What Works For Us Calving Customs
WNFR: Canadians Bring Their “Eh” Game to Vegas
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24 WELCOME BACK, HEARTLAND Remember these horses? Millions of viewers around the world do because many of these equines have had scenes in Canada’s hit television show, Heartland Photo Courtesy Heartland/CBC
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Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 | VOLUME 22, NO. 5
On the Cover
20 TRAILBLAZERS
Chief Dan George, O.C. My Heart Soars Actor and orator, Chief Dan George; his rise to fame and his legendary speech that galvanized a nation
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Award-winning actress Amber Marshall has gone from childhood to motherhood on the popular TV series, Heartland
TRADITIONAL COWBOY ARTS
Making a Master We welcome the voices of the masters of the traditional cowboy arts as they speak about their craft in this six-part series
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Welcome Back, Heartland
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RANCHERS’ SPECIAL
As Canada’s smash hit television show beams around the world, the men, women and remuda celebrate their record-breaking season
What Works for Us From high in the Chilcotin range to the vast prairies, ranchers speak about calving on their outfits
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RANCHING IN THE WEST
WineGlass Ranch Preserving the range, protecting water — and why millions owe Cochrane’s WineGlass Ranch a big ol’ thank you
34 Rodear
Working cow dog competitions have been around forever, but now the sport has a new name
cowboycountrymagazine.com
DEPARTMENTS 7 My Point of View 9 In the Corral 13 Western Art Review 14 Spirit of the West 15 Wheel to Wheel 16 Some Days Are Diamond NEW 18 Reflections 35 Pro Rodeo Canada Insider 47 Clownin’ Around 50 Cowboy Poetry 5
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February/March 2019 Vol. 22, No. 5 Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Copy Editor Carmen D. Hrynchuk carmen@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director Zuzana Benesova zuzana@cowboycountrymagazine.com Graphic Designers Scott Dutton, scott@cowboycountrymagazine.com Erin Murphy, ads@cowboycountrymagazine.com Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Traffic Coordinator Cheryl Lindquist traffic@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner circ@tanneryoung.com Accounting Administrator Catherine Staszkiewicz admin@tanneryoung.com Customer Relations Manager Marie Tanner marie@tanneryoung.com Columnists Tim Ellis, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Bryn Thiessen Contributors Tim Ellis, Ken Favrholdt, “Diamond” Doug Keith, Emily Kitching, Rob Vogt Contributing Artists/Photographers Billie-Jean Duff, Paul and Carol Easton, Bella Johnson Photography, Kim Taylor Tanner Young Publishing Group #1, 9301–50 Street, Edmonton AB T6B 2L5 Tel: 780-465-3362 Fax 780-448-0424 Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @ cowboycountrymagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 1 Year: $21.43 + tax | 2 Years: $35.71 + tax | 3 Years: $46.45 + tax Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40070720 ISSN 1701-1132 Please return undeliverable addresses to: Canadian Cowboy Country magazine #1, 9301–50 Street, Edmonton AB T6B 2L5 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
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“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
You. Are. Canadian.
O
ILLUSTRATION BY LE STEVENS
ne of my favourite times of year is late fall when the best of pro rodeo fever is at its pitch — when we are coming from the high of the Canadian Finals Rodeo and straight into the World Finals. For some, it’s the only time of year they take an actual vacation and spend a few days in Sin City with other like-hatted folk. If you’ve never been, you should go at least once — you’ll be amazed at how many people you’ll know, and you’ll also be amazed at just how “Canadian” you are. I grew up in an era when the Canadian anthem was sung before every event — from tiny, three-team track meets, to school Christmas concerts in overheated country halls filled with excited children. Nowadays, our nation’s hit song is only heard before professional sporting events, with teams of players from every nation — and rarely do they sing along. She has even suffered the indignity of having her lyrics changed. But you have no idea just how much power is in your voice until Wayne Vold starts singing Our Song down there in the dirt of the Thomas & Mack. Suddenly, every lyric of this battered and bullied song swells from the stands like the greatest karaoke singalong ever — and You. Are. Canadian. From our national anthem to our National Ranch, CBC’s mega-hit show,
Heartland, is back for a 12th and muchanticipated season. This show has millions of fans all around the world, and no wonder — the storylines have grown and matured right along with the cast. Not a Heartlander, yet? You can purchase DVDs of the show or start at the beginning on Netflix. Every citizen that draws their drinking water from the Bow River (I’m looking at you, Calgary) owes a huge debt of gratitude to the very real WineGlass Ranch near Cochrane, Alta. For over a century, this iconic beef producer with the totally cool brand has protected Calgary’s drinking water, and in recent years you can’t imagine the pressure they’ve been under to sell out to developers, whose only interest is slapping up houses. Now, the Wearmouth family has signed an agreement with the Southern Alberta Land Trust to forever protect their ranch and your water in perpetuity. To paraphrase the great Winston Churchill, “Never … was so much owed by so many to so few…” So, there you have it; Canadian pride, Heartland fever and a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid — here in Canadian Cowboy Country.
Subscriber Tip Your mailing label on the magazine will tell you when your subscription expires. Right above your name is an issue date, which is the final issue of your subscription.
