Cattlemen's Days 2009

COLORADO'S OLDEST PROFESSIONAL RODEO EVENT

2009 Celebrating 109 Years

WORKING

HANDS

4-H leaders take seriously their oath to put hands in motion for service to others PAGE 21

ROYALTY COMING HOME Past Cattlemen’s Queen Jenna Johnson is now Miss Rodeo Minnesota. And she has her sights set even higher

PAGE 9

ODE TO ‘OLD COWBOYS’ PAGE 18

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Cattlemen's Days

2009

POWDERHORN GUEST RANCH

This is a full service Guest Ranch, that could convert easily to a private fishing and hunting lodge, family or corporate retreat, or a children’s or church camp. Sitting along ½ mile of exceptional dry fly fishing water of Cebolla Creek, the ranch is on 76 private acres adjacent to the Gunnison National Forest. Located between Gunnison and Lake City, it is year round accessible. Well maintained Log Facilities consisting of a 3 bedroom Main Home, a Historic Main Lodge, 14 Guest Cabins, 2 Staff Cabins, outbuildings, an outdoor pool and hot tub, and a great horse barn.

This is a profitable operation and located in some of the best fishing and hunting areas in the state.

Selling complete with all horses, tack, furnishing, equipment and permits. $2,200,000.00

KAREN REDDEN The Redden Group, Broker Associate

Benson Sotheby’s International Realty

HEINDENREICH RANCH

POWERS MOUNTAIN RETREAT

Great log cabin along Gold Creek adjacent to public land. On 17 acres this adorable cabin has an updated kitchen and baths, 2 bedrooms plus loft and oversized garage.

Stunning setting, private pond and Gold Creek running through the front yard.

Priced reduced to $499,000.00

Exceptionally beautiful custom log home in a completely private valley. On an 160 acre inholding surrounded by the Gunnison National Forest this 2,752 sq ft custom log home is comfortable in design and top quality construction throughout. Tile floors; in floor heat; granite counters; two-sided stone wood burning fireplace; great room with vaulted ceiling and huge windows; plus each of 3 bedrooms offer a private bath. This home is designed for living and entertaining friends on your private ranch. Sub-irrigated valley floor produces nice grass for horses - ride out the door for hours or days. Deer, elk, eagles, this has it all. Seasonal access on paper, but private plowing completed for year round access. $1,800,000.00

SMALL HORSE RANCH

Huge views of the north Gunnison / Ohio Creek Valley floor. Year round access on 52 acres adjacent to public land. Bring you horse, ATV or hike out the back door for miles. Very nice 3 bedroom home, built in 2005, stainless steal appliances, silestone counters, and wood floors. Did I mention huge views! Seller has relocated – must sell and price reduced to $449,000.00

rodeo

PO Box 210 Crested Butte, Co 81224

970-641-3000 Email: Karen.Reddem@ BensonSothebysRealty.com

Websites: TheReddenGroup.com BensonSothebysRealty.com

GRAB LIFE

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Call our Credit Resource Center at 800-475-1153 and ask for Jerry or Randy to get a jumpstart on owning a vehicle today!

2009

3

Cattlemen's Days

About the cover:

COLO RADO

2009

'S OLD EST PROF ESSIO

Dan Cress has lived in n WORKING the Gunnison Countryy HANDS since 1996. He calls living here “like living in a post card all of the time.” More of his photography can be found at www.cressnestphoto.com.

NAL ROD EO EVEN T

Celebrating 109 Years

4-H leaders take hands in motion seriously their oath to put for service to others

ROYALTY

PAGE 21

Past Cattlem COMING HOM en’s Queen E Jenna Johnso is now Miss n Rodeo Minnes has her sights ota. set even higher And she

ODE TO ‘OLD

2009 Schedule of Events

PAGE 9

COWBOYS’ PAGE 18

Tickets for the rodeo performances are on sale at the Gunnison Bank & Trust parking lot. Hours are: 9-5:30 daily. General Admission is $12 and reserved grandstand is $15. Saturday evening (a change from previous years, where Saturday was a matinee performance), July 18, is family night and kids get in free for general seating and $5 for grandstand with a full paid adult. For ticket information call: 970.596.1413.

GCP Gunnison Country Publications, LLC

Publisher

Stephen J. Pierotti publisher@gunnisontimes.com Managing Editor Chris Dickey editor@gunnisontimes.com Editorial Larry Jensen larry@gunnisontimes.com Will Shoemaker will@gunnisontimes.com Matt Smith mattsmith@gunnisontimes.com Advertising Drew Nelson drew@gunnisontimes.com Kari Bacher ads@gunnisontimes.com Production Manager Benjamin Dennee ben@gunnisontimes.com Layout/Ad Design Jennie Wren adbuilder@gunnisontimes.com Online www.gunnisontimes.com For more information regarding this publication or other special publications of the Gunnison Country Publications, call 970.641.1414, or write ads@gunnisontimes.com Copyright© 2009 No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. No part may be transmitted in any form by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission of the publisher. Any work (written, photographic or graphic) which the publishers “hired-out” becomes the property of the publisher. Publisher accepts no liability for solicited or unsolicited materials lost, damaged or otherwise.

2009

MEMBER

2009

Tuesday, July 14

Friday, July 17

4-H Rabbit and Poultry Show 8:00 AM 4-H Dairy Goat Show 10:00 AM 4-H Fiber Sheep/Goat Show 4-H Participant Clean up 4:00 PM (APPROX.) Cowboy Poetry @ Fred Field Heritage Center 7:00 PM Pre-party and silent auction will be at Mountaineer Square in Mt. C.B. 6-7:30 PM TETWP present the best song writers of Nashville. Hall of Famers, CMA, BMI, and Grammy award winners Tim Nichols, Scotty Emerick, and Dean Dillon will all perform, plus live auction 7:45 PM

4-H Market Goat Show 9:30 AM 4-H Beef Show and Adult Showmanship 10:30 AM 4-H Round Robin Showmanship 1:30 PM 4-H Participant Set Up Sale Arena 2:30 PM 4-H Swine and Sheep Ultrasound 4:00 PM PRCA Evening Rodeo 7:00 PM Dance at The Elks Lodge 9:00 PM Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

Wednesday, July 15

Friday July 10 4-H Goat / Livestock Knowledge Test 5:00 PM 4-H Horse Knowledge Test Kickoff Dinner and Dance Everyone’s Invited (Location TBA) 6:00 PM

Saturday, July 11 4-H Horse Show

8:00 AM

Sunday, July 12 Open Horse Show 8:00 AM *New for 2009 Versatility Saddle Challenge

Monday July 13 4-H Project Judging and Interviews 8:30 AM 4-H Dog Obedience Show 9:00 AM 4-H Participants set up show arena and Project Review 4:00 PM 4-H Project Review 7:00 PM

Breakfast

•

4-H Sheep Weigh In 1:00-1:30 PM 4-H Swine Weigh In 1:30-2:30 PM 4-H Participant Goat/Livestock Knowledge Test 3:00 PM Watershed Team Roping & Barrel Racing, Auction 5:00 PM Watershed Team Roping & Barrel Racing 7:00 PM Evening Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

Thursday, July 16th 4-H Steer Weigh In 8:00-8:30 AM 4-H Swine Show and Open Showmanship 10:00 AM 4-H Sheep Show and Open Showmanship 2:30 PM Pioneer Banquet At The Elks Lodge 6:00 PM The famous TETWP pre Rodeo Party & Auction at The Last Chance 5:00-6:30 PM TETWP PRCA Evening Rodeo 7:00 PM TETWP Post Rodeo Dance (The Last Chance) 9:30 PM Evening Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

Lunch

•

Saturday, July 18 Cattlemen’s Days Parade 10:00 AM Kiwanis BBQ @ Legion Park 11:30 AM 4-H Livestock Buyers BBQ 12:30 PM 4-H Awards and Scholarship Presentation 1:30 PM 4-H Junior Livestock Auction 2:00 PM PRCA Evening Rodeo-Family Night, Kids 10 and under free with paid adult general admission; $5 grandstand 7:00 PM Dance at The Elks Lodge 9:00 PM Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

Sunday, July 19 Cowboy Church / FCA Services Rodeo Grounds 9:00 AM Horse Race Meet 12:30 PM

Dinner ST 1 BL O

MAI CK OF N ST .

WE DON’T

SERVE

TOUGH

WE ARE

THE BEST

AFTER RODEO

MEAT! DINNER-SPOT BIG PARTIES WELCOME! See us for your catering needs. We specialize in weddings and special events.

4

Cattlemen's Days

And now, a word from our president

by Chris Dickey

“L

et ‘em buck.”

So says Kim Barz, this year’s Cattlemen’s Days rodeo head honcho.

This year marks the 109th annual celebration of the West and ranching in the grand ol’ Gunnison Country.

Kim says “we’ve come a long way from bucking horses and running horse races on downtown Gunnison’s Main Street.”

True enough. But the flavor of Cattlemen’s — the family atmosphere, the tradition, 4-H, kids, games, barbecue picnics and simply a whole lotta fun — hasn’t changed all that much in a century-plus.

The Times caught up with Kim recently — briefly, ’cuz he’s a busy man, especially right about this time of year — for a quick chat about this year’s festivities, to see what was on his mind.

We found out, one of those things was, well, beer. No, not that he was ready for one. At least, not yet. He wanted to let all you faithful rodeo fans know that there’s a new policy being implemented this year regarding frosty cold ones.

Specifically, Coors Brewing has stepped up as a sponsor of Cattlemen’s Days. So folks will be able to belly up

There’s a new carnival coming to town this year.

