Sunday was just about as fun as it can get for us...branding in beautiful fall weather. Well, as usual, my hands were busy with a rope and a wad full of two-rein gear on Colt! But I got My Man to take a few photos of Pierce and Colt after the branding.
The Bros!
After the branding, I took the boys to the creek for a drink, and then lead Pierce back across the wood bridge...he did so nice. Colt pawed water right into Pierce's face at the creek (that's why he looks so splotchy)!
It's time to take Pierce to every outing we can. I saddled him at home with the other boys and when we got to Diamond, I tied him to the trailer, gave him a hay net and rode away.
Occasionally I'd hear Pierce whinny, but all in all, he was a very good boy!!
We had to sort off the slick eared cow/calf pairs, the bulls, and the neighbor's stock that was mixed in with Rancher Dan's herd...I love the sorting! Once we had all the slicks together, there ended up being about 30 calves!! And oh my...some of them were big enough to go through the squeeze chute!
We had the son-in-law there who's a professional buckaroo...we let him and his buddy do most of the really big calves. But, we learned a lot about handling those big ones and got in on a couple...it was a really good experience.
Ah yes...the birthday boy :~)
Happy Birthday dear husband!!
Gretchen had to work at the Hotel...so for lunch, we all headed over to the Hotel for beverages and the best burgers!!
Branding goes hand in hand with good food!!
This is why we always say that "We're livin' the dream!" Friends and life experiences just don't get any better than this.
Last Thursday, my older brother, brother-in-law, and a friend of theirs came to hunt sage rats for four days. So, it was a whirlwind of activity...when I'm not that good at being a hostess. But, we all had a great time, ate Traeger BBQ dinners and caught up on lots of family stuff.
Friday, we got another taste of spring; 70 degrees and yard work. Saturday...well, the wind woke everyone up...then the rain came...then the snow...crazy weather!
Monday, My Man got the day off and we went brandin' at the neighbors. It was supposed to be 60 degrees, but it never made it there, and the wind was a lil' bit stout too (you can tell by the layers of clothes). But everyone had a great time...
Joe and Pat (my farrier) makin' a catch...the heeler then brings the calf
to the fire while the header follows along with a slack rope. The
ground crew then flanks the calf to the ground and places
the head rope on the two front hooves and the
riders keep the ropes taught.
Good lookin' horses 'n buckaroos...always fun to watch.
Jeff catchin' two heels.
The fire has to be tended just right to keep the
irons hot enough to make a good brand.
Pat and Jeff each have the heels on their two calves...the horses hold steady
while the calf is branded, vaccinated, the ears are notched, and
if it's a bull calf, he's castrated.
My Man is laying on the brand while Bossman Dan looks on.
And when the works all done...Gretchen's Dutch oven cookin'...The BEST!
The day before that (Sunday) we helped brand at the 3J Ranch...look at the beautiful blue skies!! It wasn't 70 degrees, but the sun sure was warming.
Cotton Clouds
The calves were separated from the cows and then ran
through the calf table; vaccinated, branded, castrated.
Grandpa places the brand. He's been using this
same brand for 50 years...family tradition.
Wednesday will be sorting pairs for the 3J getting them ready to move out to spring pasture and Saturday I'll help trailing a herd across the desert with Bossman Dan...Colt's gettin' his fair share of cow work in!
~If men want to smell like cattle, they should bed down with them.~
~Kathleen Madder 1919~
This year sure went fast...another show season is done. I've been so busy this past week with getting Colt and Gus ready for the Futurity, we haven't been visitin' anybody's blogs. When we get back from our week at Pendleton, I hope things get back to normal...missin' you all!!
Everyone thought it was a great competition this year...the weather could have been a little more cooperative, but it could have been worse. Our normal sunny 85 degree September fair days just weren't to be...cool temps, wind, clouds and quite a bit of rain. But, we all survived.
I'll let the video tell the story on Colt's herd and fence work. The reining is so boring, the I just couldn't include any of it. There's nice sunshine on Day 1 during the herd work, but Day 2 brought the heavy clouds and rain. My Man had a hard time following me because it was so dark on the camera screen...so he missed my first turn on the fence :(
LOL~listen to my friends helpin' me out...that was so cool...thank you all for your support! At the end, I wasn't sure if I'd got that final circle or if the judge blew the whistle because I ran out of time...so, that's why I asked "Did I get it?"
The results? We ended up in third place overall...I'm so proud of Colt!!!
L-R 1st place Corey Shelman, 2nd place MaryLee White, 3rd place Colt & me, Wendy Rickman giving out the awards.
It was an honor to be in the company of two of the best horsemen in the County.
What's in that big blue bag? A really cool, fancy camping chair with a leather plaque on it...I love it!! Can't wait to take it to Pendleton!
But the day's not over yet...the finale is the "Harney County Super Horse" award. The top 10 scores of the horses in the 5 year old, 6 year old, and Senior Horse Open get to compete...we ranked #8! I was just thrilled that I made the top 10! What did we have to do? Rope...something I don't do...yet. We didn't have a chance to make it, but, what the heck, I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to get Colt into the pen and at least follow a cow!!!
Waiting for the "Super Horse" roping.
Colt looks like he's ready to go to sleep...and I'm sure he'd rather be home at this point...it's a rough life being a cow pony!! That was a big wad of rope in my left hand; the mecate, the romel reins, and the rope. I got lots of coaching from my friends! In fact the gal in the photo behind me is my friend Debbi, who encouraged me to continue on into the two-rein...if she hadn't, I wouldn't have been here...thanks Deb!
Gettin' into the herd...
...got one separated...
...and a big miss!
(These were stills from the camera movie, so that's why they're so small)
Needless to say, we didn't catch, but Colt was right there following and trying. He stayed calm and listened to everything I asked him to do...even though I didn't know what I was doin'! The up side on this is that we got invited to help brand some calves this fall, we got invited to another friend's place where her husband (who's a darn good roper) will give me a lesson, and one of the best ropers in the county told me that I had a really nice horse and that he should be headin' steers off of him! I was proud as punch...even though I was pretty embarrassed!
Who won the "Harney County Super Horse"? Well...my friend Debbi!! Whooohoooo! Go Cowgirls!!!
So, that was Colt's big news...I'll get a post up for Gus' debut in his 2 year old halter class.
Thanks for all of your support and well wishes...we really appreciate your friendship!!
