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APRIL/MAY 2022 | VOLUME 25, NO.6 32
TIDEWATER RANCHING — PART ONE OF TWO
The history behind one of the most remote cattle ranches on Canada's wild West Coast
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42
19
46
GETAWAYS!
The roads are good, the company is fabulous, and this I know — you haven’t experienced northern lights until you get north of 60. Near Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.
We speak with ranch manager J.P. Parkes about managing the grasslands of the impressive Nicola Ranch, and about floods, fires and all of the good help they were blessed to receive this past year PRCI: RODEO SCHOOLS!
The Canadian rodeo season is fast approaching, so here are some upcoming schools for roughstock and timed events, including breakaway COWGIRLS IN COWBOY
Part 5 of our 6-part series celebrating 25 years of Cowboy, and showcasing some of the women highlighted in Canada’s greatest Western magazine
Features
Departments
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5
My Point of View
8
In the Corral
14
Spirit of the West
15
Wheel to Wheel
16
Reflections
27
Home Grown
Professional outdoorswoman Lisa Roper and the philosophy behind her favourite pastime
37
Cowboy Way
39
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
TRAILBLAZERS — MONTIE MONTANA
45
Road to the CFR
53
Clownin’ Around
54
Cowboy Poetry
24
GETAWAYS!
A snapshot of some of the adventures still to be had in the wildest West in the world SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN STURGEON
Rodeo’s Kynan Vine takes us on a fishing trip on the South Saskatchewan
26 On the Cover Long associated with horseback adventures, the Tonquin Valley in Jasper National Park, Alberta is one of the most visited, and most photographed.
WHAT WORKS FOR US
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Photo: Katmandu
@cowboycountrymag
WHY I FISH
From a a Saskatchewan homestead, he became the most famous man ever to rope a President
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3
April/May 2022 Vol. 25, No. 6
Proud Member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Editor Terri Mason terri@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 Dylan Biggs, Tim Ellis, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Greg Shannon, Bryn Thiessen Contributors Rod Connor, CrAsh Cooper, Dr Daryl Drew, Tim Ellis, Andrew Exelby, Corbett Faulkner, Tom Reardon, Lisa Roper, Kynan Vine 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
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Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group
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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
“This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.” «Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.»
MY POINT OF VIEW
Getaways!
I misspent a goodly part of my life in getaway mode, generally on horseback, now with an epic book in my 1967 Teepee trailer, the Miss Adventure. We all need a break, so whatever yours is, I’m encouraged that we may have struck on some places you’d like to see, an adventure you’d like to experience or even songs that’ll take you somewhere fantastic. Speaking of which, I encourage you to check out our Spotify Playlist. I contribute to it regularly, adding tunes from the 1940s to 2022. It’s the playlist of our life. You know how I’m always saying that everything in the West is connected? Historian Daryl Drew wrote a two-part series on cattle ranching on the West Coast (Tidewater Ranching). It turns out this was the old stomping grounds of our art director when she was a little kid. Her mom even contributed a photograph to the article. How’s that for a small world? Now, let’s talk about upcoming rodeo schools. Man, oh man, there’s a whack of them coming up, and it’s no wonder.
Canadians competing at either end of the arena have set the bar across the Medicine Line. This, along with a new agreement with amateur rodeo, has fuelled a renewed interest in the sport. In closing, I want to thank JP Parkes from the Nicola for the interview. Thanks to the misinformed, ranchers have become a protective bunch, and I appreciate it when the managers of some of the biggest ranches in Canada will share their working lives. It is a show of trust for you, the reader, and in us, who for 25 years have been producing Canada’s greatest Western magazine. So enjoy the issue, check out Spotify and get away on a getaway — here in Canadian Cowboy Country.
— Terri Mason, Editor
COWBOY ON SPOTIFY!
Download Spotify and join us, here in Canadian Cowboy Country … Radio!
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CONTRIBUTORS
Lisa Roper
Kynan Vine
Love of Fishing, page 25
South Saskatchewan Sturgeon, page 24
Lisa is an advocate for women and youth in hunting and fishing, and provides education for an outdoor lifestyle. Through her work as an outdoor writer and social media content creator, her connected audience follows her through engagements, workshops, and trade show appearances. LisaRoperOutdoors.com
Kynan is a rodeo producer and second-generation rodeo cowboy who produces some of the largest rodeos in the world, including the Calgary Stampede, the Canadian Finals Rodeo and The American Rodeo. Kynan is an avid angler and spends every moment possible in search of his next fishing adventure with his family.
Tom Reardon Daryl Drew, PhD Tidewater Ranching, page 32 Daryl is an Old West historian, horse trainer and cowboy action shooter. His research has led him to ride the trails leading into the haunts of Butch Cassidy and Billy the Kid, and on southwest cattle drives using the equipment of the 1880s.
Trailblazers, Montie Montana, page 30 Tom describes himself as “a saddle tramp with interesting friends.” The longtime rodeo fan with an encyclopedic memory retired to Maple Creek, Saskatchewan after a long career as the pasture manager of the Midale, Matador and the Meyronne community pastures in southern Saskatchewan.
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
LETTERS
Trailblazers — Revisited
We read Tom Reardon’s Trailblazer article on Saskatchewan cowboy, Hughie Long. We went over to Cresson today (25 miles SW of Fort Worth) and quickly found Hughie Long Road. It is quite long and mostly an industrial road. There were two signs on the road; this one, and one at the other end that had been ran over and was laying down, so this was by default the sign we used. I had also contacted the Cresson Cemetery to see where Hughie Long’s grave was and a really nice fellow called me and told me exactly where it was. He also told me that he knew Hughie and said he was quite a character. (No surprise there, he was a cowboy). We went to the cemetery and found his grave and took a couple of pictures with the magazine on his headstone and will send those to you as well. We went into the metropolis of Cresson and found where his barn and home were between the churches.
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All in all, we had a great afternoon at Cresson, which is less than 30 minutes from our house and have a new affinity for Hughie Long, his life and his home in Texas, and final resting place in the Cresson Cemetery. Hughie was a great Saskatchewan cowboy. It is a tough and rugged place where people develop strong character and a sense of humour, more than most places. He took that with him, especially with being an orphan and a tough start to life. Grabbed on to what he had and his love of horses/cowboying and made it happen. Another thing that is interesting about Cresson Cemetery is that it was in the movie done by George Strait called Pure Country. He walked into the cemetery with his guitar at one point in the movie. It is a very well kept cemetery, but a little disappointed by the cement headstone for Hughie’s grave, but he was probably OK with it. Rob and Eileen Leslie, Weatherford, Texas
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IN THE CORRAL NEWS, VIEWS & HAPPENINGS FROM ACROSS THE CANADIAN WEST
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is an interactive, hands-on celebration of Alberta's sporting history. Over 7,000 square feet of exhibit space includes a multisport area with virtual sports, a 200-meter wheelchair challenge, a climbing wall, a theatre, the Hall of Fame Gallery, and more. The museum hosts over 16,000 artefacts of Alberta sports history. The Hall, located in Red Deer, Alta., announced the induction of four more deserving Albertans. The Class of ‘22 welcomes Guy Weadick & Flores LaDue Weadick, posthumously honoured with the Pioneer Award, Jackie Rae Greening (of CFCW Radio fame) in the Builder category with the sport of Curling, and "The King" himself, multi-award-winning chuckwagon championships winner, Kelly Sutherland. These latest stars in the ever-growing galaxy join the likes of many previously inducted legends, ranging from steer wrestlers Tom, Vernon "Bud" and Brian Butterfield, broadcaster and writer Dianne Finstad, World Champion saddle bronc rider Winston Bruce, chuckwagon driver Dick Cosgrave, World Champion tie-down roper Jim Gladstone, barrel racer Jerri Duce to broadcaster Russ Peake. Tracey Kinsella, Executive Director of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, introduced these and other athletes, builders, and award winners who will join the Hall of Fame officially on October 21, 2022, during the Induction Ceremony at the Red Deer Polytechnic Main Theatre “We are proud to welcome these new Honoured Members into the Hall,” said Kinsella. “Their contributions to sport in our province are incredible and humbling. They have truly earned the right to have their names added to our Hall.”
Kelly Sutherland — Athlete (Inducted in 2020) Kelly is the winningest professional chuckwagon driver of all time. By his retirement in 2017 “The King” had racked up an impressive list of championships and awards, including the 2012 Calgary Stampede Guy Weadick Award, 12 Calgary Stampede Championships, 12 World Championships, was the seven-time Calgary Stampede Aggregate Winner, raced in 77 Champion final heats on World Professional Chuckwagon Association Circuit, 25 Victories in Championship heats on the World Professional Chuckwagon Association Circuit and topped the tarp sale with $300,000 registered as highest bid for his chuckwagon canvas, sold at Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction (2012).
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Jackie Rae Greening — Curling Builder Jackie has played major roles in Provincial, National, and World Championships curling events including the 2005 Tim Hortons Brier, 2007 Ford Worlds Men’s Curling Championships, 2009 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, and the 2017 Alberta Provincial Ladies Scott Tournament of Hearts. She continues promoting and building the sport with her broadcasting experience such as doing the commentating for the 2017 Junior World Curling Championship held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
PHOTO COURTESY CALGARY STAMPEDE ARCHIVES
IN THE CORRAL
Guy & Flores LaDue — Pioneer Award In 1912, Guy Weadick & Flores LaDue founded the Calgary Stampede, Canada’s first and most significant celebrations of western sport and heritage through rodeo and western competition. When Guy and Flores arrived in Calgary with the idea of hosting a “Frontier Day Celebration and Cowboy Contest” which would honour the history of the West through the sport of rodeo. In 1923 Weadick created the sport of chuckwagon racing. The Calgary Stampede remains one of the premier stops on the North America rodeo circuit.
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IN THE CORRAL STOCKING THE HERD
Racing Win! Congratulations to Ross Brigden of Medicine Hat, Alta., who was honoured with the American Quarter Horse Association’s Gordon Crone Special Achievement award in Oklahoma City in late January. Brigden has been a member of the AQHA since the 1970s and is the first Canadian to receive the Gordon Crone Special Achievement, which is voted on by the AQHA Racing Committee and given yearly to an outstanding man within the American Quarter Horse racing industry. Brigden said it’s an honour to be the first Canadian to receive it. “For a Canadian to win it, that’s pretty good, I’m happy,” Brigden said. An AQHA director-at-large and a member of the AQHA Racing Council, he has twice been the Alberta Quarter Horse Racing Association’s president. During his career as a trainer, Brigden saddled graded stakes winners Katies Sign and A Special Martini and trained the earners of nearly $1 million. He has bred the earners of nearly $500,000, including stakes winners Snoboat and Princess Of Zoom. He is also a long time member of the Medicine Hat Stampede & Exhibition rodeo committee. Said Brigden, “I’m extremely happy that my fellow horsemen and horsewomen voted for me and I won the award, that just makes me happy. It’s not just something they just give you, I guess you have to earn it.”
Ophelia Jean Vine
Niki Flundra and her Liberty horses
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Ross Brigden received the Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award. Pictured with him are (black hat) AQHA Racing Committee Chairman G.R. Carter Jr. and (white hat) AQHA President Norman K. Luba.
2022 Heart of the Horse Founder Niki Flundra is thrilled to announce the 2022 Heart of the Horse trainers. Guests will witness the reigning champion Dustin Sippola who will compete alongside the truly gifted horsemen Craig Reesor and Steve Rother. The event, which takes place Aug 25-28 in the Silver Sage Arena in Brooks, Alta., is a showcase of some of the best horse trainers in the business today. Heart of the Horse showcases the true art of horsemanship through a colt starting competition, demonstrations and mini-clinics, plus some top-notch entertainment, a trade show and equine industry-related highlights. Tickets are available through EventBrite.ca.
