Fair Play Brand: A Family Venture

By Rachel Bass

ENMU graduates Janice (BS 97) and Cody Morrow (BUS 10) have embarked on an exciting, new adventure. A sixth generation cattle ranching family in northeastern New Mexico, the Morrow’s newest endeavor, Fair Play Brand, offers seriously cute and clever clothing and accessories for families who enjoy county fairs, state fairs, jackpots and stock shows.

If you’re “steer crazy,” like “gettin’ piggy with it,” or even if you just enjoy a good play on words, these designs will have you going “hog wild.”

It all started a couple of years ago at New Mexico’s Union County Fair. Some of the Morrow’s friends were showing steers in the livestock show, and they’d been working all morning to get them ready. Janice noticed the kids and moms looked anxious, almost stir crazy and thought, wait a minute—they’re steer crazy!

Janice, Cody and their daughter, Gavin, all have a hand in creating and running Fair Play Brand.

Thinking the saying would make a cute t-shirt slogan, Janice shared the thought with Cody and their daughter, Gavin. Before long the three of them had created fun sayings for each of the stock show categories.

Cody grew up showing steers in 4H and FFA, but this is a new hobby for Janice. Gavin is in her third year showing hogs, lambs and now steers. During the New Mexico State Fair, Janice noticed the passion the kids and families had for the animals and shows and realized their idea for a t-shirt line had potential to become a successful reality.

Gavin and her friends wearing Fair Play Brand shirts on the Morrow’s ranch.

After a ton of late-night Googleing and learning how to start a clothing line, the family printed their first t-shirts and the designs took off.

Fair Play Brand designs are all original, with funny slogans and cute shirt styles. The name is meant to express the duality of having fun at the fair and teaching your kids how to play fair, in the stock shows and in life.

Cody Morrow calf roping for ENMU in 1995.

“We’re really fortunate that our little family has this project that we’re all so excited about,” said Janice. “It’s part of our lifestyle. That’s what makes it kind of special.”

Janice and Cody first met at ENMU while working in the University Relations office on campus. Cody was attending Eastern on a rodeo scholarship and worked in Alumni Affairs for Stephanie Spencer (BUS 84), and Janice was working for Wendel Sloan in News Services.

Janice and Cody Morrow when they began dating in Portales, 1995.

“ENMU gave me the foundation for everything I do career-wise,” said Janice, who started as a broadcast news major before eventually switching to public relations. Since 2000 she has worked as a freelance public relations and marketing consultant, while her husband works with his dad, Tim Morrow (BBA 73), on the family’s cattle ranching operation near Capulin Volcano.

“We’re just like a lot of other show families,” said Cody. “We work in agriculture, live an ag-based lifestyle and Fair Play Brand is a nice extension of that. It’s relatable; that’s why it’s successful.”

The view of Capulin Volcano from the Morrow’s ranch in northeastern New Mexico.

Fair Play Brand is sold online and at what Janice calls “pop up shops” at fairs and stock shows. The Morrow’s also often show their own livestock at these same events, meaning they must juggle managing the booth on top of the very busy day they have getting their animals show-ready.

But making sure everything runs smoothly is truly a family effort, and 10-year-old Gavin—a “graduate” of the ENMU Child Development Center—is as equally involved with Fair Play Brand as her parents.

“Gavin came up with many of the slogans and marketing ideas herself,” said Janice proudly. “If for some reason I need to step away from the booth for a moment, she’s selling like a madwoman. She’s so cute and so good!”

Left: Cody and Janice Morrow. Right: Janice and her daughter, Gavin, feeding their calves.

“We spend a lot of time together with the animals and the shirts,” Gavin expressed. “I get to go on a lot of road trips and see a lot of new places.”

The endeavor requires the family to travel all over to different state and county fairs. However, with two full-time careers and a daughter in elementary school, the family has to find the perfect balance.

Gavin working with one of their pigs.

“Some of the bigger shows are two to three weeks long, so we have to pick and choose,” Janice explained. “We would like to be at more of these shows, but our daughter’s education comes first. While we may not grow as fast as we possibly could, we’re looking at this long term. We’re hoping Gavin can take and do this once she’s graduated from college.”

Gavin and her friends modeling Fair Play Brand swag.

Fair Play Brand designs start at $20 and are all beautifully displayed on their website and social media pages. Their pop up shops have started expanding to fairs and shows outside of New Mexico, and the company is now wholesaling to boutiques, feed stores and other shops across the country. To recommend a fair or stock show near you, or to open a wholesale account, just send an email to janice.m.morrow@gmail.com.

To order from Fair Play Brand online, go to fairplaybrandswag.com.

Janice and Cody smile for the camera, while Gavin sneakily gives them rabbit ears as she hides behind her parents.