Lannie Mecom grew up in South Texas with her parents and grandparents who ranched. Spending a lot of time around her grandparents who were horse and cattle people had a big influence on her from a young age she says. While talking about her ranches Lannie says “I love to ride, be outdoors, and on the ranch.” She grew up in Houston but spent a lot of time on their ranch with her sister; and still does. Lannie now owns her grandparent’s ranches that have always been very important to her and where she became so involved in ranching, horses, and cattle. She now ranches on the Rio Grande river where her family has ranched for over 100 years. Lannie grew up with her family’s history giving her a connection to continue her family’s legacy of being a part of Texas history for over 200 years. She now continues her family legacy ranching, and being involved in cattle, and horses. Lannie also continues her family legacy in the Texas Oil and Gas industry with her family owned and operated company.
WesternWomen.com sat down with Lannie to ask her a couple of questions.
How did you first get involved with the Western Lifestyle?
Lannie: My grandparents who were cattle and horse people owned the ranches that I have now, influenced me from a very young age.
What’s your favorite part of the western lifestyle?
Lannie: I would say the wide-open spaces, horses and cattle.
What do you count as your best achievement?
Being able to hold onto things I was fortunate enough to inherit such as land and cattle and horses. Not loosing my fortune like what happens to a lot of people and living the lifestyle I love.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Lannie: I can’t think of the best advice but the best compliment I’ve ever gotten was I was introduced as the lady who has all the great horses.
What advice or words of encouragement would you give to other western women?
Lannie: Of course, there’s all kinds of different western women but to recognize how fortunate you are to be able to live that lifestyle.
Tell us something no one or few people know about you?
Lannie: I grew up in Houston, in the big city, and I’m not sure that very many people I knew really knew me and how involved and important the ranches, cattle, and horses were to me. It wasn’t something I talked a lot about, there wasn’t many people I had that in common with who lived in the big city to talk about it with.
What do you do to unwind?
Lannie: At my ranch in Laredo, in the evening I sit out on the porch and watch all the animals come down to the water and gather together.
