Online Horse Sales The Future is Here
Behind the Scenes Entering Pro Rodeo
Celebrating 25 Years of Cowboy
Yellowstone Costner’s Wicked Hit Show
Mantracker’s Trail Tales Bio-Security Threats Urgency of “No Trespass” PM# 40070720
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In This Issue
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 25, NO. 2
22
Tracking with Mantracker Terry Grant, shown here on the job in gorgeous Cape Breton, is Canada’s most famous tracker. He shares some behind-the-scenes tales from the trails, including some tracks to watch out for on your travels.
Features
Departments
24
5 My Point of View 8 In the Corral 14 Spirit of the West 15 Wheel to Wheel 16 Reflections 35 Cowboy Way 37 Pro Rodeo Canada Insider 43 Road to the CFR 45 Clownin’ Around 50 Cowboy Poetry
TRESPASS: NEW RULES, NEW RIGHTS
The ever-increasing conflict on the range and private property has led to violence and new laws
28 TRAILBLAZER
Harnam Singh Hari founded one of Alberta’s oldest ranching families
30
On the Cover Kevin Costner stars in the hit series Yellowstone. The series, which premiered in 2018, follows the conflicts along the shared borders of a large cattle ranch, a Native reservation, and land developers. It’s wickedly good watching.
40
HAPPY 25TH, COWBOY!
A rollicking look back at folks we tagged at the start of their careers, and look at them now! PRCI: WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
The Central Rodeo Entry System (C.R.E.S.) revolutionized entering multiple rodeos
43 PRCI: ROAD TO THE CFR
Photo courtesy Paramount Network
@cowboycountrymag
Saddle bronc rider Logan Hay is carving his own career one jump at a time
@CowboyCntryMag
@CanadianCowboyCountry
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THIS AIN’T OUR FIRST RODEO.
August/September 2021 Vol. 25, No. 2 Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Copy Editor Tamara Aschenbrenner tamara@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director: Shannon Swanson shannon@cowboycountrymagazine.com Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner circ @cowboycountrymagazine.com Accounting/Administrator Marie Tanner admin@cowboycountrymagazine Columnists Tim Ellis, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Greg Shannon, Bryn Thiessen Contributors Dylan Biggs, Bill Borgwardt, CrAsh Cooper, Billie-Jean Duff, Tim Ellis, Dianne Finstad, Terry Grant, Tanya Hamner Tanner Young Publishing Group Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 Tel: 780-465-3362 | Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @cowboycountrymagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 1 Year: $25.00 incl. tax | 2 Years: $39.00 incl. tax 3 Years: $49.00 incl. tax | Single Copy: $5.95 + tax Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40070720 ISSN 1701-1132 Please return undeliverable addresses to: Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine c/o Tanner Young Publishing Group Administration Office Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 FREELANCE POLICY Canadian Cowboy Country welcomes freelance contributions but will not be held responsible for unsolicited text or photographs. Direct all freelance enquiries to: freelance@cowboycountrymagazine.com PRIVACY POLICY At Tanner Young Publishing Group, we value your privacy. For our complete privacy policy go to tanneryoung.com/ privacy.html or call us at 1-800-943-7336 Canadian Cowboy Country makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. This magazine is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, and Magazines Canada, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors. Visit albertamagazines.com
IT’S BACK
NOV 22-27 “This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.” «Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.»
4
MY POINT OF VIEW
SUBSCRIBE NOW! Five years ago when I decided to put one of my 1967 Teepee trailers in my backyard, it was to be my guest house. Little did I know that it would serve well as an office and the perfect spot for a stay-cation.
PHOTO BY TERRI MASON
Happy Days Are Here Again So, masks off, kissing and hugging and dancing is once again allowed, and the panic is over — for now. I’m sure that this issue will host a few surprises, and that’s part of its charm. From our relatively unknown Trailblazer (thank you, Billy Melville) to my piece on Trespass, it’ll be an interesting read. I caught up with Terry Grant, and the result is some behind-the-scenes stories from his Mantracker days, which are a lot of fun. Kevin “Dances With Wolves” Costner is back with another dramatic season of the smash hit, Yellowstone. If you relish a series about a rancher who is trying to protect the family ranch while everyone around is trying to get his land for their own gain, then you’ll love this show. Writer Bill Borgwardt also ferreted out the Canadian connections. With the seemingly never-ending pandemic, many people had to figure out a new way to survive. The good folks who raise and sell horses for a living were in a quandary. They needed to market their horses, but with the ever-changing COVID protocols, they couldn’t have a sale, so they turned to the internet. It worked, but it was a LOT of work, and with that, I interviewed some of our long-time advertisers about their new online sale. Just how does an online horse auction work? Read on, my friend. cowboycountrymagazine.com
Our good friend, Dianne Finstad, interviewed the folks who make life a little easier for pro cowboys to find out just how the Central Rodeo Entry System (C.R.E.S.) works. For nearly two decades, I’ve worked from home. The only drawback was not having access to all of the back issues. Fortunately, Ken Wright, a subscriber since Day One of Cowboy, is a friend, retired rancher and saddlemaker, and he graciously lent me back issues so I could write Part Two — Can We Pick ‘em! Celebrating 25 years of Cowboy. Thank you, Ken; it’s good to have old friends here in Canadian Cowboy Country. “The horse needs to respect you, but sometimes people confuse respect and fear. And they’re not the same at all.” — Buck Brannaman
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The Horse Lover’s Quotation Book, page 82
— Terri Mason, Editor
5
CONTRIBUTORS Dylan Biggs Training Cattle, Training Cowboys Cowboy Way, page 35 For over 20 years, Dylan has travelled extensively, sharing his knowledge of low-stress cattle handling with producers through livestock handling demonstrations. Dylan, his wife, Colleen and children run multi-award-winning TK Ranch near Hanna, Alta. TKRanch.com
Bill Borgwardt Yellowstone, page 18 Multi-award-winning photographer and feature writer Bill Borgwardt has been a part of the country music scene in Canada and the U.S. since 1966. The NAIT grad (normally) covers over a hundred country music events each year.
Dianne Finstad Pro Rodeo Canada Insider Central Rodeo Entry System, page 40 With more than 30 years behind the rodeo chutes, that’s still Dianne’s happy place, covering the sport she loves best. The muchfeted reporter is an inductee into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
Terry Grant Tracking with Mantracker, page 22 Terry Grant is a longtime working cowboy and volunteer with Foothills Search and Rescue. He is perhaps best known for his starring role in the adventure-reality series, Mantracker.
Billy Melville Trailblazers, Harnam Singh Hari, page 28 Billy Melville is a columnist, author, noted historian and chuckwagon colour commentator on Rural Radio (Sirius XM Ch 147) and CBC Sports. He is the grandson of chuckwagon legend, Orville Strandquist.
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Where In The World? Hi Canadian Cowboy I just received the latest edition of CCC and have a clarification. There are probably a few old survivors of the community pasture programs that might read your good magazine and remember me. I wouldn’t want them wondering if I’ve taken to “BC bud”! During my time in Saskatchewan, I was called lots of things: Land Rep, Resource Specialist, Pasture Supervisor, Regional Manager (among the printable terms) but never CEO. Keep up the good work. Grant Griffin, Cranbrook, B.C.
Sorry, Grant — Your status in Sask has reached mythical proportions among the old cowhands as that’s how one described your status to me, so I promoted you. I apologize. — Editor
PHOTOS COURTESY GRANT GRIFFIN
My “Adopted” Subscription Hi Terri: I would like to just pay the regular subscription fee and not have you extend my subscription. I expect you have lost enough revenue due to Covid and don’t need the reduction in revenue that would cause. I will renew on my original schedule, so you don’t lose any more money. Although I knew nothing about horses or cattle before I “adopted” my Father-in-Law’s subscription (and now subscribe myself ), I look forward to the magazine each and every time I see it in the mail. There is always interesting and informative articles and stories. I hope the magazine survives the mess we are in. Alan Barrett, Calgary, Alta. cowboycountrymagazine.com
*Editor’s note: First off, let me thank all of our subscribers for being there for us and with us. Because of COVID, we were forced not to publish the Feb/Mar 21 issue. We advised our subscribers that we will tack on an additional issue at renewal time, and this is the written response we received from one reader. 7
IN THE CORRAL NEWS, VIEWS & HAPPENINGS FROM ACROSS THE CANADIAN WEST Freshlychristened Legend Rodeo Stock
Making of a (New) Legend There’s a new name in rodeo, and they’re riding in on the Kesler’s 70+ year breeding program. This past spring, the Kesler family’s multi-award-winning rodeo livestock was purchased by Rowland “Roy” Brewin of Rowland Seeds, a third-generation farmer near Taber, Alta. The deal includes 325-plus bucking horses, roughly 75 rodeo bulls and the stock contractor membership cards for both the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) and Canadian Professional Rodeo Roy’s daughter, Tami-Jo Brewin, is the ranch manager for Legend, and former pickup man Travis Jordan will oversee the operation. Bullfighter Ty Prescott will oversee the DNA/breeding side of the bulls’ and noted bucking horse breeder Darcy Hollingsworth will serve at the helm of the breeding program.
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Association (CPRA).
IN THE CORRAL Range officer Chris Armes
Brand of the 6666 Ranch, located in the sidewalk display of historic Texas brands, Pioneer Plaza in Dallas
Even More Westerns! With the fabulous success of Yellowstone, Paramount has signed creator, writer Taylor Sheridan for at least two new series. The first will be a prequel, entitled Y: 1883. It will follow the journey of the Dutton family as they cross the Great Plains on a journey to a new life in Montana. A second series, 6666, will take place on the famous ranch in Texas, founded by Captain Samuel Burk Burnett in 1870. The Yellowstone Creators Group, which includes Taylor Sheridan, purchased the 266,255-acre Four Sixes in 2021. The ranch had originally listed for $347.7 million.
From Ice Cubes to Ice Age While digging in Matthew Perkins’s backyard this past
PHOTOS COURTESY CHRIS ARMES, TEXAS ONLINE; PHOTO SUPPLIED
spring in Las Vegas to build a pool, construction workers
Agrologist of the Year
made an unexpected discovery: bones buried about five feet
Earlier in May, Cariboo Chilcotin agrologist Chris Armes was awarded Agrologist of the
hit, Perkins connected with Joshua Bonde, a palaeontologist
Year by the BC Institute of Agrologists (BCIA) during its virtual annual general meeting.
with the Nevada Science Center.
In his nomination, he was lauded for making significant contributions both
deep in the soil. After Vegas police determined the bones were not a mob
Bonde inspected the bones and identified a horse’s jaw,
professionally and personally to the agriculture community and is referred to as the
shoulder blade, right front leg, and hair. But it’s not the
‘Range Godfather.’
remains of just any horse; it’s a very, very old one.