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
PHOTO CREDIT AQHA MEDIA; PHOTO BY SINCLAIR IMAGERY/ROD SINCLAIR
Congratulations to Kynan and Megan Vine on the birth of their second daughter, Ophelia Jean Vine, born Jan 19, 2022. She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz. Ophelia joins her two-year-old sister, Isla, in the Vine clan. Her dad, Kynan, is a second-generation professional bullfighter turned Rodeo Administrator for the CPRA. He was the Rodeo and Chuckwagons manager for the Calgary Stampede and the production manager for the CFR and others. He now works for Teton Ridge as the Producer of The American Rodeo and other Teton Ridge events. Mom Megan is also from a rodeo family. Her dad is a retired tie-down roper and her Aunty Elaine Watt is a three-time Canadian champion barrel racer. Megan is a nurse and a photographer.
IN THE CORRAL
PBR Team Canada Canada’s Professional Bull Riders announced their 2022 Team Canada — and it’s no surprise to see the top riders on the elite roster. The team features (in alphabetical order) Dakota Buttar of Kindersley, Sask., Cody Coverchuk, of Meadow Lake, Sask, Jordan Hansen of Okotoks, Alta., Jared Parsonage of Maple Creek, Sask., and Brock Radford of DeWinton, Alta. Four-time PBR World Finals qualifier Tanner Byrne of Prince Albert, Sask. is their coach. Six teams inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas competed for national pride, the very dirt they ride upon, and the title of “Toughest Nation on Dirt” on March 5. This is the fifth edition of the PBR Global Cup. The team tournament debuted in Edmonton, Alberta, in November 2017, visited Sydney, Australia, in June 2018, and made subsequent stops in Arlington in February 2019 and 2020. The 2022 PBR Global Cup USA will feature six teams representing Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. For their home-nation advantage, the USA delegation will field two squads via the Eagles and all Native American Wolves.
Valley Star! Congratulations to Beeton, Ontario’s Naomi Bristow, on being named the 2022 Female Vocalist of the Year by the Valley Star Awards in Texas. Bristow, who is a popular Canadian yodeller has enjoyed tremendous success on both sides of the Medicine Line, including television appearances and gigs in Branson. The Valley Star Awards are held in Mission, Texas, and celebrates the underground western and country music scene.
Shaw Gifts Glenbow Thanks to a hefty donation, Calgary's Glenbow Museum will offer free general admission permanently. Julie Shaw, the president of the Shaw Family Foundation, announced the $25-million JR Shaw Free Admissions Endowment in February. The donation is intended to honour the legacy of her father, JR Shaw, who founded Shaw Communications and Corus Entertainment — and loved art, Julie said. "We are very, very proud to make a donation that honours JR the best way we know how — by building upon his passion for Canadian art and artists and passing it along for future generations to enjoy without any barriers," she said. "We can make this Calgary institution, and all that it has to offer, accessible to everyone — without the restriction of having to pay to enter the building." The Shaw family's donation will also fund a $10-million endowment to create the JR Shaw Institute for Canadian Art.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
The museum says it will feature annual exhibitions, diverse programs, an artist-inresidence program and an internship and fellowship program. "In Calgary, access to arts and culture will no longer be a privilege. It will be a right," said Glenbow CEO Nicholas R. Bell.
The museum, which opened in 1966, is closed and undergoing a renovation called Glenbow Reimagined. So far, the museum has raised $152 million in public and private support for the project — but its campaign goal has ballooned to $175 million. The Glenbow is expected to reopen in 2024.
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IN THE CORRAL EMPTY SADDLES
EMPTY SADDLES
Harold Jack Shapka
Donald Thomas Loewen
Spruce View, Alta. 1935–2022
Merritt, B.C. 1959–2021
A mechanic and builder of many of Calgary’s highrises, Harold’s love of horses saw him outriding for Wilbur David in the 1950s at the Calgary Stampede and later, taking up team roping. He was a member of Friends of the Eastern Slopes and helped build many of the horse-friendly campsites still enjoyed back West. Harold is the father of Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Guy Shapka.
Don Loewen was raised in BC and always considered the Nicola Valley home. At 15, he built his first saddle. At 16, he hired on to Douglas Lake Ranch. At 17, he studied saddle making in the U.S., then returned to Douglas Lake and set up shop. Throughout his life, he worked as a tree faller, a rancher, a working cowboy, or a forest firefighter, but he was above all, best known as a talented saddlemaker.
–
– 20
Alberta
20
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The TKTS ticket booth, located between Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Times Square, is topped by a sweeping cascade of 27 ruby-red structural glass steps, rising to a height of 16 feet 1 inch above the 47th Street sidewalk. Usually, one million tickets (+-) are sold at the TKTS Discount Booth each year to Broadway and OffBroadway shows, music, and dance events. Originally installed in 2008, the custom-crafted glass pieces are made to withstand thousands of pounds at a time and are regularly maintained. Over 17,000 Instagram posts a day feature Times Square and about a third of them (approximately 5,000) features the Red Steps. Some 1,500 people can be on the Red Steps at a given time, including a great friend to the magazine, Kilian Schalk of New York City, who helped revolutionize how we craft and produce each issue of Canadian Cowboy Country.
12
PHOTO COURTESY KILIAN SCHALK
The Red Steps, Times Square, New York City, NY
Kilian Schalk on the Red Steps, holding the revolutionized issue of Canadian Cowboy
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
GIDDY UP
WITH GREG SHANNON
The Birth of a Cowboy Classic
Trout Tracks Essays on Fly Fishing
PHOTO CREDIT: GREG SHANNON | GREG SHANNON PHOTO CREDIT: JEN RUSH
By Jim McLennan Hugh McLennan’s “Little Brother” Jim has penned his fourth book, and this is not a “how-to” book, but rather, a “why” book — why fly fishing? To McLennan, that’s paramount to asking, “Why breathe?” For over five decades, this master fly fisher (and master guitar player) has made the wetting of a fly his life’s work and has also made a darn good life from which to draw out some great stories. I know they’re called essays, but rather than the bad rap that name has received over the years from being co-opted by the illiterati, his are interesting. Some are thought-provoking, some will raise your eyebrows, some will make you marvel at the level of customer service at some lodges, and others are there to simply enjoy a good conversation with a guy who’s spent more time on a streambank than 100 folks put together. In short, if you can’t go fishing, read this. But then it’ll make you want to go fishing, so I’ll save you the quandary; read the book and sign up for fly fishing lessons — you’ll be glad you did. Trout Tracks: Essays on Fly Fishing by Jim McLennan | softcover | 256 pages | Rocky Mountain Books | To order an advance copy, visit RMBooks.com
cowboycountrymagazine.com
If you were listening to your favourite country music station in 1978 (like CFCW, for example), you would have reached over and given the knob a bit of a twist to turn up the voices of a couple of Nashville Outlaws named Waylon and Willie, belting out a cautionary tale to mothers everywhere. If you happened to be listening to your favourite country music station (let’s say CFCW, for example) yesterday… in 2022, you would’ve reached over to turn up the same tune. Now, that’s staying power. The song was a #1 smash for the boys and won them a 1979 Grammy for the Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group to boot. In a way, Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records in Memphis, was responsible. You see, Sam and his recording engineer, Jack Clement, signed 17-year-old William Edwin Bruce Jr to a record deal, and he did okay as a recording artist, but as it turned out, Ed was a helluva writer. His thenwife, Patsy, revealed that when they wrote “Mama’s” together in late 1975–1976, the song was supposed to be called “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Guitar Players” but ended up tweaking it to have a tad more mass appeal. Ed Bruce originally recorded the song for his 1976 self-titled album, and since
then there have been 20+ versions, including one by Ray Price that same year. Chris LeDoux cut it, Willie’s solo version was in the movie The Electric Horseman, it was the soundtrack to a Volkswagen commercial, and if you’re a Sam Elliott fan, you know it as the opening song for his series on Netflix, The Ranch. In 1981, a whole new generation of fans fell in love with the Chipmunks’ version, but Waylon and Willie made the version we can’t stop singing to off-key in the truck. “They never stay home, and they’re always alone, even with someone they love.”
Greg Shannon 840 CFCW Morning Show Co-Host 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
Buckskin Blessing
A buyer for a packing plant specializing in horse meat got a contract to round up and ship a couple of loads of these horses. This stocky, buckskin mare was spotted by a ranch wife driving by. The mare had a foal with her, and she made a deal to buy
the pair just before the truck left for the slaughterhouse. They gave her the fitting name of Lucky. When the foal was weaned, they sent Lucky and a nice three-year-old gelding to our place for me to start. After 30 days, they came to pick them up and take them home. The gelding was probably ready, and Lucky showed lots of potential but still had a lot of fear issues to work through. I made a deal to keep her in payment for starting the gelding.
“Riding her bridleless and bareback was really fun... ” Best deal I ever made. It took more than a year, but the bond between us really began to grow. She took to cattle work like she was born and bred for it. Her years of living in that wild, rugged country gave her the surefooted ability to fearlessly run down a yearling in the jack pine jungles. She was a natural with any roping challenge, from doctoring bulls to dragging calves at brandings. She was a
veteran of seven Kamloops Cattle Drives and was revered like a rockstar for her incredible versatility. Riding her bridleless and bareback was really fun, and she was the star of many videos. She seemed to love performing, especially when I played my guitar and sang to audiences while I was riding her. She joined me for Cowboy Church many times, and nothing seemed to phase her. While doing a ranch horse clinic near Bashaw, I was riding her in an arena bridleless with my guitar. I didn’t realize we were right next to the chuckwagon track until a practice race got underway. I could feel her tension and even a slight tremble as the thundering hooves, rattling wagons and shouting drivers overpowered any sound we could make, but that trust never wavered. Our grandkids learned to ride on her, and for the last few years, she was Billie’s favourite ranch horse. I knew they’d be safe in any situation. We’re guessing she’s about 37 now, still sound and healthy. She was a few hours away from being horsemeat 30 years ago, and I think she’s had as happy a life as a horse could have. And over the years, I’ve often wondered which of us was the lucky one. c
PHOTO BY BILLIE MCLENNAN
“I
f that seven-year-old mustang mare that’s lived in the wild all her life will get broke, never mind becoming a ranch horse, I’ll be amazed!” These were the words of a sceptical neighbour when I started working with this horse. She already had a name. She was born on the Deadman Creek Reserve, where several generations of horses were living close to the way nature intended. Rarely would they see a rider, and most of them had never seen a person on foot.
Lucky in our home corral, enjoying her well-earned retirement
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
WHEEL TO WHEEL | BILLY MELVILLE
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
The crowds and the wagons will be back in full force in 2022! From left, Chad Fike (black shirt), Chance Bensmiller (red shirt), Evan Salmond (yellow shirt), Ross Knight (white shirt). 2019 Calgary Stampede.
W
PHOTO BY CAROL EASTON.
hen the global pandemic shut down the world in March of 2020, life as we knew it changed forever. Nobody thought it would last as long as it has, or cut as deep as it did, but here we are over two years later, and the Coronavirus is still among us. When the professional chuckwagon season was cancelled in 2020, and the Calgary Stampede decided to go ahead without chuckwagon racing in 2021, it looked pretty bleak for chuckwagon drivers and ultimately the survival of the sport as a whole. But the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) and a host of drivers cowboycountrymagazine.com
soldiered on. They salvaged a chuckwagon season in 2021, thus paving the way for 2022 if things returned to normal. As Bryan Hebson, Director of Marketing for the WPCA, described, “The key to the 2021 season was to bridge the gap between no season in 2020 and what will hopefully be a full season in 2022.” Hebson was right, as the 2022 season looks to be the biggest in WPCA History – 44 race days + 10 at the Calgary Stampede equals 54 race days. Never before have drivers had the opportunity to run this many days in a single race season. “I think this demonstrates just how resilient the sport and the people involved in it really are,” says Hebson. “When you consider how many horses the drivers have had to care for over the past two years with little to no money coming in, it’s truly amazing. It’s also a credit to the sponsors, race committees and fans who have all rallied behind the sport to hopefully make it stronger than ever.”