Photo by Dan Cress

to the beer tent and cool down with a cold Coors or Coors Light.

That also means, however, that the old tradition of BYOB at Cattlemen’s is no longer.

“Please don’t bring any containers, coolers, water jugs or those types of

things,” Barz asks. “We’ll have security and they will confiscate it.”

Barz was pleased to announced that Stace Smith, the five-time National Finals Rodeo Stock Contractor of the Year, was bringing his rough stock back to Gunnison. You know how those animals like to buck in the cool air of a mountain evening.

There’s a new specialty act this year (see related story) and a new carnival contractor. Brown’s Amusement of Mesa, Ariz., will be providing all the thrills, games and rides in the lot just west of the rodeo grounds this year.

The carnival will open Wednesday, July 15, and run through Saturday night. Unlimited ride wrist bands will cost $25. Most individual rides cost three or four bucks.

Andy Stewart, the Louisiana man who calls ’em like he sees ’em perched above the bucking chutes in the announcer’s booth, will be the man behind the mic again this year.

There’ll be and fast and furious horse meet again this year. On Sunday, for $5 spectators can see eight or nine races. Those are always action packed.

What else, Mr. President?

“Did I mention bull riding?”

No sir, you didn’t. But we’re hanging on to our hats, and we are all ready for some bull riding. ■

2009

This family is one specialty act The Kiesners and their ‘wild west revue’

T

his year’s Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo specialty act is the award-winning Kiesner family and their “wild west revue.”.

This extraordinary family consists of parents Phillip and Julie and their two sons, Rider and Roper.

Rider first started roping when his parents gave him a trick roping set for Christmas when he was nine. He is now considered to be the top youth trick roper in the past 20 years. Some of his tricks include the butterfly, pop-overs, in and outs, spoke hops, the Texas ship and a 50-foot wedding ring.

His 12-year-old brother, Roper, brings just as much to offer with his Roman Riding on paint ponies, which consists of standing with one foot on the backs of each racing pony. He will also be performing single and double jumps.

Father and husband Phillip will be showing his skills with silver pistols and charging horses. He will be performing his “True Grit” performance by holding the reins in his teeth, and with a pistol in each hand, shooting at targets placed throughout the arena.

This family is sure to impress an audience of all ages and will be performing at each of the Cattlemen’s Days rodeo performances. ■

For

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2009

5

Cattlemen's Days

Guest Commentary

And we think times are tough

A

t a yard sale, I bought several boxes containing nearly a half-century’s worth of American Heritage magazines, that richly illustrated compendium

By Jaime O’Neill of the naWRITERS tion’s history ON THE RANGE through good times and bad, with special attention paid to the droughts, downturns and disasters that tried the souls of our forebears.

I paid $10 for more than 600 magazines.

If I chose to stack them, they would make a pile of yellowing paper much taller than I am — more than 10 feet of American life as it has played out over four centuries, all of it acquired for less than a buck a foot.

History at less than a penny a pound, a great bargain.

Over the last year, I’ve been nibbling at all those back issues, grabbing a handful when I head off to a doctor’s office or prepare to take a trip somewhere.

A 12-foot-high stack of historical magazines is bound to contain lots of bad news.

It’s taught me something important: Even though times are tough today, our predecessors on this land knew much worse.

I stumbled upon a letter written in 1878 by one James Fitzwilliam, a man who experienced so much trouble that Job himself would sympathize. In that year, Fitzwilliam was writing from Fort Worth, Texas, responding to a letter from his sister back east, who was seeking help because of her own circumstances.

Although it appears that Fitzwilliam wanted to help, he’d suffered setbacks that made it impossible for him to accommodate her request. This is why he couldn’t help her, from the letter he wrote expressing his regrets: “My wife and little girl was kill’d by the Indians. House and everything in it burn’d. They took 27 head of horses.

When I came home everything was gone.

I with nine others took their trail and followed for eight days. Came on the band numbering about 25. We kill’d seven and we lost one man kill’d. “I was shot in the arm with an arrow and the first finger of my left hand was shot off. I came back to my ranch and sold out what cattle I had and what horses I had for $7,000 and went to New Mexico.

Bought 1,500 head of sheep. Drove them to Texas and the first winter lost about 900 of them caused by snow, cold weather and wolfs. Sold the remainder out for less than cost as I did not have snow sheds. “I then went to work running cattle and worked a year. Made $300. I then went hunting buffalo. Hunted them for three years. Quit that with about $900.

Went to Henrietta Clay Co. and bought an interest in a hotel. Run it about 8 1⠄2 months and lost money at it. While hunting I contracted a catarrh in my nose. It has disfigured me considerable. In fact for the past five years I have had a terrible hard time.�

History takes little note of people like James Fitzwilliam or the hundreds of thousands like him who lived through

“

But as bad as things are, few contemporary Americans are likely to know the misfortunes James Fitzwilliam did 131 years ago.

Misery, as they say, loves company, and the miseries of that long-dead Texan may give us perspective on our own miseries, and make us slightly less lonesome as we deal with our losses.

� times before historians even had official names for those times. The Roaring Twenties, for example, were probably not called that by the people whose lives roared through those years; that decade was simply “now,� or “the present time.�

We’re living through our own historic time right now, a period of hardship and vast uncertainty for millions of people.

How these times come to be known to our descendants will depend on how things play out. But as bad as things are, few contemporary Americans are likely to know the misfortunes James Fitzwilliam did 131 years ago. Misery, as they say, loves company, and the miseries of that long-dead Texan may give us perspective on our own miseries, and make us slightly less lonesome as we deal with our losses.

James Fitzwilliam makes a good role model here. The way he dealt with his “terrible hard time� sets us an example of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity, and reminds us of the kind of people we once were — and perhaps still are. ■(Jaime O’Neill is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High Country News — hcn.org. He writes and reads back issues in Magalia, Calif.)

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6

Cattlemen's Days

2009

Parade Marshals Don and Dorothy Sammons

by Amanda Friar

D

on Sammons has had a lot of careers. He’s dabbled in banking and accounting. He’s been the editor of a magazine. Sold real estate. He’s even served on the school board for eight years.

But he’s always been drawn to ranching — that’s his lifelong love.

Don was born on a ranch in Powderhorn, which he still helps to maintain, even though a company in Canada now owns it. He attended Fort Lewis College for two years and graduated from Western State College with a business administration and accounting degree. Soon after that, he moved to Amarillo, Texas, to do some banking. After Texas, he moved on to Sacramento, Calif., as an executive vice president for Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association for five years. He’s even spent the last nine years in the concrete, sand and gravel business. But after all of that, he still found himself drawn to Gunnison and moved back here with his wife, Dorothy.

“This is the best place ever to live and raise kids,” Don said.

Besides living in Amarillo for five years and Sacramento for five years, Don has spent his whole life in Gunnison, so he is no stranger to Cattlemen’s Days. He served on the board of directors for 12 years and wound up as president in 1986 and 1987, after helping with horse shows and the rodeo. This year Don and Dorothy will be more than just participants in the Cattlemen’s Days festivities. They will serve as this year’s parade marshals.

“I’m totally honored,” Don said. “I’m surprised but it’s pretty humbling. It’s really an honor to be a part of it.”

Dorothy and Don Sammons

Cattlemen’s Days has always been a big part of Don and Dorothy’s lives. Don’s favorite part, and what he’s looking forward to the most this year as well, is being able to see people that he hasn’t seen in a long time. They also enjoy the livestock and horse shows. But the people are what makes it worth going to year after year.

“The thrill of Cattlemen’s Days is what keeps bringing us back,” Don said. “It’s fun to be a part of it. We look forward to it every year.”

Don and Dorothy are both Gunnison natives and both grew up here. While they didn’t know each other that well in school, they did attend high school together. After both getting divorced, they found solace in each other and got married 16 years ago.

According to Don, it’s been a wonderful relationship.

“By golly, we’ve been getting along great ever since,” he said. “She’s just great.”

While the Sammonses currently live in town, Don still helps out on their old Powderhorn ranch, as well as helps his brother with his cattle up Ohio Creek. He helps with irrigation, fixing fences, as well as riding horses and keeping them healthy.

“It’s truly what I enjoy doing,” Don said.

“It’s what I do. The doctor yells at me (for doing it) and we just keep going.” According to Don, as long as you enjoy what you do, that’s all that counts in life.

Don and Dorothy enjoy spending time with their kids and grandkids. Dorothy has two daughters and Don has six kids, as well as six grandkids together. They enjoy traveling a little every now and then, but really enjoy their family the most. Dorothy currently works at the library, as well as volunteering as a mentor for disadvantaged youth. According to them, life is good. ■

Crandall and Ramona Howard

by Amanda Friar

R

anching has run in Crandall Howard’s blood since he was born in 1935. He was born on a ranch in Gunnison and soon after moved to a ranch in Powderhorn. In 1974, Crandall and his wife Ramona (Moni) moved to a ranch in Olathe, where they currently reside.

Despite not always living in Gunnison, the Howards have always made a point of making their way here for the annual Cattlemen’s Days festivities. This year they will be headed to town as parade marshals.

“It’s a great honor,” Crandall said.

“Gunnison will always be home.”

Growing up in the rural countryside, one of the few times they made it into town was to celebrate Cattlemen’s Days, which made the event an even bigger deal for him. Reminiscing on his past Cattlemen’s Days, Crandall could only remember ever missing two of them since he was born — and those absences were due to him being in the Army. Crandall served as a Specialist Second Class from March 1955-57.