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— Terri Mason, Editor
XXX XXXXXX JUN/JUL’19 JOE SMITH RR 1 EDMONTON, AB T6B 2L5
@CowboyCntryMag
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CONTRIBUTORS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Broncs & Bares
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1 Emily Kitching Making a Master, page 22 In 2001, Emily Kitching started her own horse magazine, Eclectic Horseman. Her goal is to become the best horsewoman she can be and to help horses get a better deal by educating horse owners around the world.
2 “Diamond” Doug Keith Some Days Are Diamond, page 16 Doug is a poet, storyteller, Leanin’ Tree cowboy cartoonist, Western painter and preacher. He offers his unique take on everyday cowboy life through poem, story and art. Doug has been featured in several documentaries.
3 Rob Vogt Welcome Back, Heartland, page 24 Rob Vogt is a first-generation Canadian who was raised on a farm near Coaldale. He is the editor of the Claresholm Local Press. He is also working on a novel, tracing his German family’s harrowing journey from WWII to current.
4 Ken Favrholdt WineGlass Ranch, page 31 Kenneth Favrholdt has an academic background in historical geography with interests in early ranching, Indigenous peoples, and trails in the Canadian West. Besides research and writing, he has also been a museum curator and teacher for many years.
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Dear Terri: May I start by saying when Cowboy Country hits my mailbox it is never put down until each article is read. This magazine is a must-have at my house and I’ll bet at thousands more. The highest of compliments to all staff and contributors. Because the subject is so great to me, I wish to acknowledge two articles. Both are outstanding for significance and quality. “Kingsway Skoal” — Aug/Sep 18 issue If other readers are like me, the ink is fading on the page from all the re-reading. I was there on the chutes in Sundre when Kingsway decided to leave the chute without his rider nodding. Shane has a way with words, and sometimes you start laughing before he’s started talking; (“…that year he won everything but the bull riding…”) “Coyote” — Dec 18/Jan 19 issue This is a feel-good story for the ages and exemplifies the feelings that great ranchers and stock contractors have for their animals. I am sure that many more besides me had a huge lump in their throat when Coyote made it home to retire at Bob and Dixie’s. It does not surprise me at all that Dan made that happen. Great, great, true stories. I have one question I hope you may be able to help me with… High Chaparral. I have no history or story on him. He also was a great horse, but I have no information. My compliments again, many thanks. —Maurice Clark, Markerville, Alta. Hi Maurice: I’m so glad you enjoyed the bucking horse articles. I shall also pass along your compliment to Tom Reardon, for your appreciation of his article about Coyote. He was there on that Christmas morn. Isn’t that a great story? Around Christmas time I look for a true story that will make everyone feel that the human race isn’t so bad after all. Thanks again, Maurice. To answer your question about High Chaparral… The superstar was born in 1983 on Mike Shapley’s ranch north of Maple Creek, Sask. Mike actually broke him to ride, but he didn’t have enough work to keep the high-lifed gelding occupied, so when the horse was four, Mike sold him to stock contractor Don Peterson for $1,000 — plus a promise that if the grey went to the NFR, Peterson would spring for a trip. That year, High Chaparral was voted the CCA Bareback Horse of the Year, and in 1988 he was chosen for the NFR, bringing home a plaque proclaiming him the second-best horse there. The Shapleys, courtesy of Don Peterson, were in the stands. High Chaparral went on to become a two-time World Champion. In 1985 he was sold to Mike Cervi of Colorado for $25,000, making him the world’s highest-priced bucking horse at that time. In 1997, the Maple Creek rodeo grounds were christened High Chaparral Arena in honour of their home-range hero. In 2003, High Chaparral was inducted into the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame. He spent the last of his retirement years living on the grounds of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado being photographed, admired and petted by visitors. High Chaparral died December 22, 2007. —Terri
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
IN THE CORRAL NEWS, VIEWS & HAPPENINGS FROM ACROSS THE CANADIAN WEST AB Olds BC
MT WA
Darrell Glover and some men of the National Guard unloading feed at Camelot
PHOTO COURTESY CONNIE BALLOU, CAMELOT EQUESTRIAN PARK FOUNDATION
For the Horses
A retired Canadian rancher headed to California with 6,800 kg (15,000 lbs.) of feed, along with medical supplies, to help more than 200 horses impacted by wildfires. Retired rancher and horseman Darrell Glover of Olds, Alta., saw a news report of how horse owners in the Paradise area had no choice but to release their animals to fend for themselves when wildfires descended upon Northern California. The blaze that started November 8 levelled Paradise, Calif., destroying more than 13,000 homes. Paradise is about 225 km north of San Francisco. Glover learned that many horses were discovered running down highways. The herds ended up in a fairground, and a nearby horse facility opened its “doors,” and soon close to 200 head were in temporary residence at the Camelot Equestrian Park in Oroville. Glover and some fellow ranchers launched a social media campaign, attracting donations from across Canada, the U.S., and as far away as Germany. The donations were used to purchase 300 sacks of timothy/ alfalfa hay cubes. Glover loaded up his trailer and headed south with 15,000 pounds of feed, medical supplies and much-needed equipment, such as halters. “There’s a tight bond between horse owners,” says Glover, “No matter where they live.” Glover stayed on for a few days, helping out at the Camelot Equestrian Park, where many of these horses have been sheltered. While there, additional donations arrived, along with the National Guard.
