Glendenning J Bar J Ranch Named 2021 NALF Commercial Marketing Booster Of The Year

Members of the Glendenning family gathered after Glendenning J Bar J Ranch of Lebanon, MO, was named 2021 NALF Commercial Marketing Booster Of The Year.

From the first duo of Jack and Jane, to the current gang of boys under the age of three that wander the land, four generations of the Glendenning family have called J Bar J Ranch home. Jack D. Glendenning, Jack and Jane’s son, is the second generation to run the operation. While Herefords and Angus were the first breeds on the ranch, Jack D. said he and his father became hooked on the Limousin breed in 1984 after the purchase of their first fullblood bull.

Jack D. and his wife Vicky were both raised in the Lebanon area, graduating from Lebanon High School. They enjoyed exhibiting at the Laclede County Fair and the Ozark Empire Fair. Jack attended CMSU in Warrensburg, Missouri, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science as well as a master’s degree. Vicky attended Draughon Business College in Springfield, Missouri. They were married in 1991 and lived in Warrensburg before returning to Lebanon. Jack sold Morman Feeds and began developing a herd of Limousin cattle on the family farm. For a time, Jack also managed C&S Limousin for Chris and Sally Tegmeyer near Lebanon. In 1994, Jack D. and Vicky began helping Jack’s parents at the Riverfront Campground near Bennett Spring State Park. In 2003, the Glendenning family purchased the Sand Spring Resort, a retreat location offering fishing, canoeing, floating and more.

Nowadays, with the help of their children and young grandchildren, Jack and Vicky run registered and commercial Limousin and Red Angus cow-calf pairs. As J Bar J Ranch became more involved in the breed, Jack had the opportunity to watch his children grow up as a part of the cattle industry. From an early age, all three of their children, Josh, Jace and Jayme, expressed an eagerness to be involved in the breed. “I didn’t make them do any of it,” Jack says. “They love the cattle business.”

From working on the operation as they grew up to showing livestock at county fairs, all three of the Glendenning siblings were involved in the ranch until they reached college. Even after college, and all three finding their own careers and starting their own families, the kids continue to stay as involved with the ranch as possible. Josh runs the AI program and Jace helps with the farming whenever he can. Jayme, who was recently married, has relocated out of state for the time being, but there is a good chance she will be back some day.

While Jack enjoys the time spent alongside his children, it’s the fourth generation of the family that really steals the show. “I wanted our boys to be involved in the ranch, and my dad has gone out of his way to keep them involved,” Josh said. “It reminds me of my grandpa and me when I was little.”

Given his years of involvement it is no surprise Jack D. found a desire to serve the Limousin breed on a broader level. Jack served on the NALF Board of Directors for two terms and has served on the Missouri Limousin Breeders Association board for several terms. Additionally, he has been involved in the Heart of Missouri Limousin Association for going on 30 years. In recognition of their service, Jack D. and Vicky were inducted into the MLBA “Hall of Fame” in May of 2020. The ceremony took place as part of the MLBA annual meeting, banquet and benefit auction held at their very own Sand Spring Resort.

Several years back Jack was able to find a unique opportunity to help his cattle enterprise while simultaneously creating a new avenue to promote high-quality beef to consumers. While Sand Spring Resort is its own unique entity, Jack said it’s the sports bar, the Gravel Bar and Grill, that allows him the opportunity to showcase and utilize J Bar J Ranch genetics. When Jack and Vicky first took over the restaurant it was buffet style and not doing well financially. In time, Josh, Jace and Jayme managed to convince Jack and Vicky to turn the place into a sports bar. The real selling point was the idea of using beef from the ranch to create renowned burgers sourced at a local level for guests. At present, the restaurant goes through roughly 15 to 20 head each year for the burgers alone. 

With separate entities, often the lines blur between Jack and Vicky’s “day job”—Sand Spring Resort— and their cattle operation. Not only is their beef served at the restaurant, many Limousin meetings and sales have taken place on the Sand Spring property. At the end of the day, Jack said the restaurant has served as an additional outlet for his true passion—the cattle business.

While challenges come and go, Jack will continue to call the livestock industry home. If Jack is ever tempted to do something with a little less stress or a shorter time commitment, all it takes is an excited look from his grandchildren to remind him why this tradition stands the test of time for his family.