Chris loves his work. “I think it’s just an amazing job,” he said of working for the Ministry of Forests
Relying on the rock below and above the remains, Bonde estimated the bones to be 6,000 to 14,000 years old. Two
for the past 29 years. “I can be inside on a rainy day like it is today. I have ridden horses
species of horses are believed to have roamed the area
for work, motorbikes, quads, snowmobiles, ridden in helicopters and planes.”
(equus scotti and La Brea), and the bones could be from the
His job as the district range officer takes him from Horsefly to Anahim Lake and Empire Valley Ranch to McLeese Lake — the largest ranch district in the province. Chris studied agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan and UBC. Local ranchers have told Armes they don’t want him to retire, so he plans to “stick it out for a few more years.”
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Pleistocene or Ice Age, which began 2.6 million years ago and lasted until about 11,700 years ago. Bonde said he hoped the discovery would draw more attention to the possibility that others may have fossils in their yards.
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IN THE CORRAL Chase Skocdopole, shown here competing in TDR, earned the Steer Wrestling Championship and was declared Cowboy of the Finals
Alberta High School Rodeo Finals Finally, the kids got to compete again, and with little fanfare (and even fewer fans allowed to attend), the 2021 Provincial Finals for High School Rodeo were held in Olds, Alta., at the beginning of June. The Junior High Rodeo Finals were held near the end of May at Nanton, Alta. Congratulations to the organizers, sponsors, stock contractors, parents, grandparents, friends and fans for making this happen, and a special congratulations to the newly-crowned 2021 Alberta Junior & High School Rodeo Provincial Champions!
2021 Alberta Senior High School Provincial Champions
2021 Alberta Junior High Provincial Champions Bareback Steer Riding: Quaide Skjonsberg; Barrel Racing: Janae McDougall;
Bareback: Jackson Lynn; Barrel Racing: Sayge Turcato; Bull Riding: Cauy
Breakaway—Boys: Kobe Urasaki; Breakaway—Girls: Aubrey Ross; Bull
Schmidt; Steer Wrestling, Chase Skocdopole; Girls Break Away: Kendal
Riding: Glen Erickson; Chute Dogging: Hunter Humfrey; Goat Tying—Boys:
Pierson; Girls Goat Tying: Paige Tully; Pole Bending: Kenda Statham; Saddle
Nathan Bishell; Goat Tying—Girls: Aubrey Ross; Pole Bending: Layton
Bronc: Blain Pengelly; Team Roping: Randon and Denim Ross; Tie-Down
Chamberlain; Ribbon Roping: Jett Powelson; Saddle Bronc Steer Riding:
Roping: Brayden Brost; Working Cow Horse: Peri Phillips; Boys Cutting:
Denten Skjonsberg; Team Roping: Lane Broderson/Layton Chamberlain;
Justice Jones; Shooting: Jace Sears. Queen: Tawnie Thompson.
Tie-Down Roping: Mason Hamilton.
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTOS BY WILDWOOD IMAGERY/CHANTELLE BOWMAN; WILDWOOD IMAGERY/ CHANTELLE BOWMAN
Paige Tully, 2021 Senior Alberta High School Goat Tying Champion
Saskatchewan High School Bull Riding Champion Tanner Skene
Sask Provincial Rodeo Champions! Congratulations to the newly-minted provincial Junior High and High School Rodeo Champions of Saskatchewan! The Finals were held in the High Chaparral Arena of Maple Creek, Sask., in June. Special thanks to the sponsors, organizers, volunteers, parents, grandparents, friends, fans, stock contractors, and, of course, to the new Provincial Champions for making this terrific event happen.
2021 Sask. Senior High School Provincial Champions Poles: Grace Giesbrecht; Bareback: Kegan Kmita; Saddle Bronc: Brady Irvine; Goat Tying: Lara Beierbach; Steer Wrestling: Clay Ellis; Tie-Down Roping: Denton Dunham; Barrels: Julia Houfe; Team Roping: Denton PHOTOS BY WILDWOOD IMAGERY/CHANTELLE BOWMAN
Dunham/Tanner Lockie; Breakaway Roping: Cassidy Weber; Bull Riding: Tanner Skene.
2021 Sask. Junior High School Provincial Champions Barrels: Tyra Kmita; Team Roping: Tate Beierbach/Kohen Kaufmann; Girls Goat Tying: Alyssa Maffenbeier; Boys Goat Tying: Jace Beierbach; Bareback: Lucas Ozirney; Saddle Bronc: Colt Hillis; Poles: Piper Bigney; Chute Dogging: Tate Beierbach; Girls Breakaway: Alyssa Maffenbeier; Boys Breakaway: Kohen Kaufmann; Tie-Down Roping: Jace Beierbach; Ribbon Roping: Jace
Saskatchewan High School Breakaway Roping Champion Cassidy Weber
Beierbach/Tyra Kmita; Bull Riding: Connor Bear.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
11
IN THE CORRAL EMPTY SADDLES
EMPTY SADDLES
Dale Ernest Leschiutta
James Dodds, Lacombe, Alta.
Dale contributed much to the world of Canadian pro rodeo in a variety of roles. After a career in aviation and retiring as an Air Canada Captain, Dale then served as President of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association from 2006-2012, worked as the CPRA General Manager from 2011 to 2012 and served as the CFR Commissioner.
Jimmy grew up on the family ranch south of Ponoka, and after a career as a professional bull rider, he worked in off-shore oil drilling for 30 years. After retirement, he returned to Ponoka, horses and the western lifestyle he loved. Each year at the Ponoka Stampede, Jim supplied the RCMP with their mounts.
1948 – 2021
1946 – 2021 (age 74)
reshol
–
20
–
20
is Canadian Cowboy?
Alberta
Where in the World
m,
Cl a
Indigenous Squamish people have lived in the area for thousands of years. Later, the town of Squamish had its beginning during the Pacific Great Eastern Railway construction in the 1910s. Outdoor adventures are a huge attraction to the area. They include the Stawamus Chief, a huge cliff-faced granite massif favoured by rock climbers, and over 1,500 rockclimbing routes in the area, plus river rafting and bald eagle viewing in Brackendale, which has one of North America’s largest populations of bald eagles. The area’s natural beauty sees Squamish as a film location for many media works, including Star Trek Beyond (2016) and Netflix’s Lost in Space reboot. The town’s population of nearly 20,000 is home to many long-time residents, including our new art director, Shannon Swanson and family.
12
From left, Eli, Sydney and their dog, Will
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO: SHANNON SWANSON
Squamish, B.C.
GIDDY UP
WITH GREG SHANNON
Horsing Around My radio colleague, Tera Lee, recently had a great conversation with gifted singer/songwriter Jaida Dreyer.
The Horse Lover’s Quotation Book Celebrating Grace, Beauty, Spirit & Freedom I know what you’re thinking; “Why buy a book of quotes about horses when I can simply look them up on the internet?” To this new-century mindset, I answer, “Why ride a horse when you can GREG SHANNON PHOTO CREDIT: JEN RUSH | JAIDA DREYER PHOTO CREDIT: PAIGE SARA
simply look at them in pictures?” Some things in life transcend the soul-sucking void of the world wide web, and a good book is one of them. The editors well researched this little book to ensure the correct authors receive the credit for their eminently quotable quotes. The bits of wisdom are sorted into a half dozen broad categories to help you find your favourites for any occasion. From Shakespeare to Winston Churchill, from Ray Hunt to Buck Brannaman, this compendium of thought-provoking quotes
Jaida is a big part of Corb Lund’s Agricultural Tragic album, and Tera Lee confirmed the rumour that Corb has long been Jaida’s celebrity crush. When asked what it was like to marry her crush in the video for the hit song “Horse Poor,” Jaida said, “I took this pretend wedding very seriously because I may never have another one.” She remembers Corb sweating bullets and nervously asking Colin Linden (featured in the TV show Nashville), who played the officiant in their pretend wedding video, if he was actually ordained. As Tera Lee eloquently stated, “He didn’t want to get roped into anything.” The main idea for “Horse Poor” came from Jaida, who, by her count, already owns 11 or 12 horses. When she went to buy three more (it was a package deal), she had to put up her truck against a bank loan for the latest purchase. A short time later, while brooding about her new additions and apparent equine addiction, Jaida started singing to herself, “Horse poor... horse poor…” and then thought the only person who could help finish the song would be Corb Lund. So she called him, and he “ponied up” (actually, he flew) to Nashville to conversate and collaborate. The successful result of their quality time together is another radio smash by two talented Canadians who share a passion for horses and hits.
will give you pause, make you think and sometimes, make you laugh out loud. This book is a treasure of wisdom and will be enjoyed by everyone in the family for years. If it’s one thing I’ve learned through this pandemic, it’s the value
— Greg Shannon, 840 CFCW Morning Show Co-Host
of the worthwhile — a good friend, a good meal and a good book. The Horse Lover’s Quotation Book, Hardcover, 88 pages, multiple authors, Hatherleigh Press. HatherleighPress.com
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Hear Greg Shannon & Co-Host Stella Stevens weekday mornings on 840 CFCW! Email Greg with column suggestions: greg@cfcw.com 13
SPIRIT OF THE WEST | HUGH MCLENNAN
Ernie Morris Vaquero por Excelencia
O
ne year after famous cowboy artist Charlie Russell passed away, another legend was born. His name was Ernest Morris, and he was the quintessential vaquero, horseman, gear maker, and artist. At the 2013 Horseman’s Re-Union in Paso Robles, Calif., Hall of Fame horseman Les Vogt pointed out an old cowboy and said, “There’s a guy you should interview.” It was Ernie Morris in his trademark white shirt, red bandanna and 14
high-crowned buckaroo hat. I introduced myself and spent an unforgettable afternoon with him. His blue eyes lit up when he talked about the glory days of the vaquero. “Most of the ranches were 50,000 to 60,000 acres. It was a different world, a different time. There’s not many of those things left now.” I talked a bit about some of the buckaroo pride on the big outfits of Western Canada, and he said: “Here in California, the ranches are cut up. There’s no place they can ride anywhere they want or even make a halfday circle. It’s no longer a dying thing; it’s dead. It’s gone.” He continued. “The remnants of what’s left is what you have to learn to accept. Most folks today have never seen that way of life.