Like most, Crandall’s favorite part of Gunnison’s annual round-up has always been, and will always be, seeing friends, acquaintances and family.

“It’s just a great family atmosphere,” Crandall said. “I’ve been involved since I was born and just kind of grown up with

it. It’s always been the big thing of the year.

The people are the best part.”

Crandall has volunteered on various Cattlemen’s Days committees for 26 years, of which he was on the board of directors for 14 years. He was president for two years, and the vice president for two years. He continues to stay active in the Cattlemen’s Days process, despite living in Olathe.

“They haven’t kicked me off yet,” Crandall said jokingly.

Crandall and Ramona first met after he returned from the service. Crandall was involved in rodeo with Moni’s brother, Delmar, and Moni was a good friend of Crandall’s sister Susy. They both graduated from Gunnison High School and attended Otero Junior College together, before being married Dec. 28, 1958. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past December.

Because Crandall has been at it his entire life, the differences in how ranching was then versus how it is now really stick out to him. He pointed out that while technology has made a lot of advances, he doesn’t necessarily think that it’s helped the bottom line.

“I was born in 1935 and I can remember going from all horses to all machinery,” Crandall reminisced. “It may be easier because of the mechanism, but it’s not better.

It may be less man power, but the profit

Moni and Crandall Howard

margin is not any better than it was.”

Now that the Howards have retired, they enjoy spending time with their three children, five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. They like to travel, but not a whole lot because they enjoy just spending time with their family. They recently got back from a cruise to Roatan, Costa

Maya, and Cozumel, which they really enjoyed.

But this Colorado native likes things right where he’s at: home.

“There’s no hurricanes, (hardly) no tornadoes,” Crandall commented. “We have cold and we have hot. Colorado is really a great place to live.” ■

2009

7

Cattlemen's Days

Cattlemen's Royalty Karli Hayes, Hannah Wenum and Kyle Button

The Royal Court: Karli Hayes, Kyle Button and Hannah Wenum.

Photo by Morgan Cowles

by Cassandra Mielke

A

fter a process that took months of preparation and culminated with a tryout, the 2009 Cattlemen’s Days Royal Court was selected. Since that time (about a year ago) the girls have been working hard to get ready for the big event. As a group, this year’s court is very active in both rodeo and 4-H projects. They represent more than horses and tiaras.

Karli Hayes, this year’s 17-year-old Cattlemen’s Days Queen, has been trying out for the position since eighth grade.

“I kept learning from my mistakes with the horses and questions,” she says. Each member of the Royal Court went through a tryout process that included demonstrations on their horses as well as an interview conducted by a panel of judges.

The court also includes 14-year-old Hannah Wenum, the Queen’s Attendant, and 9-year-old (“going on 15”) Kyle Button, the Jr. Miss. While none of the girls have held a previous position on the court, both Hayes and Button have tried out before.

Hayes is a recent graduate of Gunnison

High School and plans on pursuing a degree in horse training and management.

“I have been involved in 4-H ever since I can remember,” says the California native.

Wenum, a soon-to-be freshman at GHS, has also been a part of 4-H for many years. “I was 8-years-old when I started,” she states.

Button has been participating in rodeos since she was 7.

As the Royal Court, the girls have been working hard to promote Cattlemen’s Days. “Everybody represents Cattlemen’s Days,” says Button. The girls have been involved in community service projects as well as hosting events, such as a “Bingo Night” and a Gymkhana, which is a oneday horse riding skills event done for practice and fun.

Being a part of the Royal Court is more than just pretty faces, nice clothes and tiaras. “We explain exactly what we are ... we educate people,” explains Hayes.

As the Queen, her duties spread further than just making the decision on what to wear. She also organizes fundraisers and gets the group to where they need to be — with the help of “Queen Mother”

Margo Patton.

Hayes adds that her favorite part of being on the court is the example she can set for younger girls. “When you go to rodeos ... you have girls look up to you,” she says. Button adds that it is a good chance to get to know more people in the community. For all three girls it is a chance to be good role models as well as give people an event to look forward to.

But, of course, there are rodeo-related obligations as well. At the actual Cattlemen’s rodeo and 4-H events, the girls will be handing out ribbons and prizes to the winners of each category. Some of those categories include showing pigs and sheep as well as riding competitions. “Some of us show (at 4-H events ourselves),” adds Hayes.

While the Royal Court tryouts are open to any young woman, there are certain talents that are required to be selected.

According to Wenum, court members are expected to ride a horse skillfully and safely as well as be a good representative of the community and Cattlemen’s Days.

One way this year’s court has become involved in the community is through their participation with Tough Enough to

Wear Pink (TETWP), an organization that raises money to fight breast cancer. The girls are particularly fond of this involvement. “All the money (stays) local, so it helps people you know,” says Hayes.

The Royal Court has already assisted with a TETWP fundraiser — the bingo night. During that event, they raffled off certificates stating that the girls would work for two hours each for whoever the lucky buyers were.

Each girl feels impacted by being on the Royal Court in a different way and gets their motivation from something different. Button and Hayes had tried out before and have shown their desire to be part of the court. Wenum wanted to gain more experience and try something new.

All three like the image they are presenting.

As for the future of these young women, Hayes hopes to someday compete for the Miss Rodeo Colorado crown, while Button and Wenum wish to continue to rodeo at a national level.

You can catch the Royal Court all over the place at this year’s 2009 Cattlemen’s Days, held July 11-19 here in Gunnison.

■

8

Cattlemen's Days

2009

Mosey on down to the museum Gunnison’s Pioneer Museum is filled with artifacts and exhibits — including this room filled with the trusty hats and saddles of some of the area’s original cowboys — dedicated to the history of the local agricultural industry. They are open every day during Cattlemen’s Days. For more information, call 641.4530.

Photo by Morgan Cowles

Three-Bar Cowboy

by Mark Todd Cowboy culture stands long and proud and most things remain the same.

It still takes a horse and a bit of grit to punch cows through rough terrain.

It’s easy to tell a cowpoke’s looks, the sun-burned lines in his smile, his scuffed-up boots and his Wrangler jeans that haven’t touched soap in a while.

And we’re used to seeing that cowboy’s belt of crafted cowhide leather, cinched in front with a buckled plate to keep holstered tools together.

He’s got fencing pliers on his Leatherman and a knife of handled bone, but lately he crowds the tools of this trade to make room for a cellular phone!

Now I’m not saying they’ve got no use when a collicking horse is upset.

There’s plenty of times I’d’ve used one myself when I needed to call a vet.

That cowboy’ll say his phone’s for business, just to buy a remuda down south, or maybe to check on a gelding he’s trained or check out a pasture for drought.

But I’d bet my new saddle that most of the time those calls are a different ilk.

When that phone sing-alings, it’s probably his wife to remind him to bring home the milk.

And cowboy phone gossip – what could that be? who rides the ugliest mount?

Or talking ‘til dawn, phone stuck to the ear ‘bout some bull who’s no good, or no-count?

Still, maybe it’s better we don’t slap the leather of six-shooters strapped to our legs.

If we’re cellular partial, we don’t need no marshal to collect holstered phones on a peg.

Under Saddle —for Habit, 1992-2005 A conversation I love to feel through reins that reach a bit of steel: to think a thing and the thing is done, where horse and rider ride as one, to know the muscle, bone, and heart as motioned poetry and art.

Closing hands that finger leather I hold his mouth as we move together.

He rounds his back to drive ahead to stretch his trot, his legs aspread.

A fluent molten flowing horse expressing me through equine force.

Seat-bone deep I sense the beat of leading leg to cantering feet as we shift in our stride to a tripling gait as we stab with our hooves at the sand and the slate.

Collecting in our shared embrace we ease into a slower pace.

Just for a moment, in his hide, and the uphill slope of every stride, no difference now of me from beast, I am the hoof and mane released to share our shared and common space— renewed, regained, resolved, replaced.

(Mark Todd will emcee an evening of poetry on Tuesday, July 14, 7 p.m. at the Fred Field Heritage Center. Joining him will be cowboy poets John Nelson, Brent Winston, Mac McGraw, Joe Dixon and newcomer to the stage, Kevin Coblenz. In addition, there will be two singer-songwriters performing: Local favorite Evelyn Roper and Nashville recording artist Will Dudley.)

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R E A L NEWS LOCAL PAPER

2009

9

Cattlemen's Days

STILL CARRYING THE CROWN Jenna Johnson, ’03 CD queen, is Miss Rodeo Minnesota and has sights set even higher

by Amanda Friar

W

hen 10-year-old Jenna Jenn Johnson made her parade la lap around the arena as the C Cattlemen’s Days “Junior Miss” in 1998, 1998 the announcer proclaimed, “This is your future Miss Rodeo America.”

Later this year at the National Natio Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Jenna has an opportunity to prove him right right.

Jenna’s mom, Susan Johnso Johnson, credits this and a whole lot of other encou encouragement in helping motivate her to strive for exc excellence. In 2003 Jenna was crowned Cattlemen’s Days Queen.

Qu She’s gone on to be crowned Miss Rodeo Minnesota, a distinction d which has earned her the right to compete for the M Miss Rodeo USA crown.

Miss Rodeo competitors are judged on appearance, horsemanh ship and personality. In addition, they must model correct rodeo gear and attire, as well as know recent events and rodeo statisti statistics. For the Cattlemen’s Days competition, competitors must also know the history of Cattlemen’s Days and are judged based on communication skills s and a

Ca ttl A 109 n Ju em nu th ly en al 10 ’s D -1 a 9 ys ,

Continued on page 10

u l t a a t r i o g n n s o !

