Brad Bown of Manti has been named the 2022 Sanpete County King Cowboy.

Brad was born and raised in Sanpete County. He grew up on the Bown family farm south of Manti where he learned lifelong lessons about hard work and how to sweat and have fun at the same time.

A normal day for him while growing up included doing morning chores before catching the bus to attend school. After school, he returned home to take care of more chores and help milk the dairy cows in the evenings. Then it was supper, homework and family time, followed by the same routine the next day. Summers were a little different as school didn’t get in the way.

Responsibilities for him and his brothers included helping dad milk the cows twice daily, taking care of the sheep and cow herds, growing and putting up hay crops and building beautiful pyramid haystacks for the coming winter.

Looking back now, he says it was the perfect way to grow up and learn life skills.

Brad graduated from Manti High School in 1975. He then attended Snow College for one year, then moved on to Utah State University with his brother Scott. He graduated from USU with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business. Brad and his brother Scott also opened and successfully ran Bown Brothers Chevron in Manti during the summers while they attended college. This is how they put themselves through college.

Brad’s interest was still with the family farm he had grown up on, and he returned home to work with his dad. It was later decided by the family to let the dairy cows go and replace them with range cows and to increase their sheep herd. This was supposed to free everyone up and give them all more time to do as they pleased. The Bown family discovered there is life after milk cows.

Brad realized there was not enough money in the family farm to support two families, and he took employment with David Madsen Construction of Mayfield for a few years. He was then hired by the Department of Corrections to be an officer at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in 1990. In 1992, he was hired by the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office to work at its jail. All the while, Brad continued to work and play at the Bown family farm.

Brad was instrumental in getting the annual Sanpete County Demolition Derby started at the Sanpete County Fair. He served on the original Derby committee, including serving as chairman for a number of years. Later, he was asked by the county commissioners to serve as chair of the Sanpete County Fair Board of Directors, a job he accepted and served in for more than 15 years. Brad is still a member of the fair board and is over the annual Horse Pulling Competition.

In September of 1988, the love of his life, Lori Kay Lyon, finally consented to marry him. They have been happily married now for almost 34 years. Brad and Lori have raised three children: Zeb, Braidie and Boston. All three of their children are happily married, successful and now have children of their own. Brad and Lori are the proud grandparents of 10 grandchildren. Brad’s family and posterity are truly his most prized possessions.

When Brad’s father Bruce decided he couldn’t continue to work and run the farm, he turned the farm over to his sons Brad and Glade to carry on the family traditions and standards he had taught them. They carry on his legacy by watching over 75 head of range cows and 300 head of sheep. They continue to manage the farm as a self-sufficient and successful operation, raising crops and watching over the livestock.

Brad is truly honored to be asked to serve as King Cowboy for Sanpete County this year and is grateful to be put in the same ranks as previous King Cowboys, those who have passed and those who are present. This is an honor he will always cherish and be grateful for.

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