The potential is certainly there. The 2021 season, which saw the revival of WPCA chuckwagon races in tiny Dewberry, Alta., combined with the resurgence of the chuckwagon races in High River, Alta., kickstarted the 2021 campaign and started building the bridge to 2022. Competitive race meets in front of sold-out crowds validated just how much chuckwagon racing means to people in Western Canada. As former Alberta Sports Hall of Fame journalist John Down once wrote, “Chuckwagon racing is the third most-watched spectator sport in Alberta, behind pro hockey and pro football.” With pandemic restrictions easing, there is a lot of enthusiasm building as we approach the 2022 WPCA Pro Tour. With zero to limited racing over the past two years, seeing the return of chuckwagon racing to many communities has created excitement like never before As the old proverb says, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” c 15
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ LOIS GOBE
REFLECTIONS | BRYN THIESSEN
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
Seth & the Preacher /// There was a small town in southeast Saskatchewan that needed a pastor. The church was small but an important part of the community. The minister was expected to preach Sundays and officiate the weddings and funerals, dedications, and baptisms. Not listed but also expected, they would recite grace at local potlucks, referee the community baseball and hockey games, volunteer on the rodeo committee and the town council. He was also on call 24/7 to counsel, arbitrate and reconcile disputes, disagreements and dust-ups. In his spare time and to supplement his income, he was the janitor at the local school, the town handyman and available at branding, haying, harvest and gathering and weanings. The church board sent out word through the denomination and some Bible schools. When they got together to discuss the most suitable candidate, they decided on a young student from a nearby school. They reasoned that he was young enough to handle the load, and maybe, being new, he’d attract some of the younger folks to attend church. The candidate arrived; everyone just called him Preach, and he settled in. In his third week, the town’s old Seth (not his real name, but he might be your politician or husband) passed away. He was a cranky old cuss nobody liked, but he was a part of the community, and they were struggling with what to hold as a memorial. They decided on a simple graveside service because they weren’t sure how many would attend. They warned Preach not to expect too many folks, which was a relief as he had never performed a funeral, but reasoned that Seth had never died before either, so they could learn together. He left home early in case he got lost (which he did), and he drove around until he saw a clump of
trees — always a sign of human presence. A couple of guys were standing around a hole dug in the ground, and without looking, he asked them to gather around. They seemed surprised but complied. Preach opened his Bible, and the wind blew his notes across the prairie. Not wanting to appear flustered, he went from memory, the problem being he remembered everything. He spoke on the whole Bible; he didn’t even bog down on the Song of Solomon. The guys who were there were whooping and hollering by the end. After Preach commissioned old Seth’s body to the dust from which he came, he left. The one guy looked at the other and said, “You ever seen anything like that?” he asked. “I never have, and I’ve put in septic tanks for 27 years.” I’m writing these words as the world around me is in turmoil. In cities, towns and highways across the globe, folks are gathering in opposition to mandates and restrictions. I can’t see the outcome, but I know we have to find a way to move ahead to the next step. Doing things the same way is preaching a funeral to a hole dug for a septic tank. We need to look up and see where we’re at and what’s needed by those we’re spending time with. We need a new way of thinking. If we look at our spiritual beliefs, it may be time to reexamine how/ what we believe. In Mark 2:22–23, Jesus teaches us, “You can’t hold new wine in old wineskins. The new wine will ferment and blow up the old wineskin like a bloated steer.” (my words.) Just like we need to find the truth on how to respond to the virus, we need to examine what Jesus said about himself and what he did for us. Otherwise, we’re preaching to a guy who’s put in septic tanks for 27 years. 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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Getaways By TERRI MASON
TOURISM SASKATCHEWAN/GREG HUSZAR PHOTOGRAPHY; TRAVEL ALBERTA; HELLO BC; HANS G PFAFF
Welcome to the home of grizzly bears and mountain zephyrs, red-tailed hawks and gophers, burrowing owls and rattlesnakes and some of the friendliest people in the world. This is the West, and it is as diverse as its wildlife and as potentially dicey. Here, nothing is taken for granted, not the scenery, the weather, the horses or the people, but God love ‘em all, they sure put some spice in your life! Come take a swing through the West for a wild adventure!
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British Columbia
Singer Willie Nelson said it best when he wrote, “It’s been rough and rocky travellin’/but I’m finally standin’ upright on the ground….” And it’s not just me feeling this way, it’s the whole country. So I’ve decided to feel optimistic, and in that spirit, I’m exploring a few vacation ideas in some classic cowboy towns, with a few dekes off the trail to see some additional visit-worthy sites. Many of us have been very lucky and have spent time in some of the most iconic “cowboy” towns in Western Canada. Their roots are deep, their pride is evident, and they’ve earned their spurs. Williams Lake is a prime example. On the Canada Day weekend, all eyes are on this town as the Williams Lake Stampede, and the breath-catching Mountain Race are on. Since early in the 1920s, cowboys have raced down the side of Fox Mountain and into the Stampede grounds — and it’s wild, wild, wild. Also well worth a visit is the Tourism Discovery Centre; it’s the “go-to” spot for all great adventure ideas. Another great one is the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin, the home of the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. For beautiful areas to enjoy a walk, head to Scout Island on the edge of town, and out of town, visit Churn Creek Protected area. Nearby is the Xatsull Heritage Village (pronounced hat-sooth), a National AwardWinning Heritage Village located at Soda Creek, about 30 minutes from Williams Lake, offering tours, meals, crafts, and accommodation.
Kamloops
There’s plenty to do and see in this desert clime, and of course, If you want to see the country, saddle up. There are a couple of 20
places in unique areas that will take you on a guided tour, and it’s worth it. I enjoy museums, so the Kamloops Museum & Archives, Kamloops Heritage Railway, and Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park are well worth visiting. If your timing is right, (August Long) attend the Kamloopa Powwow, the largest gathering of Indigenous culture in Western Canada celebrating the local Secwepemc (Pronounced She-whep-m) people.
Merritt
This fact might shock you, but there are over 200 lakes in the Merritt, Nicola area, so fishing is a major draw. Also, visit the historic Baillie Property, operated by the Nicola Valley Heritage Society, consisting of a house, barn, store, and heritage style garden. The buildings have remained unchanged since the early 1900s. And if you love country music, the Merritt Walk of Stars has branded the history of country music into the sidewalks buildings. Also, a must-see is the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
Cranbrook & Fort Steele
I love heritage parks, and one of the finest in BC is Fort Steele, near Cranbrook. Of course, Cranbrook has an iconic pro rodeo in August, and to fully immerse yourself in the western mood, there are plenty of guest ranches in the area, too. c
Try This! Golden — Golden Skybridge Walk 426 feet above the canyon! banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/ golden-skybridge Golden — Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre Book a Walk with the Wolves — no kidding. Northernlightswildlife.com Boston Bar — Hell’s Gate Airtram Gondola over the Fraser River’s Hells Gate. Hellsgateairtram.com Various Locations — Heli-Adventures Once-in-a-lifetime tour with Yellowhead Helicopters. yhl.ca/heli-tours Wells — Barkerville Historic Town Authentic gold rush town. Barkerville.ca Yoho National Park See Takakkaw Falls, one of the highest in North America. pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ SIEGFRIED SCHNEPF; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ LYNDA
Williams Lake
Alberta
More than any other place (except perhaps, Texas) Alberta has capitalized on her Western roots, and when visitors see “Alberta” they think cowboy, Calgary Stampede and adventure. Truth is, wherever you are, you are in cowboy country, so with that, here are some terrific ideas for getaways for the adventurer in you. High River
Most Heartland fans will recognize locations for the “town” of Hudson, and this is where it is filmed. Who knows, maybe they’ll be shooting when you visit? See also the Museum of the Highwood, featuring great collections of the early ranchers and cowboy history of the area.
TRAVEL ALBERTA; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ JFL PHOTOGRAPHY; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ BRENDA CARSON
National Parks & Icefield Parkway
The Rockies are stunning, in our backyard and are an absolute must-see. Then cruise up the gorgeous Icefields Parkway, a stunning trip from the Banff area to the Jasper area. In midAugust, Jasper has a fabulous four-day pro rodeo. While in Jasper National Park, a mustsee is Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, possibly the most photographed site in the Rockies.
Stony Plain
In July the Blueberry Bluegrass Festival is a big draw, and traditionally held in summer is the Stony Plain Cowboy Gathering of music and poetry. Also visit the Stony Plain & Parkland Pioneer Museum, an early 20thcentury heritage park.
Ponoka
Home of the Ponoka Stampede (end of June into July), and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Deke south to Drumheller to the Royal Tyrrell Museum because, it’s, well Dinosaur Central!
Medicine Hat
Honestly, the world’s biggest teepee is set up for the greatest photo op and learning experience. c
Try This! Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Fort Macleod area First Nations interpretive centre. headsmashedin.ca Writing On Stone Provincial Park, Foremost area Ancient sandstone pictographs. albertaparks.ca Alberta Birds of Prey Centre, Coaldale Canada’s largest birds of prey facility. burrowingowl.com Columbia Icefield Skywalk, Icefields Parkway Cliff-edge walkway. Banffjaspercollection.com Jasper SkyTram, Jasper Birds-eye vista of Jasper National Park. jasperskytram.com Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller Dinosaurs and more. tyrrellmuseum.com Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, Siksika Stunning facility of Blackfoot culture. blackfootcrossing.ca World Famous Gopher Hole Museum, Torrington Dioramas, taxidermy, and gophers. worldfamousgopherholemuseum.ca
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Sa Saskatchewan s k at c h e w n
Saskatchewan is home to many ancient cultures, and their history and legacy carry into this new century. From the culture that sprang from the avowed ancient trading grounds of First Nations, the cowboy culture fostered on the vast ranchlands of the south, to the epic farming culture in the centre and the unbelievable but true 100,000 lakes in the north. This is a fair skookum land, this is where Sitting Bull brought his people after defeating Custer, where immigrants are welcomed and the province’s untouched lands are one of the last strongholds of native grass. Named the most Western Town in Canada, this ranching community is the gateway to the inland Galapagos, the Cypress Hills, the country’s only interprovincial park and the home of Fort Walsh, once the NWMP headquarters. Two great museums in town, SW Sask Oldtimers and the Jasper Cultural Centre are must-sees.
Coronach
Take a guided tour of the Big Muddy Valley. Make stops at Castle Butte, Aust’s General Store in Big Beaver, and the infamous Sam Kelly Outlaw Caves.
Batoche National Historic Site, Batoche
Called the heart of the Metis, Batoche is the final battlefield of the Northwest Resistance of 1885. This whole area is chock-full of historic events, forts and battlefields.
North Battleford
Saskatoon
Visit the Western Development Museum; explore the new exhibit featuring a part of Saskatchewan's history from an Indigenous perspective. wdm.ca/saskatoon
Pink & Purple Sand Beaches
True story; there are many jewelled beaches here; the pink and purple hues in the sands are crushed garnets. These beaches can be found in Prince Albert National Park, Candle Lake, Deschambault Lake, Hunter Bay, and Good Spirit Lake. c
Try This! Fort Walsh, Maple Creek Restored and recreated National Historic Site. pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/sk/walsh T.rex Discovery Centre, Eastend Home of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in North America. royalsaskmuseum.ca/trex Wood Mountain Rodeo/Ranch Museum, Wood Mountain Regional Park Ranch and rodeo artefacts and participatory fun. saskmuseums.org/museums/detail/ wood-mountain-rodeo-ranch-museum RCMP Heritage Centre, Regina Heritage centre dedicated to the legend and lore of RCMP. rcmphc.com
Visit the historic site of Fort Battleford, tour the nearby Allen Sapp Gallery featuring the collected works of the renowned Cree artist.
Quill Lakes Interpretive Centre, Wynyard World-renowned migratory birdwatching area. townofwynyard.com/tourism/birding
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
TOURISM SASKATCHEWAN/CHRIS HENDRICKSON PHOTOGRAPHY; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ JKGABBERT; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ JASON YODER
Maple Creek
Yukon
The Yukon truly is larger than life. Its tumultuous history of rags-to-riches wealth, the lore of Robert Service poetry (who hasn’t heard of Sam McGee?) and the vast, untouched land of the midnight sun teeming with wildlife and northern lights are more than mere mortals can take in all in one sitting. Watson Lake
Once a refuelling stop during WWII, the town of Watson Lake is a welcoming tourist destination that has the distinction of hosting the largest international signage in the world. Many bring signs from their hometown, while others get them made on the spot. Over 80,000 signs are a testament to the lure of seeing your hometown’s name in print. Well worth seeing is the Northern Lights Centre, a museum and theatre featuring the aurora borealis. If you’re driving, south of Watson Lake you’ll see plenty of Wood Bison from Wood Buffalo National Park; they graze the sides of the Alaska Highway.
