2026 Dude Ranchers’ Association Centennial Media Resources
Marking 100 years in 2026, the Dude Ranchers’ Association invites you to celebrate the generations past, the families who built this way of life, and the new guests who will carry it into the future.
Dude Ranch Editorial
Available for print November 13, 2025
100 Years of Dude Ranching – How wild west adventure led to love of the land, tourism and multi-generational ranching
100 Years of Stewardship – Love of land, livestock and preservation of wildlife remains a family tradition across the West
Cowboy State of Mind – Wyoming dude ranches keep the West alive
Destination Montana – Dude ranchers sharing Big Sky Country with visitors for generations
Rocky Mountain Hospitality – Where luxury meets legacy on Colorado dude ranches
Iconic Arizona – Year-round Western adventures found on historic Southwest dude ranches
Way Out West – California dude ranchers sharing Western roots
Call of the West: A Century of Dude Ranching Documentary by Wyoming PBS – View Sizzle Reel
Click here to access all editorial pieces and images for publication.
Centennial Dude Ranchers’ Association Spokespeople
Request for Interview – If you’d like to request an interview with any of the 2026 Dude Ranchers’ Association spokespeople listed below, please contact Katie Schrock at Western Insights Media – media@westerninsightsmedia.com.
Hunter Sullivan
CM Ranch – Wyoming
Ranch Manager & Current DRA President
Hunter and Mollie Sullivan have extensive ranch and outdoor experience and a passion for ranch life. Hunter serves as president of the national Dude Ranchers’ Association and is past president of the Wyoming Dude Ranch Association. Hunter, Mollie, and their 16-year-old son, Luke, and their 9-year-old daughter, Nora, are beginning their 16th year as leaders of the CM Ranch. The Sullivans’ love of the CM grows with every passing season, and they continue to carry on the rich traditions that the CM is well known for, with a few added touches of their own. They truly feel that there is no better place to raise children and grow their family.
The expansive ranch lands are contiguous with the Shoshone National Forest and Fitzpatrick Wilderness, allowing for seemingly endless private riding and fishing in country of stunning, unspoiled nature. The CM is made up of over 3,300 deeded acres, plus another 9,000+ leased acres, which makes for plenty of elbow room for guests. Hike to glacial lakes and top mountain vistas. Prepare yourself for the picturesque views that can soften even the most ironclad of hearts.
The Sullivans say they run a casual establishment with various generations and age ranges attending. The ranch is run much like it was back in 1927 – passionate management hosting an array of lovely guests that have set out to partake in simple pleasures and commune with the wilderness. The guest capacity tops out at only 50, an ideal size for generating good humor and personable interactions among guests and crew…just the way they like it.
The Sullivans’ love for the outdoors and quality time with friends and family is, without a doubt, infectious.
“The beautiful environment, activities, and infrastructure we provide allow all of our guests to build fond, long-lasting memories. We encourage you to explore the website and read up further on the CM. It is truly an unforgettable homeland in which we take great pride,” says Hunter Sullivan.
Kameron Kelsey
Nine Quarter Circle Ranch – Montana
Ranch Owner & Current DRA Treasurer
Kameron and his wife, Sally, now run the ranch. And though first names have changed, the same enduring Kelsey customs and Western hospitality live on. Kameron and Sally say when guests get to the ranch, “you’ll feel like part of the Kelsey family in no time.” Anna and Wilder, the fourth generation to be raised on the ranch, will keep the legacy going and add young life to the ranch.
Homesteaders settled the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch just outside Yellowstone National Park in the late 1800s as more people became drawn to the area. Located outside Bozeman, in the area known as Gallatin Gateway, the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch is easily accessible for guests, but once they get there, the chaos of the modern world is easy to leave behind.
Howard Kelsey purchased the ranch in 1946. Coming from pioneer stock, he remained committed to the simplicity and beauty of the ranch lifestyle and loved the opportunity to share it with others. Howard started the ranch’s exclusive appaloosa herd and entrenched the pleasant customs that remain in place at the ranch today.
