A Lifetime of Service —An Interview with Glenda Rickman by Kathryn Ingram
We have a strong Tennessee Hereford Association because of our members who are willing to work hard and go the extra mile. Glenda Rickman has been going the extra mile for Hereford breeders in Tennessee and across the nation for many years. She is always quick with a smile and an offer to help. Her dedication and work ethic have inspired myself and others to do our part for the Tennessee Hereford Association. If you have been around Glenda, I am sure you have noticed that she is never still. This lady is always working and moving. When asked if there was a person or event that instilled her work ethic she replied “Apparently my parents had a great impact on me as a child. I have followed in their footsteps and have raised my five children in the same way I was raised. We worked hard as children, and my children have worked hard in the day-to-day operation of Rickman Farms.” Glenda was introduced to agriculture and farming through her parents, Terry and Pauline Jamerson Hair. The Hair Family Farm produced row crops and beef cattle to support the family. The farm has been in Glenda’s family since 1836. She and her siblings, Wahnell and Vernon were the fifth generation to grow up on the farm near Leapwood, Tennessee in McNairy County. Her earliest memory of cattle was not a pleasant one. When she was around five years old, she watched a Hereford cow knock her mother down in the pasture with her horns. This event was the catalyst for her father to start looking for a Polled Hereford bull. This was not an easy task, as there were not many Polled Herefords in the southeast at that time. Glenda and her husband Gene purchased a 500-acre farm in 1962. The couple realized that the farm was better suited to raising beef cattle than row crops. After extensive fencing and water projects were completed, the Rickman’s made their first acquisition of Polled Hereford cattle. In 1963 they purchased six registered Polled Hereford bred heifers. Their registered herd soon doubled as all six of those heifers had heifer calves! They continued to buy a few registered animals, but their goal was to build a herd with genetics bred by Rickman Farms. Tennessee Hereford Newsletter • Spring 2021 • 10
In 1963, the Rickman children began exhibiting cattle at local shows. Soon, they were participating in events with the Tennessee Polled Hereford Association (TPHA). Your children’s interests drive your interests and Glenda discovered a passion for Hereford cattle and Hereford breeders while helping her children with their show heifers. Glenda helped organize the Tennessee Junior Polled Hereford Association (TJPHA). The guidelines for the association and officers were determined at a TPHA Field Day at Bedford Farms in 1972. She still remembers the inaugural slate of officers for the TJPHA. David Parker was elected President, Randy Rickman Vice-President, and Margaret Stone Secretary-Treasurer; Marsha Clark was the 1st Tennessee Queen, Jane Rickman and Molly Mitchell were Princesses; R.B. and Rubye Jarrell, James and Helen Mitchell and Gene and Glenda Rickman were the advisors. Glenda served as a TJPHA advisor from 1972 to 1985 and continues to support our youth today. She joined the Tennessee Poll-Ettes to help support their mission to assist with youth programs and the promotion of the Polled Hereford breed. She served her first term as President of the Tennessee Poll-Ettes in 1972. Her roles in the TJPHA and Poll-Ettes allowed her to be part of the planning committee when Tennessee hosted the first Junior National Polled Hereford Show in 1974. She remembers that Randy, Lisa, and Steve all exhibited heifers that made the top cut of their classes at that show. The Rickman family continued to have success in the national spotlight. Her son Randy was elected as the 1st President of the National Junior Polled Hereford Association in 1974. Lisa had great success with her show heifer in 1975, winning a class at the Junior National in Omaha, Nebraska, and being named Reserve Grand Champion at the Dixie National Livestock Show. Steve continued the family tradition by placing first in the three-member judging team competition at the 1985 Junior National Polled Hereford Show. Rickman Farms continued to breed high-quality cattle that would work on the farm and produce show animals for the family. The Rickman’s had three production sales. The first sale was in 1981, where the high selling lot was