ID
OR
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Oroville
CA
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IN THE CORRAL o s a Isl a n nt
re
Se
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EMPTY SADDLES
Singapo
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is Canadian Cowboy?
d,
Where in the World Sentosa Island, Singapore Sentosa, previously called Pulau Blakang Mati, was once a British military base and a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. In a 1972 contest organized by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, the island was renamed Sentosa, a Malay word meaning “peace and tranquility” from Sanskrit, Santosha, and turned into a tourist destination in 1972. The popular resort receives some 20 million visitors per year, including Gail and her rodeo announcer husband, Wes Cummings of Water Valley, Alta., who travelled to Singapore to visit their Sundre-raised niece and her family.
Edward “Ted” Turner 1927–2018
Gail and W es Cummin Water Valle gs of y, Alta., on Palawan Beach on Se ntosa Island
Edward “Ted” Turner, of Regina, Sask., was a Regina Rotarian who led the project to document and mark the path of the Great Western Trail from Mexico to southern Saskatchewan. At 2,000 miles, it is one of the longest, if not the longest, cattle trail in the world. Turner and many other dignitaries dedicated a cairn and plaque in Val Marie, Sask., and later, another in Regina at the entrance to the Canadian Western Agribition Centre.
The mystery surrounding a “lost” painting created by Sir Alfred Munnings has been solved. Munnings was just finding fame as a portraitist and painter of British rural life when the First World War broke out in 1914. Blind in his right eye, he was denied a role in the Army on medical grounds. However, in 1918, he seized the opportunity to go to France as an official war artist working for the Canadian War Memorials Fund. Munnings provided an insight into the men of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade and the Canadian Forestry Corps. In early 1918, he was embedded with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, an army composed largely of citizen soldiers fighting on the Western Front. Munnings spent two months with the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, commanded by maverick MP, JEB ‘Galloper Jack’ Seely, until the German offensive began in March 1918. Nearly a century later in the fall of 2018, the National Army Museum in London recreated the 1919 Royal Academy exhibition, which featured 44 of Munnings’ paintings, but one of the 44 paintings is missing and is represented on the wall of the museum with an empty frame. News of the “lost” painting hit social media and went viral in the art world. The painting was found in the collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery in Winnipeg, Man. Apparently, Brigadier General Paterson was from Winnipeg and, presumably, took the painting home with him. The oil-on-canvas painting is simply entitled Peggy, 1918, and measures 51 cm by 61 cm. The Winnipeg Art
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Gallery website lists it as being a gift from Mrs. R.H. Tarr and Mr. John D. Paterson. The London exhibition includes paintings on loan from the Canadian War Museum, as well as selected works from the National Army Museum’s own collection. The London, England exhibition runs until March 3, 2019.
Peggy, 1918, the Sir Alfred Munnings oil-on-canvas painting as featured on the Winnipeg Art Gallery website
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS COURTESY GAIL CUMMINGS; TURNER FAMILY; WINNIPEG ART GALLERY
Found!
Canadian Broncs Wow at Binion’s With the rise of a better understanding of genetics and consistent, early training, bucking horses have come a long way. Each year in Vegas at Benny Binion’s rough stock sale, Canadian broncs and bulls have brought some dazzling prices. This year in the 2018 World Futurity Association Finale, top dollars went to Blair Anton of Anton Ranch near Fox Valley, Sask., for F58 Ice Cube. The grey gelding topped the Futurity sale at $23,000. Watch for him in the C5 Rodeo string in the future. Another top seller was 535 Southern Star, who fetched $13,000, a buckle and the title in the three-year-old division with 85.75 points in the World Futurity Bronc Finale for Art Francis from Francis Bucking Horses near Craven, Sask. In the regular bucking horse sale, Jeff Mackay and Rod Hay of JR Rodeo, Carrot Creek, Alta., fetched $36,000 for 875 Wall Street, a 2008 bay gelding. Other Canadian consignors included Dave and Laurie McDonald of the MX Bar Ranch, Lac la Biche, Alta.; Ash Cooper, Cooper Clan, Senlac, Sask.; Dale Woodward, Woodward Bucking Horses, Wainwright, Alta.; and Clayton MacLennan, Groundbreaking Rodeo, Kipling, Sask. Entered in the Stace Smith Futurity were horses from Jason Wheeler, J6 Rodeo, Sylvan Lake, Alta., as well as Ike and Aletha Peterson of II Ranch, Worsley, Alta.
(Left) F58 Ice Cube, a three-year-old colt from Blair Anton of Fox Valley, Sask. This horse also has his DNA preserved with the Bucking Horse Breeders Association. (Right) Francis Bucking Horses of Craven, Sask., 535 Southern Star, the three-year-old gelding won the Finale of the World Futurity Assoc., with 85.75 pts.