C

Karli Hayes 2009 Cattlemen’s Days Queen

2009 Attendant Hannah Wenum

2009 Junior Miss Kyle Button

10

Cattlemen's Days

2009

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writing assessment.

As part of the “Miss Rodeo USA” competition, contestants are required to do media interviews, appear at luncheons and make impromptu speeches, as well as perform a choreographed dance along with a fashion show. Last December, as Minnesota’s “Lady in Waiting,” Jenna got a sneak peek at the Las Vegas competition.

“It’s a week long process, where you usually only get about four hours of sleep,” Jenna said. “It’s pretty intense.”

Susan couldn’t be more pleased her daughter has made it this far.

“We’re so proud of her,” Susan said. “She’s made good choices all her life. She’s always hung in there and gone for her dreams.”

In Gunnison, Jenna grew up with an interest in horses and participated in 4-H, showing horses, hogs and dogs. She grew up helping her father on their ranch.

“I’d say my biggest influence is my dad,” Jenna said. “Ever since I could remember, I’ve been on a horse.”

Wendy Hanson, who was on the committee that crowned Jenna as Cattlemen’s Days Queen and has known her for her whole

life, remembers Jenna as being a very good horsewoman and a joy to be around.

“She was always upbeat and always wanted to help out,” Hanson said. “She had a bright smile and shining eyes. She was always very fun to be around.”

After graduating from Colorado State University last year with a degree in equine science, Jenna is now working in Minne-

2009

11

Cattlemen's Days

WHERE Did You

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sota as a customer service representative for grain and hay producers. As she puts it, she’s becoming “more of a farm type than a ranch type.�

Before heading off to Las Vegas, Jenna will be coming back to Gunnison to help with this year’s Cattlemen’s Days. She will be carrying the Tough Enough to Wear Pink flag in the parade as well as visiting with sponsors, signing autographs and helping out with just about anything the rodeo folks may need. Being able to come back and participate in her hometown rodeo is important

to Jenna, and she is excited to be able to reacquaint with old friends and neighbors. “The foundation that I got at Cattlemen’s Days is what really got me going,� Jenna said. “So it’ll be nice to come back and see everyone.�

Jenna also pointed out that much support is needed to cover the expenses of her travels and preparations for the contest. Jenna would greatly welcome and appreciate any and all donations to help cover these costs. If able to help, contact Jenna at 320.267.9228 or missrodeomn2009@hotmail.com. â–

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12

Cattlemen's Days

2009

s m a e r D g n i Build is Our Business!

TETWP effort keeps growing Jim Swaim and Kim Barz of TETWP (on the outside) and Robert Reiver and Pam Baker (in the middle) of Wrangler at last year’s NFR. Courtesy photo

L

ast December, Cattttlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink committee members Jim Swaim and Kim Barz received a special, and last minute, invite to attend an evening performance of the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. They were informed that Wrangler Jeans wanted to present them with a special gift.

They were hoping for, maybe, $20,000.

Instead, they hit the jackpot — walking away with $210,000 to pump into the local effort to battle cancer.

“Wrangler’s humbleness in providing a venue nationally for a wonderful cause should not be overlooked,” Swaim said.

“So often, large corporations want to brand such causes with their name. There are often ‘ropes’ attached with a portion of the dollars raised going to their agenda’s causes or expenses. Wrangler expects none of this.”

TETWP got started locally in 2006. In its

first year, it set a national record by raising $90,000 during the Cattlemen’s Days festivities. In its first three years, that fundraising amount grew to $210,000 — and then Wrangler matched that.

As of this June, the local TETWP effort had paid out more than $104,000, helped with 190 mammograms and ultrasounds, 14 biopsies and assisted five local families of breast cancer survivors.

In October 2007, Gunnison’s TETWP presented Gunnison Valley Hospital with a check for $27,000 to help upgrade its mammography machine to a digital platform, that will enhance mammographies in the area.

Once again, TETWP will have a huge presence during Cattlemen’s Days, with dances, concerts, auctions and plenty of other fun events planned. For a full schedule, visit www.Gunnisontetwp.com. ■

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2009

13

Cattlemen's Days

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Sports Performance & Regional Hand Center & Alpine Surgery Center Offering State-of-the-art outpatient surgery

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Rhett J. Griggs, M.D. ✚ Bo Board Eligible Orthopaedic Surgeon ✚ Or Orthopaedic Residency and upper extremity fellowship at University of Florida, GATORS fe ✚ Team Te Physician of Western State College of Colorado

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6 Locations to serve you better Gunnison: Main OfďŹ ce -112 West Spencer Avenue Crested Butte: 405 Elk Avenue Mt. Crested Butte: Base of Ski Area Montrose: 330A South 8th Street Telluride: Telluride Medical Center - 500 West PaciďŹ c Salida: Arkansas Valley Physical Therapy - 735 Blake Street

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GET YOUR BOOTS ON

IT’S PINK TIME 2009 CATTLEMEN’S DAYS • TOUGH ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK

Concert with Live and Silent Auction JULY 14TH, 2009

MOUNTAINEER SQUARE CONFERENCE CENTER

#!3( "!2 ,)'(4 (/23 $ /%562%3 !.$ 3),%.4 !5#4)/. !4 0- s #/.#%24 !4 0TICKETS: $60 GENERAL ADMISSION Tickets: In Crested Butte, Interior Visions s In Gunnison, visit The Western World Call Edie Gibson at 970.596.4458 or Jenny Knox at 970.596.3402

DEAN DILLON

Dean makes both Nashville and Crested Butte home. Living in CB a large part of the year with his beautiful wife Susie, Dean is a member of the Nashville songwriters hall of Fame. With dozens of top 10 and 31 hits to his career, Dean has and is writing for some of Nashville’s top recording artists. Dean and George Strait have a string of #1 hits together, including “The Chair�, Easy Come, Easy Go, “She Let Herself Go�, and most recently a George Strait Single out on the Radio “Livin’ for the Night�.

SCOTTY EMERICK

Scotty returns to Crested Butte this year for his second TETWP concert.

Scotty has been working on an amazing volume of hits recently with Toby Keith, including “How Do You Like Me Now�, “I’m Just Talkin About Tonight�, “Beer for My Horses�, and “As Good As I Once Was�. Scotty was also NASI songwriter of the year in 2004.

TIM NICHOLS

Grammy, CMA and ACM award winning songwriter, Tim graciously, accepted our invitation to Crested Butte this year. With such hits for Tim McGraws as “Live Like You Were Dying�, for Terri Clark “Girls Lie Too�, Jo Dee Messina debut smash “Heads Carolina, Tails California� and “You’re Not In Kansas Anymore�.

Silent and Live Auction items

2-Las Vegas 3day-2 nights at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa with Phantom of the Opera or 2009 National Rodeo Finals tickets included! George Strait VIP Concert Tickets at Cheyenne Frontier Days, July 18, 2009 including a meet and greet and Rodeo Admission with 3 night hotel accomodations for 2 at the Plains Hotel! Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo VIP admission for 2 to the concert of your choice! Various Framed Western Art, Jewelry, Wine Baskets and much, much more!

All proceeds benefit Gunnison Valley breast cancer education, screening and victim assistance TOUGH ENOUGH to wear

PINK

www.gunnisontetwp.com

TOUGH ENOUGH to wear

PINK Since October of 2006 through May of 2009 local TETWP dollars have assisted (5) families of breast cancer survivors, provided (190) mammograms and ultrasounds, and supported (14) biopsies totaling $104,869.38.

In 2007 TETWP presented the Gunnison Valley Hospital with a check for $27,000 to help upgrade GVH to a digital technology platform that will compliment and enhance mammography in our area. TETWP has also sponsored Public Health luncheons & seminars on breast cancer awareness and education. In 2007 TETWP sponsored a breast cancer education seminar for 300 young women attending a WSC volleyball clinic.

Formoreinformationabout donations or to volunteer for this year’s activities, please contact Edie Gibson at 970596-4458. Please join and support our cause for our community at the July 16th Tough Enough to Wear Pink Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo in Gunnison, Colorado.

14

Cattlemen's Days

2009

The

Cowboy Window

by Larry Jensen

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here is a beautiful stained glass window of a cowboy on horseback in the foyer of the Community Church’s Beibel Memorial Chapel on N. Iowa Street in Gunnison. Known as “The Cowboy Window,” it occupies a place of honor above the doors into the sanctuary.

The window has a story that began long before it was installed there in 1955.

In 1912, Dr. George Nuckolls became minister of the town’s Methodist congregation. One of his first objectives was to replace the old wooden church from 1880 that was located at the corner of S. Boulevard and W. Tomichi streets. Through his efforts, a stately brick building was constructed on the northwest corner of N. Wisconsin and W. Virginia streets during 1914 and was ready for dedication on Jan. 17, 1915.

Like most churches of the period, it had many beautiful stained glass windows in its sanctuary. “The Cowboy Window” was one of them. The story of its creation was recorded for posterity in the words of Dr. Nuckolls: “When we built the church, the local ranchers, and those connected with the cattle industry, made such valuable contributions in money and labor that I felt they should have special recognition. So, without any of the cattle growers knowing anything about the plan, I went to Denver and Miss Habercorn of McPhee

and McGinnity designed the window for the church. As my memory runs, when she completed the design, I liked it very much but the cowboy had a cigarette in his fingers of the hand which rested on the saddle horn. Most cowboys do smoke

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2009

15

Cattlemen's Days

ENOUGH SAID See us for your catering needs. We specialize in weddings and special events.

