WHAT’S IN A NAME? John L. Kuykendall Events Center and Arena
LEFT: A high school picture of John L. Kuykendall showing off a steer. RIGHT: John L. Kuykendall at his family ranch in Cherokee. Photos courtesy of Jeff Kuykendall
The John L. Kuykendall Events Center and Arena in Llano, which hosts rodeos, livestock shows, and monster truck rallies — just a few events on its extensive calendar — is named for the man who mentored generations of young Texans through 4-H, FFA, and junior livestock programs. John L. Kuykendall was the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent in Llano County for 29 years but is recognized by his family and the community for so much more.
“He wasn’t a politician, he wasn’t a person who went out seeking notoriety,” said John’s son, Jeff Kuykendall. “My dad was a good guy and a hard worker, and people saw that. They knew he was genuine and that he would help people. I’ve got big shoes to fill to live up to what he did as a man.”
John L. Kuykendall (Kirken-DALL) was born in 1940 in Temple and raised on his family’s ranch in Cherokee, which has been a functioning Hereford cattle ranch since 1878. He died in 2012, but the way he lived and worked left a strong mark on countless people over his 72 years.
In talking about his father, Jeff rattled off references to the Llano-area livestock judging teams John mentored that won state championships and competed nationally. Several young judges, including himself, went on to compete in college. Among John’s other proteges was Jamie Osbourn, who was a Llano County AgriLife Extension agent for 17 years.
“He had an influence on a lot of us,” Osbourn said. “He was just a good person who did things the right way. It’s kind of easy to look up to someone like that. There’s so many people who live here in Llano County who went through his 4-H program.”
Taylor Osbourn, Jamie’s son, is the current extension agent for Llano County. John had already retired by the time Taylor was in 4-H, but Taylor recognized the impact the man had on the local agricultural community.
“What I remember about him most was how relatable he was, how nice he was, and how willing he was to help anyone,” Taylor said. “John was a mainstay in Llano County and a vital source of information for ranchers and farmers.”
As an extension agent, John was the bridge between agricultural research findings at Texas A&M University and the practical application of those findings for folks in Llano County. He was also responsible for the county’s 4-H program, which meant he had a strong influence on multiple generations of young livestock judges and farmers.
The entire Kuykendall clan is known for raising and judging steers, and for being Aggies. John was a 1965 graduate of A&M, which son Jeff and grandsons Case and Carson also attended.
The Kuykendall family settled in Cherokee in the 1870s after heading west from Tennessee. John was born to Zudora and James Kuykendall in 1940. The Kuykendall ranch is registered as a Texas Heritage Ranch, having been in operation for over 100 years. According to Jeff, many Kuykendalls still live in the Cherokee, Valley Spring, and Pontotoc area.
The John L. Kuykendall Events Center and Arena, 2200 RR 152 West in Llano, is relatively new by Kuykendall standards. The arena was built in 2012; the events center added in 2014. Together, they host a wide variety of events, but the mainstays are rodeos, livestock shows, and 4-H and FFA competitions.
Franklin “Fuzzy” Moore Reagor, a longtime friend of John’s and a major supporter of the center, suggested the facility be named for his pal. It was completed shortly after John’s death. Reagor died on Sept. 12, 2023.
“They could have named it after a ton of other people, that would also be well-deserved, but I’m glad they named it after him,” Jeff Kuykendall said. “He was a mentor to a lot of people.”
John was honored by the AgriLife Extension Service in 1983 with the Superior Service Award for his leadership throughout Llano County and Texas. He was also inducted into the Llano Hall of Fame in 2007 for his dedication to the community.
In 2009, he won the Cowboy of the Year Award from the Hill Country Livestock Raisers Association, and he and wife Patty were recognized with the Friend of 4-H Award for their lifelong commitments to 4-H and youth development.
John retired from his work with the Llano County Extension in 1995 to continue his family’s long tradition of raising Hereford cattle in Cherokee. Son Jeff, daughter Lisa Whittlesey, and brother Lovell still operate the ranch and raise Herefords. Jeff admitted there were also a few Angus out there.
Jamie Osbourn had strong words to say about his mentor.
“His dedication to the youth, dedication to agriculture, and his dedication to God and his family were what I remember,” he said. “Honestly, it’s hard to make people any better than he was. You would hope that you could grow up to be like him or that your own kids would end up like him. He understood what it was to live around here.”
Jamie lived these words. He and his son went on to become extension agents and give back to their community, just like John.
Today, the youth of Llano County have an incredible place to connect with the deep roots of ranching, riding, farming, and family that John L. Kuykendall helped seed with his overwhelming dedication.