2026 Cattlemen’s Congress is officially in the books. The dust has settled in Oklahoma City, the banners have been handed out, and the barns at State Fair Park are quiet once again after eleven unforgettable days of cattle, competition, and camaraderie.

For many years now, Cattlemen’s Congress has cemented itself as one of the most competitive winter cattle shows in the United States. What began as an industry pivot in 2021 has grown into a can’t-miss event for serious breeders across multiple cattle breeds — and the Brahman show continues to draw some of the most competitive classes of the season.

Let’s dive into what happened at Cattlemen’s Congress 2026, including some banner-worthy and bucket-list moments for us at V8 Ranch.

What is Cattlemen’s Congress?

Cattlemen’s Congress is a multi-breed cattle exhibition held each January in Oklahoma City at State Fair Park. Since its launch in 2021, it has quickly grown into one of the largest and most competitive cattle shows in the country.

The event features junior and open shows across numerous beef breeds, educational events, breed meetings, industry gatherings, and national-level competition that draws exhibitors from across the United States. For Brahman breeders in particular, it has become one of the most important winter stops on the calendar. Since American Brahman are a warm-weather breed, it’s rare that those up north get exposure to these fine animals and their many benefits. 

What started as an emergency pivot became one of the best events of the year. In the throes of the COVID pandemic, the innovative brains behind the Cattlemen’s Congress assembled a world-class event by, for, and about cattlemen. The first year delivered a blockbuster event with over 10,000 animals, 2,700 exhibitors, and thousands of attendees — a testament to what we can do together when we put our hearts into it. 

How is Cattlemen’s Congress different from other exhibitor shows?

Each major livestock show has its own personality. What makes Cattlemen’s Congress unique is its balance of intensity and accessibility. The underlying spirit of Cattlemen’s Congress is pride: pride in the industry, the cattle, and the people in it. 

The competition is deep. Classes are large. The exhibitors are serious. Yet the atmosphere remains welcoming and relationship-driven. It feels competitive without feeling cutthroat.

Cattlemen’s Congress is also one of the few events where Brahman and Brahman-influenced cattle are shown alongside other cattle breeds. 

This allows other cattle breeders to interact with Brahman cattle, many of whom have never seen one in person. 

Cattlemen’s Congress provides an opportunity to introduce cattle producers to the many benefits of crossbreeding their animals with Brahman. For example, Herefords are prized for their beef qualities, maternal instincts, and calm disposition, but their thick coats make them poorly suited to heat and insects. Crossbreeding Hereford with American Brahman addresses those weaknesses, producing a hybrid that carries the Hereford’s carcass quality alongside the Brahman’s great heat tolerance and pest resistance.

Another standout feature of Cattlemen’s Congress is the show’s community engagement. For example, in 2025, events like the Gathering of the Gals created meaningful opportunities for women in agriculture to connect outside the ring. These experiences add depth to the week, building its reputation as a place where elite cattle meet genuine community—a rare combination.

How are winners chosen at Cattlemen’s Congress?

Think of it like March Madness, but with Bovine Brackets:

First, there is an elimination-style round. Each breed is evaluated within its own category first (i.e., Brahman bulls). Then, the cattle cycle through class winners (i.e., similar age), division champions (i.e., all 1st- and 2nd-place class winners in a category), and finally rise to Grand and Reserve Grand at the breed level.

The final stage of competition at Cattlemen’s Congress is the American Supreme Champion Drive, where the Grand Champions from every American breed of cattle return to the ring to compete against one another for the ultimate title of the show: American Supreme Champion.

Who were the big winners at the 2026 Cattlemen’s Congress?

Across breeds, the quality of cattle in Oklahoma City is always exceptional, and 2026 was no different. We’re excited to share that several V8-branded animals made their way to the winners’ circle this year, and we’re celebrating alongside our partners and friends. 

