Claricy Rusk Recognized by Colorado CattleWomen

by Reggie Foster
Claricy Rusk, a dedicated rancher and community advocate, has been recognized as the Colorado CattleWomen Southeast Member of the Quarter. This honor highlights her unwavering commitment to agriculture, conservation, and the future of ranching in Colorado.
When asked about ranching as a way of life Claricy said, “It’s just what we do and it is not for everyone. It’s not all work, it’s a way of life. It is what we do”. Claricy and her husband Randy operated the Rusk Hereford Ranch and their ranching legacy continues with their son, Tate, and daughter-in-law, Wendy, spanning the legacy five generations. The Rusks are celebrated for their innovative conservation efforts, earning them the 2017 Southern Colorado Conservation Award. Claricy is an advocate for preserving our land. She said, “The thing we really are most proud of is the work we’ve done to preserve the land with conservation easements and protecting it from development. They are not making any more dirt.”
Beyond ranching, Claricy is an active member of the Custer County CattleWomen. She has contributed to various community initiatives, including reading to K-5 students while teaching them about the importance of agriculture in our community and on their plates. Claricy emphasized, “Many people don’t understand where their food comes from. The CattleWomen are trying to stress where food comes from and find a better way to present beef and ag and the work we do every day.” Another way Claricy educates our youth is in her support of county livestock clinics for 4-H and FFA members.
Her leadership within both Custer County CattleWomen and Colorado CattleWomen reflects her dedication to promoting service to community and the values of both local and statewide agriculture. When asked about the good and bad of the ranching life she said, “In ranching I like that no two days are the same. I hate working in the wind. You can find something every day that irritates you but if you look you will find 900 things that make you smile.” The worst thing according to Rusk, “the entities that are trying to take Ag down. The biggest irritant is fighting new rules and regulations when you are just trying to feed people. What is going to happen when all the water goes to municipalities and when the wolves are eating our calves.”

Claricy shares a love of both hunting and fishing with her husband Randy. She says, “Just take me outdoors.” If she’s not in the woods or on the water she may be on the bleachers, cheering on her grandson Grant Rusk in Bobcat football, basketball and track. Or she may be under the CattleWomen tent selling Sloppy Joe’s, burgers or beef burritos to benefit local causes. Claricy has donated countless pounds of beef from her ranch for both local fundraisers and to create awareness of the beef industry. If you have ever enjoyed one of the CattleWomen’s burritos on an early County Fair morning, then you have tasted the importance of the Rusk’s life work in the beef industry.
The Colorado CattleWomen Southeast Quarter Member Spotlight is awarded to the women in Colorado who demonstrate exceptional leadership and advocacy in the cattle industry. Claricy’s selection is a small nod to her decades of hard work and passion for preserving Custer County’s ranching heritage. Claricy’s contributions continue to inspire, educate and preserve our community.