are filling up fast for Wyoming producers.

Kain said producers can attend in person or they can mail their beef. 

Although only the New York strip steak and ribeye are judged, the Kains and others also brought sirloin steaks and ground beef in a cooler, which organizers serve with other beef as samples to visitors.

After winning Best of Wyoming in 2022, that honor means Nicole and Jack Geis of Greybull, Wyo., (http://www.flyingemeats.com) get to take on all other states this year in that second division.

“We feel privileged to be representing the state of Wyoming at the beef round up. We are ready to bring home the Best of the West buckle and put it up with the Best of Wyoming buckle. We always have fun as a family and thank the Lord for the courage to push on,” Nicole Geis said.

The Geis family are first generation ranchers and raise Black Angus grass mix cattle. They raise and finish lambs and beef locally, and outsource pork and buffalo.

“It’s an honor to have Wyoming leading the way, and to take this little idea that I spoke with friends about one day, which my wife encouraged me to pursue,” said McCann, who along with wife Angela and daughters; Annabella 8 years old, and Ariana 6 sell pasture raised, grain finished F-1 Black Angus, Red Angus and Hereford Cross beef: (Wyoming Cowboy Cuts) in Pavillion, Wyo.

The Outdoor TV Channel has a new show called “Ranch America” featuring McCann’s Cowboy Cuts brand, and he wants to help connect the network to other producers in the Rendezvous City Beef Round-up. 

“It truly is about the beef,” Kain said. “We’re not cooking it differently, the chef cooks it. We just do what we can to raise beef well, and have an amazing product.”

THE EVENT

Rendezvous City Round-Up’general admission tickets cost $20 per person (with a $5 food voucher) and $35 for families (with a $10 food voucher). Vouchers can be picked up at the admissions table on the day of the event.

For the full day experience, a VIP ticket costs $125 (which includes a $10 food voucher for lunch and general admission). 

For more information and to participate, go to Rendezvouscitybeefroundup.com (more details are coming soon).

Follow the event on Facebook @beefroundup or on Instagram @rendezvous_city_beef_roundup.