* In my last column in the June/July issue, I wrote the name Gerry Brace, and I don’t know why — because her name is Gerry Bracewell. I guess I worked so hard on spelling her first name right that I got her last name wrong. I apologize.—HM
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO BY BILLIE MCLENNAN
The late Ernest Morris with Hugh at the 2013 Horsemen’s Re-Union in Paso Robles, California
In my opinion, the horses are started way too young now. Back then, we started fiveyear-olds. You could ride one all day, and he could take it, but these babies can’t. They develop splints, spavins, all kinds of leg problems, and they’re not mature enough mentally. I’m not bragging, but I’ve had horses that were still sound and working at nearly 30 years of age.” He pushed his hat back and went on: “If I had an interest in something else, I’d be more wealthy today. You can’t mess with horses and expect to get wealthy. There’s too much time that gets away, and you don’t get anything else done. But, the satisfaction is something nobody can buy from you. I’ve ridden broncs and ranch horses of all kinds, but for me, the California bridle horse is the ultimate goal. They are my last thoughts when I fall asleep and my first ones when I wake up. There’s nothing nicer than dancing with a beautiful lady on a slick ballroom floor, and that’s how it can be with a horse. But what it takes is time.” “Sadly,” he continued, “The economics of today’s horse industry can’t stand that. They say they need a horse right now. I say: ‘If you’ve gotta have a finished horse right now, take the pickup; you’re already late.’” He created masterpieces in nearly every format of conventional art during his life, including bronze sculpting and wood carving. He was published in numerous newspaper and magazine articles regarding horse training methods, rawhide braiding and western art, plus he authored and illustrated five books. Ernie rode across the Great Divide on May 5, 2021, at the age of 93. To view his art and rawhide works, visit ElVaquero.com c
WHEEL TO WHEEL | BILLY MELVILLE Orville Strandquist flipping flapjacks at his chuckwagon in downtown Calgary on 8th Avenue Mall on July 10, 1958
Sound of Silence
“F PHOTO COURTESY BILLY MELVILLE COLLECTION
eel the horses getting crazy, feel the burning in their soul, as the sun goes down in Calgary and the wagons start to roll. Hear the thunder of the hoofbeats; it’s a sound they know so well, as they cast their fate, to the figure eight, and the half of mile of hell.” These words from Ian Tyson’s 1978 song had a different meaning in 2021. In a last-minute decision, the Calgary Stampede went ahead without the iconic Rangeland Derby. There are plans to bring the chuckwagon races back in 2022, but when the sun went down in Calgary this year, there wasn’t the excitement to cap off the evening that the chuckwagon races bring. With the Stampede being the centrepiece of the chuckwagon season, the news was a devastating setback to the chuckwagon drivers who had already spent cowboycountrymagazine.com
tens of thousands of dollars, not only to get prepared for the Rangeland Derby but mapping out the rest of the season as well. But the chuckwagon drivers are not the only ones losing out this year. Calgary Stampede founder Guy Weadick conceived the chuckwagon races in 1923. They became an instant hit with the fans and quickly grew into an iconic and the most popular single event at the annual celebration. Two weeks before he passed in 1953, Guy Weadick himself described the chuckwagon races as an “outstanding attraction” that he “always boosts.” From the chuckwagon races and the chuckwagon drivers came the Calgary Stampede’s iconic Stampede breakfasts. Even to this day, it’s the chuckwagon drivers who cook pancakes every day in downtown Calgary. Besides getting fed, Stampede tourists have the unique opportunity to meet some of its stars. In addition to the Stampede breakfasts, arguably no other group associated with the Stampede (with the exception of Stampede Royalty and the Caravan Committee) promotes the Calgary Stampede more than the chuckwagon drivers and
the outriders — and they do it year-round. From the annual canvas auction in March, which promotes an early “Stampede buzz”, chuckwagon competitors are deployed throughout the Stampede grounds and the city of Calgary on a daily basis during the Stampede to promote the event. They participate at special events throughout the year on Stampede Park, such as Aggie Days, Flames games, etc., to promote the Stampede’s goodwill. No other Stampede athlete does this. The chuckwagon races are synonymous with the event and attract people from all over the world. This unique event is why news outlets such as CNN and Reuters rank the Stampede at or near the top among events of its kind in the world. The chuckwagon races are what separates the Stampede from any other event of its kind — anywhere. When the sun went down in Calgary during the 2021 Calgary Stampede, nobody “heard the thunder” nor “felt the burning” of the chuckwagon races. But as the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder — and we can all look forward to 2022. c 15
PHOTO: OUTDOORSMAN/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
REFLECTIONS | BRYN THIESSEN
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
The Hospital Good Place to be Treated, Poor Place to Get Well ///
It started innocently enough. Bonny had pulled out Friday to visit some grandkids. I needed some things from town, so I went in that afternoon. Seeing as I was batching, I picked up some Chinese food, thinking it would last me a few meals. (I was still on soft food because I’d got my Christmas wish of a full set of teeth in February.) I went home and consumed over half for supper and the rest for lunch on Saturday. I started to not feel good by 2:00 p.m., and by 6:00, I had purged myself of everything in my system. By Sunday morning, I was about as strong as a politician’s promise, so I had my nephew feed the cows, and I called Sam (Coconut Cowboy) to run and feed the dogs. Bonny came back Monday and thought she should take me to town. I didn’t agree and thought I could tough it out. By 9:00 the next morning, I’d been living on water for three days, so I conceded I might need help. Bonny took me to the hospital. I thought they’d get my fluids balanced and let me go home or maybe have to spend the night, two at most. I sat on a chair in the waiting room for about 45 minutes, and when the Emergency nurse came to get me, she was pretty much in a full-on HAZMAT suit — which made me wonder just how bad I looked. I spent about 10 hours in Emergency, then they admitted me. By this time, I was sporting three IV bags and a snappy, poor-fitting gown. I tried to eat some supper, but the acid reflux was too severe. Turns out I had an E-coli infection, bladder infection, some other infection
and inflamed esophagus. Add to that, my blood sugars were in the extreme, and I’d left home without my teeth. With the inflamed esophagus and no teeth, I was on an unintentional weight loss program. After five days, they got the infections cleared up, stuck a camera down my throat and came up with pills to control the acid reflux. They then spent the next five days working on my blood sugars. After a 10-day “vacation”, I was released, and I’ve been healing up since. As I stated in the title, the hospital is a good place to be treated but a poor place to get well. If we trot over to the scriptures, we find many stories of folks being unwell and their encounters with Christ. One of my favourites is in Mark 2. Jesus has returned to his hometown of Capernaum. When word got out, folks came, filling the room and out onto the street. Four men carried their paralyzed friend but couldn’t get near Jesus, so they made a hole in the roof and lowered him down. Upon seeing the man and his friends’ faith, he said, “Your sins are forgiven”, which caused quite a stir. So Jesus said, “Which is easier to say, your sins are forgiven, or pick up your bed and walk?” To show them he had the authority, He told the man to pick up his bed and walk, and the man did, much to the crowd’s amazement. Jesus first treated his greatest need, then made him well. The hospital treated my immediate need then gave me the tools to start to get well. What is it you need? c
Bryn Thiessen is a rancher, poet, cowboy and preacher at Cowboy Trail Church in Cochrane. Bryn and his wife Bonny market grass-fattened beef from their Helmer Creek Ranch southwest of Sundre, Alta.
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From left: Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), John Dutton (Kevin Costner), Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley). From row – Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).
Yellowstone Costner Brings It Again By BILL BORGWARDT
CATTLE RUSTLING, KIDNAPPING, murder and trips to the “train station” (and that’s just the first season!) tagged the modern-day western Yellowstone as the most-watched cable show of 2020. The series centres around patriarch John Dutton, a man of integrity but with a ruthless disposition if challenged, and his dysfunctional family, as he fights to keep intact the largest continuously family-owned ranch in the USA, Yellowstone Ranch. In the show, Yellowstone Ranch is in the foothills of Montana, adjacent to Yellowstone Park and the Broken Rock reservation. Keeping it intact is not easy. The new chief of Broken Rock, Thomas Rainwater, has plans to build a casino adjacent to the ranch and ultimately take back the property for his people, the original native inhabitants. Various rich developers and corporations see the ranch as a perfect place to develop an exclusive resort, golf club, airport and eventually a large subdivision. All parties will do whatever it takes to gain their position, whether through legal or illegal means. The Duttons face rustling, cattle poisoning, kidnapping and even murder, but the Yellowstone cowboys are true to the brand in every way, and they fight back. If you cross the Duttons, you very well could end up on a one way trip to the “train station,” an uninhabited county devoid of people and local laws, in the desolate mountains just across the Wyoming border. Taylor Sheridan, creator, writer, producer and director of the Yellowstone series, grew up on a small ranch in Bosque County, Texas, west of Waco. He understands what the western lifestyle means to those who live it and the challenges of those who want to take it away. When he was 14, his first job was working on a neighbour’s cattle ranch, where he learned to cowboy for a living. His upbringing gave him a true appreciation of ranch life, but he was also always interested in acting and the theatre, landing parts in local Fort Worth theatre productions. He moved to Los Angeles in his 20s and landed a starring role as a deputy police chief in Sons Of Anarchy. In his 40s, he took to
From Left: Mo, (Moses Brings Plenty), John Dutton (Kevin Costner), and Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham)
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level of western authenticity never before portrayed in such detail, and the scenery makes every shot look like a Charlie Russell painting. Before shooting started, the actors attended a four-day cowboy camp in the mountains of Utah, where they were coached by Taylor’s cutting horse trainer, Jake Ream. They camped out and had to learn how to take care of themselves and their horses. This resulted in each character eventually becoming a passable horseman. Keeping things in the family, Jake Ream also has an actor’s role in the series, as one of the bunkhouse boys, and is featured in roping and other scenes. He is also the man in charge of the 25 to 30 horses used on the set. The ranch buildings of the Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby, Montana, south of Missoula, including the 5,000 square foot main ranch house, is the filming location for much of the show. Major shooting for the first three seasons took place on location and on sound stages near Park City, Utah, but the fourth season was shot almost exclusively in Montana, where
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The program has a level of western authenticity never before portrayed... the Covid 19 pandemic wasn’t as severe. The fact that Montana offered a better tax incentive for film productions may have also been a factor. Adding to the authenticity of the show are the experienced cowboys in the cast. Forrie J. Smith, who plays the grizzled veteran ranch hand, Lloyd Pierce, is the real deal. Born in Helena, Montana, in 1959, he’s the biological son of Canadian Saddle and Bareback Champion Ellie Lewis, inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2008. His mother, Chick, was a barrel racer. Forrie was raised on his grandparent’s ranch southwest of
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTOS (THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS PAGE): COURTESY PARAMOUNT NETWORK
screenwriting, wanting to tell accurate stories about true western heritage rather than what so many fantasy westerns were portraying. In 2016, his screenplay, Hell or High Water, 2016 received an Academy Award nomination. When he’s not busy working on films, Taylor Sheridan lives on his own ranch west of Fort Worth, Texas, where he raises Quarter Horses. He competes in cutting and reining competitions and is an American Quarter Horse Association life member. His love for the breed comes out in his film productions. Some of the world’s top horses have been showcased in episodes of Yellowstone, including some that he owns, adding just one more bit of authenticity to the series. With producer Kevin Costner in the lead role as John Dutton, the series boasts a stellar cast of actors and actresses. Each has created a memorable character, with stalwart cowboys, strong-willed women and ruthless, conniving adversaries mixed in with a few tender moments. But that is only one part of what makes the series so incredible to watch. The program has a
