When Newkirk rancher Mitch Dobson wanted to incorporate a national association in 1971 for a newly-imported cattle breed, he didn’t have to look far to find the right legal counsel for the job.

He tapped a young Cashion attorney named Edd Pritchett, a fellow Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity brother at Oklahoma State University and a fellow cattleman.

Nearly 50 years later, Pritchett, 79, now retired and a resident at Cimarron Nursing Center in Kingfisher, was honored with the presentation of a newly-published book, Gelbvieh in the U.S.

The book traces the history of the German cattle breed in America and the American Gelbvieh Association Pritchett helped found.

The book features a dedication page to Pritchett and his wife, the late Associate District Judge Susie Pritchett, for their work on behalf of the breed and the governing association.

The Gelbvieh (pronounced Gelp-fee) breed is one of the oldest German cattle breeds, first found mainly in three Franconian districts of Bavaria. Starting in 1850, systematic breeding work b egan in stud herds.

Through purebreeding, the cattle were developed from several local strains, including Celtic-German Landrace and Heil-Brown Landrace cattle.

These local strains have been further improved with intensive breeding work since 1870.

This solid-colored breed of red-yellow cattle saw great popularity as draft and slaughter cattle.

The cattle came to the attention of Dobson and Leness Hall, director of marketing for Carnation Genetics, in a trip to Germany in 1969.

Impressed with the breed, Hall began working toward importing Gelbvieh semen to the U.S. and was finally able to bring in 43,000 units in 1971.

After meeting with Dobson and others, Pritchett drafted the articles of incorporation and bylaws for the American Gelbvieh Association, and signed them as one of the founding incorporators, along with Dobson, Gallagher Rule, Fred Tweitmeyer and Merle Buss.

Pritchett’s wife Susie notarized three of the signatures, obtained in Pritchett’s office.

The Gelbvieh history book is a product of the American Gelbvieh Foundation, the fundraising arm of the association, which chose to dedicate the book to Pritchett.

Al Knapp of Kansas City, Missouri, president of the foundation, drove to Kingfisher with his wife, Mary, a partner in their Triple K Gelbvieh Ranch to make a surprise presentation to Pritchett on Friday.

He also had Pritchett sign another copy of the book, which will be auctioned off at a future Gelbvieh foundation event

Knapp recalled in remarks to those attending the dedication that Pritchett was also a founding member of the American Foundation, wrote the articles of the incorporation in his Oklahoma City law office and served the association for more than 50 years, “missing very few meetings.”

A graduate of Cashion High School where he was salutatorian of his graduating class and president of the Cashion FFA Chapter, Pritchett graduated from OSU in 1963 with a degree hi agriculture economics.

While at OSU, Pritchett was a member of Alpha Zeta, a member of the Agricultural Student Council, sophomore class vice president and was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.

After graduation from OSU and while attending Okla-homa City University Law School, he continued to participate in the operation of the family farm.

At OCU, Pritchett was a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He was admitted to the practice of law by the Oklahoma Bar Association hi August 1967.

After graduation from law school, Pritchett became legal advisor to Gov. Dewey Bartlett, serving three years until the end of the governor’s term. He traveled with Governor Bartlett to many speaking engagements and made numerous trips to Washington, D.C., with the governor to meet federal officials often hi the White House.

After the governor’s term ended, Pritchett went into private practice in Oklahoma City while continuing his ranching operation hi the Cashion area.

Dobson, wth his request to incorporate the American Gelbvieh Association, was one of Pritchett’s first clients.

When Pritchett retired he had represented the association for almost 50 years.

Pritchett’s wife, the former Susie Santee of Henryetta, also an attorney and former Kingfisher County Associate District Judge, was also an active participant in the farming-cattle operation.

She and Pritchett had been married for almost 50 years at the time of her death June 11, 2011.

Members of the Pritchett family who were present for Friday’s ceremony include & daughter Lesleigh Steuart and husband Jay; son Eddy Pritchett and wife Jamie; granddaughters Nicole Hoerschgen (with son Carter), Alayna Pratt, Mady Pratt and Sydney Pratt, and grandsons Drew Shults and Rolland Pritchett.

The books dedication acknowledged both Pritchett’s action as one of the new breed association’s “founding fathers” and his decades of service as general counsel to the board of directors.

The dedication reads in part:

“Over his many years with the AGA, Edd influenced countless members with his calm and thoughtful advice.

“A quiet and humble gentleman, Edd was a driving force in the breed as well as a mentor and friend to Association members and staff.

“During his tenure with the AGA, not one lawsuit was brought against the AGA - a record achievement no other breed association can claim. Not only did he always keep the association on an ethical and legal path, he also positively impacted every person fortunate enough to serve with him on a committee or on the AGA board.

“In many ways, Edd taught individuals how to think and act like leaders - in the association and the industry. His impact on the AGA over its first 50 years was profound and will certainly continue to affect members for many years to come.”

Pritchett was named to the association’s hall of fame in 1992.

The AGA has grown to become the largest Gelbvieh association in the world, with more than 1,000 members and 45,000 registered head of cattle.

Kingfisher County resident Andrea Murray is a current member of its board of directors.