Celebrating Women In Business Mid America Stock Yard Vol. 1 Issue 37

Mid America Stockyards

Mid America Stockyards is a predominant feature in the small town of Bristow. For 51 years the same family has been moving cattle every weekend. Helen Varner, the matriarch of the Varner family, explained her Father started the family business and “I’m the mama now” with help from her sons, daughters-in-law, and Grandchildren. Even the Great-grandchildren help, and all the Varner’s do their part to help everything run smoothly.

Helen Marie Varner

Mid America Stockyards

Helen told me that her husband Jerry and her family have always been supportive of what she wanted to do. Bumping heads at times, always working elbow to elbow to make decisions together, until Jerry’s passing in 2017. I asked how she balances it all, Helen says she could not do any of it by herself. It is family that really makes things work. From feeding cattle to book work and phones, the family does it all. Serving 5 generations of farmers and always just a phone call away to answer any questions. Helen says the struggle with cattle is that the prices fluctuate so much, in the last 40 years the market has had a lot of changes. Grain prices, the stock market not just supply, and demand play a factor play more now than ever. It used to be quite simple, supply, and demand. Now there are factors that the regular farmer never dreamed of. She says she loves her business because she meets the best people and is given the opportunity to help her community. Helping the schools with the yearbook, and the FFA and soccer field. She said they try to help everyone in our community.

Helen told me the most important lessons she has learned is to be honest, hold on to your values, treat people fair, and always hang in there and be tough. These core beliefs have taken Helen a long way in being successful in a man’s business. Helen joked you have you think like a man, act like a lady, look like a young lady and work like a horse. You must be on the level as the men in the business, know your stuff and act like a businesswoman. When I asked her what advice, she has for other women in business, she says you cannot take yourself too seriously.

Helen Varner is a truly remarkable Oklahoman woman in Business; she works every day doing what she loves with the people she loves.

BUSINESS HOURS: CATTLE FRIDAY 8AM-10PM, SATURDAY 9AM - LAST SALE HORSES SUNDAY 8AM-5PM, MONDAY 6:30 - LAST SALE ONCE A MONTH CAN BE REACHED BY PHONE 9AM-12PM DAILY