The CattleWoman of the year is described by the organization as “a unique combination of the best of the old school and the best of today’s world.”
This year’s honoree, Jamii Eade Pura, is a fifth-generation rancher, from both sides of her family. The speech written by Charlotte Cabral, Jae Eade and Debbie Loos for the event was provided to BenitoLink. It described the character of this year’s winner by saying, “Growing up, she and her brother had equal expectations from their parents of getting the cattlework done…gathering, sorting, roping, branding…whether it was hot, cold or dusty.”
Pura is a lifelong resident of San Benito County, raised on the family ranch located on Lewis Creek Road in southern end of the county.
Pura attended Bitterwater/Tully School, a one-room schoolhouse in rural San Benito County. During her grammar school years, she was an active member of the South County 4-H, showing lambs and steer at the San Benito, San Luis Obispo and Monterey County Fairs. She attended King City High School, participating in sports, journalism and was both Homecoming Queen and FFA Sweetheart. Pura graduated from Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo with a degree in crop science. She worked several years as a Pest Control Advisor, then married her husband, Stan, in 2003.
The couple has two daughters, Emery, 12, and Brett, 10, “…who are being raised,” the speech said, “with the same ‘you can do anything you set your mind to’ approach that she was raised with by her proud parents, Jae and John Eade.” The two girls compete in volleyball, softball, swimming and stock horse competitions. Pura started her own cattle operation and raises grass-fed, organic beef in both San Benito and Merced counties.
Five years ago, Pura took on the beef promotion director position in CattleWomen’s. “Grabbing the bull by the horns with a passion and a willingness to try new ideas, her leadership strengthened ties within our community from the Farm Bureau to the YMCA,” was the wording of the speech presented. Pura was effective at working with other community groups while getting out the organization’s message that beef is an important part of a balanced diet.
Pura is involved in many other efforts including Farm Bureau Golf Tournament, Farm Day, Reading in the Classroom, Healthy Kids Day, Educational Ag Tours program, and she served on the committee for the Fair Kickoff Dinner. “She has been instrumental in developing promotional tools to promote beef, our ranching lifestyle and tourism for San Benito County,” the speech summarized. The San Benito County CattleWomen’s Association has a large membership and has many successful annual events from a fashion show to Heritage Night, a dinner that celebrates San Benito County history.