Photo by Morgan Cowles

and I entirely approve. However, there are times when even a cowboy doesn’t smoke and one of those times is when he is in church. So I suggested to Miss Habercorn that we follow prevailing custom and she agreed that it was probably better and made an abstainer of the cowboy.”

In 1918, the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations merged to become the Community Church, which used the 1915 Methodist structure as its home until Beibel Chapel was built in the 1940s.

Ownership of the Methodist structure had always remained with that organization. Prior to the building being razed shortly after World War II, Dr. Nuckolls used his “power of persuasion” — which

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from all accounts was substantial — to save “The Cowboy Window.” It was then stored for a number of years. The disposition of the other stained glass windows from that building is unknown.

In 1955, a church committee, consisting of Dr. Nuckolls, James Buffington and Richard Walker, was appointed to arrange the installation of the window in its current location. For more than 50 years, church parishioners have been greeted weekly by the abstaining cowboy on horseback. ■ “A Glance into History” appears weekly in the RoundUp section of the Gunnison Country Times.

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16

Cattlemen's Days

2009

50 years of protecting our water UGRWCD celebrating milestone

by George Sibley

W

ater and ranching are as inseparable as grass and cattle. Yet, maintaining, improving and protecting the water supply for agriculture in the Gunnison Basin are tasks that have always required much participation. For the past 50 years, the board and staff of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) have led this charge.

The UGRWCD was created in 1959 to work with the federal Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), as the Bureau descended on the valley with the biggest public water project in West Slope history: the three Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) dams — known now as the “Aspinall Unit” — in the canyons west of Gunnison.

The BOR had promised the valley an “Upper Gunnison River Project,” a complex of small reservoirs and irrigation ditches to bring more land into agricultural production. The UGRWCD was created primarily to coordinate that project locally and to receive and manage the water rights from the project. But the Upper Gunnison Project essentially died in the 1970s because it never met the federal cost/ benefit requirements. Without federal assistance, the local valley could not pay for the project alone.

The UGRWCD might have put up a “closed” sign at that point, but they didn’t.

Instead, the district got creative and looked for other ways to develop, maintain and protect the valley water supply. There has been no shortage of challenges and opportunities there. Probably no one knows the history of the UGRWCD better than local attorney Dick Bratton. He came to Gunnison in 1958, right out of law school (University of Colorado), and went to work for Ed Dutcher, who had been instrumental in organizing the UGRWCD and was its retained counsel from the start. Bratton took over that work when Dutcher was appointed District Judge in 1961. He continued to serve as legal counsel for the district until 2006, when the UGRWCD

When the feds came in to build their big project, which included Blue Mesa Reservoir (seen here), they essentially told the local folks that they could have a big project of their own, to secure water for future local needs. Although this “Upper Gunnison Project” never came to fruition, the entity it spawned — the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District — has been actively engaged in local water-related matters ever since. They are celebrating their 50th year in business in 2009.

Times file photo

hired his then-partner John McClow as full time in-house attorney.

The district’s most creative work, as Bratton relates it, came in the 1970s and ’80s when they effectively co-opted the BOR’s Taylor Park Reservoir for Upper Gunnison Valley uses. These actions proved beneficial to valley ranchers below Almont, and also to the summer fishing and boating economy that has become significant over the past 50 years.

Taylor Dam was built in the 1930s to store water for the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA), served by the Gunnison Tunnel from the Gunnison River just above the Black Canyon National Park. Because water was released from the reservoir on-demand from the UVWUA, the Taylor River had basically become an irrigation ditch, running in a flood or a trickle depending on their seasonal irrigation needs. This played havoc with local irrigators and fishermen.

Once the Aspinall Unit dams were built, the UGRWCD pestered the BOR about the fact that the Upper Gunnison had all the impacts from those dams but nothing in the way of “wet-water” benefits. So the idea was raised of storing the UVWUA’s Taylor Park water in Blue Mesa Reservoir, making it possible to release it through Taylor Dam in a way that would make the “Taylor Ditch” a real river again.

This was achieved in 1975 through a complex “exchange agreement.” Bratton and other district leaders then hatched the idea of applying for water rights on a second filling of Taylor Reservoir, with water over and above the UVWUA right decreed to the Upper Gunnison for irrigation in the basin and for in-stream fishery and boating benefits. As a result, the brown trout population in Taylor River increased 90 percent and a boating industry was created. Ultimately, in a case of first impression, the Colorado Supreme Court confirmed the district’s second refill right.

This became important almost immediately, when Front Range entities filed their massive Union Park proposal in 1986. That aimed to sponge

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321 N. Main St Gunnison, CO 970-641-3004 fax: 970-641-4243

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17

Cattlemen's Days

È{£ £Ó£ÓÊUÊGunnison, CO

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The attorneys from the second Union Park trial, which was one of the milestone victories of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District.

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— and figured prominently in negotiations that led to the National Park Service subordinating its claim to all water rights senior to the BOR’s 1957 Aspinall Unit decrees.

Those are “the big four” ways in which the UGRWCD has worked effectively to develop and legally protect a good water supply for the Upper Gunnison over its 50 years, despite the fact that its original reason for being — the Upper Gunnison Project — never materialized.

The makeup of the district board has changed over the years, from a predominance of ranchers to a mix that reflects changes in the social and economic environment of the valley. But ag water and its protection remains a primary focus of the district for reasons that transcend mere economic calculations. ■

e liv sto c l k!

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up all remaining unappropriated water in the Taylor and East River watersheds for diversion primarily to Front Range cities. The UGRWCD’s refill right in Taylor Park helped lead the court to find that there was not enough water for the Union Park proposal. After two passes before the state Supreme Court, the water court eventually dismissed the case. The district figured heavily in organizing the opposers to the Union Park proposal and leading the charge.

A more recent UGRWCD achievement was the settlement of a Black Canyon National Park water decree.

In its original application, this proposal would have rendered threefourths of the Upper Gunnison’s agricultural water junior to the Black Canyon. Again the District organized the opposers — nearly 400 of them

P

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YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE 2009 4-H & FFA LIVESTOCK AUCTION SATURDAY, JULY 18 12:30 p.m. Buyer’s BBQ (F-Bar Catering) 1:30 p.m. Scholarship Presentation

Generous support provided by:

2:00 p.m. Jr. Livestock Auction Multi-Purpose Building at Fred R. Field Western Heritage Center For information contact Gunnison County Extension Office 641-1260

232 WEST TOMICHI • GUNNISON

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WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE 2008 LIVESTOCK BUYERS: Gears, Inc. John Roberts Motor Works Grand Champion Market Steer

Gunnison Auto & Feed 2 Horse Electric Jan Cornell Reserve Champion Market Steer

Buckhorn Fencing Grand Champion Market Hog

Paula Swenson Reserve Champion Market Hog

Alexander Orthodontics Pike Builders, Inc. Grand Champion Market Lamb

Castleton Ranch Reserve Champion Market Lamb

J. David Backhoe Service Reserve Champion Market Chickens

High Mountain Improvements & Construction Grand Champion Market Chickens

Almgren Insurance Archuleta Construction Bank of the West Bill Mundell Benson Sotheby’s International Realty Chamberland Orthopaedics Chuck Orr Community Banks of Colorado Concrete Systems Inc. DelDorita Ranches Delta Implement Donner Tevis Double Heart Ranch Dr. Sherry Niccoli Eagle Ridge Ranch Edward Howard CPA F Bar Catering Field Land & Cattle Fullmer's Ace Hardware Golden Eagle Trash Service

Gunnison Bank & Trust Gunnison Country Times Gunnison Muffler & Pipe Gunnison Savings & Loan Gunnison Veterinary Clinic Hanson Weatherport Hi-Country Laundry West High Country Cowboy Hy-Syde Industries Inc. Jack David Backhoe Jeff Cole & Family Jim & Sue Oates John Rose Kinikin Processing Lacy Construction Loop Cattle Company Lost Miner Ranch LLC Mountain Clean Inc. Prime Real Estate Pucheck Construction Ralph Black Ranchway Feeds Ray Trucking & Backhoe

Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camp Scanga Meats Schmueser, Gordon, & Meyer Engineering Sweitzer Oil Inc. Take Away Food Store The Redden Group Trampe Ranches Tredway Wood Working Turner Toyota United Companies United Country Wilson Associates Realty Vickers Ranch Western Implement Inc. Western Slope Connection Wild Horses & Hounds Wilderson, O'Hayre, Dawson, & Norris PC Williams Enterprises

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Cattlemen's Days

2009

Ode to ‘Old Cowboys’ “If his face is the color of a good slice of roast beef, done rare — if his forehead is white above the line of his hatband — if the back of his neck is seamed and wrinkled by blizzards and dust storms and broiling sun — if there are wrinkles around his eyes and hair in his ears, you have a right to believe he is what he looks like. He is undoubtedly a cattleman.”

Cowboys and Cattle Kings — C.L. Sonnichsen, 1950

by Judy Buffington Sammons

I

liked the way Sonnichsen summed up the ’50s0sera cattleman. I reread his words recently and nd got to thinking about them — the old time cowwboys. The circumstances that shaped their lives and nd formed their personalities have changed. Today we have “new cowboys” — and some pretty good ones es — but they aren’t really the same. Old cowboys are re scarce now, and very valuable.

I would like to pay tribute to them here and say ay a few words on their behalf. These were men who o had their beginnings back in the horse-and-buggyy days and lived long enough to marvel at a man n walking on the moon. They were born on the lastt fringes of the pioneer period — back in the Old d West — where it was said, “men were men, and d women were glad of it.”