PHOTO BY DARYL BEGAY; PHOTO COURTESTY PARAMOUNT NETWORK
Helena. As a boy, he attended rodeos with his family, and by 11, he was riding bareback horses. In the 1980s, he took what he learned from rodeo to Hollywood, where he worked as a stuntman. He enrolled in acting school and has been busy since, including working on the movies Tombstone and Hell or High Water, another Taylor Sheridan film. He started as a horse wrangler behind the scenes on Yellowstone and then got a few guest speaking roles. He soon became a regular and is now a fan favourite as Lloyd Pierce, the hardened loyal veteran of the bunkhouse, who also has a soft spot and acts as an advisor and mentor for the younger cowboys. As much as he strives to portray the real cowboy culture, Taylor (who was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame) also wants to portray Native Americans authentically, including showcasing their past and present cultures and the current issues and injustices they face. In his 2017 neo-western thriller, Wind River, Sheridan tells the story of a wildlife officer who finds the frozen body of an 18-year-old indigenous girl on a mountainous reservation in the middle of winter. For the movie soundtrack, Taylor chose a rap song, “See You In Hell,” written and performed by multi-award-winning Western Canadian First Nations rapper Joseph Laplante, who performs as Joey Stylez. Taylor later flew Joey to Park City, Utah, to meet with him. Joey was born on the Moosomin First Nation, north of North Battleford, Sask. With a family background of horses and rodeo, including an uncle who broke wild horses, Joey said as soon as he met Taylor, there was a connection like they had known each other forever. That connection has continued. The first piece of music on the first episode of Yellowstone was a Joey Stylez rap tune, “Save Your Soul.” In the second season (Episode 8), Joey performs the same tune as himself. Joey talked about his experiences being on the Yellowstone set. “You think you get into the movie business to get rich, and it’s an easy life, but seeing them on set and seeing what the actors have to go through definitely changed my outlook on how I perceive actors,” he said. “I can’t say enough, everyone was so welcoming to me, and it was a real treat when Kevin Costner was telling us about his experiences with Dances With Wolves.” Season 3 of the series ended in a shocking cliff hanger. Watch for Season 4! c cowboycountrymagazine.com
Canadian First Nations rapper Joseph Laplante, who performs as Joey Stylez, on the Yellowstone set with Kevin Costner
From left: Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) and Ryan (Ian Bohen)
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Tracking with MANTRACKER Tales from the Trails By TERRY GRANT
I get asked a lot how I got into tracking and how I got the part of Mantracker. I didn’t find this out until Season Five, and it went something like this. The producer had an idea for a show about two people on horseback chasing two people on foot. He went to the Toronto Sportsman Show, looking for someone that would fit the part. He saw my cousin, Dewy Matthews, at his Anchor D Outfitting booth, and because he had known him previously while doing some work for Alberta Tourism, he asked him if he was interested in his idea. Dewy kinda laughed and said he didn’t know how to track people and was also too busy with his outfitting business, so he directed him to me, saying I was a cowboy and part of a search and rescue group. The producer contacted me and, a couple of weeks later, flew out to interview me. Near the end of the interview, he said, “Just ride your horse up and talk about a track.” So I put a track in the snow, got on my horse and rode away. I rode a big circle, and as I’m getting closer, I had no clue what to say. I stopped, got off my horse, got down on one knee and gently touched the track. As I looked up, I realized I had nothing. At this point, my faithful old horse put her head over my shoulder as if to say, “Whatcha lookin’ at?” I looked her
in the eye and said, “Horse, looks like we got company.” The producer said, five years later, ‘at that point, you had the part.’ So it was actually my horse that got me the part. Growing up, I was always fascinated by tracks. Later as I started working as a cowboy, tracking became second nature. On a horse, it’s easier to see the tracks due to the height advantage. Riding alone in the hills, one has to be aware of their surroundings, and tracks help tell you what’s in front of you or what has passed your way. While filming the show, Mantracker, I had the pleasure and privilege to track people all over Canada, the Yukon, and several states, including Hawaii. Tracking people can sometimes be as frustrating as eating soup with a fork. Animals normally have a pattern that varies slightly, unlike humans who really have no pattern whatsoever when in the bush. One pair of super-smart humans thought it would be a good idea to circle and get behind the trackers. This did not turn out so well due to the fact that they got a 1.5-hour head start, so upon circling, they
Opposite page, clockwise from top: Terry Grant, riding west of Turner Valley, Alta. Terry in Big River, Sask., you can see the camera crew behind him Terry tracking on the big island of Hawaii on Kapapala Ranch, founded in the late 1800s
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TRACKS TO MAKE YOUR BLOOD RUN COLD
Medium-sized wolf track
Small black bear track
Large grizzly track; 4-inch folded Leatherman in the track for perspective
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actually came out of the thick underbrush about 50 feet in front of me! So much for their head start. They were also the same pair that, upon seeing the trail on the map, decided to take a shortcut. They made a big loop up and to the left, and after making several big circles in the bush, the cameraman finally showed them on his GPS the path they had taken over the last hour. Upon reaching the trail again, they were surprised to see human footprints on the trail in front of them. Yup, it was their own tracks; they came out of the bush about 10 yards from where they went in an hour ago. It really pays to stay on the trail. In search and rescue, most of the lost hikers get lost because they took a shortcut. Tracking in Hawaii was amazing; we were on the Big Island on the south side near Pahala. We were tracking on the Kapapala Ranch [established 1883]. My guide was Leon, who worked on the Kapapala for 26 years, so he really knew the country. It was amazing riding around there; it’s so different. For example, the guava plants; you’d try to break a limb about the size of your thumb, and it was impossible; they’re so strong. “Yeah, you don’t ride through that,” Leon said. During the track, we rode by some lava flows, and they were perfectly smooth. “That must have been recent,” I said to Leon. “Pretty recent,” he said. “They’re only about 150 years old.” And I will mention some of the horses. I rode 26 different horses, and like I tell some folks, sometimes I had the cream of the crop,
and sometimes I had the fertilizer. At the start of every show, I’m on a big, brown mare, one of the best horses I rode, and she was just a big, beautiful, marvelous horse; welltrained, good for anything you want to do. It was the first show we did — “Julio & Joe” when I rode this mare. She was amazing and absolutely fearless, except for one thing. At about 10:00 a.m., we came on a set of railroad tracks, and it took me a good half hour to get her to cross those tracks. She would go through mud, water, step over logs, do everything perfect, but she was scared spitless of train tracks. It took me a big 30 minutes to get her to step over those tracks. It was a good thing I took the time because, after that, we rode hundreds of miles along the tracks, over the tracks, beside the tracks — she dang near got good enough to walk on the railroad ties — and boy, could she cover ground at a walk. Her name was Kluane, but I called her Puddin’ because the first day I saddled her up, everything jiggled. She was a little bit heavy, but easily one of the top horses I rode. In closing, the best advice I can give if you’re heading into the bush or unfamiliar territory is to learn to read a map and compass. GPS is a great tool to use in conjunction with a map and compass. But if you rely only on your GPS, be sure to pack a bunch of extra batteries! Tracking is a lost art, and every track will tell you a story. It’s up to you to figure out what the track is telling you. Until next time, get outdoors and look at some new country, but do it safely — and leave plenty of tracks. c
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTOS BY TERRY GRANT
One of Terry’s all-time favourite horses from the show, this is Kluane, nicknamed Puddin’
TRESPASS New Rules, New Rights By TERRI MASON
PHOTO: RAWPIXEL.COM/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
On the night of Feb 24, 2018, when rural Okotoks, Alta., area landowner Eddie Maurice fired warning shots at two trespassers and accidentally winged Ryan Watson when the bullet ricocheted, he became the poster boy for property rights. Then, when Watson and his lawyer filed a $100,000 lawsuit against the property owner for “emotional upset, severe fatigue and insomnia”, that was the last straw for Alberta landowners. Supporters showed up in droves every day of court, fundraising reached a fever pitch, and the provincial government got busy changing the Trespass law. In 2019, about 30 extremists who trespassed onto the southern Alberta Hutterite lands of the Jumbo Turkey farm exacted swift action as well. The terrorists sat inside the barn for hours, took photos and live-streamed to Instagram and Facebook. Three adults and one 16-year-old girl were charged with break and enter to commit mischief and, by their actions, created a swift backlash across the West against criminal trespassers and the corporations that organize these types of protests. cowboycountrymagazine.com
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to wander through their warehouse, and I don’t think they should wander through ours either.” All of Saskatchewan and now all of Manitoba has new laws governing trespass — and it’s siding with the landowners. Why am I retelling these horrific stories? Because they underline the need for landowners to protect what’s theirs in the name of safety in human life, property and biosecurity. Yet another lesson learned from this worldwide pandemic is the precarious security of our food supply. The onus is on the rancher or the farmer to protect the biosecurity of their crop — whether it’s turkeys, canola, bucking horses or cattle. Perhaps Manitoba’s ag minister Blaine Pedersen said it best: “Trespassing can expose farms and food production facilities to biosecurity risks that could spread
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“That pasture is our warehouse, and our cattle is our inventory...”
disease and may cause injury and stress to farm animals.” Here’s a brief breakdown of Trespass laws for each province. Editor’s Note: Don’t just take my word for it; double-check your provincial laws regarding trespass because you know how often provincial governments can change the rules.
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO: HEATHER REEDER/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
In B.C., the sprawling Douglas Lake Cattle Co ranch closed roads and paths, posted No Trespassing signs to prevent hikers and fishers from accessing two Crown-owned lakes on the privately-owned ranch. The public fought back, wanting to enact a “Right to Roam” legislation, allowing the public access to cross privately owned lands. The billionaire owner, Stan Kroenke, fought them in court (twice) and won. There is no “right to roam” on Douglas Lake. Our own cartoonist, Ash Cooper, manager of Cooper Clan bucking horses, who ranches alongside his parents near Senlac, Sask., had a valuable bucking horse shot on their posted land. Later the local community pasture decided to post their lands, citing biosecurity. Cooper agreed with their decision. “That pasture is our warehouse, and our cattle is our inventory,” said Cooper. “No business would allow strangers
→ British Columbia
Notices prohibiting trespass must be posted at each ordinary access to the enclosed land. and must be posted so that, in daylight and under normal weather conditions, it is clearly visible, and the writing on it is clearly legible. A person found inside enclosed land without the consent of the owner, lessee or occupier is a trespasser. It is up to the trespasser to show that they have the permission of the owner, tenant, or occupier to be on the land. Anyone who has committed a trespass who refuses to give their name and address, or gives a false name or address, commits an offence. If someone trespasses on your property despite due warning, the practical remedy is to ask them to leave. If they don’t, you are entitled to use no more than reasonable force to eject the trespasser. If prosecuted for trespass, the penalty is under the Summary Conviction Act (B.C.) and is up to six months imprisonment or a fine of up to $2,000. British Columbia is expected to update their Trespass laws soon.