Trespass Laws Changed PHOTOS BY KERI ANDREWS/TANGLED MANE IMAGES; ZOSIA KORCZ/UNSPLASH
The government of Saskatchewan introduced legislation in November to better balance the rights of rural land owners and members of the public. This legislation moves the onus of responsibility from rural land owners to individuals seeking to access their property. “There have been concerns raised over the years that the current legislation unfairly places the onus on rural land owners to post their land to legally deny access,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said. “This legislation shifts that responsibility to those wishing to access the land, by requiring them to obtain prior permission from the land owner or occupier.” This requirement for improved communication will help ensure that land owners and occupiers are aware of the presence of others on their property. The legislation provides legal protection to land owners and occupiers against property damage and the risk of agricultural diseases and limits any liability that may arise from a trespasser’s presence on their property.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
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IN THE CORRAL Packed stands for the FullContact Jousting; the event was a huge hit [pun intended]
Agribition
The Agribition Select Horse Sale held November 23 saw 12 well-bred horses go through the ring, with an average sale price of $8,829.16. The high seller was JT Racing Hickory, consigned by Cain Quam of Kendal, Sask. The gelding was purchased by Shawn Muhr of Odessa, Sask., for $17,000. And I just have to add this: after all the years this sport has been featured, folks are still shocked at the full-on crashing,
Canadian Cutter Wins Big
Amanda Smith and Im Short And Smooth (Smooth As A Cat x Chiquita Shorty), owned by Amanda, marked a 218 to top the first round of the $25,000 Novice Non Pro Mercuria World Finals
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human-bone-breaking force of Full-Contact Jousting that requires horsemanship, strength and incredible courage. I suspect the newbies in the enthusiastic audience thought it would somehow be fake. The six-Knight tournament was hugely popular, and believe me, this was real jousting! Mark your calendars: the next Agribition runs November 25–30, 2019.
Congratulations to Wembley, Alta., cutting horse competitor, Amanda Smith, who won the $25,000 Novice Non-Pro World Finals at the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, on her gelding, Im Short And Smooth. The dynamic duo marked go-round scores of 218 and 219 and won $3,861 in show earnings (The World record is a score of 234 out of a possible 240). What made it even sweeter is that she almost gave up before she got there. “It hasn’t really even sunk in to be honest,” Smith said in the barns after the final round. “I’ve so many people to thank.” She thanked her trainer, Dustin Gonnet, of Cayley, Alta., as well as California horseman Eric Wisehart, who also helped her during the year, and those who assisted her in the pen during the World Finals. Smith is grateful for the encouragement from her boyfriend, fellow cutter Darcy Geherman, who convinced her to keep hauling and go to the World Finals. Smith got the son of Smooth As A Cat in April 2018. After having only been shown in aged events, it took a while for the quirky horse, whom Smith calls Freddie, to adjust to the lifestyle of a weekend cutting horse. “He’s very wild. Little things just set him off, and then I’ve got a lot of energy and adrenaline and that sometimes doesn’t work,” she said, laughing. “But I think I just figured out finally how to ride him, and I slowed myself down, which helped him, too.” Smith will show Freddie in the Non-Pro at a few shows in Alberta, but she’s looking forward to being at home a bit more in 2019.
STOCKING THE HERD
Emrey Joyce Claris Thiessen Congratulations to Arleta and Orin Thiessen on the birth of their first child, Emrey Joyce Claris Thiessen. She was born December 7 in Medicine Hat, Alta., and weighed in at 7 lbs. 15 oz. Orin is the manager of Beaver Valley Grazing at Admiral, Sask., and Arleta [Bowhay] was Miss Rodeo Canada 2012. Emrey is a new granddaughter for Cowboy columnist, Bryn Thiessen and his wife, Bonny.
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS/LEWISIMAGES; COURTESY MARK MICHAELS; ARLETA THIESSEN
Canadian Western Agribition, held November 19–24 in Regina, prides itself on bringing something new each year, offering events for everyone to enjoy — no matter whether you live in a condo in the city, or on a ranch somewhere in the high lonesome. Along with Agribition’s raison d’être of showing beef breeds (they feature 12) and of course, draft horses, each year they host a wealth of new events as well. One of the newer events is their pro rodeo. As predicted, the professional rodeo is growing in popularity, and this year they held a unique Party on the Dirt, a cabaret in the rodeo arena. Agribition also featured another cow dog futurity. This has the potential to be a premier dog event, as handler and dog maneuver cattle through a set course to determine the 2018 Futurity Champion. This futurity is unusual as it features older, three-year-old dogs, rather than young dogs. Still on dogs; the International Stock Dog Trials whittled the competitors down to the Top Five, and saw Steven Rosvold of Ethelbert, Man., and his dog, Bell, herd the sheep through the course and emerge as the winner, with 18 points and a smoking time of 2:35.
WESTERN ART REVIEW | TERRI MASON PORCH READS
She Sheds Style: Make Your Space Your Own
Masters at The Autry The country’s premier Western art show, the Masters of the American West Art Exhibition and Sale, features paintings and sculptures by 64 contemporary, nationally recognized artists. New artists for the 2019 Masters include Eric Bowman, G. Russell Case and Howard Post, as well as returning artists Nicholas Coleman, Dennis Doheny and Tim Solliday. “The Kamloops Cowboy Festival Autry” was co-founded in 1988 by Art of the West Show & Sale Jackie and Gene Autry and Joanne Mar 14–17 and Monte Hale and encompasses The Art of the West Show is a feature a broad representation of art, of the 22nd Annual Kamloops Cowboy Festival. This show features original artifacts, cultural materials and flatwork of Western themes in oil, library holdings. watercolour, acrylic, pastel, graphite 2019 Masters of the American or mixed media. West, Feb 9–Mar 24, The Autry Coast Hotel & Conference Centre Museum in Griffith Park, 4700 1250 Rogers Way, Kamloops, B.C. bcchs.com Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, Calif., theautry.org
At first glance you wouldn’t expect to see a book like this on the pages of Cowboy, but there is a very good reason it’s here — each of us needs a private space to call our own. I remember years ago when my late Aunt Mary created her own backyard artist retreat. She transformed a dark and dreary garden shed into a gorgeous studio with a good scrubbing and the addition of sliding glass doors. Although she lived alone, she still needed a place where she could paint with abandon. She loved that studio. Now, the she shed idea has taken hold everywhere, and this book is filled with gorgeous images of women who have taken the design concept a few steps further. The hefty book is filled with glossy images of garden sheds transformed into a lightfilled and extraordinary writer’s retreat, or a guest room, or a reading nook or even, yes, an art studio. There are many DIY projects laid out step-by-step, such as how to construct a built-in sewing table or create a faux-painted “brick” floor and many others. The she shed designs range from modern and eclectic to rustic and shabby chic, and each design is predicated by the creator’s needs. “The best she sheds are built with intention,” says author Kotite. So, if your intention is to create a summer quilting room, a writer’s retreat or a cozy personal space to simply relax and read, then this is the book for you.