Dawson City
Dawson was the epicentre of the Klondike Gold Rush and by 1899 it housed 30,000 and was the largest community north of
San Francisco. Robert Service worked as a bank clerk here, and many of his client’s names ended up in his poetry, including Sam McGee (who is actually buried in central Alberta.) His cabin is a national historic site with costumed interpreters. Diamond Tooth Gerties is the only casino in the Yukon with high-kicking shows — a definite throwback to the gold rush era. This is a fun place. Try gold panning.
Whitehorse
Tour the sternwheeler, the S.S. Klondike, visit the oldest museum in the Yukon, the MacBride Museum of Yukon History. Explore the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, focused on the Kwanlin Dün First Nation. The centre hosts a longhouse, artist studios, a gallery, and an outdoor ceremonial space on the banks of the Yukon River. c
Try This! Whitehorse area — Yukon Wildlife Preserve Tour the viewing loop to see a variety of Arctic and boreal animals, caribou, lynx, elk, bison. yukonwildlife.ca Whitehorse — Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre The Beringia Land Bridge once linked North America and Asia about 30,000 to 16,000 years ago. Learn all about it at the Centre. Watson Lake — Riding Horseback riding. There are outfitters in most regions. Whitehorse — MacBride Museum History of the Yukon. Macbridemuseum.com Dawson City Museum The exciting history of a gold rush town. dawsonmuseum.ca Anywhere — Flightseeing See Tombstone Territorial Park, Kluane National Park and Reserve, Chilkoot Trail
South Saskatchewan
STURGEON By KYNAN VINE
I had been excited for this fishing trip for weeks ever since my old friend, Jay Hogg, had shown me photos of the fish he had caught. The strangest thing about this new adventure was that I was going home. As an avid angler, I have cast a line in some of the most beautiful places in the world. But it had never occurred to me that I could be floating on the river, only minutes from my hometown of Redcliff, wrestling with legitimate dinosaurs. Ronnie, our seasoned riverboat captain, launched the boat, and as the jets kicked in, we shot down the river. 24
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
A few cattle still lingered on the sidehills, mule deer darted through the willows on the riverbanks, and a bald eagle soared overhead. These native lands of the rugged landscapes of this vast river coulee remain untouched. That thought brought me back to reality. We were out here in this land before time because my old pal and local rancher/team roper, Jay Hogg, had promised me the fight of my life versus a real live dinosaur. As Ronnie readied our bait and tackle, I knew that somewhere below the murky green river water lurked a prehistoric beast. I have a theory on their intensity. A sturgeon’s mouth sits beneath their body and is located back from the tip of their nose about eight to ten inches. So, it would be like trying to turn a horse on a runaway with just the halter around its jaw and no control over its nose. This, combined with the fact that a sturgeon’s bones are actually outside of their body, means you are fighting with a muscle-bound torpedo. cowboycountrymagazine.com
fi
“...the dinosaur came shooting to the surface...”
Later, when the sun hits its peak, we made our way to the final fishing hole. It was the moment I had been waiting for. As I set my hook, I could feel what I could only describe as a log stuck on the end of my line, but this was no log. With all its weight and ancient strength, the dinosaur came shooting to the surface, propelling its entire body out of the water. It was the sturgeon dancing across the surface, flaunting its prehistoric physique and unreckoned power. I was in the thick of it with this old guy, and he ran up and
down the river. Just when we thought he was giving in and could see him under the boat, he would flick his tail and be gone again. The fight probably lasted fifteen minutes before he finally began to tire. Jay swiftly netted him and set him in the boat. Although not the biggest fish in the river at 46 inches, he was still the largest freshwater fish I have landed. Not to mention that, according to his size, the fish could have been up to 80 years old. Having the opportunity to land a species of fish that has travelled these waters for over 200 million years is a humbling experience. The fact that we have preserved this amazing species and the people in the area are such stewards of the land does bring a smile to my face. Better yet, I was back home and in the back yard of my memories with one of my oldest friends. So, no matter how far you roam and what grand adventures you may embark upon, remember that there is truly nothing like coming home. c 25
Love of
FISH NG By LISA ROPER
The deep hull of my boat cuts through the lake as the early morning sun’s rays dance on the water. Near me, a pelican glides just above the top of the water, looking for its next meal. The fog lifts, and with the smell of dew in the air, it’s time to fish. My adrenaline begins to build as the first cast of the day whistles through the air. My Five of Diamonds lure pierces the water and disappears, taking with it plenty of line. As it sinks, I let go of all the unfinished work, piles of paper, and phone calls needing my attention. I become absorbed in the journey I am on with the fish. I reel with short, quick jerks, followed by a very slow retrieve. A few casts in, and with 26
“
“My adrenaline begins to build...” an aggressive strike, I am hooked into the first fish of the morning. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or a seasoned angler; having a fish take your bait brings a flood of excitement. One of my favourite fish to target is walleye. A strong predator fish that can be aggressive, feisty, and finicky, meeting the challenge of catching them has become a lifelong pursuit. In my experience, underwater structures like shelves, deep basins, sunken trees and weed beds provide security to the fish and an opportunity for me to land one. I use several techniques like jigging, casting, and trolling,
depending on water conditions and the season. I find the best time to target walleye is early morning or dusk when light is low. But don’t discount midday if the wind is blowing and the water is turbulent and murky. Being successful on the lake goes far beyond landing a fish. My love for fishing has taught me lifelong skills. I have gained a more profound respect for nature and learned a great deal about patience and hope. Casting a line is about traditions, relationships, adventures, and the ability to try again tomorrow when I came up short today. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to inspire and encourage others to appreciate and respect the outdoors. Other times, it’s when the world stands still, and I feel a grounding connection to the water that I cannot find anywhere else. It’s all this and more that keeps me going back to the lake. c Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
HOME GROWN
SPRING IS SPRUNG!
PHOTOS HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED BY COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM VOLUNTEERS ACROSS WESTERN CANADA.
Brought to you by COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM/ANDREW EXELBY
Planting, pollinators, and raised beds are hot topics for gardeners, and these topics are as intertwined as tree roots. Birds & the Bees
The birds, insects and other animals that pollinate plants are key to the health of both our horticultural, natural and agricultural environments. While many grasses are pollinated with help from the wind, many other plants, including most of our ornamental flowers, garden fruits and vegetables, and crops like alfalfa and flax, depend on actual pollinators.
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HOME GROWN Antique grain tank —Maple Creek
Pollinator Gardens
It is important to encourage and support the health of pollinators both in town and on the ranch. Why not consider planting a pollinator garden? Whether this is done in your community or your private yard, pollinator gardens can help attract pollinators at a time when the crop or the natural vegetation isn’t available to support them. Some great flower choices include the perennial Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), (bright yellow flowers from late summer into autumn), to the Lance-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), with its bright yellow flowers, is a low-growing perennial that thrives in the hot, late summer all across North America. Of course, these are just a couple of the many options for a pollinator garden; many more flowers, shrubs and even flowering trees are attractive to pollinators. Be sure to get your seed from a reputable source to ensure that you are planting the best pollinator species and aren’t introducing any unwanted weeds.
Nokomis, Sask.
How We Plant
Planting is a big topic. Rather than talk about the science, let’s explore design from an ornamental perspective. We all want our gardens and planters to look good… right? With containers and raised beds that are 28
Pollinator garden
seen from all angles, always think Thriller, Filler, Spiller. Plant a large, taller and showier plant in the middle (the thriller); around this plant, you add a shorter plant that looks great and fills the space (the filler), and then you add another plant around the edge that will spill over the side of the planter and soften its lines. A great example in a planter would be Cannas (Thriller), a shorter Coleus (Filler) and Sweet Potato Vine (Spiller). This concept can also be applied to a bed or a planter that is against a building or fence. You just have to work from back to front with the Thriller, Filler, Spiller! It’s also important to think about colour schemes. While this isn’t for everyone, a consistent colour scheme in the floral displays of your town, acreage or farmyard really has a huge impact in creating a WOW factor for everyone that visits. Bright, bold colours also really attract the eye and are a particularly good choice if you are trying to make an impact from a distance or along a roadway. Also, think about how you are planting. Try to group materials together into natural shapes rather than spacing everything in rows like our vegetable gardens. All of your floral displays will look more natural and appealing. It’s also a great idea to incorporate decorative details such as a Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
HOME GROWN Melfort, Sask.
fountain, a piece of farm equipment to the floral display at your ranch or a bench next to that floral display along the community trail? Always think about how to soften hard lines through additions such as planters or vines like Virginia Creeper on fences. Let your creativity flow, and your planting will be a success!
Raised Beds
Raised beds are a great option if you want to add some layering to your landscape, protect what you are planting or contain what you are planting. Many community gardens are beginning to focus on raised beds or offer a combination of in-ground and raised beds options. The raised beds are often easier to maintain and also help define each user’s area. If designed correctly, raised beds can also be accessible for those with mobility challenges. Raised beds are awesome for vegetable and food production, but they are equally valuable for ornamental flower beds. A raised bed can add interest to any area, provide a space where weeds are easier to manage or provide a way to beautify an area where the soil is not suitable for in-ground planting. You can even build a raised bed right on concrete or gravel! Materials for raised beds can include stone, wood, cement, metals — the options cowboycountrymagazine.com
“
“Raised beds are a great option...”
Community garden — Coquitlam, B.C.
are endless! However, if you are planning to produce food in the raised bed, it’s smart to use natural cedar or stone materials. If your raised bed is only for ornamental purposes, treated lumber is a great option but you can get creative by using old water troughs, tractor rims or other ‘found’ items at your farm, ranch or community. Consider using landscape fabric to line the raised bed if you are using a material (such a 2x6 planks) that would allow the soil to run out of the planter. Even small cracks can pose quite a challenge once you begin watering!
Communities in Bloom
Communities in Bloom (CiB) is a volunteer and partnership-driven charitable organization. For the past 27 years, CiB has helped participating communities develop civic pride, mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, enhance green spaces, strengthen neighbourhoods, and increase investment opportunities and tourism. It is a comprehensive, proven approach to community development, and its positive benefits are felt immediately! Information in this article has been sourced from Communities in Bloom and Bees Matter. For more information about Communities in Bloom in your province, visit CommunitiesInBloom.ca c 29
TRAILBLAZERS
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST
Five galloping riders are roped in a massive loop by famous trick roper, Montie Montana
Montie Montana From Big Muddy to ‘Big Time’
N
ot every child that slid down a snow-covered hill in Saskatchewan’s Big Muddy Valley eventually had their photo on the front page of every major newspaper in the free world. Owen Harlan Mickel did.
