Riders in the 2006 Houston Mull Memorial Cattle Drive near Malta Bend are silhouetted against a leaden sky. (Democrat-News file photo) [Click to enlarge]

The fourth annual Houston Mull FFA Memorial Scholarship Cattle Drive will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Brenda and Robin Mull Farm near Malta Bend.

This year's drive will include several special events, including an opportunity to donate to Marshall's Fitzgibbon Hospital Cancer Center campaign, an auction for a flag which flew over the embassy in Iraq, as well as an extended cattle drive, which will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

The drive and scholarship was started in honor of the Mull's son Houston, who died in a vehicle accident in 2004, following his freshman year in high school.

In 2007, which would have been Houston's graduating year, 21 students from Marshall, Malta Bend, Sweet Springs, Slater and Santa Fe High Schools received $13,000 in scholarships from the fund.

Since it's inception, over $20,000 has been awarded to area students.

One of this year's additions will be an "extended drive," which will kick off the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 31 when nationally known horse trainer Rick Wheat "will show riders the ropes."

Then after a supper on the Mull farm on Wednesday evening, riders will start at the Marshall Junction area where they will trail approximately 50 longhorn steers about 20 miles, eating along the trail and camping on Thursday night, before finishing Friday afternoon at the Mull Farm.

On Friday evening, a cook-off will be held at the farm. Categories include desserts, soup/stew, meat/fish and vegetable casseroles.

The rules for the event, which was popular last year, are that you can bring it with you or cook it at the farm, "just have it ready by 7 p.m."

An even larger crowd is expected for the traditional trail ride, which will kick off at 9 a.m. at the Mull farm with an authentic chuck wagon breakfast sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health.

The riders and wagons will trail approximately 100 longhorn steers for 12 miles, stopping along the way for lunch.

On Saturday evening, everyone is invited to a steak fry, live music and a benefit auction, which will begin at approximately 6 p.m.

Trent Loos, national farm activist and radio personality, who helped organize the first drive just four months after Houston's death, will again be taking part along with his family.

Loos, whose sister and mother have suffered from breast cancer, will be leading the drive on his "pink" mule in honor of breast cancer awareness.

Participants will have a chance to have their picture taken on the mule for a donation to cancer research and will be entered into a drawing for a pink quilt that was created to honor survivors and victims.

The proceeds will be donated to the Fitzgibbon Hospital Cancer Center campaign.

Loos and other riders will carry a United States Flag that flew over the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, in early October.

Captain Daniel Swanson, who in second tour of duty in Iraq, donated the flag. The flag will be auctioned off on Saturday evening, with the proceeds being split between the Cancer Center campaign and the scholarship fund.

The buyer of the flag will be getting a documented certificate, along with the flag, according to Robin Mull.

Other items to be auctioned off at the Saturday night gathering include a pick from the Mull's "longhorn" cattle herd with half of the money going towards the scholarship and the other half going towards the Fitzgibbon Cancer Center campaign.

"Brenda and I think a lot of the project," he said, which is why they wanted to offer a chance for people who may be interested in donating to the project.

After mentioning the idea to Loos, Mull said he jumped on board with the "pink mule" idea.

Over 250 people participated in last year's cattle drive, and Mull said weather permitting, a larger crowd is expected this year.

The entry fee for the Saturday drive is $25 per person or $100 for a family of six, which includes breakfast, lunch and steak dinner. The extended drive is $375 per person.

Camping is available at the farm. Generators are allowed, although they may be set away from the other campers.

For more information you can visit www.FacesofAg.com or call Robin Mull at (660) 229-0060 or Trent Loos at (515) 418-8185.

Contact Marcia Gorrell at

marshallag@socket.net