PHOTOS COURTESY THE AUTRY MUSEUM; AMAZON CA
UPCOMING GALLERY SHOWS The Eddie Basha Collection Western American & American Indian Art Ongoing The Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery 22402 S. Basha Road, Chandler, Ariz. eddiebashacollection.com Home of the largest private collection of contemporary Western American and American Indian art in the world, featuring over 3,500 pieces of art encompassing numerous mediums.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Artist In Residence: Albertine Crow Shoe Feb 3–Jan 5, 2020 Glenbow Museum 130 9th Ave S.E., Calgary, Alta. glenbow.org Glenbow’s artist-in-residence, Albertine Crow Shoe, is known primarily for her exquisite jewellery, fashioned using elk and bison horn, pipestone and other locally sourced materials and elements, such as silver and brass.
She Sheds Style: Make Your Space Your Own, by Erika Kotite. Hardcover, 176 pages. Available through amazon.ca
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SPIRIT OF THE WEST | HUGH MCLENNAN
Beyond the Next Range
“N
ow I understand a bit more of why the cow stands in the creek or beside it with some of her sisters long after she has drunk her fill... that rhythm... water babbling and gurgling merrily on its way. A rhythm not unlike the rhythm felt when she was in her mother. That rhythm was as necessary to her as her fill of the water was.”
That quote from the introduction of his book, Beyond the Next Range: A Cowboy’s Story, is an example of the depth of wisdom that resonates throughout this masterpiece.
From the first time I met Miles Kingdon, I sensed a depth of character that goes beyond his lifetime of experience riding the rugged ranges of the West, mentoring
Cattle rancher and horse trainer Hugh McLennan and his wife, Billie, run their cattle in the beautiful rangeland outside of wweekly radio program, Spirit of the West, heard across Canada and the U.S.
Miles Kingdon and Hugh McLennan
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Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO BY BILLIE MCLENNAN
Miles Kingdon
young cowboys and making the world better for the lucky horses that have been a part of his life. A long ride with Miles is an education in itself. Many of us have asked as we ambled along a mountain trail, stirrup-to-stirrup with him, if he kept a diary. Was there some tangible record of his years of real-life cowboy adventures in some of the wildest country in the West? His wife, Possum, has ridden hundreds of miles with him, and they are an awesome cowboyin’ team. She knew he had written down much of what took place, and as Miles says, “She was the cactus in my boot telling me to write a book.” Miles and Possum gathered some top literary hands to make this project much more than a printed version of a cowboy’s diary. The multi-talented Rob Dinwoodie was one of those urging Miles to get on with the book, and his illustrations are amazing in their accuracy and detail. I’ve long compared Rob’s art to that of Will James. Well-known photographer Kim Taylor oversaw the layout and supplied the dramatic cover photo. Historian Ken Mather applied his expertise in the editing and the accuracy of the details. The stories are riveting, hilarious and some are deeply moving, but there’s much more. There’s some fascinating insight into the vaquero traditions of horsemanship and how that posture, balance and style adds to the harmony of horse and rider. Some of the most valuable lines in the book are the reflective words scattered throughout the pages and will strike a chord deep in so many cowboy hearts, for example: “No matter how poorly I felt beforehand, or whatever weight was on my shoulders, I always felt better for being on the back of a horse and going somewhere.” The story of the Circle S cow is one that stockmen will really appreciate, and Miles uses it to illustrate this personal observation: “When the body is strong but the spirit is broken, it’s difficult to go on. But if the body is broken and the spirit strong, you will endure.” Miles and Possum are working hard to get the books to a lot of retail outlets, and you can order it by email: kposs77@gmail.com C
WHEEL TO WHEEL | BILLY MELVILLE
The 2018 chuckwagon prize, “The Gas Company Trophy” sculpted by Jay Contway
Chuckwagon Racing's Iconic Award
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PHOTO COURTESY WPCA
n the world of professional sports, many of the trophies and awards given to winners have their own unique, interesting and beautiful design that is immediately recognizable for the sport or event it represents. Many of these trophies and awards have long histories and have become iconic, such as an Olympic Gold Medal, the Stanley Cup, and the Heisman Trophy. In the Cambridge English Dictionary, a trophy is defined as “a prize, such as a gold or silver cup, that is given to the winner of a competition or race, and often returned after a year to be given to the winner of the competition in the following year.” So, while the word trophy tends to bring to mind gold- or silver-plated objects that are kissed and held high in the air, many awards and trophies throughout history have been designed in such a way that they exemplify the stature of the event for which they are awarded. In chuckwagon racing, arguably the most elegant trophy that any chuckwagon driver or outrider can claim is “The Gas Company Trophy” — a beautiful bronze cowboycountrymagazine.com
sculpture symbolic of the champions of the Calgary Stampede GMC Rangeland Derby. First introduced in 1940 and donated by Canadian Western Natural Gas Co. Ltd., (now Atco Gas) the trophy has always been a bronze action model of a chuckwagon with four horses hooked up and a driver on the seat. Originally modelled by Banff, Alta., artist Charles Biel, the trophy had to be won three times by the same outfit before becoming the property of the winner. Only four outfits — Dick Cosgrave, Johnny Phelan’s outfit driven by Ronnie Glass, Commodore Allen’s outfit driven by Hank Willard, and the Peter Bawden outfit driven by Dale Flett — were successful in gaining permanent ownership of the trophy.