Owen was the fifth child of Edgar and Mary Mickel. His parents had a whipcracking act they performed at the rodeos, fairs and gatherings they frequented. His dad was an itinerant horseback preacher who made the rounds to churches in northeastern Montana and southern Saskatchewan. Owen was a newborn infant in 1910 when his family took a homestead near a spring in the Big Muddy country north of the Medicine Line. Five years later, the Mickels traded their homestead to a neighbour for a team of horses and a Model T truck, then moved to Wolf Point, 30
Montana. That’s where young Owen saw a trick roper in action, and the seed was planted. In his words, “A rope was in my hand all the time; at home, at school, everywhere. I roped everything that moved, chickens, dogs, cats and kids.” Owen’s first paid performance as a trick roper came at the 1925 Miles City Rodeo when he made $15, at a time when farmworkers averaged $38 a month. The announcer forgot the 15-year-old’s name and adlibbed, “Here’s Montie from Montana, The Montana Kid.” That appealed to the youngster, so he claimed Montie Montana as his professional name. In 1927, 17-year-old Montie made his first of a dozen appearances at the rodeo in Ellensburg, Washington. His parents performed their bullwhip act, and his father preached a sermon at the Methodist Church that year. Montie began his film career as a rider, roper, stunt double and actor in 1929 and was involved in over 50 motion pictures. He worked with Shirley Temple, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart, Jay Silverheels, Tom Mix, Clark Gable, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and Judy
Garland. He entertained thousands of spectators along the route as he spun rope while riding in his first Rose Bowl Parade in 1933. Over the years, he entertained in Europe, Australia and worked every major rodeo in North America multiple times. His signature move was to rope a group of (usually 4 or 5) moving riders. His record catch was 11 riders; he used more than 30 meters (100 feet) of rope for that feat. He always rode a pinto, and they were all named Rex. One time, to promote an event in New York City, he and Rex took an elevator to perform on the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, which was the world’s tallest structure at the time. That front-page newspaper photo I mentioned earlier was taken in 1953 at Washington D.C. during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s inaugural parade. On impulse, Montie rode up to the viewing stand and asked the newly-elected President if he could rope him. Eisenhower consented, and Montie got so nervous his first loop failed but his second one settled elbowhigh around the President as the cameras clicked. Secret Service agents were not Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
STRYKER, JOHN A./ UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS ARCHIVES COLLECTION
By TOM REARDON
PHOTO COURTESY WIKIPEDIA
In 1953, Montie Montana made the record books as the only cowboy to rope a President of the USA. Montie roped a smiling Dwight Eisenhower at the President’s inaugural parade. Note Montie’s silver-mounted saddle; famed “saddler to the stars” Ed Bohlin made it.
amused. They told Montie that if they hadn’t heard the President giving him permission, “you would have been a sieve.” (Riddled with bullet holes). In today’s lingo, photos of that impromptu stunt ‘went viral.’ Montie was a guest celebrity at the 1975 unveiling of a North West Mounted Police cairn where the Big Muddy Detachment (1902–1926) once was. After the dedication, he was taken to his parents’ abandoned homestead. That stirred memories of him and his siblings sledding down the hills. He visited the site again in 1989 and talked about his dad building a dam to hold water at their spring and digging coal from a hillside. Where the shop had been someone, found some ploughshares. (Replaceable cutting edge cowboycountrymagazine.com
of a breaking plough.) Montie autographed one for display at the Nature Center in the nearby hamlet of Big Beaver, Sask.
“In 1993 he rode in his 60th and final Rose Bowl Parade...” Montie was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1989. The Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame in 1990 and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1997 he was the Grand
Marshall of the 75th Anniversary Ellensburg Rodeo Parade and inducted in their Hall of Fame. In 1993 he rode in his 60th and final Rose Bowl Parade and released his 349page autobiography Not Without My Horse. He said his son Montie Jr., “Computed this thing and acted like it was easy.” Montie Montana passed away in 1998 at Chatsworth, California, where he is buried. A horse-drawn wagon delivered his rose-draped coffin; his daughter Linda sang "Pony Boy", and the Riders of the Purple Sage harmonized "Happy Trails." He was inducted posthumously into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage in 2015. c 31
RANCHING IN THE WEST The Kingcome river near the logging camp; about a mile from the Halliday farmhouse
Tidewater
Ranchers
How far west can you ranch in Canada? ... all the way to the tidewater’s edge! Part 1 of 2 By DARYL DREW, PHD | HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY DARYL DREW
B.C.’s west coast is an unlikely place to build a cattle ranch. The beautiful green and greytoned pristine scenery belies that it is home to intense storms, very heavy rainfall and rip tide overflows. The mercurial weather creating dense fog banks that roll in from the Pacific Ocean has resulted in nearly 500 shipwrecks along its craggy rock-strewn shoreline over the years. Mariners call this coast the Graveyard of the Pacific, and the West Coast Trail, now a favourite of hikers, was built for shipwrecked survivors to find safety by escaping the ocean waters. The unique climate produced the storms that also produced the massive first growth trees, and beginning in the mid-1800s, loggers dreamed about turning them into lumber. That dream helped foster the era of the tidewater ranchers. 32
PHOTO: VICKI SWANSON
Part 1: Inner Passage Islands
RANCHING IN THE WEST 1
2
3
While the trees were abundant, the logistics of supplying very isolated logging camps with fresh beef and produce in the days before refrigeration was a nightmare. Before chainsaws, it took two men with axes and crosscut saws several days to fall just one giant first growth tree. Hand logging operations needed many men requiring many calories per day. Once felled, the giant trees had to be cut to length and skidded over corduroy trails to the water’s edge, formed up into log booms and cowboycountrymagazine.com
1. Open deck shipping of live cattle off the coast of B.C. 2. The Ernest Halliday family 3. The first Halliday cabin; Kingcome Inlet, B.C.
floated to a mill. In the days before steam donkeys and heavy haul back rigging, log skidding was done by teams of draft horses and oxen. Added to the need for a steady supply of meat and produce, the logging operations required oxen, horses, hay and a
wintering ground for draft animals when logging was shut down for the storm season. Complicating the supply problem was the fact that raising livestock and the hay to feed them is not viable in a temperate rainforest. However, some unique climatic variations made the development of small ranches close to logging camp markets a practical solution to the loggers’ supply problems. These ranches ranged from a few dozen hectares of cleared land to 405 hectares (1,000 acres) or more. 33
RANCHING IN THE WEST
One of the most popular saddles on the West Coast was the Californio that arrived with packers such as Cataline (pictured) and cattle drovers as part of the gold rush. In the early days, cattle came to B.C. via Washington, from Oregon and California and the drovers brought their saddles with them. Lighter and more easily adaptable to mountain country compared to some of the Texas trail saddles, the RNWMPolice adopted a version of the Californio saddle for their mounted patrol in the Canadian West.
On the southern Gulf Islands and the east coast of Vancouver Island, Garry oak and Arbutus stands intermixed with grassland were ideal for grazing and haymaking. These areas are not exactly dry, but they are less wet. Mitlenatch Island, with only 76 cm of precipitation per year, is home to prickly pear cactus. Rainshadow effects combined with cleared land provided areas suitable for raising livestock in various parts of B.C.’s Inner Passage islands and coastline. Small sail ships or steam tugs and barges moved horses, cattle, and sheep between the Islands. They were unloaded by a sling or hoisted in a box stall from ship to beach or onto rudimentary wharves. Cedar rail snake fencing, driftwood fencing and high tide helped keep stock from wandering too far. Draft animals were often hoof branded. Beef cattle wore their original brands or, using homemade irons, the owners put a new mark on them, sometimes unregistered but recognized locally to combat rustling. Ranching families produced 1,000s of halfkg bottles of beef, salmon, vegetables and fruit cheaper than they could be shipped 34
from Victoria as canned goods. In the early days, these home-produced supplies were delivered to the camps by rowboat. The tidewater ranchers of the Gulf Islands and Discovery Islands flourished as long as logs were moved by animal power and until refrigeration replaced the need for bottled beef. They expanded as the logging camps grew bigger, filling the need for post offices and small general stores. The isolated nature of the islands drew a wide diverse population ranging from ex-Hawaiian paniolos who had worked for the HBC to Scandinavian homesteaders trying to build a utopian community. There were even one or two cults like the followers of Brother 12. Notable characters migrated to the Islands, such as ex Wyoming rancher “Peg Leg” Donald McDonald McArthur. His leg was crushed in a horse fall back in Wyoming and amputated — rather hastily by McArthur’s reckoning. Disgruntled with Wyoming medical practice, McArthur came about as far west as possible and took up sheep ranching on Twin Island. He continually moved his considerable-sized flock
around from one grazing area to another in a large rowboat. It was said you could hear him in the dark clumping down a storefront boardwalk like Long John Silver long before you could see him. If McArthur thought he could get better medical treatment on the islands than in Wyoming, he was wrong. Medical facilities were a long rowboat trip away for most homesteaders. In 1885 when Elizabeth Grimmer of Pender Island went into labour, her husband, Washington Grimmer, began rowing her to the nearest midwife on Mayne Island. He should have rowed faster or picked a more favourable tide because their baby boy, named Neptune Navy Grimmer, was born in that boat in the middle of Navy Channel. Raising livestock continues along B.C.’s West Coast from the southern Gulf Islands to Haida Gwaii. While the methods and equipment are modern, the unique conditions and challenges produced by proximity to the Pacific Ocean are the same as the tidewater ranchers of earlier times. c Next issue: June/July 2022 - Part 2: Tidewater Ranchers Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
TRAINING CATTLE
Land Management By TERRI MASON John (J.P.) and Bobbie, with their sons Duke (older) and Will (younger)
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY PARKES FAMILY
“L
— JOHN (J.P.) PARKES, RANCH MANAGER
and management, that’s become a contentious point in British Columbia. It’s Crown range and the fact that the Crown has people who pay for use tenure, and those are the ranchers and logging companies. That resource is also shared with recreationalists, taxpayers of British Columbia — but they don’t pay what we pay.
This is still Canada, and we’re educating people to make them understand that while as a taxpayer of B.C., you’re entitled to use Crown land, others have paid 100 years worth of tenure rent on this land to run a business. Most people understand that. When you tell them, ‘this is our business that you’re on,’ that seems to strike a different chord. They seem to have greater respect, that we don’t just do this for fun. So, we run a mature cow herd of around 1,500 cows going into calving. We work at the lowest elevation of the neck of the valley, so spring comes quick. There are some similarities between the Nicola, Maple cowboycountrymagazine.com
Creek and Merritt, and that similarity is the wind — the wind and the grasslands. We start calving mature cows on March 10; heifers start calving by February 15. We don’t calve on grass in the first cycle. We calve together, and it’s our highly maternal Angus cows that get us through. We prioritize that first cycle, and more often than not, 65 per cent of the cows have calved in the first cycle, and the last 35 per cent of the herd is spread out over the second cycle and part of the third. So from about March 10 to April 1, it’s hair straight back. What we do is we build herds, pairing them off, and it all correlates back to the
sale in the fall. Nicola is a collection of four ranches. It’s easier to move a cow when she’s about to calve rather than with a calf at foot. So after the first cycle, we start moving cows to other deeded pastures where they’ll calve. I can’t tell you the exact kilometres, but between trucking and walking, by the time the last cow calves on deeded ground, she’ll be about 80 km from the home ranch. This sets us up as we’ve created herds for our brandings and know how many calves we intend to brand at each gather. We have dedicated corrals, and nothing is done without the goal in mind. 35
WHAT WORKS FOR US
Above left: Named after Shovelnose Mountain, this wildfire started 30 km south of Merritt. Above right: Scenes from the Shovelnose Mountain wildfire. The smoke hung over the B.C. interior for months. Below: Nicola Ranch black Angus
Predators are not a big problem for us. In a nutshell, maybe you’ll get a bad year where a bear is wandering around, but our cows can look after themselves. Our cows are polled, but they’re as black as black gets. I do not lose sleep about them not looking after their calves. A note on the 2021 natural disasters: The flooding; it’s a lot like fires, when somebody else was on fire, you’re obviously concerned, and you want to help. We’ve been on fire and flooded out this year at various times on the ranch, and Mother Nature will do what she wants to do. You’re just going to have to live with that and make plans. We had to evacuate about 1,200 yearlings when we were on fire up at Voght Valley. There was a contingency plan. In agriculture, we’re probably more in tune with what’s going on than others because we go over a lot of the same tracks; you remember what it was like last year and a dry year ten years ago, and those are your reference points. While you can’t speak for everybody, you damn sure know when you’re dry, and you damn sure know when you’re wet. So we started making a contingency for our grass yearlings because they’re our most movable asset. With the cow/calf herds, you just got to cross your fingers. The biggest asset on this place is our cow herd — it’s irreplaceable. But at the same time, we can’t put ourselves in a financial position where, while we were trying to save them, we had to get rid of them because we pulled the trigger too early. 36
Nicola Ranch Size: 300,000 acres Established: 1919 Owner: John Liu Breed: Black Angus Elevation: Varies: lowest 600 M (1,970 ft) Precipitation: 190mm (7.5 inches) Brand: Main cattle brand: U over T / (Stands for United Territories)
You’ve got to cross your fingers and do the best you can do because dry years are usually accompanied by feed short years, so it’s not like we were bringing them down, and we’re in a position to start feeding them two months early either. But you know, we were constantly moving them together as a group; they were never as stretched out as they’d been on normal years. If we turned out on range, we were monitoring that we had the shirttails of the herd pulled together, doing our best to make sure that the cows were together if we had to evacuate a certain range unit. I felt like we were doing a good job. One note that I’d like to bring up; a lot of neighbours helped each other this year under trying circumstances, plus the support staff that comes with these cattle evacuations — the brand inspectors, truck drivers and cattle buyers. They are all there helping save your ass from fire, get the cattle out, and make sure you get paid so you can survive and break even again next year. There were some bright spots to an otherwise terrible year. There were cattle losses, but it was not as catastrophic as everybody anticipated. Many people who have worked at Nicola Ranch now work at the Douglas Lake Ranch, or vice versa, so there’s a lot of common ground and a lot of knowledge. That’s maybe what separates us from the prairies — the same guy who may be working with Douglas Lake has also spent 30 years at the Nicola or two years at the Coldstream Ranch, so their help too was invaluable — and that’s what works for us.” c Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
COWBOY WAY
Life Lessons From the Pasture By DYLAN BIGGS
PHOTO BY TERRI MASON
Bunchquitters, born or made? There are fundamental underlying principles that span social networks. As a young man, I was not aware of these fundamental principles. I didn’t realize that many of my struggles working our cattle, saddle horses, draft team, or even my dogs were symptoms of my lack of understanding. Looking back, it is easy to see it now, but then, especially in the heat of the moment, my default conclusion was to blame the animals.