Old cowboys come in several categories: some were hired men, some were small operators and d some built up veritable empires of land and cattle. Regardless of their station, most of these men enjoyed in their time some of the most beautiful country in the mountain west — enjoyed it, tamed it, knew country that was still silent, wild and free.

Often they were taciturn — using brief and forceful words to get their point across. Yet these same men frequently possessed a remarkably sunny disposition. They had a certain look, too, one that didn’t change much over the years.

Their style could almost be deemed sophisticated ... in a rustic way. They were beefy and rugged, had barrel chests, hands big as hams and legs more and more bowed as the horseback years added up. They looked strong. There was no mistaking one.

Hired man, Joe Echert hailed from The old cowboys had a familial connection Missouri and spent his entire life with land. In the late 1800s their fathers and working on a Wester n Colorado ranch grandfathers had pioneered in the ideal stockgrazing lands on the unsettled mountains and plains of Colorado. These early day cattlemen rass his affection and thrived began populating their newfound treasure of grass with cattle by the thousands. Ranching, under their on his limited praise. “You’re mighty pretty, Miss guidance, started, steadied, grew and prospered. The Judy,” he would say as I modeled the frilly pink dress dishonest, the impatient, the inept and the unlucky he had brought back from the Kansas City Royal. But of the pioneer ranchers did not make it in the busi- that was all — then it was right back to business. ness for long. Nor did the faint of heart. It was a hard Grandad was the epitome of the “old time cattlebusiness that would make a man’s body hard and his man.” He lived his entire life with a great singleness of mind too, if he wasn’t careful, and age his wife before purpose — that of building up a good ranch, enclosher time. A gambler’s courage was needed to succeed ing it with barbed wire and putting his blue ribboned and the sons of these pioneers — now the “old cow- Herefords behind the fences. He never aspired to do boys” themselves — seemed to have inherited that anything else. He lived a long life, dying at the age courage. of 92, going out the way he had lived — with great My grandfather was one of these men. He was al- dignity and a good fight up to the very end. It was a ways a big part of my life because our ranch was a strange feeling of surprise to me when he left us. I had family business. Grandad favored his male grandchil- thought him to be indestructible; he very nearly was. dren but had a tolerant affection for his granddaughBecause of this grandfather of mine, I have retained ter. I was always a little in awe of him, but returned a great affinity for “old cowboys.” My career as a

The late Lawrence Phelps at his ranch house on the lower Gunnison

writer of Western history has brought me to the doors of more than a few of them.

I treasure the time I’ve spent in the company of these gentlemen and I greatly value the wisdom they’ve im-

2009

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Cattlemen's Days

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They all have a certain look, and it’s one that can-not be copied. It starts with an old Stetson hat, orr something closely resembling it — one not decorated with feathers or silver conchas, but possessing that degree of character that only honest wearr and tear brings.

”

parted. I like everything about them.

They all have a certain “look,” and it’s one that cannot be copied. It starts with an old Stetson hat, or something closely resembling it — one not decorated with feathers or silver conchas, but possessing that degree of character that only honest wear and tear brings. My grandfather always claimed you could spot a “real” cowboy by looking at his knuckles, saying that years of roping and flanking would produce knuckles that look like miniature door knobs. He said a cattleman should be shod in boots — conservative ones, “and have some mud on his boots ... and know which way north is.”

On top of the boots my grandfather described will be the standard uniform of Levis or Wranglers and a Western shirt with snap buttons. If he’s seen in winter, an old cowboy will be wearing a wool gabardine shirt, the kind that “new cowboys” wouldn’t be caught dead in. It will be buttoned up tight to his neck, a neck that by now probably resembles a turkey’s.

You’ll know an old cowboy when you see one — there is simply something about him that cuts him out from the crowd. It’s his gait, his ramrod spine and his military seat on a horse. Well into their 70s and 80s,

an old time cattleman will retain the hard muscled, weathered and eagle-eyed look of a cowboy.

The hired men category of old cowboys sometimes stayed on at one ranch for several decades. Often they were bachelors and in time became very much a part of the family.

They were an integral part of the workforce of the ranch — becoming indispensable in time. If single, they might reside in a “bunk house” and eat meals with the family. MarThe author’s gran dfather, Clyde Buffington. ried men were provided housing, and they Circa 1950 and their wives and children often became an extension of the rancher’s family.

Many old cowboys lived to a ripe old age, their ranch has changed hardships and challenges not shortening their years. hands several times and no longer retains the They often just kept on working away as they aged simple, clean and dignified look of a western cattle — likely to do such things as get on a salty horse ranch. Even so, every time I drive by the old place, even when advised not to, not necessarily to prove I think about him. I see him yet — riding his horse anything but simply because it’s what they needed to across the brilliant green of a springtime meadow, the do at the moment. blue sky and still-white mountains his background, a Few bona fide old cowboys remain. Many by now shovel over his shoulder and an ever watchful eye on have crossed “the Great Divide,” among them, my the Herefords. grandfather. He has been gone for many years now; the We miss you “old cowboy.” ■

& Cattlemen’s Days We Grew Up Together

W

estern State College’s chartering in 1901 signaled the beginning of higher education on Colorado’s Western Slope.

Today Western is a liberal arts and sciences college with students from every state in the nation and many foreign countries. Our faculty includes men and women with degrees from the most prestigious colleges and universities. And our campus continues to grow. Recent additions include the Borick Business Building and the new Student Center, which is slated to open in December 2009.

We offer degree programs in a wide variety of fields, including new programs in Petroleum Geology and Professional Land and Resource Management.

We’re proud to be a part of the Gunnison Country and to share a rich heritage with our city, our state and with Cattlemen’s Days.

Early on, Cattlemen’s Days utilized a part of the Western State College campus, as in this photo from 1916.

While attending Cattlemen’s Days ...

plan a visit to Western!

For more information: 1-800-876-5309 Western State College Admissions Office Gunnison, CO 81231

admissions@western.edu www.western.edu

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Cattlemen's Days

2009

Preparing for the future, now

Sampson and Sonora: The ultimate 4-H tale

Holly Mask started her 4-H career at the age of 8.

This fall, she enrolls in CSU’s animal science program

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year-old 4-H member Sonora Fouquet and Gunnison County CSU Extension Agent Eric McPhail traveled to Denver in January to show off Sonora’s past year of hard work. And what a year it was.

Her project was Sampson, a spirited Angus steer with a lot of personality. She received Sampson last May from sponsor Brett Redden, Gunnison rancher and Colorado Elks member, as part of the National Western Stock Show’s CatchA-Calf program. 4-H members from around the state every year compete at the National Western to catch and halter baby calves in the Denver Coliseum. If a kid is lucky enough to catch one, they win a steer and get to show him the following year as a market project.

With professional coaching from 4-H Agent Nadine Henry, Sonora caught her calf last year — which also marked the first time she’d ever so much as touched a cow. Herein lies the story in which a girl, with no large animal experience, joins 4-H with a desire to learn how to care for animals and the hope to one day become a large animal veterinarian.

The road was not easy for Sonora.

The first night she tried to chase down a speedy calf in the arena she came up empty. With one more chance the following night, she opted for the faster wardrobe of pink pants and tennis shoes, which proved to be successful, as she was one of the first to catch that night.

Going home with a win meant that Sonora would begin her diligent studies on how to raise a steer for market.

The day Sonora received Sampson, she was overjoyed. However, coming home and seeing the 700-pound steer bail out of the trailer and blow through two of Steve Crittendon’s coral gates, where Sampson would be kept, Sonora’s emotions quickly turned to fear and uncertainty. Thanks to the help of Parlin

Sonora Fouquet faced a long journey to get Sampson to the National Western Stock Show. But with a whole lot of gumption, and help from a slew of local 4-H leaders and supporters (including Eric McPhail, also pictured here), she not only made it, but she came home with two ribbons.

Courtesy photos

rancher Mark Campbell, Sonora was able to regain trust in her steer as he helped her halter-break and lead Sampson for the first time.

For the next seven months, Sonora responsibly cared for Sampson and turned him into a 1,200-pound show steer. Sonora quickly learn that a steer project is a huge undertaking, as requirements include: feeding and watering twice-a-day; daily walking and exercising; weekly grooming, consisting of washing, drying and brushing; constant attention to health and nutritional needs; daily record keeping and monthly weighing; and a slue of trainings to get a steer ready to show and be fitted.

Sonora’s next round of battles started two weeks before the show, when after being vet checked by local veterinarian, Darby Sullivan, Sampson bounded out of the holding chute excitedly and landed on Sonora’s foot, breaking it. Sonora quickly found herself helpless, in a support boot and on crutches.

Relying heavily on her mother, Vickie Fouquet, the mother/daughter team continued to press on. They were determined to show Sampson, regardless of the obstacles. The next battle came when three days before show, a time when all steers need the most work. Sonora’s mother Vickie became hospitalized and unable to help Sonora with Sampson any further. In stepped McPhail, Sonora’s livestock judging coach, who vowed to help Sonora get back to the National Western, the place where it all started, and complete her project.

With help from her 4-H leader, Ann Bertschy, Sonora and Sampson arrived in Denver ready to show. Eric met Sonora down at the stock show and they started the three-day ordeal of interviews, sponsor dinners, fitting, grooming and showing. It would be no easy task for any kid, much less one on crutches and without her mom and teammate. However, Sonora, showing great determination, “Cowboy’d Up,” “Got’er Done” and received two National Western ribbons, one of which was blue.