By 1967, the decision was made that the “The Gas Company Trophy” would not be won outright, but starting in 1972, new artists emerged, and the trophy is now given out annually. In 1981, outrider bronzes were commissioned and awarded annually to the outriders of the champion outfit. The latter also sponsored by Atco. Over the years “The Gas Company Trophy” chuckwagon bronze has been modelled by Charles Biel, Corne Martens, Rich Roenisch, Jay Contway, Ross Contway, Ken Mayernik and Sandy Farr, with outrider bronzes modelled by Rich Roenisch, Dianne Anderson, Jay Contway, Kathy Contway, Ken Mayernik, and Crystal Mossing. For the current trophy, both the chuckwagon and the outrider’s sculptures were created by Jay Contway, and for an artist, it’s as much of a thrill to be selected to make the sculpture as it is for the competitor who wins it. There are many great trophies in sports, and although “The Gas Company Trophy” will never be as highly revered by the public as some of the trophies mentioned earlier, its unique elegance, long history and beautiful design could make it one of the great sports trophies of all time. C Billy Melville is an author, noted historian and chuckwagon colour commentator on Rural Radio (SiriusXM Ch 147) and CBC Sports. He is the grandson of Orville Strandquist.
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SOME DAYS ARE DIAMOND | “DIAMOND” DOUG KEITH
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s a cowboy, it is my opinion that almost anything can be fixed with baler twine, chicken wire or duct tape — all techniques handed down to me by my grandpa. The following true story depicts one such fixin’. I attended a barbeque where, on or about my third hot dog, I was informed of two children who were having a rough time at home. Surprisingly, just minutes later, they walked through the door with their mom. The boy made a beeline to me asking, “Are you a real cowboy, and can I see your hat?” Like most cowboys, I won’t let anyone touch my hat. However, after hearing the 16
sad story about this boy, I broke my own rule. So I said, “Yup, I’m a cowboy,” and handed him my hat. Faster than a deacon with a collection plate, the little turd grabbed the leather browband from inside and ripped it out! I snatched it back, withheld the urge to smack him with it and promptly left the party. By the time I arrived at the ranch, I had conjured up how I would repair my
treasured chapeau. I rolled pieces of duct tape inside out and stuck them to the felt side of the band. My head will push the band tighter against the hat and, halleluiah, it’s fixed. After a long day in the saddle a couple of weeks later, I had forgotten my handiwork. I was about six miles out and had just started for home. I cinched my hat tight with a stampede string (also called an idiot string, because you look like one when it’s cinched up) which pulled my hat down, poking my ears out and down. I then spurred my horse to a fast trot. The prairie wind was howling, and it had flipped the front of my hat brim straight up. Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
ILLUSTRATION BY “DIAMOND” DOUG KEITH
Roll Up the Rim
Come feel the rush Come and experience what
70KM per hour of horse power feels like!
70KM PER Century Mile Racetrack and Casino is
Suddenly — swoosh — off flew my hat, leaving nothing but the duct-taped browband idiot-stringed on my forehead. My only thought was, Thank goodness I am on a road in the middle of nowhere where no one can see me looking like a cowboy ready for the electric chair. I spun my horse around to retrieve my hat, and sure enough, I met my neighbour’s minivan as they drove by, waving. I swallowed my pride, tipped my ducttaped browband and said good day. No one is ever touching my hat again. c
opening April, 2019 and is located
next to Edmonton International Airport.