Now don’t get me wrong; this is not to deny inherent differences in disposition, aptitude or overall suitability to a specific role or job. The reality is that some cows are just far too sensitive, some dogs are just not up to the task of being cattle dogs as they are too timid, and some horses are simply not well suited physically or mentally to be ranch horses. That is no fault of their own, and blaming them for our struggles is misplaced and ultimately an exercise in futility. Most Canadians know the hockey instigator penalty. It is based on the accepted principle that the instigator bears more responsibility. It’s the same when we are working with animals. Virtually everything we are asking of them originated with us. It’s our idea; we are the initiators, so we always bear the responsibility. Bud Williams went so far as to say, “It is never the animal’s fault.” Passing the buck is always easier than cowboycountrymagazine.com
taking responsibility. I used to pass the buck all the time. Acknowledging responsibility is a necessary first step, but that alone will not get the job done in a safe, effective and timely manner. Effective communication techniques that give a person the ability to determine how, where and when to ask with the strategic use and release of pressure will create control and voluntary compliance from the herd. Attending Ray Hunt horsemanship clinics in the 80s, Ray mentioned his mentor Tom Dorrance. Tom referred to these elements as a matter of timing, balance and feel. So this leads me to my question, are bunch quitters born or made? Well, it depends. There isn’t a 100 per cent definitive answer to this question, but one thing I can relate with complete confidence is
that since learning to read the herd and all individuals that make up the herd, I am able to modify how, where, and when I ask so that bunch quitters are a thing of the past on our place. When herding, if we are unaware of the effect our position and thus pressure is having on individuals in the herd, we will completely miss our opportunity to modify our approach, to lessen the pressure they are feeling, and thus miss that head that goes up and our opportunity to prevent bunch quitters. Bunch quitters are simply telling us that they feel threatened and unsafe. Just because we are unaware of our influence doesn’t mean we aren’t having an unsettling influence on one or more critters. Years ago, when a critter would quit the bunch, immediately I would blame them, and quite often, I would get mad. I would feel justified in running them down in a vindictive manner to punish them for their 37
COWBOY WAY transgression. This just made them more nervous and confirmed in their experience that I was untrustworthy. Bringing an animal back into the herd with all sorts of commotion can also have an unsettling effect on the herd. Repetitive disturbances can end up with the whole herd scattering. Herd mentality can be your greatest ally when the herd is a cohesive, singular unit or a significant liability when the herd splits five ways to Sunday. Working with animals is no different from working with people; they both provide an opportunity to develop functional leadership and communication skills. I am reminded of a quote from “The Chisholm Trail” written by Wayne Gard, 1954. The book details the history of the brief 12 years 1867–1879 when millions of cattle were trailed from the southern tip of Texas to the Kansas Pacific railyards in Abilene, Kansas to be shipped east. Page 109, “The expert trail boss didn’t push his Longhorns too hard. The trick was to keep the cattle from knowing that
they were under restraint. Every step of every steer should be taken voluntarily but guided in the direction in which the drover wanted the herd to go. The apparent freedom allowed the cattle made them easier to manage and less likely to become troublesome.” So as the ones responsible for where and what we want our cattle to do, whether
“Every step of every steer should be taken voluntarily... ” pasture moves, penning, processing, sorting, etc., we can either be leaders or instigators. We can use force and fear, which erodes both trust and respect, or we can allow freedom of choice and give guidance and direction. If we choose instigation with force and fear, we shouldn’t be surprised when we get a flight or fight response, and
CALF PROCESSING
if we respond with punitive retribution, we shouldn’t be surprised if we get hurt. Any time we up the ante with more speed and pressure, we escalate the situation and increase the risk of creating a bigger make-work project. We also increase the risk of compromising our safety. Sadly, over the years, I know of many instances of serious injury and/or death due to running down a bunch quitter. I also know of instances where animals died from being run too hard and long. The other consideration is the downstream consequences at auction marts, feedlots, and processing plants. It’s not like these behavioural problems that we can unknowingly create disappear once these animals leave our place. These animals become someone else’s potential safety and/or financial liability. Insurance claims, WCB claims, bruising, dark cutting, etc., are just a few downstream costs that the quality of handling can influence. Our current political leaders could benefit by learning some functional leadership skills. c
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
Pro Rodeo
CANADA
INSIDER
Kolby Wanchuk of Sherwood Park, Alta., riding for the win on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s V60 Vitalix Womanizer for 89 points, at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver. NWSS photo by Ric Andersen.
RODEOCANADA.COM cowboycountrymagazine.com
CANADIAN COWBOY COUNTRY APRIL/MAY 2022 39
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider 2022 CPRA Schedule APRIL
MAY
Taber, AB.........................................................May 6–7 Falkland, BC...............................................May 21–23 Grande Prairie, AB..................................May 26–29
Dawson Creek, BC....................................Apr 22–23 Medicine Hat, AB......................................Apr 22–24 Crowsnest Pass, AB.........................Apr 29–May 1 Drayton Valley, AB............................Apr 29–May 1
JUNE
Leduc, AB..........................................................Jun 2–5 Bonnyville, AB.................................................Jun 3–4 Hand Hills, AB.................................................Jun 4–5 Brooks, AB....................................................Jun 10–11
Rocky Mountain House, AB.................. Jun 10–12 Lea Park, AB................................................ Jun 10–12 Gleichen, AB *(SB)............................................Jun 15 Wildwood, AB *(SB)...................................Jun 17–18 Stavely, AB....................................................Jun 17–19 Innisfail, AB...................................................Jun 17–19 Wainwright, AB.........................................Jun 24–26 Sundre, AB..................................................Jun 24–26 High River, AB............................................Jun 25–26 Ponoka, AB...............................................Jun 27–Jul 3.
JULY
Airdrie, AB...............................................Jun 29–Jul 3 Williams Lake, BC ................................Jun 30–Jul 2 Benalto, AB......................................................Jul 7–10 Coronation, AB................................................ Jul 8–9 Teepee Creek, AB ........................................Jul 15–17 Bowden, AB ..................................................Jul 16–17 Morris, MB ................................................... Jul 21–24 Rockyford, AB............................................. Jul 23–24 Kennedy, SK................................................ Jul 23–24 Medicine Hat, AB ...................................... Jul 28–30 Strathmore, AB ....................................Jul 29–Aug 1 Pollockville, AB *(SB)........................................Jul 30 Bruce, AB.............................................................. Jul 31.
AUGUST
High Prairie, AB.............................................Aug 2–3 Regina, SK ......................................................Aug 5–7 Grimshaw, AB................................................Aug 6–7 La Crete, AB..................................................Aug 9–10 Jasper, AB.................................................... Aug 10–13 Dawson Creek, BC ................................... Aug 12–14 Cranbrook, BC............................................ Aug 19–21 Pincher Creek, AB..................................... Aug 19–21 Smithers, BC * (BB)........................................ Aug 25 Okotoks, AB...............................................Aug 26–28 Taber, AB .................................................... Aug 27–28 Armstrong, BC ................................... Aug 31–Sep 3.
SEPTEMBER
Merritt, BC.......................................................Sep 3–4 Armstrong, BC–Pro Tour Final......................Sep 4 Medicine Lodge, AB..................................... Sept 10 Olds, AB.........................................................Sep 16–17 Brooks, AB................................................. Sep 23–24 Edmonton, AB .......................................... Sep 23–25 Hanna, AB...................................................Sep 24–25
NOVEMBER
Red Deer, AB–Canadian Finals Rodeo** .........................................................................Nov 2–6
Subscriptions starting from
40
$12.50/month. Sign-up at FloRodeo.com/signup
*BB—Bareback *SB—Saddle Bronc ** — Broadcast on FloRodeo Network Visit RodeoCanada.com for updates
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
C.P.R.A.
2021 Canadian Novice Saddle Bronc Champion Brodie Roessler on Duffy Rodeo's 242 Tool Time. CFR photo by Covy Moore.
Heading into Spring Excitement is building as we approach our first CPRA rodeos of the 2022 season. With a schedule that sees the return of virtually all past events, along with the addition of some new ones, Pro Rodeo Canada committees, members, partners and fans are ready to hit the rodeo trail. We are looking at an exciting Pro Tour roster with upwards of ten rodeos… with a September Finals at the Armstrong IPE and Stampede. As well, our Maple Leaf Circuit — with a Finals also held later in the year — will feature most of the regular rodeos on the schedule. Congratulations to those athletes who are already enjoying success on the World stage with wins and placings at spring rodeos in the U.S. Several CPRA members are among the top 15 in the World at this point. A number of stand-out rough stock horses have also been in the spotlight at rodeos including Denver, Fort Worth, Rapid City, San Antonio and Houston. One of the partnerships we’re excited about… and want to remind young rough stock competitors about is the cowboycountrymagazine.com
CPRA — Semi-Pro Rough Stock Agreement. Essentially, members of the CPRA, Wild Rose Association (WRA), Lakeland Rodeo Association (LRA), British Columbia Rodeo Association (BCRA) and the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) have an agreement to support young cowboys competing in novice events at CPRA and semi-pro rodeos. How it works: If a novice competitor is competing in one of the four listed semipro associations in the OPEN rough stock events and also holds a CPRA NOVICE bareback, saddle bronc or junior bull riding card, money won at the semi-pro rodeos will count for the year-end standings in both the mother semi-pro association as well as in the CPRA novice standings. Competitors must have a membership in the CPRA and the semi-pro association(s) of choice (from the list above) before their winnings will count in the standings. Example: Let's say that you are a bareback rider and you enter Medicine Lodge WRA rodeo. You win the rodeo and it pays you $500. That money will be added to your
CPRA novice standings provided you hold both a WRA card and a CPRA Novice card. Benefits: There is significant money to be won at semi-pro and CPRA rodeos that include novice events. This agreement gives young rough stock athletes the opportunity to compete at many rodeos and have their earnings accumulate in the CPRA novice standings. Young contestants will gain broad experience and mentorship from professional cowboys along the way. This is a huge opportunity for young cowboys. Contact each Association for more information. Events start in March for the WRA so now is the time to get started. Have a great start to rodeo season everyone!
