Kyle Butcher, of Chinook, was awarded the coveted Rancher of the Year Award by the Fraternal and Maternal Order of Cowboys and Cowgirls of the Bear Paw Mountains (FMOCCBPM) at a private ceremony on Saturday at the Pat and Blanche Kellam Ranch near Cleveland, Montana.

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Butcher was runner up so many times some began referring to him as the Susan Lucci of the Bear Paws-a reference to the actress and television host who failed to win a daytime Emmy 18 times in a row. Butcher was runner up just six times in a row.

The Rancher of Year award dates back to 1943 when Sticky Sullivan, of Warrick, gave the award to himself after having single handedly roped a three year old cow, wrestled it to the ground, and removed porcupine quills from its nose. Sullivan continued giving the award to another rancher in the region until his death in 1962, after which the FMOCCBPM was organized to continue the legacy. The award was given every year until 1982 to a rancher from the Bear Paw Mountains region for "meritorious service to the profession of ranching and for rising above and beyond the expected." After a brief hiatus from 1982 to 1991, the act of giving award started again (and every years since) when it was given to Pat Kellam and Gary Hanks for having saved the old Cleveland Bar in the Great Blaine County Wildfire of 1991.

Chris Pelzel, President Emeritus of FMOCCBPM, presented the award to Butcher, who said he was honored to receive the Rancher of the Year Award. He also thanked his friends and family.

"After so many years coming in second place I can't tell you how much this means to me," he said. "I have a special place all reserved for the trophy on my mantle. I can't wait to share it with everyone."