Bronze Statue of Paul Engler to Be Unveiled Oct. 11 at WT

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A permanent testament to the impact of Dr. Paul Engler, the larger-than-life cattleman and philanthropist, soon will be unveiled at West Texas A&M University.

An 800-pound bronze statue of Dr. Paul Engler will be under wraps until 10 a.m. Oct. 11, when the sculpture will be revealed in front of WT’s Happy State Bank Academic & Research Building on Russell Long Boulevard. The ceremony is part of Homecoming Week festivities.

“WT is committed to the people and industries who produce the food, fuel, and fiber for which west Texas is known for and on which the nation depends,” WT President Walter V. Wendler said. “Dr. Paul Engler was a pioneer in the cattle feeding business. His legacy supports WT’s mission to pay attention to the issues and opportunities of our region which are important to students, families, and communities across the Panhandle region, and from here the world.”

Sculpted by David Anderson and Pat Kennedy, the sculpture has been in the works since spring 2023. A model was scanned in May 2023, and a half-size clay maquette was completed later that summer. Engler approved the sculpture personally before his death in May 2024 at age 94.

The 7-foot-tall statue will greet students and visitors as they enter WT’s ag complex, “hopefully inspiring others to follow Dr. Engler’s example and make a significant difference in the lives of others,” said Dr. Kevin Pond, dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences.

“All great universities have sculptures to honor the significant person who made landmark differences in the college,” Pond said. “Paul transformed the cattle feeding and beef business in the Panhandle and High Plains and secured continued success of Engler College in perpetuity.

“No one individual has had as large an impact.”

Anderson said he hopes the sculpture tells Engler’s story.

“I looked at every picture taken of him that I could find. The pose that I chose for this sculpture is from a photo where Mr. Engler was standing in front of the entrance to Cactus Feeders. Paul liked the picture also. That picture painted for me a story of pride with Mr. Engler saying to the viewer ‘I built this place’—not boastfully but rather with the joyful pride of success,” Anderson said. “I wanted to project that same image here, and I learned from talking with him that he also took much pride in his support for WT.”

The sculpture includes specific details that will vividly remind viewers of Engler.

Anderson and Kennedy scanned in Engler’s own Stetson hat, belt buckle, ostrich-skin boots and Rolex watch, and his shirt bears the logo of Cactus Feeders.

In 2017, the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation agreed to donate $1 million a year for at least 80 years to both the University’s Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business.

The Engler gift helped make possible the construction of the Agricultural Sciences Complex on Russell Long Boulevard, continuing WT’s expansion in the northeast area of campus. Since then, the Veterinary Education, Research and Outreach and Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory facilities have been constructed, soon to be joined by the new Texas A&M University AgriLife Research and Extension Center. Meanwhile, the Natural Sciences Building expanded in its recently renovated home on the southeast corner of campus.

Paul Engler, who was granted an honorary doctorate by WT in 2022, is the perfect example of a self-made man who has found success in the cattle industry. The Nebraska native’s business skill started at an early age when he purchased his first herd of cattle at the age of 12. He used the proceeds from cattle sales to fund his college education, and he graduated in 1951 from the University of Nebraska with a degree in agriculture. By 1960, he was the founder/owner/operator of the Hereford Feedyard, establishing the Texas Panhandle as a force in the cattle industry. Under his leadership, Cactus Feeders became the largest cattle-feeding company in the world. A pioneer of the Texas cattle-feeding industry, Engler has received numerous honors and recognition throughout his career, which include induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame and the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame.

The Paul F. And Virginia J. Engler Foundation reflects the love of family and the communities Paul and Virginia served, including the Texas Panhandle. The late Virginia “Jinx” Joan Kreycik Engler was a dedicated philanthropist throughout her life. She loved helping people and shared her kindness and generosity with everyone she met. That generosity and kindness provided the groundwork in helping the community through their foundation. Commitment to higher education in the region is not new for the Engler Foundation, as generations of emerging business leaders at WT have benefitted from the long-established Virginia Engler Scholarship.

The Engler gift was one of the foundational gifts that made the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign a reality.

The campaign—which has raised more than $160 million since its public launch in September 2021—is the fuel for the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: A 7-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Dr. Paul Engler will be unveiled Oct. 11 in front of West Texas A&M University's Happy State Bank Academic & Research Building on Russell Long Boulevard.

—WT—