www.centurymile.com
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PHOTO BY KEVIN LANCEPLAINE/UNSPLASH
REFLECTIONS | BRYN THIESSEN
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Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
Every Man Should Get Married Because There’s Some Things You Just Can’t Blame on the Government I’m not sure if he was the first to utter those words, but I heard them first from the lips of my friend, the One-Eyed Wonder of Words, Don Wudel. This is how I usually replied, “A man without a wife is like a fish without a bicycle.” This, of course, was more than 30 years ago when we were both single. Since then, our views have changed — not quite as quick as a politician’s upon being elected, but quick enough. We also, on occasion, find ourselves on the other side of the altar during weddings and use the opportunity to expound on the virtues of marriage. I’m not sure what Don says, but I often speak of the three commonly used Greek words for love. Philia — brotherly love/affection, friendship. I teach this out of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, I expand on it a little, and then explain it’s important ground to build on — unless you’re of my heritage (Mennonite) and want to marry your cousin, then that’s another dimension. Eros — physical attraction, passion. I teach this out of Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (read the whole book; you’ll never look at deer or climbing trees the same way). This is where we feel like we’ve been covered in syrup and walk around cross-eyed and staggering like we’ve been kicked by a mule while being run down by a cow (except for the syrup part, it’s the same as food poisoning). I explain that this is like momentum: it’s fun going down the hill, but doesn’t always carry you up the other side. Agape — decision of your head that guides your heart and hands. I teach this out of
1 Corinthians 13 (love is patient, love is kind, etc.). I call this traction. We build our relationship on the ground of Philia/friendship, it’s Eros/momentum that makes the ride as colourful as a Western sunset and as wild as a prairie wind, but its Agape that carries the heaviest pack as we travel over the hills and through the muskegs. If we step back and climb the ridge that shows the start of the story, we start at Genesis 2:18. God said it’s not good for a man to be alone. We were designed to be with others. The first friendship is God with Adam. Then God introduces the unique relationship between a man and woman. Later we get the dynamics of extended family and establishing alliances. Throughout the Bible there are stories of friendships and of genuine concern for one another. So, as I pull my slack and head to the fire with this one, I realize not all of you are married or even romantically involved, but all of us are involved in friendships. Gifts of hearts, flowers or chocolate aren’t appropriate for all this Valentine’s, but the gift of encouragement is a one-size-fits-all. Let me leave you with the gift of two quotes. The first from Helen Keller: “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” The second from Proverbs 18:24: “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” 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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TRAILBLAZERS
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST
Chief Dan George, O.C. My Heart Soars
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C
hief Dan George rose from residential school to be lauded as an internationally renowned poet, Academy Award-nominated actor and the man who, in 1967, addressed the nation and galvanized First Nations leaders and Canadians to effect change.
He was born to a tribal chief and into a family of 11 children on July 24, 1899, on Burrard Indian Reserve No. 3 in North Vancouver, B.C. His given name was Gwesanouth/Teswahno Slahoot, meaning “thunder coming up over the land from the water.” His name was later anglicized as Dan Slaholt, and when he entered a mission boarding school at the age of five, his last name was changed once again, this time to George. He worked construction, drove school bus, had a band and then became a longshoreman, working on the waterfront for 27 years until he smashed his leg in an accident aboard a lumber scow. Dan George was elected Band Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation from 1951 to 1963. Chief Dan George was married to Amy George and was father to six: Amy Marie, Ann, Irene, Rose, Leonard and Robert. In 1960 during his tenure as Chief, Dan George won the role of Ol’ Antoine (pronounced “Antwine”) on the CBC series,
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Cariboo Country. He soon appeared on many television series, including Bonanza, The Littlest Hobo, Kung Fu, The Beachcombers, Marcus Welby, M.D., and the 1978 miniseries, Centennial, based on the book by James A. Michener. On the stage he played Rita Joe’s father in the original production of George Ryga’s The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (debuted 1967, published 1970). Ryga expanded George’s initially minor role in the play after seeing him perform. But it was long before he was recognized by Hollywood that Canada acknowledged the gentle-speaking elder as more than an actor, but rather as a powerful orator. His famous speech, “Lament for Confederation,” an indictment of the appropriation of First Nations territory by white colonialism, performed at the City of Vancouver’s celebration of the Canadian Centennial in 1967 and televised across the country, shocked the nation and is credited with escalating native political activism in Canada and touching off widespread pro-First Nations sentiment.
His acting talent, natural dignity and humour was evident on screen, and in 1969, Chief George was offered his first feature film, Smith!, a Disney adaptation based on Breaking Smith’s Quarter Horse, a novella by Paul St. Pierre and starring Glenn Ford. Reprising his role as Ol’ Antoine, Chief George joined the cast alongside Indigenous actor, Jay Silverheels. The following year, Chief George gained international attention for his role as Old Lodge Skins in Little Big Man (1970). Starring alongside Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway, Chief George earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor — the first time an Indigenous actor was nominated for an Oscar. Dustin Hoffman commented, “I was amazed at his energy [he was in his 70s]; he was always prepared with his lines; it was a six-day week; we were shooting thirteen hours a day.” Chief George won other awards for this role, but the acclaim he garnered after Little Big Man was bittersweet because his wife of 51 years, Amy, had died less than three weeks before the Academy Awards. Later that same year, Chief George was awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C.) on June 25, 1971, for his service to Canada. His other film credits include iconic roles in which he earned much acclaim as Sam Two Feathers in Harry and Tonto (1974), and famously as Lone Watie alongside Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976). Seen by many as a role model, Chief George refused to play roles that demeaned Indigenous peoples and culture. Despite his Hollywood success, Chief George never forgot his roots; his main residence remained his home on his reserve.