Howard Kelsey’s son, Kim Kelsey, and his wife, Kelly, took the reins of the ranch years later. While introducing their own spin on the ranch, they held fast to the dude ranching traditions that meant so much to their family. Their children, Kameron, Konnor, and Kyleen, grew up learning, working, and helping at the ranch. Kameron has now taken the reins as the third generation to carry on the Kelsey tradition.
Jerry Helmicki
Bar Lazy J Ranch – Colorado
Ranch Owner & Past DRA President
Since 1995, Jerry and Cheri Helmicki, a couple of 48 years, have owned the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch and have called Colorado home. Born and raised in Michigan, Jerry traveled the country as a sales manager for a large direct marketing corporation. Cheri was a high school physical education teacher and a track, cross-country, and swimming coach. After leaving the corporate life in Detroit and with an intense love for the outdoors, Jerry and Cheri decided to pursue their lifelong dream of owning a Colorado guest ranch.
With their daughter (now a lawyer) in tow, they exchanged their commuter passes for horse saddles. “Coming from Corporate America, which is stressful and all-consuming, we understand the importance of allowing guests to experience one week out of 52 that is quiet, refreshing, and rejuvenating,” says Jerry. Owning the ranch combines everything they enjoy most – people, outdoor activities, and horses – and it gives them the opportunity to put others in touch with the wonders of nature.
The payoff for them is watching the adults tear up as they leave the ranch. Jerry explains, “They tell us that they didn’t realize how important the week would ultimately become to their family.”
Jerry and Cheri are hands-on owners and become an integral part of each guest’s ranch week. One of their favorite times is sitting out on the patio with guests after one of Jerry’s All-Day rides or Cheri’s guided hikes to enjoy a cool beverage and laugh over the day’s favorite memories.
Both Jerry and Cheri have served as presidents of the Dude Ranchers’ Association, the first and only husband-and-wife duo to hold that honor in the organization’s history. Their leadership, hospitality, and deep love for the dude ranch way of life have left a lasting mark on the DRA community and beyond.
Russel True
White Stallion Ranch – AZ
Ranch Owner, DRA Hall of Fame Member, Past DRA President & Current Dude Ranch Foundation Chairman
Russell True started his life in the dude ranching business when he was 6 years old. He was raised on the historic White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, purchased by his parents in 1965. Today, in addition to historic ranch preservation efforts, Russell and his family own the White Stallion, and under their management, the ranch is consistently recognized as an award-winning property locally, nationally, and internationally.
Russell co-hosts “The Cowboy Up Podcast” with H. Alan Day, swapping stories and life lessons with some truly fascinating guests. He was co-founder and president of the Arizona Dude Ranch Association and served as the president of the national Dude Ranchers’ Association for two terms. In 2017, Russell was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame, the Family Travel Association named him Person of the Year in 2019, and, most recently, in 2024 was inducted into the Dude Ranchers’ Association Hall of Fame. He is the author of 2 books: Dude Ranching in Arizona and Dude Ranching in Wyoming, detailing the images and history of dude ranching in each state. He is an avid reader of history and a highly respected and entertaining public speaker.
He is a principal of Ranch Preservation Holdings, LLC, as well as one of the founders of True Ranch Hospitality with Jaye Wells. Founded in 2014, True Ranch believes that success in the guest ranch business is based on involving the right people to keep their eye on the key ingredient — Hospitality. True Ranch now works with over 40 staff members to keep the ranches running and the guests smiling.
Bryce Albright
Dude Ranchers’ Association Executive Director
Bryce Albright serves as the Executive Director of the Dude Ranchers’ Association (DRA), leading the nation’s premier organization dedicated to preserving and promoting authentic Western dude ranch vacations. A Wyoming/Montana native with deep roots in dude ranching and hospitality, Bryce brings both personal experience and professional expertise to her role. She works closely with member ranches across the U.S. and Canada, fostering community, upholding the DRA’s high standards, and promoting and preserving the Western tradition. Bryce currently resides in Wyoming, where she and her husband have two beautiful daughters and own a cattle and horse ranch. Bryce is committed to ensuring the next generation of travelers discover the adventure, heritage, and spirit of dude ranching.