He believes in the future of agriculture. He believes in a faith exemplified by deeds rather than words. And, he believes:  Everybody needs a good cow dog.  Nothing runs like a Deere, and Don’t call “shotgun” if a gate is open.

            These beliefs come from growing up on a Brangus cattle ranch, from working in a family-owned John Deere dealership and from a father who made a living by training cutting horses. Hours spent riding horses, tractors and feed trucks left Josh Brecheen with a deep-rooted passion for rural America. 

            “I don’t believe I can remember a time I wasn’t exposed to agriculture on a daily basis,” said Brecheen, field representative for U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-OK.

While attending Coalgate High School in Coalgate, Okla. Brecheen was active in the National Cutting Horse Association, the Coalgate FFA chapter and his church youth group.

He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a dual degree in agricultural communications and animal science in 2002.

Today, Brecheen works full time for Coburn and spends his weekends working with his herd of performance-bred quarter horses.

            Brecheen’s agricultural foundation grew proportionately with his involvement in the FFA.

His FFA supervised agricultural experience program was training and showing cutting horses.  He also participated in speech contests, and in 1997, he won the natural resources speech division at the state contest.

            “I was never heavily involved in speech contests until my senior year,” Brecheen said. “It was then I prepared a speech about concentrated animal feeding operations. About the same time, while in prayer, I felt like I was supposed to run for state FFA office.

            “I have very supportive parents, but I will never forget them telling me they thought the speech was horrible. I knew I was supposed to give it though. I know the Lord led me to write that particular speech. It gave me enough credibility to be seriously considered as a state officer candidate.”

In April 1997, Oklahoma FFA members elected Brecheen to serve as southeast district vice president – one of eight state officer positions.  The following year he was elected state FFA president and spent many hours working and developing relationships with state leaders in education, agriculture, and industry.

“As state FFA president, I was exposed to the political arena,” Brecheen said. “That year I met many of the state leaders I deal with today.  Also, I had an opportunity to continue my speaking experiences, which eventually turned into a speaking business. My development as a young professional came directly from my exposure to Kent Boggs and others in the Oklahoma FFA Association.”

Oklahoma FFA members vividly remember Brecheen for his retiring presidential address entitled “Born to Be.” It was a dramatic moment when he rode into the Cox Convention Center arena on the back of a buckskin horse.  Past National FFA President Travis Jett, who was a freshman FFA member in the audience that night, was inspired.  “That speech spoke directly to me.  I realized that I was born to be exactly who I am,” said Jett.

While Brecheen was in college, he had a motivational speaking business, which allowed him to travel the United States speaking about self-esteem, vision and morals. He has given presentations at more than 500 schools and conferences.

“Motivational speaking has turned out to be one of my most rewarding experiences,” Brecheen said. “Seeing a young person step into a feeling of personal worth and value is priceless.”

As a field representative for Coburn, Brecheen travels the state speaking and meeting with all types of people.  “Josh’s communication skills make him a good fit for this position,” Coburn said. “His ability to speak clearly and effectively to large and small audiences is an attribute any successful field representative should possess.”

Brecheen’s two years of service as a state FFA officer helped prepare him for his current career. “I couldn’t stand up in front of an audience and present, whether it is at a Chamber of Commerce banquet, a high school graduation or a state conference, without those skills I learned in those two years,” Brecheen said.

Not everything has fallen into place the way Brecheen hoped it would.  He ran for national FFA office, but he did not make it to the top six candidates.  He applied to law school but did not get accepted. 

By faith, Brecheen knew the Lord was leading him in a different direction.

He volunteered at his family’s Ranch 180 rehab center in Coalgate.  “While I had several opportunities to accept other jobs with good salaries, I knew I was supposed to stay in that position,” Brecheen said. “I hated almost every minute of it, but I knew if I didn’t stay in that position, I would be in disobedience. After 2½ years of trusting God to have something for me, I met Tom Coburn. I would not have met him had I not been working at the rehab center.”

            At age 27, Brecheen credits his obedience to God as the reason he is working for the Senator.  “Christ became Lord of my life when I was 6 years old,” Brecheen said. “To me, that means He holds the reins of my life and I am to follow His lead. I don’t care if you are working at the most underpaid and obscure job like I was. If we are following His lead, He is always working behind the scenes on our behalf, even when we can’t see it. He created us and has a specific plan for us. We can choose to walk in His perfect will and touch other people’s lives, or we can choose to live wild for ourselves and pursue our dreams and wants. Happiness will chase us down if we chase Him. I believe in a God who will speak to us about even the smallest aspects of our life if we are willing to take the time to seek Him and wait upon his direction.”

            Josh Brecheen believes in agriculture.  He is thankful for his time in the FFA, and he has faith God will continue to lead him on the correct path in life.