Totally exhausted from showing, she reluctantly passed on Sampson’s ownership and loaded him on a trailer bound for the greater good which all steers must finally reach. Sonora slept most of the long ride home, back to Gunnison.

When they arrived, she told McPhail that she never thought that so much went into raising a steer and that she couldn’t believe that tomorrow would be the first morning in seven months in which she wouldn’t have to go feed Sampson. ■

ids may not be aware of the opportunities available through their local 4-H program. Holly Mask is.

Holly’s 4-H story is a great example of how the program Mask can help a student pursue their dreams.

Holly’s career in 4-H started early — at the age of 8 years old. She started out taking on the dog project and after a couple of years she was enticed by leader Ann Bertschy to lease a goat.

This worked out well, as it does for many kids who love animals but don’t have a place to keep them.

Caring for her goats, Holly soon focused on the dream of becoming a veterinarian. Throughout the years, she took on many other 4-H projects, including livestock judging, horseless horse, llama and three years of veterinary science — which will especially come in handy, as Holly has now been accepted to the animal science program at Colorado State University.

“4-H gave me direction,” Holly explains. “And with it, I was even able to visit the CSU vet hospital four times, twice at open houses and twice taking sick goats there with Ann.” Holly graduated from Gunnison High School this past spring as the valedictorian of her senior class. She will continue at CSU this fall, following her dream path to become a veterinarian.

She will also be a member of the collegiate 4-H club they have on campus.

She attributes many of her successes to the multitude of opportunities and skills 4-H offered her — the community service, the life skills and leadership development are just a few. Holly has now served the past two years as Gunnison’s 4-H council president and will take to college many memories with her.

The entire local 4-H family wishes Holly the best success in her future endeavors. ■

The 4-H Pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

2009

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37478 W. Hwy 50 Gunnison Toll-Free

1-800-642-1650 Local

970-641-1650 Gunnison County 4-H members have given in the following ways: â&#x20AC;˘ Collected 500 pounds of food for the local food pantry before Thanksgiving â&#x20AC;˘ Made Valentine baskets for the Jubilee House â&#x20AC;˘ Built playground equipment for the Lake Pre-school â&#x20AC;˘ Adopted a family and made their Christmas special with gifts and meals â&#x20AC;˘ Cut, loaded, delivered and stacked eight cords of wood to needy families â&#x20AC;˘ Delivered (via horse-drawn wagon) 10 Christmas trees with decoration supplies to needy families â&#x20AC;˘ Raised enough money to buy three animals for Heifer International â&#x20AC;˘ Participated in their annual highway cleanup â&#x20AC;˘ Wrote letters to military personnel â&#x20AC;˘ Contributed and delivered backpack goodies to a local military family with a deployed service member â&#x20AC;˘ Raised more than $5,000 to benefit Lori Smock (15 year 4-H volunteer leader who was diagnosed with cancer) â&#x20AC;˘ Made and donated cookies and cakes for 4-H events â&#x20AC;˘ Hosted a Partner (mentoring program) junior-senior activity day â&#x20AC;˘ Worked for community clean up days â&#x20AC;˘ Contributed more than $3,000 from their livestock sale checks to the 4-H Forever Fund

Shooting sports: More than meets the eye

www.waterwheelinnatgunnison.com

Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x192;]Ă&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; *Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;ÂŤiĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;->Â?i 6Â&#x2C6;iĂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160; Â?Ă&#x2022;iĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x192;>Ă&#x160; >Â&#x17D;i]Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; Â&#x2C6;Â?Â?Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; *Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;>VÂ?iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;7iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; Â?Â&#x17D;Ă&#x160;7Â&#x2C6;Â?`iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x192; 1Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x2C6;

6Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;°Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x192;>Ă&#x203A;>Â?Â?iĂ&#x17E;}Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C; Â&#x2021;Â&#x201C;>Â&#x2C6;Â?\Ă&#x160;Â&#x201C;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x203A;}JÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Â&#x201C;>Â&#x2C6;Â?°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C; Ă&#x17D;äĂ&#x17D;Â&#x2021;nn{Â&#x2021;xĂ&#x201C;{Ă&#x201C;

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by Tim Cranor 4-H MEMBER

NO CITY SALES TAX CHARGE*

T

here are many different types of shooting sports, such as archery, shotgun shooting, rifle shooting of all types and black powder firearms shooting. All of these are a great learning experience and are very fun.

Most people find rifle shooting is easier, because it requires less stability and is easier on your hands. Archery is relatively safe, but it is complicated.

There are many different ways of shooting, such as target, hunting or just shooting for fun. There are also many competition shoots, which are often very fun.

I went to my first archery shoot several years ago and greatly enjoyed myself. While I was at the shoot, there was a shooter who â&#x20AC;&#x153;robin-hoodedâ&#x20AC;? a carbon arrow, causing an explosion.

There are many shooting clubs around the country and many people are registered in them. I joined my first shooting club when I was 8 and could finally enter 4-H. For several years, all I did was archery.

Kick off your boots and stay awhile.

re st a nd ..

Mon ju h a ets. a t e th t ba sh ho ean cl

Pledging their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hands to larger serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unnison County 4-H clubs are true to pledging their hands to larger service for the health of their community, country and world. 4-H members in Gunnison County participate in service projects every year, and this past year members were exceptionally active in making significant contributions to their community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Giving back to their community is fostered by the guidance and commitment of leaders and parents in all of our clubs, who respond to community needs and follow through,â&#x20AC;? said Michelle Lehmann, 4-H parent and leader. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of both â&#x20AC;&#x201D; good parents and good leaders.â&#x20AC;?

Research is starting to back up what those leaders, parents and youth development professionals have known. One correlation study in two Midwest cities supports the view that volunteer service activities may increase the effectiveness of youth development efforts designed to reduce specific adolescent risk taking behaviors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as tobacco, drug and alcohol use (Rodine et al., 2006).

Youth engagement in service to others and their community can play an important role in their development. Development is triggered by engagement. Young people learn best when they engage with their heads and their hearts. Meaningful participation contributes to a young personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sense of connectedness and confidence and allows them to build competencies and contribute (Pittman, Irby, Tolman, Yohalem, & Ferber, 2003). A 4-H club provides that engagement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Raising money to help out a third world country is the least we can do,â&#x20AC;? said Hannah Anderson, president of one of the five 4-H clubs making significant contributions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a great opportunity to see how peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives are in Africa and how much help, money and food they need. Get Your Goat Club was very thankful for everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s donations and help they gave to us.â&#x20AC;?

Gunnison County 4-H programs have contributed to the health of the community â&#x20AC;&#x201D; their county, country and world. â&#x2013;

21

Cattlemen's Days

Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy

13-year-old Tim Cranor went to his first archery shoot several years ago.

However, eventually I joined a rifle club, which I am still in. Rifle shooting matches are very different from archery matches, especially in the types of targets and methods of shooting. Archery generally uses larger targets at shorter ranges, due to the nature of the bows.

The commands and safety precautions are much the same though, excepting retrieving arrows.

All in all, I immensely enjoy shooting sports and would recommend kids to join the 4-H shooting sports program. â&#x2013;

Helping families preserve ranchlands for future generations.

6ISIT GUNNISONLEGACY ORG s s . -AIN 3UITE ! s 'UNNISON #/

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Cattlemen's Days

2009

“

People see a lot of green. But they don’t realize the amount of work it takes to keep the fields green.

” Rancher Richard Guerrieri

Ditches quite a development Photos by Morgan Cowles

by Amanda Friar

I

n the City of Gunnison, they’re called the “Freshman Ditches” because of newcomers’ — especially cavorting college freshmen — propensity for falling into them. Out in the county, they are the lifeblood of ranchers, carrying the water that will grow the hay that will eventually feed their cows.

Simply put, ditches are a pretty big deal around here.

The in-town ditches date back more than 100 years, when pioneers worked to make what some not-sofondly called “Sage Brush City” a little more hospitable.

Soon, cottonwood trees were sprouting up, providing shade and aesthetics to the growing metropolis.

Now, every spring city crews divert water from the Gunnison River just north of town into the Gunnison

Town Ditch and keep the water flowing through the city’s widespread irrigation system until early fall. The water, which runs in front of the vast majority of homes here, is free for all to use — on their lawns and gardens, primarily — as long as they don’t dam up the ditch.

“The town has very good and very old water rights,” long-time resident Ralph “Butch” Clark said. “And they’re very proud of it.”

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2009

23

Cattlemen's Days

When Gunnison Country Leaves You Breathless

Choose the Company Committed to Gunnison Today and Tomorrow “It’s very unique,” added City Manager Ken Coleman. “I don’t know of many towns that have this kind of system.”

In addition to the in-town system, the Gunnison Basin is crisscrossed by ditches that ranchers use to irrigate their land for the purposes of growing hay. Local rivers and streams supply these ditches.

“People see a lot of green,” longtime rancher Richard Guerrieri said. “But they don’t realize the amount of work it takes to keep the fields green.”

First, you have to get the water into the ditch — usually by “turning on” a headgate. Ranchers have to make sure the ditch is free of debris so the water runs

freely. And they have to get the water out of the ditches, usually via makeshift mini-dams, and onto the portion of the field they are watering.

According to rancher Lee Spann, it is a long process to clean out the ditches.

Much of it is done by hand, while part of the maintenance is done by burning the ditches, resulting in that almost sweet smell that fills up rural areas most late winters and early springs.