BRAHMAN HIGHLIGHTS

In addition, the American Brahman open show featured strong division results:

SHORTHORN HIGHLIGHTS

With V8 getting back into the Shorthorn cattle game in 2024, every show we attend delivers the opportunity to not only add more ribbons to our wall of champions but also create learning lessons for the littlest ranchers on our team.

Our very own Knox Neumayr stepped into the ring once again during Shorthorn Cattle Week. Both of his heifers (Margie and Bill Jr.) held their own in competitive classes and found their way to banners, continuing the momentum that began with his first Cattlemen’s Congress appearance in 2025.

AMERICAN SUPREME CHAMPION DRIVE

After 80+ years in the industry, we never take seeing V8 in the winners’ circle for granted. And in 2026, we were honored so many V8-branded animals made it to the American Supreme Championship lineup.

All three grey Brahmans advancing to the American Supreme Champion drives carried the V8 prefix. And on the junior side, Miss V8 948/9, shown by Quinn Padgett, was ultimately crowned Reserve American Supreme Champion in 2026. 

Is Cattlemen’s Congress a good show for juniors?

Cattlemen’s Congress is one of the best shows for junior exhibitors — and not just because of the competition. Set in Oklahoma City, it’s easy to navigate both inside and outside the showgrounds. There’s no red tape around parking or entry badges, which, if you have children, means fewer meltdowns about standing around waiting. 

Cattlemen’s Congress also offers scholarships and programming beyond the ring, including public speaking and sales talks, giving youngsters the opportunity to develop skills that will help them in the future.

Plus, because it’s the only event at the showgrounds that week, kids can move around safely on their own — something that used to be a given at cattle shows but increasingly isn’t. 

Cattlemen’s Congress is a masterclass in the business of agriculture, allowing young exhibitors to watch the biggest operations in the country compete at the highest level, all in one place. For a junior who is serious about cattle, there’s no better room to be in.

More Than a Cattle Show: Family Fun in Oklahoma City

One of the things that makes Cattlemen’s Congress such a memorable trip for our family is that Oklahoma City offers plenty to enjoy outside the ring, too. After long days in the barns, it was fun to carve out time for a few Oklahoma City adventures with the kids.

This year, one of the highlights was taking the crew to iFLY, where they geared up and got a taste of indoor skydiving. Between the flight suits, helmets, and big smiles, it quickly became one of those memory-making moments that had everyone talking long after we left.

We also spent some time exploring another side of Oklahoma culture with a stop at the National Cowboy Museum. From western exhibits to interactive displays, the museum was a fun change of pace and a great way to experience a little more of what makes Oklahoma City special.

Trips like Cattlemen’s Congress are always about more than banners and backdrops. They’re about time together, new experiences, and giving the next generation memories tied to this industry and the places it takes us. Oklahoma City gave us plenty of all three this year.

2026 Cattlemen’s Congress Reflections

The V8 Ranch family is used to being on the road. From overseas cattle-judging trips to shooting destination weddings back in our photography days, living out of a suitcase doesn’t faze us… but eleven days is a lot.

For Cattlemen’s Congress, we come for the beef Shorthorn show and stay through the Brahman event, which means nearly two weeks away from our routine. Yet life doesn’t stop.

Knox still had school, so most mornings our homeschooling sessions took place in the hotel lobby. V8’s business operations continued from the comfort of our laptops and cell phones. And after two years of Cattlemen’s Congress, we’re proud to say that the hotel laundry situation has officially been mastered.

This year, Catherine even managed to sneak in an interview with the Oklahoma Farm Report on the road, all about Brahman cows, our breeding program, and, of course, Cattlemen’s Congress.

Despite the long days and packed schedule, Cattlemen’s Congress continues to be one of our favorite agriculture events of the year. The competition, fellowship, and level of cattle on display are hard to match — and the event producers continue to raise the stakes year after year.

We can’t wait to see you in Oklahoma City in January 2027!