Terry Cooke, President, Canadian Professional Rodeo Association 41
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
2022 RODEO SCHOOLS
T
HE 2022 RODEO SEASON IS UNDERWAY, AND I’VE GATHERED AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I COULD
ON SOME UPCOMING RODEO SCHOOLS, INCLUDING BARREL RACING, STEER WRESTLING, CHUTE DOGGING, TIEDOWN AND BREAKAWAY ROPING, BAREBACK RIDING, SADDLE BRONC, AND RANCH SADDLE BRONC RIDING TO HELP YOU SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS. RODEO SCHOOLS ARE FEATURED ON THE CPRA WEBSITE AND MORE ARE ADDED WEEKLY. VISIT RODEOCANADA.COM FOR MORE. 42
ROUGHSTOCK SCHOOLS 5th Annual Suchorab Bronc School
$350 April 2–3 Clearview Arena, Fort Qu'Appelle, Sask For more information, email: NSuchorab@gmail.com INSTRUCTORS Bareback: Clint Laye Saddle Bronc: Ben Anderson, Logan Hay, Kolby Wanchuk Pick up men: Wade Rempel, Blade Young Stock: Outlaw Buckers
“Personally I am a first-generation rodeo cowboy. I started this school for guys just like myself. I go to a lot of amateur rodeos and meet these kids who may not come from a rodeo background but are interested and want to try bucking horses. We start (or restart) everybody on the spur board. We go through their equipment. The instructors physically show them in the slowest possible motion what a mark out looks like, what a spur stroke looks like, and how to lift on your rein because I’ve found that even with a bucking machine things are still happening too fast. It's not just getting on, getting off, there’s so much more to learn. We get the best stock we can with Outlaw Buckers, the best pick up men and the best instructors available because these novice riders deserve a good start.” — Noah Suchorab (pronounced SUE kah rab) Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ YULIA
By TERRI MASON
C.P.R.A.
2nd Annual Moore Ranch Bucking Horse School
Apr 16–17 Moore Ranch, Pouce Coupe, BC (located about 10 minutes from Dawson Creek) Visit their Facebook site: Moore Ranch — Rodeo & Cattle Co. for updated information. INSTRUCTORS Bareback: Alan Dacyk, Jake Vold, Jake Stemo Saddle Bronc: Sam Kelts, Logan Hodgson Pick up men: Clayton Moore, Rodney Keith, Link Copeland Stock Contractor: Clem Lowry Proven stock for riders 15 and up — no colts Contact TJ Corr at LetsRodeo71@hotmail.com “My wife and I have a place up by Fort St. John, and I organize and pretty much look after the bucking horse stuff on the Moore Ranch. This is our second bucking horse school. We’ve held two steer riding clinics and a bull riding school as well. In the bucking horse school, there are no colts whatsoever. We don’t do that on the Moore Ranch with these kids. We’re trying to make cowboys, not bucking horses. I brought in Clem Lowry because he’s got about 30-40 good ol’ campaigners that he keeps around just for training kids. He leaves me with a dozen of them up at Clayton’s place and we hold practices all winter. Last year at our bucking horse school, we bucked 78 head of horses with 15 kids in a day and a half. If we’d had a bunch of colts there, we’d’ve bucked 30 head at most. At 6 pm on Sunday, there were kids wanting more, but we were out of horses.” — TJ Corr
INSTRUCTORS Saddle Bronc: Lee Sinclair, Donnie Gillespie Bareback: Ross Smith, Dwight Dokken Ranch Bronc Riding Pick up men: Wade Rempel, Dwight Dokken, Luke Ellingson Stock: Shawn Francis/Francis Rodeo CONTACT: Lee Bellows (306) 693-7533 The Moose Jaw Roughstock School has been going on for years and its start began the way most fun ideas start — with cowboys visiting. “A bunch of us guys just sitting around one day talking about things and decided that schools weren't doing what we needed them to do,” explained Lee Bellows. “To give these kids a safe as possible start. Get the right kind of stock. What we're using for stock are old broodmares and horses that are basically not competitive; hoppers. In the early spring, it really works good because those pregnant mares don't have a whole lot of hop to them, but they still remember they buck.” — Lee Bellows Stock contractor Shawn Francis has been rounding up stock for the school for about a dozen years. “Our school is aimed at the guys that have never been on a bucking horse,” he explained. “You’ve got to learn how to walk before you can run. The horses have to be
absolutely chute broke; easy to get out on and be able to buck to build confidence in these guys. Hoppers mainly, but challenging hoppers.” — Shawn-Boy Francis For more, contact the always-interesting Lee Bellows.
*2022 Strathmore Rodeo School
$300 + GST — includes lunch Aug 15-18 (Two-day clinics) *Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, Breakaway Roping, Bull Fighting Register at StrathmoreStampede.com *teaching roughstock and timed events.
TIMED EVENT SCHOOLS Breakaway Roping Clinic $250 April dates TBA Agriculture Society Pavilion Pincher Creek, Alta. Instructor: Randy Smith All levels of ropers are welcome. Contact (403) 339-4399
Bronc Riding Clinic
$350 Apr 30–May 1 Kmita Arena, Weyburn, SK For more information, call Tyler (306) 8610567 or Nicole (306) 861-1668 Bareback and Saddle Bronc Clinic — suitable stock for all levels.
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ YULIA
INSTRUCTORS Bareback: Jake Vold Saddle Bronc: Rylan Geiger Stock: Outlaw Buckers
Moose Jaw Roughstock School
$250 May 6–8 Gomersall Arena, Exhibition Grounds, Moose Jaw, Sask. cowboycountrymagazine.com
43
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider 6th Annual Clayton Moore Steer Wrestling & Chute Dogging School
Apr 1–3 Moore Ranch, Pouce Coupe, BC (located about 10 minutes from Dawson Creek) Visit their Facebook site: Moore Ranch —Rodeo & Cattle Co. for updated information. Professional guest instructors. Email: MooreRanch01@outlook.com
Steve Thiessen Breakaway Clinics
Visit their Facebook site: Steve Thiessen Rope Clinics and Jackpots for updated information Apr 2-3 Botha, Alta. Apr 9-10 Botha, Alta. Apr 19-20 Introduction to Breakaway beginner clinic. Delburne, Alta. Apr 21 Dummy Roping, Delburne, Alta. May 10-11 Saskatchewan clinic; stay tuned May 17-18 Williams Lake, B.C. May 19-20 Tie Down Roping with Steven Lloyd. Quesnel, B.C. (250) 925-4669 May 24-25 Botha, Alta. May 30-31 Botha, Alta. Steve Thiessen has been teaching roping “forever,” but in the last eight years he has really ramped up clinics and lessons both on the road, and from his and Melissa’s home place near Botha, Alta. “Everybody that comes to this school has to bring their own rope and their own horse,” said Melissa. “The clinics are geared for everybody of all skill levels of the rider and the horse. We keep our clinic numbers really small so that everybody gets lots of time. We're about quality, not quantity.” There is no age limit for participants, and your horse should be broke, and you be able to swing a loop while on its back without it “freaking out,” but it doesn’t have to be a solid rope horse. These clinics can help people that are just entering into the sport of roping, and who are looking to increase their horsemanship and roping skills. Steve is well-regarded as a teacher and Melissa sums it up best; “Steve has trained a lot of horses, and he also loves to teach. We came to the realization with the horse training part, 44
that we want to be the people that teach the people to fish, not just give them a fish. Now when they ask; ‘will you take my horse and train it?’ He can do that, but he’d rather teach you how to train your horse, you're gonna be better off.” — Melissa Thiessen
INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Gerard Limited to 12 participants; stabling available. Contact Sarah (250) 682-6089
Lynette Brodoway Barrel Clinics
$500 — lunch included May 14-15
April 5–7 Calnash Ag Event Center, Ponoka, Alta. Clinic is full; auditors welcome ($100/day) Contact Tammy Dee Clemmer for waitlist or auditing: ttbraith@hotmail.com April 15–17 Silver Sage Community Corral, Brooks, Alta. Contact Amy Finnerty: finnertyperformancehorses@gmail.com May 10 Claresholm Agriplex Contact Randa Nugent: Clinic is full; auditors welcome. May 30–Jun 1 Vanscoy, SK Contact Nikki Storbakken: Nikki.Storbakken@USask.ca For those new to barrel racing, Lynette Brodoway is one of Canada’s most well-known and respected barrel racers, horse trainers and clinicians. Lynette has worked throughout her life to continually grow and develop her horsemanship skills. Her primary focus in her clinics is to help riders recognize and ‘feel’ the unique style of their horse. Each horse has a preferred style of turning and travelling. Once this is learned and discovered, the rider can leverage what comes naturally to the horse. When this happens, the sky is the limit and true partnerships are created between horse and rider. It is about unleashing innate strengths, ‘feeling’ the horse and finding its path. — Lynette Brodoway biography
Sarah Gerard Barrel Racing Clinic
$450 Apr 8-10 Cherry Creek Ranch, 5420 Trans Canada Hwy. Kamloops, BC
Simpson & Buhler Team Roping Clinic
INSTRUCTORS: 2016 World Champion Team Ropers Levi Simpson & Jeremy Buhler Galloway Arena, Ponoka, Alta. 12 Headers/12 Heelers Groundwork, horsemanship, roping “Smarty” and live cattle Call or text Christie (250) 794-1386
Simpson & Buhler Team Roping Clinic $500 — lunch included May 28-29
INSTRUCTORS: 2016 World Champion Team Ropers Levi Simpson & Jeremy Buhler Lyons Arena, Bezanson, Alta. 12 Headers/12 Heelers Groundwork, horsemanship, roping “Smarty” and live cattle. Camping available onsite. Call or text Christie (250) 794-1386
Diane Skocdopole Barrel Racing Clinic
$350 — lunch included May 28-29 Delburne AgriPlex, Delburne, Alta. INSTRUCTOR: Diane Skocdopole 10 students max To register, contact Jessica at (403) 505-4535
*2022 Strathmore Rodeo School
$300 + GST — includes lunch Aug 15-18 (Two-day clinics) *Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, Breakaway Roping, Bull Fighting Register at StrathmoreStampede.com *teaching roughstock and timed events. c Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
C.P.R.A.
ROAD TO THE CFR
The 2021 PRCA Rookies of the Year included Canadians (from left, second red shirt) PRCA Saddle Bronc Rookie, K's Thomson of Lundbreck, Alta., and right beside him is TDR Rookie Beau Cooper of Stettler, Alta. (blue shirt, fawn hat.) PRCA photo by Rod Connor.
BEAU COOPER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR By TIM ELLIS
B
EAU COOPER HAS ALREADY PROVEN HE HAS THE TALENT TO COMPETE WITH THE BEST ROPERS
IN THE WORLD. THE HOPE IS HE’LL NOW BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT TALENT TO CANADIAN RODEO FANS THIS
PRCA PHOTO BY ROD CONNOR
SEASON. Cooper became the first Canadian to win the PRCA’s Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year award in 2021, collecting his buckle during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last December. “That was pretty cool to be the first Canadian kid to do it. To be able to walk out cowboycountrymagazine.com
in the arena at the Thomas & Mack in front of all the fans was pretty neat,” offers the 20-year-old Cooper. “We got to 83 rodeos. The first rodeo on my (PRCA) pro card was San Angelo. I won about $8,000 there, and that got me into Reno and Calgary — things just snowballed from there.” But, while the showing in San Angelo, Texas was the first step towards winning the rookie of the year title, it was a 7.8-second run in Lake City, Florida in mid-March of last season that may have kick-started his pro rodeo career. “I called my mom and told her I’m never getting off my permit,” recalls Cooper, who bought his pro card after filling his permit with the $1,600 won in Florida. “I’d gone to about 15 rodeos before that and then finally made a good run.” The Rookie of the Year award was not the first time the Stettler, Alta., cowboy has collected hardware on the rodeo trail. He won the 2019 Lakeland Rodeo Association roping championship and partnered with his dad, Jim, to win the Foothills Cowboys Association team roping title in 2017. “My dad taught me how to rope,” declares Cooper, who also won the tiedown roping aggregate buckle at both
the LRA and Wildrose Rodeo Association Finals in 2019. “I started roping everything when I was little but only started roping calves when I was 15.” Now, it’s four-time Canadian champion and 2013 world titleholder, Shane Hanchey who has taken Cooper under his wing for the next portion of his career. “Shane came up to Canada to put on some roping schools,” begins Cooper, who had won about $4,000 at U.S. winter rodeos through mid-February of this season. “After the schools, he asked if I wanted to come down and hang out and rodeo.” “He’s been one of my idols for a while, so I had to take the opportunity. I first went down in the fall of 2020 and went back the next January. He’s been a great guy to learn from.” Chasing success across the border left Cooper virtually no time to compete in Canada in 2021. But he expects that to change this season. “I’m planning to get to all of the spring rodeos to get my count up,” confirms Cooper. “Then I’ll be back and forth through the summer. My goal now is to be the season leader and Canadian champion.” c 45
COWGIRLS ' COWBOY By TERRI MASON
For closing in on two decades I’ve been the editor of Cowboy, and I can sincerely say I have merely scratched the surface of unique, inspiring and incredible stories of the women of the West. Here is a sampling of who we have covered, so far.