→ Alberta
The Alberta government introduced new legislation that will slap heavier penalties on trespassers and make it more difficult for criminals to sue landowners. Under the bill, fines for people who trespass without notice will climb to a maximum of $10,000 from $2,000. Subsequent offences will see fines increase to a max of $25,000 from $10,000. Despite being notified they cannot trespass, whether in writing (signs) or verbally, people who trespass will incur fines of $10,000 to $25,000, as well as up to six months in jail, for first and subsequent offences. Notification can either be done verbally or through signage at gates or fence posts. And for the Ryan Watson’s and terrorists of the world? The legislation created a new definition: Criminal Trespass. It is now criminal trespass when landowners believe a person(s) has accessed their land to commit a crime. The new laws also cowboycountrymagazine.com
find that criminal trespassers will have a harder time suing landowners for damages, injury or death. For activist organizations staging these invasions, it’s even costlier. Organizations will incur fines as much as $200,000. Also, changes to the Animal Health Act are in place so that protesters placing biosecurity at risk on farms can be fined up to $30,000 each and jailed for a year.
→ Saskatchewan
First, it must be noted that trespass has always been a civil wrong in Saskatchewan, and landowners and occupiers are entitled to seek damages in court that arise from trespass. In 2019, Saskatchewan updated the Trespass laws, and the amendments came about after increasing concerns about rural crime and crop damage. They were passed in May 2019, but the legislation is not yet in force. The current rules regarding trespass are different for different activities; however, generally speaking, it is currently illegal for an individual to access land that has been posted with “no trespass” notifications for recreational purposes. When it comes into effect, the new trespass legislation will transfer the onus of responsibility from the landowner to those wishing to access the land by requiring them to ask for permission before entering. How do you find out whose land it is? Well, soon, there will be an app for that. SaskLander is in development, and it is designed to aid communication between landowners and the public. Due to the pandemic, there has been a delay in beta
testing. The app will not display private information, and the parties will communicate through the app, not directly. Other avenues of communication are also under review.
→ Manitoba
On March 10, 2021, Manitoba unveiled amendments to the Petty Trespasses Act, the Occupiers Liability Act, and the Animal Diseases Act to clarify trespassing rules and protect farms from biosecurity threats. Under the old rules, landowners were required to tell someone that they are trespassing. The new legislation, now called the Trespass Act, removes that requirement. If a property is marked or partially enclosed, a landowner doesn’t have to warm someone. The legislation could potentially reduce conflict between farmers and animal rights groups, who have been entering livestock farms across Canada. The Trespass Act and the Animal Diseases Amendment Act will make it harder for such protestors to enter farms in Manitoba. The Animal Diseases Amendment Act also applies to food processing facilities, like slaughter plants and trucks transporting livestock. The Act will apply to protestors who try to give food or water to livestock on a truck because it poses a biosecurity risk. The new Manitoba legislation, under the Trespass Act, also affects the rights of landowners. To reduce potential conflict between landowners and trespassers, landowners no longer have the right to arrest a trespasser on their property — that’s for law enforcement. Again, be sure to check your province’s regulations because we know how quickly Canadian politicians can change the rules. c 27
TRAILBLAZERS
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST
Harnam Singh Hari Ranching Pioneer By BILLY MELVILLE
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arnam Singh Hari was born in 1883 in Ranike village, located in the Dhuri Tehsil of Sangrur district in Punjab, India. His father was a farmer and a military man, and at 18, Harnum joined the British Indian Army and remained with them for five years. While stationed in Burma, he heard about the new land from returning Sikh soldiers who had escorted Queen Victoria to the Canadian Dominion. His wife, Khem Kour, had a cousin near Vancouver who sent letters stating that Canada was a country of opportunity. The encouraging letters convinced Harnam to make the trip. In 1908 Harnam Singh Hari left the British Indian Army. Two years later, he left his wife and newborn son to begin the journey. The ship stopped in Hong Kong and Australia, eventually docking in San Francisco. Because of his military background, he was allowed to leave the ship when some other Sikhs who had similar ambitions were sent back. He made his way to Vancouver to his wife’s cousin and got a job as a labourer. 28
Harnum was determined to make sufficient money to bring his wife and baby boy to Canada, but working for 10 cents an hour made it difficult. He heard about opportunities in Alberta and decided to make his way out to Calgary on what he described as his “unknown journey.” His “unknown journey” was interrupted by stops in Kamloops and Golden, where Harnum worked to earn enough money to get to Calgary. While in Golden, he went to work for a rancher named King who sold Harnum two pigs for $25 each. Two months later, Harnum sold the hogs for $150 each. He decided that raising livestock was in his future. He sent the money to his wife and son in India and jumped a train to Calgary. He and other stowaways were discovered by a Mountie in Exshaw and kicked off. With no money for a ticket,
Harnum stayed in the mountain town and got a job at the limestone plant after he proved he could lift twice as many sacks as anyone else. Once he had sufficient money, Harnam walked along the train tracks 80 miles to Calgary. The final leg of his “unknown journey” took two days and two nights. Harnam finally arrived in the prairie town nearly two years after his journey began, arriving in Calgary in time to attend the first Calgary Stampede in 1912. Harnum got a job at the Eau Claire Light & Lumber Company, tending the livery stable where he could also sleep at nights. Within a year, he had saved enough money to rent five acres of land, buy a horse, harness and wagon and go into business for himself, breeding and selling cattle and hogs. He continued to send money home to his family, and in two years, he had enough to buy land. In 1925 Harnum’s son Ojager moved to Canada to help his father expand his ranching operation. Ojager returned to India in 1928 to find a bride and returned to Canada for good in early 1929 with his wife, Sujan Kour. In 1930, after 20 years apart, Harnum’s wife, Khem Kour, finally joined her husband in Canada. As the Hari family expanded with Ojager and Sujan raising six sons and four daughters, so did the Hari family ranching operation, which expanded to 1,360 acres split between parcels of land located in the Glenmore area of Calgary and the DeWinton area south of Calgary. They were a major meat Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY HARI FAMILY
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Harnam Singh Hari and his wife, Khem Kour, in 1956, just before the self-made millionaire returned to India for the first time in nearly a half-century
Harnam Singh Hari in 1913, one year after arriving in Calgary
supplier to support the war efforts and grew into one of the largest ranching operations in the Calgary area. In 1956 Harnam sold his land in Calgary, south of today’s Glenmore Trail across from Chinook Centre. The 160 acres known today as the Kingsland community netted Harnam $290,000 — nearly $3 million in today’s dollars. He decided to make his first of what would turn out to be annual trips back to India and use his newfound wealth to fund a school, hospital, library and animal clinic in his home village. He ultimately decided to relocate back to India permanently, but the ranching operation in Canada continued with his son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren taking over the operation. Harnam Singh Hari passed away under mysterious circumstances in New Dehli in 1970. As the first Sikh settler in Alberta, Harnam was a well-respected member of the southern Alberta ranching community and was known as a kind and benevolent man who gave generously to worthy causes. It’s hard to imagine that any man could have started with less. But this turban-wearing Sikh, who arrived alone and penniless cowboycountrymagazine.com
Harnam Singh Hari with a milk cow; ca. 1950
in a foreign land whose language he did not speak, ultimately became an important livestock producer and pioneering Alberta rancher. His legacy lives on as the Hari family operates Haralta Ranches in the Okotoks and High River districts of Alberta. They
are one of the oldest ranching families in the area. On Aug 23, 2014, in the Kingsland community of Calgary, Singh Hari Park was opened, honouring this trailblazer of the Canadian West. c 29
HAPPY 25, COWBOY! By TERRI MASON
This year, we’re reminiscing and sharing some of the highlights to celebrate the 25 years of Canadian Cowboy Country magazine. Instead of simply saying, “Happy 25th,” we should call this: “Boy, Can We Pick ‘Em!” He’s Been Everywhere! Back in 2001, Then 13-year-old Brett Kissel was just happy to be a part of the show, and it was no surprise to anyone that he was the youngest ever nominee for a Canadian Country Music Association Award. Since that auspicious time, Brett has won almost every award available and broke records on his tours, sales, and awards earned. He married his childhood sweetheart, and today, the family man and father of three is still the pride of Flat Lake, Alta.
Trailblazers
Brett Kissel
John Ware, his wife Mildred, and two of their five children
Trailblazers launched in 2002, and the first honouree was the esteemed Grant MacEwan. The popular segment has since included notables such as Wilf Carter, Midnight, and John Ware. With its focus on character and integrity, the series has earned a permanent spot in the Top Five most popular columns.
Corb Lund and his parents, Patty and Darwin (DC)
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In 2004, singer Corb Lund and his rancher/ rodeo/artist parents, Patty and Darwin (DC) of Taber, Alta., were featured. Corb and his band, The Hurtin’ Albertans, had just returned from Nashville after recording the band’s first album, Five Dollar Bill. This album went on to be certified gold for sales of 50,000 copies in Canada. It also won “Outstanding Album (Independent)” at the 2003 Western Canadian Music Awards. Both awards were harbingers of what was to come; an ongoing stellar recording career that has showered the artist with countless awards, gold records and international fame. Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTOS BY JUDY TRAFFORD
The Lunds
The New Ranahans In 2001, experienced Edmonton publishers Rob and Marie Tanner (WHERE Edmonton, Edmonton City Guide, Alberta Meeting & Event Guide, GO Yellowhead, Cowboy Country TV) took over the magazine. Their first issue launched in June/ July 2001, featuring well-on-their-way-tobecoming-superstar pickup men, Gary and Wade Rempel. The artwork was painted by rodeo entertainer and artist, CrAsh (Ash) Cooper. Rob Tanner later found out that he and Ash are cousins. * ranahan (n.) A complimentary term for a top hand or experienced cowboy.
Living Legends
The Tanner's first cover featured Gary & Wade Rempel
One of our first Living Legends, outdoorsman, author and photographer, Andy Russell
In 2004, we launched the most un-Canadian-named series of all — “Living Legends.” As Canadians, perhaps as Westerners, and certainly as rural people, we don’t build someone up until they, well, are a Trailblazer, if you catch my drift. It took a while for folks to be OK with being tagged with the title. Now it’s a point of honour, and we guard its integrity.
ARTWORK BY ASH COOPER; PHOTOS BY MIKE COPEMAN, SHERRIL SIEBERT
World’s Greatest Horseman — Twice Everyone knew John Swales was a helluva horseman, and at the time of his 2001 cover, he was the winner of Canada’s Greatest Cow Horse. Nowadays, listing his wins take up pages, and some of the highlights include, so far, being crowned as the two-time NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman, riding Metallic Cat Rose (2019) and Heza Diamond Spark (2017 (plus qualifying four consecutive times.) Read his resume on his website; it’ll leave you gobsmacked.