Ditches play a huge role in the lives of many who call the Gunnison Valley home. Just be sure to not fall into one, unless you want a good laugh at your expense. ■

641-1828 Rodney Barnett Marlo Runnells Chris Barnett Years of Experience in Gunnison County 500 W. Hwy 50 Frontage Rd, #103

Flower motor Dodge

Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo July 16, 17, 18 • 7 p.m. nightly

G u n n i s o n, c o

$35 Purchase at Western World Gets You

One Free Rodeo Ticket Voucher

97 0- 641- 15 01 • w w w.c at tl em en sday s. co m Friday July 10th

4-H Goat / Livestock Knowledge Test 5:00 PM 4-H Horse Knowledge Test Kickoff Dinner and Dance Everyone’s Invite d (Fred R. Field House) 6:00 PM

Saturday, July 11th

4-H Horse Show

8:00 AM

Open Horse Show *New for 2009 Versatility Saddle Challenge

8:00 AM

Sunday, July 12th

Monday July 13th

4-H Project Judging and Interviews 4-H Dog Obedience Show 4-H Participants set up show arena and Project Review 4-H Project Review

Tuesday, July 14th

4-H Rabbit and Poultry Show 4-H Dairy Goat Show 4-H Fiber Sheep/Goat Show 4-H Participant Clean up Cowboy Poetry @ Fred Field Heritage Center Pre-party and silent auction will be at Mountaineer Square in Mt. C.B.

8:30 AM 9:00 AM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 4:00 PM (Approx.)

7:00 PM 6-7:30 PM

TETWP present the best song writers of Nashv ille.

Hall of Famers, CMA, BMI, and Grammy award winners Tim Nichols, Scotty Emerick, and Dillon will all perform, plus live auction Dean 7:45 PM

Wednesday, July 15th

4-H Sheep Weigh In 1:00-1:30 PM 4-H Swine Weigh In 1:30-2 4-H Participant Goat/Livestock Knowledge Test :30 PM Watershed Team Roping & Barrel Racing, Auctio 3:00 PM Watershed Team Roping and Barrel Racin n5:00 PM Evening Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds g 7:00 PM

Thursday, July 16th

4-H Steer Weigh In 4-H Swine Show and Open Showmanship 4-H Sheep Show and Open Showmanship Pioneer Banquet At The Elks Lodge The famous TETWP pre Rodeo Party and Auction at The Last Chance TETWP PRCA Evening Rodeo

8:00-8:30 AM 10:00 AM 2:30 PM 6:00 PM 5:00-6:30 PM 7:00 PM

TETWP Post Rodeo Dance (The Last Chance) Evening Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

9:30 PM

Friday, July 17th

4-H Market Goat Show 4-H Beef Show and Adult Showmanship 4-H Round Robin Showmanship 4-H Participant Set Up Sale Arena 4-H Swine and Sheep Ultrasound PRCA Evening Rodeo Dance at The Elks Lodge Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

9:30 AM 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM

Saturday, July 18th

Cattlemen’s Days Parade Kiwanis BBQ @ Legion Park 4-H Livestock Buyers BBQ 4-H Awards and Scholarship Presentation 4-H Junior Livestock Auction PRCA Evening Rodeo-Family Night, Kids 10 and under free with paid adult general admission; $5 grandstand Dance at The Elks Lodge Carnival at The Rodeo Grounds

10:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:30 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM

Sunday, July 19th

Cowboy Church / FCA Services Rodeo Grounds Horse Race Meet and NEW Draft Horse Pull

9:00 AM 12:30 PM

24

Cattlemen's Days

2009

OUR 32ndYEAR IN GUNNISON AREA REAL ESTATE! MLS

306 West Tomichi Ave. Gunnison, CO 81230

Dennis Steckel, Broker, 57 yrs in the area, 31 as Broker.

ACROSS FROM GOLF COURSE. Here’s a great way to get out of town!

Near 1700 sq ft, 3 bedrms, 2 baths, lots of living space, dbl garage & plenty of yard!

RESTAURANT w BEST LOCATION! It’s closer to most of Gunnison’s motel rooms than any other full service restaurant. 12,500 ft site w 2480 ft bldg on East Hwy 50.

PLENTY OF SPACE, priced right at $156,500. 5 bedrms, 3 baths, 1,260 sq ft plus dbl attached garage, fenced front yard, more....

BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE! Downstairs shop you’d design and build if you had the time! Upstairs: A home you might expect to find along a trout stream.

HOME! You’ll see, it has space for hobbies, activities, studying, w 6 bedrms, living, family, dining rms. Central heat plus solar & wood stove, nced bkyd, double garage...

WOODS OF YOUR OWN! Your cabin or camp site of up to 10 ac of aspen & conifers & mountain park. Legal access, water & good summer auto roads, or over-the-snow in winter.

From $19,000.

HARD TO BEAT COMFORT! Fine 4 bedrm beauty. One level w sunken 14x20 liv rm. Huge mstr bedrm suite, 15x28 deck, 11x15 patio, fenced bkyd w sprinklers, dbl garage WSC NEIGHBORHOOD! Save gas and time! 3 bedrm 2 bath, central heat plus pellet stove, hot tub, garage, too.

Your house!

NO HIGHWAYS on the walk to school! 2300 sq ft 4 bedrm, 3 bath w nat gas heat & wood-burning stove. Great value/sq ft.

MAIN STREET STORE or residence, it’s been both, and probably a “professional” building, as well!

In great shape and ready to go!

DREAM-ABOUT HOME in a town surrounded by Nat’l Forest, yet you’ll have Hi-spd internet, paved & snowplowed access, school bus, mail and endless summer and winter fun!

P.O. Box 1450 641-2235

Bill Nesbitt, Broker, 37 yrs in Gunnison, DSR associate since 1983.

NEED 300 FEET to stretch out? Sometimes square space won’t do! This one runs from street to street along the alley. All utilities.

RED RIDING HOOD RETREAT. A cabin in a 10 ac park of your own. EZ 4wd summer and fall access.

For weekends or weeks on end, you’ll enjoy every minute! Wolf not included.

ON THE BACK NINE! If you’re looking for a home site on the golf course, don’t miss this one. A big view, sunny, and within sound of the river.

7 ACRES a mile from the Iola Boat Dock w temporary home. Great place for family fishing HQ, Non-commercial boat storage. Elect phone, and potential.

HERE IN THE COUNTRY w eye filling views of valley, mountains and sky! 1800 sq ft plus garage! 4 bedrms, 2 baths, fenced bkyd, trees, close-in enough to bike to town.

GOLD CREEK VALLEY 2 bedrms 1.5 bath year around home w slate floors, dbl garage w shop upstairs, beautiful landscaping...

DUPLEX INVESTMENT. Great rental history, on 7962 sq ft lot, 2 units total 1752 sq ft, fenced yards. Ask for Bill.

COUNTRY SIZED YARD, 3 bedrms, 2 baths, living and family areas, dbl garage w shop space in basmt, 16x32 deck, on 125x150 site, sprinklers, bkyd fence...

ON QUARTZ CREEK! 3 bedrm (12x17 master downstairs) 2 baths, 1600 sq ft plus a 720 sq ft dbl garage/shop.

US 50/TOMICHI 125 ft frontage, 100 ft on side street! 4 choice south facing “C” lots w all util & a 984 sq ft commercial bldg HOME & HORSE corrals, 3 bedrm 2 bath home w 18x18 living rm, fenced yard, paved road close to town, county sewer and your own well. Just about perfect!

LESS HEADACHES! Homesites that eliminate a lot of pain! In-town w paved street, all util adjacent, alley for added access & refuse collection. No foolish restrictions, just meet city codes.

Lucinda Lull, Broker, 32 years in the area, DSR associate since 1984.

OHIO CREEK, 35 ac irrigated meadow for home, horses and personal space!

Wonderful mountain views, water rights, 7 minutes from downtown. No covenants.

SPRING CREEK canyon cabin w 2 bedrms, conveniences, fishing rights on Spring Cr. A few steps to the Nat’l Forest, phone, electric.

STUFF TO DO! Why let your fix-it talents go to waste.

1,250 sq ft cabin in historic mountain community with all yr access, electric and phone available. Only $75,000, Be sure and ch JUST THROUGH THE WOODS summer If it’s for2 sale, w & autumn dream cabin. bedrm,1 bath, 15x22 living rm, deck, phone &Prices elect,may 10 cha acres of aspen and pine.

IF IT’S ON THE PICTURE PERFECT! 37 wooded and open park mtn acres adjoining BLM/ Nat’l Forest! Beautiful cabin w indoor plumbing & conveniences. Generator, shop, seasonal auto access...

40x60 INDUSTRIAL BLDG on 3 “I” zoned lots.

Bath, heat, concrete floor, all util, handy to airport and Hwy 50.

BEST BUY! 3 bedrm 2 bath home w lots of custom finishing. In town on sunny corner site. Only $177,750 WINNER buy a country mile! Only $139,900 for a 1223 sq ft 3 bedrm 2 bath home on its own lot! Near school bus stop. Lots of nice views.

SUMMER & AUTUMN in the mountains! Affordable log cabin on 10 big sky wooded ridgetop acres. What a view!

Good summer auto access.

GUNNING FOR A BIG GUY? 7600 sq ft commercial bldg on a full acre Plenty of use options. Call Bill for details.

GOLD CREEK VALLEY. 1.6 ac bldg site with all year access, phone & elect available, stunning views. Near historic Ohio City!

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME! 6 Lots in Pitkin w log cabin. Well already drilled! Ask for Lucinda!

Dennis Steckel Realtors Nobody Does It Better!

641-2235

WE ARE SELLING PROPERTIES faster than we’re listing them. If you are thinking of selling, please give us a call!