We’re excited to welcome Cooper Hibbard to Malta this August for a full-day Cold Season Grazing Clinic focused on practical, adaptable strategies for winter grazing in the Northern Great Plains. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a mix of classroom-style lecture and hands-on, on-the-ground learning.
Cooper is the 5th generation to manage his family’s Sieben Live Stock Co. near Cascade, MT, where he serves as President and COO. After studying Agricultural Business, Rangeland Resources, and Spanish at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, he spent four years working on ranches across the globe. His ranching philosophy is grounded in intentional management — balancing genetics, grazing, and infrastructure to move the needle toward long-term resilience.
This clinic will be a deep dive into:
- Key principles of grazing management
- Methods to implement on your operation
- Genetic selection for range-functional cattle
- Developing an “eye for grass” to assess volume and plan accordingly
Whether you’re a seasoned manager or just starting out, this event is designed to give you tools you can take home and apply.
Please note: this is an in-person-only event. The Cold Season Grazing Clinic will be a two-part day, starting with a morning classroom session at the Tin Cup Bar and Grill in Malta. In the afternoon, we’ll head out to a local ranch for a hands-on look at grass conditions and management strategies. It’s a unique opportunity to learn directly from rancher Cooper Hibbard in both a classroom and field setting.
For the ranch visit, plan for a likely warm day and come prepared to be outside. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for navigating the prairie terrain, and a little sunscreen or bug spray likely won’t hurt. We will carpool as much as possible and you will need a vehicle with 4 wheel drive, no cars please.
Looking ahead: Participants in this Malta workshop will be eligible for an exclusive Winter Grazing Workshop at Cooper’s ranch outside Cascade in early 2026. Details to come!
Bonus Opportunities:
→ Join us virtually on August 11 for our Ranch Stewards Book Club, where we’ll discuss a book Cooper selected. Sign up here
→ Can’t make Malta? Catch similar events with Cooper in Hilger (Aug. 22) and Winnett (Aug. 23) through our friends at STA and Winnett ACES. For either of these events, you can register here. (Registration for Malta event is done through the “Register Now” button at the top of this page.)
Let’s talk winter grazing — and how to make it work for your goals.