2005 Miss Rodeo Canada Christa Lawrence John Swales, heralding his first of many major titles, including winning World's Greatest Horseman (twice)
cowboycountrymagazine.com
In 2005. Christa Lawrence was the first Miss Rodeo Canada to grace the cover
In 2005, Christa Lawrence was the first Miss Rodeo Canada featured on our cover. We are still staunch supporters of the MRC program. 31
From Supporting Act to Champion Kolby Wanchuk and his dad, award-winning rodeo clown Ricky Ticky Wanchuk of Sherwood Park, Alta., performing at the Innisfail Rodeo in 2001. In 2016, Kolby was Canada’s Novice Saddle Bronc Champion; in 2018, Kolby went pro. He earned runner-up Rookie of the Year and currently is sitting 8th in the World — with a bullet — in the race for World Domination in Saddle Bronc.
This may have been the day back in 2001 that Kolton Schmidt of Barrhead, Alta., decided to switch from rough stock to timed events. So far, at 17, Kolton was the youngest qualifier for the Canadian Finals Rodeo, won the CFR average title with Tyrel Flewelling and has since earned six trips to the CFR (2011, ’13-’16, 2019) and two trips to the National Finals Rodeo (2016, 2020) as a team roping header. c
PHOTOS BY MIKE COPEMAN
From Mutton Rope to Team Rope
WHAT WORKS FOR US
Showing & Marketing Hard Work & Pay Day
PHOTO: TERRI MASON
By TERRI MASON
B
y now, I think we’re all used to online shopping. At one time, we might look at something online, but we’d only purchase in person. Well, the times they are a-changing, especially in the world of horse sales. Long-standing sales are stepping into the new age and streaming online, and it’s adding more than excitement; it’s adding buyers. I know I’m not the only person curious about this process, so this fall is the 16th Ranch Country Horse Sale, and I spoke with many of the members who decided to try it and their auctioneer, Brennin Jack of Jack Auction Group. cowboycountrymagazine.com
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WHAT WORKS FOR US
Jess Parsonage, Little Big Ranch, Maple Creek, Sask.
Roger Parsonage, Maple Creek, Sask. “As a group, we decided that to do our sale this way looked like a good idea. Brennin Jack has been having some really good sales, and of course, the sales are online, so that will give all of our horses exposure to so many more buyers — buyers from all over North America. All the stock will be shown in the High Chaparral Arena in Maple Creek — from weanlings to trained horses, so there will be lots of room for horses.”
Lou Parsonage, Maple Creek, Sask. “With the COVID restrictions, we didn’t know what we could do; I mean, how are you supposed to market your horses? So this is just another way to get exposure. If it turns out at sale time that an audience is restricted, then what are you going to do? We’ve got to do something, and he’s [Brennin Jack] had some good sales with good response, so we’re going to try it.”
Marg Perrin, Perrin Quarter Horses, Maple Creek, Sask. “We’re excited for the opportunity to show our Quarter horses to a larger audience, for them to see our colts and what we have to offer. We’ve been in the business for 46 years, and we have many repeat buyers who come back because they like our selective breeding. Our horses are versatile, and our repeat buyers come from many disciplines, from ranch work to rodeo.” 34
Ken Perrin, Perrin Quarter Horses, Maple Creek, Sask. “What Marg said.”
Jim Swanson, McCord, Sask. “I’m looking forward to bringing this horse to Maple Creek. For us, it’s a little getaway because we never seem to get off the place. I’ve sold horses there before [as a guest consignor], but this is my first year as a member of Ranch Country. We’ve sold lots of cows on the internet, but this will be my first time selling a horse this way. I’m looking forward to it.”
Brennin Jack, Jack Auction Group, Saskatoon, JackAuctionGroup.com “We’ve been doing internet sales before they were cool. It’s our fifth year. People thought it wasn’t going to add any value. We didn’t really see a huge influx of buyers until our third year, and then it took off. We had a huge crowd, 200 buyers online, and we thought, ‘We’re never going to top that.’ [He laughs.] Last year, our fall sale had over 400 registered buyers online, and this spring, we had 600 registered buyers online. From our performance sale, 85 per cent of the horses we sold went to buyers that had never seen the horse before. To bid, buyers register on our website. It’s a very easy process to get approved, and you can physically watch the horse sell, hear the auctioneer and pedigree person right at the sale, and it’s just like you’re with us in person.
Part of our claim to fame is that we really go through these horses and stand behind them for the buyer, and the consignors know that there is no funny business when you enter a Jack Auction Group sale. We’re going to tell about every bump, bruise or blemish on the horse. People know that if you buy out of our sale, the horse will be as described. When you sell $750,000 worth of horses in one sale and $500,000 worth of them go to people that have never laid their eyes on the horse, it’s something that never would have been thought of five years ago. Another part of our claim to fame is organizing the trucking. I like to describe us as a marketing company, not simply an auction company, and I’m marketing these horses for our clients, Ranch Country. We have 20,000 buyers at any one time, and when a sale is approaching, that number balloons because they share the info. Our network of buyers extends across the Line [border], and we sell into Michigan, New York, Texas, and we make it easy for all the buyers. For example, a buyer in Ontario could expect to pay up to $2,500 to get a horse shipped from Maple Creek to Toronto. Through us, transport is going to be about $800 because of our network of vetted haulers. We offer this service across Canada, and the U.S. Plus, the care of the animals is paramount. They are well looked after while waiting for transport and during transport with regular feed, water and rest stops. It’s a big part of our service, and this is what I mean by marketing — it’s much more than just selling.” c
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO: TERRI MASON
“Our goal is to get a larger buyer base that will get us fair value for our horses; to create a better market, so you have a profit. Another thing is that it’s an opportunity to show buyers what we raise here, horses they want to buy. Our horses, and most of the horses in this sale, have been raised on hard [native] grass, which builds good bone and muscle. The wide variety of native vegetation also creates good gut health. Plus, they’re raised on the range, with coulees, cobble rock, and plenty of good grass instead of being raised in a pen, so their hooves develop naturally and strong. We want people to see the difference.”
COWBOY WAY
The Fall Run More Room, Less Speed By DYLAN BIGGS
It’s a lot easier to get the cattle flowing back to the gate they came in; it makes sorting so much easier. Here, Dylan has found the steer's balance point between forward and backward movement. He has moved the steer ahead by adding some pressure to his hip, causing him to squirt forward and head out the gate.
T
PHOTO COURTESY DYLAN BIGGS
he fall calf run is right around the corner, and cow/calf pairs will be moved from pastures and penned in corrals so calves can be sorted and shipped or weaned. I started helping with sorting on our family ranch when I was 10 years old, in 1970. Over the years, I have learned that the ease of handling and sorting in the corrals is affected by a number of things — a few of which I will discuss in this article. Cattle remember, and they learn a routine. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that if every visit to the corral includes a lot of yelling, arm-waving, abuse of canes and sticks and aggressive, fast movements, that the cattle eventually become reluctant to come back for a visit — and who could blame them? On the other hand, repetitive handling in the corrals that prevents the cowherd from getting hot and bothered can make all corral work easier. Some folks may protest, “They are just cows, and we are here to get a job done; we are not here to throw a dinner party!” I understand that sentiment but growing up helping my dad and grandpa, and some of the neighbours do these jobs, without fail, that approach more often than not resembled a barroom brawl more than a dinner party. Everyone worked feverishly to “get the job done.” What would take hours today takes a quarter of the time (or less) with the same number of cattle. So if time is your main justification
cowboycountrymagazine.com
for your approach, a calm, relaxed approach is certainly the most effective. Taking a step back into the pasture for the gather and the drive, Bud Williams claimed that ease of handling in the corrals had more to do with how the cattle were gathered, driven and penned than anything else. Over the last 35 years of putting his techniques into practice, I have no doubt that his claim is accurate. Cattle that arrive at the corrals in an unbothered manner that allows them to walk in calmly and stand there, with no milling, will be much easier to sort. The quality of the gather and drive will set the tone for what happens in the corral. There is also shrink to consider when calves are being sorted and loaded onto trucks. Shrink can be very costly, and I guarantee that minimizing shrink pays. Another consideration is how corrals are set up to facilitate ease of movement for the cattle through the facility. Do the cattle flow, or do they stick? Sorting 35
COWBOY WAY
virtually always requires that the cattle are willing to come by someone who is doing the sort. Setting up your catch gate or bumper stripper at the gate the cattle came in helps facilitate flow because cattle are always more inclined to go back the way they came. Capitalizing on their natural behaviour optimizes flow and minimizes the need to drive cattle to or past the point of the sort. If you use an alley to sort, another consideration with nervous cattle is having a design that isn’t too cramped. Over the last 26 years of going across Canada and down into the U.S., I have seen a lot of handling facilities, and without question, one of the most common design features that I see is sorting alleys that are too narrow. If you are sorting milk-cow-tame cattle, it isn’t an issue; because they don’t mind going by a person or a horse to be sorted. On the other hand, nervous cattle that don’t want to get that close to anyone but are forced to because the alley is so narrow have no choice, and when they finally decide to go, they go by at a dead run.
Sorting cattle at a dead run is a heck of a chore. It is hard on the animals and the facilities and runs a greater risk of injury for everyone. Not only that, but if most of the cattle are that nervous, then getting any separation as they come to or by the sorting gates at a run is almost impossible, and that’s when they really get worked up. As a kid helping my parents, this is when all the yelling would reach feverpitch, and the residual memories are far from good. At all of my clinics over the years, hundreds of them, this same experience is related to me by families at virtually every clinic I have ever presented. I recall a fellow that hosted a clinic at his place. He said that what prompted him to host the clinic was that he had to do all his cattle work by himself because his family and neighbours would no longer help him. Back to the topic of alleys; I have seen entire systems built with 10-foot wide alleys, the assumption being that one will have more control. Unless your cattle are
very quiet, the opposite is the reality — it makes them almost impossible to control. I prefer a minimum width of 20-feet — 24-feet is even better. Given a choice with really nervous cattle, I prefer not to use an alley but instead sort out of a big corral pen where the distance you can give the cattle when they go prevents them from going at a full run. There is also room for the gatekeeper to move farther away from the gate and make it easier for the animal to go through. Speaking of the gate and the gatekeeper, I see many gatekeepers who will not let go of the gate because they are afraid of missing a sort. Gatekeepers who are married to the gate almost inevitably become a liability at the gate with nervous cattle. Sorting cattle is not a static process. Not all cattle will react the same way, so the most effective gatekeepers are prepared to move and adjust their position based on how individual cattle respond. In short, they can read cattle and respond accordingly. I hope everyone’s fall cattle handling jobs are safe and successful. c
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KEEP IT SIMPLE Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
Pro Rodeo
CANADA
INSIDER
Canadian tie-down roper, Kyle Lucas, finished in second place with this fast run of 7.6 seconds at the Greeley Stampede in Colorado, adding over $6,000 to his bank account. At press time, Kyle is sitting 5th in the World standings. PRCA Photo by Riding for the Brand Photography/Tanya Hamner.
RODEOCANADA.COM cowboycountrymagazine.com
CANADIAN COWBOY COUNTRY AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 37
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
See you at the CFR!
