First Baptist Church celebrates 125 years in Dalhart

 August 25 marks 125^th anniversary 

 By Sandy Reynolds
Special to the Dalhart Texan

 (Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series about the 125th anniversary of the First Baptist Church and its history in Dalhart.)

AgriLife Extension economist: Cattle prices haven’t hit the ceiling yet

By Kay Ledbetter
Texas AgriLife

Cattle prices still have room to go up, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

With smaller supplies of cattle on hand and good demand for beef continuing, prices could hold and go higher yet, said David Anderson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension livestock marketing economist and professor, Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, who spoke at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course.

Josey Dunavan crowned 2026 XIT Rodeo Queen

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

Josey Dunavan, a 15-year-old from Clayton, New Mexico, was crowned the 2026 XIT Rodeo Queen a little after 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 8 in the arena, about an hour before the start of the final night of the XIT rodeo.

Josey will spend the next year representing XIT along with the XIT directors at different events around Texas and in other parts of the country.

Josey was thrilled to win the crown. “I was real excited,” she said. “I’ve wanted this, so it’s really exciting.”

90th XIT Rodeo & Reunion in the books

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

The 90th Annual XIT Rodeo & Reunion ended Saturday night, August 8 with the final night of the rodeo and the dance afterwards. With the third round of rodeo events complete, the results of the PRCA rodeo are available. (The results of non-PRCA events, barrel racing, breakaway roping and ranch bronc roping, were not listed on the PRCA website.)

Before the main rodeo, a separate team roping event was held on Sunday August 2.

Texas forest industry remains steady with large economic, ecological impact

By Sarah Fuller
Texas AgriLife

The Texas forest industry continues on a steady trajectory thanks to ongoing demand for new housing and construction, as well as other manufacturing sectors that rely on renewable wood fibers, said a Texas A&M Forest Service expert.

90^th XIT Rodeo & Reunion underway

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 The 90^th XIT Rodeo & Reunion officially started on Saturday August 1 with the junior rodeo for kids 18 and under. 

Mutton bustin’, which involves the youngest kids riding sheep, was held first in the arena. Henley Hinojos was the champion for the girls, and Carson Lyons was the champion for the boys.

XIT Museum hosts Branding, BBQ street party

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 The XIT Museum has been open for over 50 years now, and while it has expanded a great deal over the years on the inside, there has been one exhibit that could be viewed anytime, the wall of brands burned into planks of wood that is located next to the door of the museum. The museum has now added a second wall of brands on Denrock Avenue next to a back door of the museum, and held a branding and BBQ party on Saturday August 1 to give families a chance to burn their brands into the new wall.

Cotton prices rally as Texas growing conditions turn mixed

By Karn Dhingra
Texas AgriLife

After two years of low prices, cotton prices rallied — though Texas growers’ fortunes still depend heavily on where they farm, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Exten- sion Service expert. 

John Robinson, Ph.D., an AgriLife Extension economist- cotton and professor in the Texas A&M De- partment of Agricul- tural Economics, said conditions form “a definitely mixed bag” depending on location. 

He said conditions for cotton across the state match a Drought Monitor map that shows distinct lines between dry, mod- erate-drought and drought-free areas.

XIT Melodrama coming to La Rita next week

A longtime tradition of XIT weekend is that a melodrama is per- formed at the La Rita Theatre. This year that melodrama is “The Girl in the Tutu, or the Villain Kept Her on Her Toes.” It will be performed at 7 p.m. on Thursday August 6 and Friday August 7, with a matinee on Saturday August 8 at 2 p.m. to give those at- tending time to make it to the World’s Larg- est Free BBQ.

XIT starts Saturday with junior rodeo

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

The 90th Annual XIT Rodeo & Reunion starts this Saturday, August 1 with the junior rodeo. Rodeo stars under the age of 18 will have a chance to show off their skills during the annual event. 

The junior rodeo includes two different age groups. The young- est kids compete in a stick-pony rodeo on the grass just north of the actual arena. The events include pole bending, barrel racing, and removing a ribbon from a goat’s tail. This age group will also start off the rodeo with mutton bustin’ in the arena, riding a sheep as long as possible.

