Three Cowboys and a Cowgirl

I've said it before. I'll say it again. The problem with writing about life on a ranch is . . . living on the ranch. There's no time. There's always something happening. Something urgent. And if nothing is happening, you rest.

In the last two months, we've had family from Norway come for a visit, kids and grandkids stay for a few days, a 100 year family reunion in Alberta, two funerals, and our own road trip to southern Alberta. All that besides regular ranch work of moving cattle, shipping cattle, stacking hay, and on and on.

Tucked in between the reunion and kids coming, we entered our own team in the Ranch Rodeo at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede. Being a participant in a ranch rodeo has always been on The Cowboy's Bucket List. And this year, he was able to finally check it off, and just as quickly, add it again!

The events at a ranch rodeo are not the typical events you'd see at a pro rodeo or any regular rodeo. Each event is an activity you'd see on a real working ranch on any given day.

Team Doctoring - Heifer is "headed and heeled" and then dabbed with a marker to show "doctoring" has been completed.
Dan hands the marker off to Mike on the ground.

Our team is poised for action as Jessica heads out to rope a heifer for Team Branding. The animal is  roped, then dragged across the line. 

Aaron and Mike "flatass" the heifer, while Dan plants a paint-coated iron on the flank. The brand is judged for clarity and positioning. 

Team Sorting - The heifers have numbered stickers on their backs. A number is announced and the cowboys must start with that number and drive as many animals across the line as quickly as possible - IN ORDER. Any errors in order or other animals crossing the line results in a No Time.

Saddle Bronc - Mike tries to hang on for 8 seconds. In a Ranch Rodeo Saddle Bronc event, a two-hand hold is allowed.

There were two other events in the Dawson Creek ranch rodeo.

Trailer loading. An animal is roped and loaded into a stock trailer.

Team Penning. Again, the announcer gives a number of an animal, say 4, and Heifer Number 4, along with Number 5 and 6 must be driven over the line, IN ORDER, and then penned.

Other ranch rodeos may have Wild Cow Milking, Wild Horse Race, and a Ranch Horse Reining Competition. All part of our daily life here on the ranch.

At the end of two days of competition, our team came in 3rd Place! Congratulations on a job well done, Dan, Aaron, Mike, and Jessica.

(Incidentally, I made the "backpatches" for our cowboys, with our ranch brand appliqued on them, in my spare time  between guests, mowing, and road tripping. Another day, I'll post some other "spare time" or snowy day projects.)