Jacob Gardner, 2019 Canadian All-Around Champion at CFR 46 on Outlaw Buckers 102 OLS Tubs Nickel Package. CPRA photo by Billie-Jean Duff.
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
C.P.R.A.
2021 CPRA Schedule JULY
Great News Greetings everyone! Well, I’m excited to see we’re back on the rodeo trail. While we’re in the midst of a shortened rodeo season, it’s great to see those committees in a position to do so, move ahead with their events. And looking into fall, plans are underway to hold both a Canadian Finals Rodeo and a Maple Leaf Circuit Finals. A set of unique CFR qualifications, taking into account the challenges of the last year and a half, were announced in late June: • There will be no minimum rodeo count for contestants to qualify for CFR • There will be no minimum rodeo count for stock contractors to qualify for CFR • There will be no minimum stock trips for stock to qualify for CFR • Stock submission deadline will still remain, as per the CPRA rulebook • There will be a one (1) rodeo count needed for contract personnel and contract acts to qualify for CFR and year end award ballots. Updated information has also been posted on the RodeoCanada.com website about qualifying for the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals. The four-day rodeo is set to run Nov 24–27 as part of Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Sask. Also, there’s great news for breakaway ropers — this new event will be included at the 2021 CFR and the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals. The CPRA is currently working on event approval with the WPRA. Congratulations to those CPRA athletes and stock contractors who continue to enjoy success south of the border. Several CPRA athletes are ranked in the top 15 in the World/PRCA standings. Keep in mind the Canadian Cowboy Classic Golf Tournament (with proceeds going to the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team). The tourney is scheduled for Sept 14 at Valley Ridge Golf Course in Calgary. Visit CanadianCowboyClassic.com for details. With rodeo gearing back up once again, the CPRA is looking for sponsors for the 2021 year-end awards and the Night of Champions and national level partners for various programs (Officials, Pro Tour and Maple Leaf Circuit). Contact the office for details 403 945-0903 or email cpra@RodeoCanada.com See you down the rodeo road!
Bonnyville, AB.............................................................July 9–10 Teepee Creek, AB......................................................July 10–11 Bowden, AB............................................................... July 17–18 Lea Park, AB.............................................................July 23–25 Kennedy, SK.............................................................July 24–25 Medicine Hat, AB.................................................... July 29–31 Strathmore, AB................................................ July 30–Aug 2 Pollockville, AB *(SB).....................................................July 31
AUGUST Bruce, AB.............................................................................Aug 1 Sundre, AB.................................................................... Aug 6–8 High River, AB............................................................... Aug 7-8 La Crete, AB............................................................... Aug 10–11 Stavely, AB.................................................................Aug 12–14 Dawson Creek, BC...................................................Aug 12–15 Sundre, AB *(LBR)................................................... Aug 14–15 Cranbrook, BC..........................................................Aug 20–22 Drayton Valley, AB.................................................Aug 27–29 Okotoks, AB..............................................................Aug 27–29 Regina, SK.................................................................Aug 27–29
SEPTEMBER Innisfail, AB....................................................................Sep 2–4 Kamloops, BC ..............................................................Sep 3–5 Benalto, AB....................................................................Sep 3–5 Taber, AB.......................................................................Sep 9–10 Coronation, AB.........................................................Sep 10–12 Medicine Lodge, AB...................................................... Sep 11 Taber, AB......................................................................Sep 11–12 Olds, AB....................................................................... Sep 17–18 Medicine Hat, AB......................................................Sep 17–19 Edmonton, AB .........................................................Sep 25–26 Brooks, AB................................................................Sep 24–25 Hanna, AB..................................................................Sep 24–25
NOVEMBER Canadian Finals Rodeo **........................................Nov 3–7
DECEMBER Maple Leaf Circuit Finals **...............................Nov 24–27 (SB) Saddle Bronc (LBR) Ladies Barrel Racing ** Indicates livestreamed on FloRodeo All dates are subject to change. Please visit RodeoCanada.com for up-to-date information.
Terry Cooke President, Canadian Professional Rodeo Association cowboycountrymagazine.com
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Pro Rodeo Canada Insider WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
ENTER & DRAW THE WORLD OF C.R.E.S. BY DIANNE FINSTAD
L
ong before the stock is unloaded, the arena ground prepared, and the bleachers dusted off, a significant portion of the organizational work of a pro rodeo has already been completed, back at CPRA rodeo headquarters in Airdrie, Alta.
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Bringing order to what could easily be chaos are the people at C.R.E.S. — the Central Rodeo Entry System. It’s how cowboys enter a rodeo, where match-ups happen in the rough stock events, and how performance line-ups are determined. Dakota Firkus is the C.R.E.S. Manager, and she outlines the system’s function. “It takes all the entries that are either phoned in or made online and does the priority listing based on the person and the card number,” says Firkus. Sound straightforward? Let’s dig deeper. Entry closing dates are specified, along with the details of each rodeo, on the Pro Rodeo Canada website events calendar. Generally, entries close about two weeks before a rodeo happens. “Once all the entries are taken, we go through every entry and make sure their events are right, their groups look normal — that they’re all entered in the same events, and then we run a priority list,” she explains. “It assigns each contestant a number per rodeo — for every individual rodeo — and then when we do the draw, it places them upon the number they were assigned for that rodeo.”
So how are priorities determined? First, it’s the card ‘ranking’ — whether the entrant is a full member, semi-pro, permit holder, steer rider or novice. The next determiner is the number of rodeos the competitor enters for the given weekend. The more rodeos you’re entered, the higher your priority becomes. During the majority of the busy season, most weekends have three to four events at the same time. A rodeo committee can now implement some special ground rules, giving a priority preference in their show to past champions, current standings, or the previous year’s finishers. Logistically that adds another layer and is a process still done by hand. Administrative staff have to go back through previous CFR/NFR champions lists and the standings, both past and current, to collect information on each contestant. Those rodeos become ‘all hands-on deck’ at the office, where other staff help out with the process. The computer system, called AccuTerm, is unique to the CPRA. “It is an old system, but it’s a very easy to use, easy to catch mistakes, system.”
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
C.P.R.A.
Opposite page: C.R.E.S. Manager Dakota Firkus in her office at CPRA headquarters, Airdrie, Alta. Photo courtesy CPRA. Top right: Katie Van Hienen is the Payout and Memberships Lead, and former Airdrie Pro Rodeo royalty. Photo courtesy CPRA Bottom right: The old entry system; cubicles, tape recorders and lots of notes
Entries for a rodeo are open online for 48 hours and for phone-ins over an eighthour office day, closing at 2 p.m. on entry closing day. Full stop. No amount of pleading, cajoling, or sad stories and excuses about why the deadline was missed will bend the deadline. However, there is a one-hour grace period when entries can be changed but not ‘made’. Contestants can find out how many are entered in their event in a specific performance and may decide to adjust their pick of days. Then the contestant’s list is posted by 8 a.m. the next morning on the website. Some still ‘callback’ to get the information by phone, but there has been a big shift to checking those details online. The C.R.E.S. move to online began in 2015, but it’s taken some time for competitors to build trust in the computer system, including online entering. While the whole process is all about the numbers, there’s still the people factor to consider. “I will say that 99 per cent of the contestants are wonderful and ‘get it’, says Firkus. “They ask questions, but you can’t blame them. It is their livelihood.” “As long as they’re patient and kind, it goes both ways. They do get a consistent answer across the entire office,” she chuckles, noting some cowboys have been known to try and collect a different answer from someone else. “They question the priority list a lot. It is posted at each rodeo for them to see, but they do call in quite often wondering why they didn’t get a good draw. So a lot of the next day of callbacks is just walking guys through where they fell on the priority list, and how they ended up where they got (drawn).” Much as there are cowboy superstitions about hat placement on beds (don’t do it!) or lucky shirts, there are also some ideas about the ‘lucky’ way to play the priority game. “The cowboys all have theories on who has a ‘hot card’ and who doesn’t. They cowboycountrymagazine.com
watch the priority list and then try to enter on the card they assume is the ‘hot one’ of the week.” Oh yes, did we mention you can enter as a buddy group of up to four contestants, as long as they’re all sharing one
common event? Plus, you can ‘tag’ up to two people — basically your ‘cohort’ — spouse, common-law, siblings, or parents, to enable travelling together despite competing in different rodeo events. Add that to the variables list! 41
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider How about the stock factor in the equation? Firkus says contractors for each rodeo submit an overall stock list, along with their per event, per performance lists. They can have a limited number of featured stock they want exempt from the re-ride pen. So Firkus then hand enters
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the stock into the system for each rodeo performance, enabling the computer to then draw a priority list for the stock, and then finally, matching it up with the contestant priority list to emerge with the final draw to be posted. (The judges and rodeo secretary draw timed event stock at the actual rodeo.)
Now throw into the mix real-life factors, like injuries, missed flights, or vehicle breakdowns, and not every competitor will make every scheduled rodeo appointment. That’s where Katie Van Hienen comes in, as she looks after the ‘turnout’ line, along with being the Payout and Memberships Lead. Contestants can call to notify the C.R.E.S. office if they won’t make it to an event. While there are provisions such as a Medical Release and the Ladies Barrel Race Release (formerly called a Vet Release), the timing of the notification is critical to keep fines down. As well, on medical exemptions, there are some required time frames to be out of action, if those are used. “I relate it to a doctor’s or physio appointment,” notes Van Hienen. “You book it and if you miss it, they can fine you, or keep a retainer, or (charge) a late fee.” Technology has improved the efficiency of the turnout line, as voicemails become emails that are more easily managed and checked by rodeo secretaries. The tech transition has been embraced more by younger competitors who go online for everything they can. Some contestants who get their parents to help, or are new to entering, prefer calling to get to know the system. Or there are also the ‘flip-phone’ folks who may venture into online entering but still want to call in to check their transaction went through. Being involved in the entering end of pro rodeos in Canada is something these ladies enjoy. “It’s consistent every day, but every rodeo, every draw, every infraction report and payout I produce, it’s all different,” says Van Hienen, a former Airdrie Rodeo Princess. “It keeps things interesting. That’s why we’re still here.” Firkus agrees. “I think it’s a rewarding job. The contestants are all pretty good to us. I love my job, and we do have a good group of girls here that keeps us all coming back to the office.” Steering through the complex matrix that pro rodeo in Canada demands, it’s nice to have some smiling faces doing the navigating. c
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
C.P.R.A.
ROAD TO THE CFR
Logan Hay winning Round 3 of 2019 CFR with this 86-point ride on Outlaw Buckers 509 Lunatic Party. Photo by Billie-Jean Duff.
LOGAN HAY CARVING OUT A CAREER By TIM ELLIS
cowboycountrymagazine.com
I
T’S NOT EASY CARVING OUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL RODEO CAREER WHEN YOU’RE BEING COMPARED WITH AN EIGHT-TIME CANADIAN SADDLE BRONC CHAMPION WHO HAPPENS TO BE YOUR FATHER.