WT releases May 2026 graduate list
15 local students receive degrees

 By Chip Chandler
Special to the Dalhart Texan

 CANYON, Texas — The final tally is 1,220 graduates for West Texas A&M University’s Class of May 2026. 

Overall, the University awarded 927 baccalaureate degrees, 279 master’s degrees and 14 doctoral degrees to spring graduates at the May 15 and 16 commencement ceremonies, following procedural confirmation from the University’s seven deans.

Wellington State Bank celebrates 120 years

 Left: The employees of Wellington State Bank in Dalhart gather for a photo during the 120th anniversary celebration. Back row l-r: Zach Bickel, Bianca Cervantes, Shayla Hornof, Diamond Lillie, Gracie Spinar and Jeff Lloyd. Front row l-r: Tessa Bradford and Camila Anguiano. Not pictured are Kristi Bradley and Jay Oznick. Photo submitted.

Hartley ISD receives cooler, grant from Dairy MAX

 “Fueled by Farmers,” a Dairy MAX program supporting local schools and student-athletes with milk cooler grants, installed a custom-branded, glass-front refrigerator at Hartley High School a couple of weeks ago, on Wednesday July 8. Hartley also received a $2,500 chocolate milk grant from the program.

Pasture mealybug raises alarm for livestock producers

By Adam Russell
Texas AgriLife

As Texas producers come to grips with the threat of New World screwworm, another new invasive pest — pasture mealybug — is casting a growing shadow over the state’s forage and livestock industries, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

The pasture mealybug continues to spread rapidly across Texas, threatening pastures, hayfields and forage resources that underpin the state’s $15.5 billion cattle industry as well as the state’s other pasture-based livestock industries.

DHS student council holds leadership camp

Members of the Dalhart High student council, along with sponsor Laura Amaya, hosted a one-day leadershipcamp for junior high students on Tuesday July 7 at Frank Phillips College, teaching the junior high studentsabout some of the different functions of the student council and leadership in general. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan

Joie Read named TGCAAll-Star

Dalhart High seniorJoie Read received anumber of accoladesafter the basketballseason ended duringher junior year a fewmonths ago. She wasnamed District 1-3ACo-Offensive Playerof the Year, and wasnamed to the Class 3ARegion I All-Regionteam by the Texas As-sociation of BasketballCoaches.

Most importantly,she was named All-State by the TexasGirls Coaches Asso-ciation (TGCA), andwill also be the firstDalhart player to playin the TGCA Class 1A-4A All-Star basketballgame as she competesfor the red team tomor-row night, Friday July17 at Arlington High School. Read is oneof only 24 incomingseniors from across thestate who attend Class1A-4A schools to bechosen for the game,with 12 on the red teamand 12 on the blueteam.

Hilmar celebrates America’s 250^th Anniversary by being good neighbor

Donates cheese to Good Samaritan, other organizations to support food security

 HILMAR, Calif. July 1-Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., a global leader in dairy products and ingredients, is honoring America’s 250th anniversary by living its purpose of Improving Lives Together with more than 7,500 pounds of cheese donations to food banks and community organizations in California, Texas, and Kansas. This effort supports food security and expands access to high-quality protein for families facing food insecurity.

90^th XIT Rodeo & Reunion Plaster Day

2025 XIT Rodeo Queen Ellie Clift, along with 2026 queen candidates Josey Dunavan and Journey Melear, stopped by the Dalhart Texan office on Wednesday July 1 during Plaster Day as they helped the XIT Directors plaster the city with XIT posters. This year is the 90th XIT Rodeo & Reunion. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan 

Dalhart’s 250^th American Independence celebration

Top: The Dalhart Rotary Club placed flags around town on July 4, and also put up 250 flags at Rita Blanca Lake for the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan

 

WT President announces retirement

By Chip Chandler Special to the Dalhart Texan

CANYON, Texas — After a decade of innovative leadership and service to West Texas A&M University, President Walter V. Wendler has announced his retirement, effective Sept. 1. 

That comes 10 years to the day after he was appointed to the presidency at WT, where he would go on to be tied for the third-longestserving president in University history. 

“Universities earn confidence the right way, through clarity of mission, responsible stewardship and service to the public good,” Wendler said. “I am grateful to the faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners who make WT what it is: The Panhandle’s University. WT’s future is bright thanks to the character of its people and the strength of its purpose.”