1. Trailblazer Marjorie Linthicum was one of Western Canada’s most respected ranchers and cattle judge. (Aug/Sep 2008)
2. Trick rider, Liberty horse trainer, pyrotechnics expert and Living Legend, Niki Flundra. (Aug/Sep 2012)
3. Agnes and Mona Harragin were the first women licensed as National Park guides in Canada. (Feb/Mar 2008)
4. Karyn Drake, pro football’s most famous cheerleader. (Oct/Nov 2009)
5. Amber Marshall of Heartland fame has graced our cover three times, so far. (Aug/Sep 2017)
6. Barrel racer and motivational speaker, Amberley Snyder (Aug/Sep 2019)
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
7. The famous Wild Deuce outfitters, Brenda Winder and Terri McKinney. (Feb/Mar 2007)
8. Two-time World Champion, Lindsay Sears (Aug/Sep 2014)
9. Naomi Bristow, Canada’s sweetheart of a singing cowgirl. (Oct/Nov 2020)
10. Breakaway roper Shelby Boisjoli competing in Breakaway Roping in Texas. (Jun/Jul 2021)
11. Anna Chevallier diving from a 30-foot tower at the Calgary Stampede. (Jun/Jul 2007)
12. Stagecoach robber Pearl Hart (Jun/Jul 2021)
cowboycountrymagazine.com
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WESTERN DISPERSAL SALE Sierra West Cabins & Ranch Vacations Selling a Memory, Buy a Dream
Located deep in southern Alberta in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. 18 km North of Lundbreck on Hwy #22 — the Cowboy Trail or South of Longview approximately 1 hour (60 miles). The Donahues have officially retired, and now it’s time for your dream to come true. This is your last chance to buy the complete Sierra West — lock, stock and barrel - OR THERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN: •B uy your own guest ranch consisting of 150 acres with approximately 75 acres rezoned "rural recreational" (meaning more options for other recreational opportunities). Has creek frontage.
•B uy 29 acres with log cabin all rezoned "rural recreational" with creek frontage, all services & direct highway access. •B uy your own small Western town (or a portion) ALSO SELLING: *G uest Ranch horses *Auction sale on horses — minimum starting bid. • Saddles and tack • Western decor • Antiques and collectables
•S ilent Auction on tack, cabins & parcels of land — minimum starting bid. Please check out Sierra West's YouTube videos along with the website for various pictures of the guest ranch; Connect on Facebook — Sierra West Cabins & Ranch Vacations or Ginny Donahue; Send a text to 403-627-7375 (Ginny) or 403-627-8560 (Randy) Picture yourself owning the guest ranch or even a part of it — this could be yours!
LISTINGS
OUTFITTERS ACROSS WESTERN CANADA LAKE LOUISE & KANANASKIS
Century Old Outfitters
www.brewsteradventures.com 403.762.5454
Who likes Grass-Fed DryAged Beef, Soy-Free Chicken, Heritage Pasture-Raised Pork & Lamb, and Free-Range Eggs & Turkey? WE DO!
SHOP ONLINE YUKON Yukon Outfitters Association Whitehorse, YT (867) 668-4118 yukonoutfittersassociation.com Sky High Wilderness Ranch Whitehorse, YT (867) 667-4321 skyhighwilderness.com Yukon Wild Whitehorse, YT (867) 668-5511 yukon-wild.com
PHOTO: TRAVEL ALBERTA
BRITISH COLUMBIA Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (604) 541-6332 info@goabc.org goabc.org cowboycountrymagazine.com
TK Ranch, Hanna, AB 403.854.8532 hello@tkranch.com tkranch.com
BC Guest Ranchers Association (250) 593-0258 info@bcguestranches.com bcguestranches.com Bear Corner Bed & Bale Golden, BC (250) 344-4785 bearcornerb-b.com Chilcotin Holidays Chilcotin, BC (250) 238-2274 chilcotinholidays.com Copper Cayuse Outfitters Pemberton, BC (604) 698-7751 coppercayuseoutfitters.ca Cowgirl Up Adventures Fraser Fort George (250) 566-5099 cowgirlupadventures.com
POOP PULVERIZER Â Best pasture harrow for the break down of horse & cow manure
 5 foot for quad & 10 foot for small tractors.
 Non-invasive — will not bring up rocks
 Custom sizes also available 6727 68 Ave, Edmonton, AB P: 780-463-3931 TF: 866-999-3931 49
LISTINGS All season guest ranch No minimum stay Epic trail rides! Snow mobile and ATV/Quad tours Private hot tubs Pet Friendly
P: 250.593.9807 MontanaHillGuestRanch.com
Tsylos Park Lodge Chilko Lake, BC (800) 487-9567 tsylos.com
Cross Zee Ranch Canmore, AB (403) 678-4171 crosszeeranch.ca
Tyax Adventures South Chilcotin, BC (250) 238-0177 tyaxadventures.com
Lazy VU Rocky Mountain Pack Trips Ltd. Hinton, AB (780) 865-5161 lazyvu.com
ALBERTA
K & K Livestock Co.
Alberta Outfitters Association Cochrane, AB albertaoutfitters.com
Your 5 STAR Store for Horse, Tack, Saddles, Giftware & Feed Supplies
Livestock Co. P: 1.877.934.5835 www.kklivestock.com
Specializing in heirloom seeds for home gardeners and bulk seeds for market gardeners. Over 850 varieties of vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Nurturing biodiversity one seed at a time.
gaiaorganics.ca
COWBOY ON SPOTIFY!
Download Spotify and join us, here in Canadian Cowboy Country … Radio!
Alberta Professional Outfitters Society Stony Plain, AB (780) 414-0249 apos.ab.ca Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting Black Diamond, AB (403) 933-2867 anchord.com Boundary Ranch Kananaskis Village, AB 403-591-7171 (877) 591-7177 boundaryranch.com
McKenzie’s Trails West Rocky Mountain House, AB (403) 721-7433 mctrails.com Horsepowered Adventures Millarville, AB (403) 931-3836 horsepoweredadventures.com Warner Guiding and Outfitting Banff AB (403) 762-4551 horseback.com Lost Guide Adventure Tours Edmonton, AB (780) 469-9602 lostguidetours.com Outlaws Guiding and Outfitting Sundre, AB (403) 556-2713 outlaws.ab.ca
Brewster Mountain Pack Trains Ltd. Banff, AB (403) 762-5454 brewsteradventures.com
Radke Outfitting Red Deer, AB (403) 340-3971 radkeoutfitting.com
Chungo Creek Outfitters Nordegg, AB (403) 844-9127 chungocreekoutfitters.com
Sunset Guiding and Outfitting Inc. Sundre, AB (403) 637-2361 www.sunsetguiding.com
MCINTOSH ProLine
PHOTO: TRAVEL ALBERTA
GUT HEALTH JOINT SUPPORT RESPIRATORY All Products North American Made
www.mcintoshproline.com 50
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
LISTINGS OLD BALDY RANCH AQHA/NFQH BLUE ROAN & GRULLO AW Blue Fire N Te AW Poco Kintaro 98% Axels N Steel Dust 98% P: 250-843-7337 E: oldbaldy@hotmail.ca www.northernhorse.com/oldbaldy
Historic Reesor Ranch
South Ram Outfitters Caroline, AB (403) 844-0408 southram.com
Skyline Trail Rides Ltd. Jasper, AB (780) 852-4215 skylinetrail.com
Timberline Tours Ltd. Lake Louise, AB (403) 522-3743 timberlinetours.ca
Tonquin Valley Adventures Jasper, AB (780) 852-1188 tonquinadventures.com
Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies Calgary, AB (403) 264-8656 trailridevacations.com
U-Bar Trail Rides Grande Cache, AB (780) 827-3647 or (780) 827-4884 ubartrailrides.com
Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures Bragg Creek, AB (403) 949-3329 packtrips.ca High Country Vacations Grande Cache, AB (780) 827-3246 horsebacktherockies.com Horseback Adventures Brule, AB (780) 865-4777 horsebackadventuresltd.com Tonquin Valley Backcountry Lodge Jasper, AB (780) 852-3909 tonquinvalley.com Larry’s Guiding and Outfitting Hinton, AB (780) 865-9223 trailrides.ca cowboycountrymagazine.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
Year-round Ranch Vacations Group Retreats • Horse Adventure Tours ATV Tours • Cherished Memories Ranch Hall Grill Grill & Bar
P: 306-662-3498 Book Online: ReesorRanch.com
Learn Equine Massage from a teacher with over 30 years of massage experience! 7 Day and 6 Week Programs
www.equinerehab.ca
PLACE YOUR AD
HERE
CALL TO BOOK YOUR AD SPACE TODAY! 780.628.5216 1.800.943.7336
MANITOBA Manitoba Lodges & Outfitters Association Winnipeg, MB (204) 772-1912 mloa.com Trailhead Ranch Riding Mountain National Park (204) 848-7649 trailhead-ranch.com
FROM FEEDERS TO FENCING, WE’VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR FARM MOVING
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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
Specializing in Rodeo, Ranch & Humourous Fine Artworks!
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
“
It is not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.”
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
Check our Facebook page to see where Ash will be next: Follow Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery 52
Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
PHOTOS COURTESY TKTKTKKTKT
Battlefords Cowboy Church 1st and 3rd Thur. of every month, 7 p.m. Legion Hall, 22 St., Battleford, Sask.
CLOWNIN’ CLOWNIN’AROUND AROUND || CRASH CRASHCOOPER COOPER
Ash AshCooper CooperArt Artand andRanch RanchGallery Gallery
“It was so cold in Canada this winter that even our bank accounts were frozen.”
Caption
cowboycountrymagazine.com
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Grandma By CORBETT FAULKNER
You have always been the best, right from the start. From your crab-apple juice to your sweet butter tarts. I have always wondered but never understood. How you can take most anything and make it taste so good. Anyone would like your cookies and shortbread, The strange thing is I even like your “boiled cabbage head.” You make plum jam, the best I’ve ever tasted, Turkey’s probably line up, for the honour to be stuffed and basted. When it comes to yarn and threadwork, you’ll give anything a whirl. I’ll bet you can’t remember when you couldn’t knit and purl. From afghans and doilies to socks, mitts and sweaters, Far as I can tell no one can make them better. Your knowledge in the garden may be surpassed by some, But I’d have to ride a long hard trail, to find a greener thumb. Flowers always thrive with your constant knowing care. If there is a place where plants do better, I am not aware. We learned to spell with you in Scrabble, to count in games of Rummy. To you we are all winners, never made to feel like dummies. Whether it’s cards or at the game-board, you most always come to play But even when you just watch and laugh, we all think that’s OK. Your advice, always timely, should be described as sage. Both the way you look and think have always belied your age. You are our “Rock of Ages,” our living family tree. A shining, fine example for all of us to see. You’ve shown us all, what you know, shared your kindness, love and joy. Always made me feel special since I was just a boy. You are all anyone could have wanted, the best I ever saw. A lady who puts the word ‘Grand’ into the one we spell “Grandma.”
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ HALFPOINT
Ranchers Corbett Faulkner, his wife Charity and their daughter Hannah live in Warlodge Coulee and raise cattle deep in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. He wrote this poem and a few others about his grandmother. Happy Mother’s Day.
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Canadian Cowboy Country April/May 2022