But Logan Hay seemed to be on his way to doing just that until his ascent up the ranks of the bronc riding ladder was interrupted by a pandemic. 43
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
“It was pretty disappointing,” confirms Hay when discussing the cancellation of the 2020 Canadian Finals Rodeo because of COVID restrictions. “At the 2019 CFR, there were seven of us there for the first time. It was a completely new look for the saddle bronc riding, and none of us got to go back.” With last year’s Pro Rodeo Canada campaign wiped out and prospects for a regular start to the 2021 season dwindling, Hay jumped in the truck with a trio of other young bronc riders and headed south of the border in January. “We were supposed to go down for three days,” begins the 24-year-old. “But once we got down there, it became a lot harder for us to get back across the border. We only packed for three days but ended up staying for two months. We used a lot of dry cleaners for the shirts and jeans and laundromats for the rest. Luckily, I took my three favourite shirts with me. It was good to be 44
able to compete, but it was difficult, too. We were only going to one rodeo every week or week-and-a-half over those two months. It was really hard to get into a groove.” By about mid-February, the 2017 Lakeland Rodeo Association champion had found his groove. Hay posted a new career-high with a 90-point ride in the semi-finals of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. “I was pretty pumped up,” says Hay, who also won the second round of his bracket with an 87.5-point trip. “That horse (Wyatt Earp) had smashed me in the chute, so I was a little mad. I was sore after, could hardly walk, but the adrenaline was running high.” Hay had banked nearly $6,500 in earnings by the end of February was climbing in the world standings with that ride. However, that success had created a problem.
Logan Hay, making a good ride on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s # 52 Willow Brook at 2019 CFR in Red Deer, Alta. Photo by Billie-Jean Duff.
“We had no idea what was going to happen,” reveals Hay, who finished 25th in the 2020 PRCA world bronc riding standings. “If a guy was trying to qualify for the NFR, coming back to compete in Canada was going to be difficult because you had to quarantine for two weeks. It was going to be extremely difficult to keep crossing back and forth across the border and quarantine while trying to make both the NFR and the CFR. That’s always the goal, and I really wanted to go to the Canadian rodeos. The last Canadian rodeo we had gone to was that 2019 CFR. It’s pretty crazy to think we went over a year-and-a-half without going to all the sweet rodeos up here. They’re always so much fun.” c
Canadian Canadian Cowboy Country CowboyAugust/September Country June/July 2021
CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER
Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery
"Sometimes I wish I was the last man on earth, just to see if all those women were telling the truth."
cowboycountrymagazine.com
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Mantracking: The Ultimate Guide to Tracking Man or Beast
Perrin ~ Parsonage ~ Bertram ~ Swanson
ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE & GUEST CONSIGNORS Saturday, September 11, 2021 | Maple Creek Rodeo Grounds Live sale or bid online through Jack Auction Group 306.641.9298 or info@jackauctiongroup.com
Terry Grant experienced a meteoric rise from working cowboy to Canadian icon, thanks to the reality-television hit series, Mantracker. His family-friendly book teaches you the art of reading sign, ranging from specific tracking methods to developing a tracker’s skills. Mantracking: The Ultimate Guide to Tracking Man or Beast, 213 pages, published by Friesen Press, order from Terry Grant at terry@TrackingWithTerry.com $25 – shipping included in Canada. Terry will sign each book!
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
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Radke Outfitting Red Deer, AB (403) 340-3971 radkeoutfitting.com
Skyline Trail Rides Ltd. Jasper, AB (780) 852-4215 skylinetrail.com
Sunset Guiding and Outfitting Inc. Sundre, AB (403) 637-2361 sunsetholidays.net
Tonquin Valley Adventures Jasper, AB (780) 852-1188 tonquinadventures.com
South Ram Outfitters Caroline, AB (403) 844-0408 southram.com Timberline Tours Ltd. Lake Louise, AB (403) 522-3743 timberlinetours.ca Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies Calgary, AB (403) 264-8656 trailridevacations.com Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures Bragg Creek, AB (403) 949-3329 packtrips.ca
U-Bar Trail Rides Grande Cache, AB (780) 827-3647 or (780) 827-4884 ubartrailrides.com
SASKATCHEWAN Saskatchewan Commission of Professional Outfitters Saskatoon, SK (306) 668-1388 scpo.ca Sturgeon River Ranch Big River, SK (306) 380-6204 sturgeonriverranch.com
MANITOBA
High Country Vacations Grande Cache, AB (780) 827-3246 horsebacktherockies.com
Manitoba Lodges & Outfitters Association Winnipeg, MB (204) 772-1912 mloa.com
Horseback Adventures Brule, AB (780) 865-4777 horsebackadventuresltd.com
Trailhead Ranch Riding Mountain National Park (204) 848-7649 trailhead-ranch.com
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COWBOY CHURCHES Open Valley Cowboy Church Every Sun., 6:30 p.m. Head of the Lake Hall, past the O’Keefe Ranch on Hwy 97, Vernon, B.C., 250‑503‑0707 Boomtown Trail Cowboy Church 2nd and last Wed. of every month, 7 p.m. Elnora Drop‑In Centre, Elnora, Alta., 403‑749‑2047 Clearwater Cowboy Church Every Thur., 7 p.m. Dovercourt Hall, Hwy 22, south of Rocky Mtn House, Alta., 403-845-5351 Community Cowboy Church Every Tue., 7-8 p.m. Niton Community Hall, Main St., Niton Junction, Alta., 780-728-9088 Cowboy Trail Church Every Tue., 7 p.m. Cochrane Ranche House, 101 Ranchehouse Rd., Cochrane, Alta., 403‑638‑4254 Heartland Cowboy Church 1st and 3rd Tue. of every month, 7 p.m. Stettler Agriplex, 4516‑52 St., Stettler, Alta., 780-877-2331 James River Cowboy Church Every Wed., 7 p.m. James River Community Hall, 2.5 km S of James River store or 11.5 km N of Sundre on RR 53, Alta., 403‑638‑6439 Pipestone Cowboy — Cowgirl Church 2nd Mon. of every month, 7 p.m. Pipestone Café, Hwy 795, 11 km north from junction Hwy 13 and 795, Pipestone, Alta., 780-312-8653 St. Albert Cowboy Church Every Fri., 7:30 p.m. 60 Liberton Dr., St. Albert, Alta., 780-459-2222 The Cowboy Church Every Fri., 7:30 p.m. Sherwood Park Presbyterian Church, 265 Fir St., Sherwood Park, Alta., 780‑918‑5530 Viking Cowboy Church Last Fri. of every month, 7:30 p.m. Viking Auction Market, junction of Hwy 26 and 36, Viking, Alta. Willow Valley Cowboy Church 2nd Sun. of every month 10:00 a.m. 26016 Hwy 595, 15 km east of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Alta., 403-347-0206 Battlefords Cowboy Church 1st and 3rd Thur. of every month, 7 p.m. Legion Hall, 22 St., Battleford, Sask., Diamond C Cowboy Church Every Tue., 7:30 p.m. 208 Sidney St., Maple Creek, Sask., 306-662-0911 Cowboy Valley Church 4054 PR 432 Morden, Man., 204-822-9909
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTOS COURTESY TKTKTKKTKT
Lost Guide Adventure Tours Edmonton, AB (780) 469-9602 lostguidetours.com
Braai-Q Beef Short Ribs This recipe courtesy of Darrel Seskin of the Braai-Q - BBQ competition team.
PHOTOS COURTESY DARRYL SESKIN; SIDEBAR IMAGE: ALLURANET/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
INGREDIENTS ▸ 1 4-5Lb Rack beef short ribs ▸ 1/4 cup yellow mustard FOR THE RUB: ▸ 3 Tbsp Black pepper ▸ 2 Tbsp Salt ▸ 2 tsp Garlic powder ▸ 2 tsp Smoked paprika Or your favourite beef rub INSTRUCTIONS 1. Prepare smoker for indirect cooking at 250°F using a neutral wood like apple, cherry or pecan. 2. T rim fat and silver skin from the meaty side. Remove membrane from bone side (optional to remove membrane from bone side — I do.) 3. Mix rub ingredients together and set aside. 4. Coat ribs in yellow mustard. 5. Apply rub evenly being sure to get plenty — don’t forget edges and sides. cowboycountrymagazine.com
6. Place bone side down on pre-heated smoker. 7. Smoke for between 6 — 10 hours at 250°. 8. Give the ribs a spritz of apple juice every hour for about 5 hours (apple cider vinegar and water work as well.) 9. R emove the ribs from the smoker when your temperature probe reads 203 – 205°F (see tip) and wrap in foil and leave to rest for 30 minutes. 10. Slice the ribs and serve with beans and coleslaw.
HELPFUL TIPS ▸W hen probing the ribs, the meat should be very soft (like inserting the probe in butter) if resistance is felt — leave them for another 20 min and check again. ▸ I don’t use BBQ sauce, but you are welcome to add that at the end. 49
Everyone’s Got a Hang-Up By MARILYN HALVORSON
Seems everyone’s got a hang-up these days So neurotic they all need a shrink But the kind of hang-up I’m talking about Can mess you up quick as a wink It happened one day with the buckskin One tall drink of water, that horse I rode her out to check cattle And had gates to open, of course Now, as I was leaving the pasture One more gate led out to the road But the buckskin was restless and eager “Get back in the saddle! Let’s go!” As I swung my right leg ‘cross the cantle The mare gave a flick of her tail And the hair wound around the rowel of my spur Making each of our movements derail I tried to swing my leg forward I tried to swing my leg back But tail hair is truly tenacious And a solution I truly did lack Then I glanced over my shoulder And my panic reached still greater heights For along came a car in the distance Soon someone would witness my plight! So, the very thought of discovery Gave me strength that just wouldn’t fail And I gave that foot a momentous jerk I pulled out half of the poor buckskin’s tail
The ride home that day was not pretty Horse and rider did not dance with great style Now I’m taking that mare to the races ‘Cause I think she did a ten-second mile. Sundre-area rancher and multi-award-winning author Marilyn Halvorson has written over 20 novels, including the young adult book, Cowboys Don’t Cry, which was later made into a movie.
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Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2021
PHOTO: CCESTEP8/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
The mare gave a leap like a bullfrog And I lit hard in the saddle to ride My right foot swung down with momentum And my spur jabbed the mare in the side
TO THE
TIM ELLIS’ RODEO REPORT
NATURE DEFINES US
Get Involved Get outdoors: Find out which NCC properties you can visit in your area. connect2nature.ca
Our country is filled with some of the most amazing natural habitats in the world. It’s what makes Canada, Canada – and it’s why we’ve spent more than 50 years working with ranchers to protect our irreplaceable natural spaces and the wildlife that they sustain.
www.natureconservancy.ca/ab
Spend a day in the field: Become a Conservation Volunteer conservationvolunteers.ca Help lead the way: Become a Leader in Conservation natureconservancy.ca/ab-lic
toll free 1-877-262-1253