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS COURTESY NICOLA VALLEY MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
By TERRI MASON
Exhibit Chief Dan George: Actor and Activist U’mista Cultural Centre 1 Front Street, Alert Bay, B.C. June 2018–April 2019
Written Works My Heart Soars. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1974 My Spirit Soars. Surrey, B.C., Canada: Hancock House, 1982 You Call Me Chief: Impressions of the Life of Chief Dan George. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 1981 The Best of Chief Dan George. Surrey, B.C.: Hancock House, 2003
Awards & Honours Academy Award, Nomination, Actor in a Supporting Role, Little Big Man, (1970) Golden Globe Award, Nomination, Best Supporting Actor, Little Big Man, (1970) New York Film Critics Circle Award, Best Supporting Actor, Little Big Man, (1970) Golden Laurel, Best Male Supporting Performance, Little Big Man, (1970) National Society of Film Critics Award, Supporting Actor, Little Big Man, (1970) Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, Human Relations Award (1971) Officer of the Order of Canada (1971)
Legacy Chief Dan George Middle School in Abbotsford, B.C. Chief Dan George Public School in Toronto, Ont. Chief Dan George Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria, B.C.
Filmography
He died in Vancouver, September 23, 1981, at the age of 82. He was interred at Burrard Cemetery. The legacy of the gifted actor and poet continues. In 2008, he was commemorated on a set of postage stamps honouring prominent Canadians in Hollywood. In 2010 in front of millions of viewers, actor Donald Sutherland quoted from Chief George’s poem “My Heart Soars” in the
cowboycountrymagazine.com
opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver XXI Olympic Winter Games: The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass, speaks to me. And my heart soars. c
Smith! (1969) as Ol’ Antoine Little Big Man (1970) as Old Lodge Skins Cancel My Reservation (1972) as Old Bear À bon pied, bon oeil (1972) as Himself Alien Thunder (1974) as Sounding Sky The Bears and I (1974) as Chief Peter A-Tas-Ka-Nay Harry and Tonto (1974) as Sam Two Feathers Chief Dan George Speaks (1974) as Himself Cold Journey (1975) Special Guest The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) as Lone Watie Shadow of the Hawk (1976) as Old Man Hawk Pump It Up (1978) as Himself Americathon (1979) as Sam Birdwater Spirit of the Wind (1979) as Moses Nothing Personal (1980) as Oscar Special thanks to David Hancock of Hancock House Publishing for sharing their images of the late Chief Dan George.
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Leland Hensley in his shop
Making a Master CONVERSATIONS WITH TRADITIONAL COWBOY ARTISTS By EMILY KITCHING
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astery of a skill implies that both the maker and the quality of his or her creation have attained a level of esteem that sets them apart. The work is a manifestation of the devotion of hours spent acquiring skill, as well as a testament to the creative spark that pushes an artist ever onward toward further refinement. Nate Wald putting some of his pieces to good use
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Whether it is horsemanship, a musical instrument, a craft or some other less tangible aspect of our lives, mastery of a skill is something that many of us seek. Fine rawhide braiding is an art that can be appreciated by horsemen and collectors alike, and the effort it takes to become a master braider is something to which we can connect. Celebrated rawhide braiders and Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) members Leland Hensley and Nate Wald share their thoughts on what sets a master braider apart and how their association is ensuring that the art continues long into the future. While both braiders agree that you can see and feel the difference in the technical skill of a piece braided by a master, they also agree that in order to be considered an acclaimed braider, one must have flawless basics. “To be a master you must be proficient in every aspect of what you do,” says Hensley. “In rawhide braiding, that means making rawhide, which entails as much work as the braiding itself. From skinning the calf, to preparing and curing the hide, tempering the hide, then cutting strings.” Hensley estimates that preparing materials for any given piece takes well over 50 per cent of the total time. Wald continues, “For me, the basics must include hide preparation; it’s hard for me to call someone a master who is not making their own rawhide. Mastery comes by putting in enough years so that the basics are very strong. I also feel that there needs to be an element of horsemanship as well; you must know what horses look like, what they feel like, what type of equipment feels the best. I wouldn’t consider someone who could just braid a lot of strands and not have a useful, well-balanced-feeling piece a master.” The intimate and time-consuming process of making one’s own materials give a braider a base of knowledge from which to draw. “If you haven’t braided very long, you’re pretty limited in experience, and you try to turn whatever hide you have into the project that you are wanting to do,” says Hensley. “Some hides are better for one type of project than another; they shouldn’t be used for something that doesn’t fit, and that is where you fall back on experience and
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS BY CARLA CAIN PHOTOGRAPHY
TRADITIONAL COWBOY ARTS
knowing what to use in each situation and what not to use.” Aside from hide and string preparation, basic skills and techniques to be mastered would be good basic body braids of four, six and eight strands. The braider must put in the time to develop the physical skill and muscle memory to make straight and even braids. While a braider might start his or her journey by reading instructions in a book and following directions to head towards mastery, they must make the knowledge their own and be able to solve problems for themselves. “I preach fundamentals to my students, and I liken it to the learning of the alphabet,” says Hensley. “When you learn the alphabet, you start at A and go to Z because you need to know all the letters. If you start at A and skip to G and go to R, and you can still spell a lot of words with those letters, but you won’t be able to spell all the words. People want shortcuts — they end up finding they’ve missed a few letters along the way when they shortcut their learning curve.” When asked if having a mentor is essential, both braiders agreed that input from others can be beneficial but not absolutely necessary. “A mentor is only as good as the point you are at to receive that information,” says Wald. “I feel that goes for horsemanship as well. A mentor is helpful when you’ve put in the hours and the physical basic work. The muscle memory you develop, the agility to handle a certain number of strings and pull everything to the same tightness, all those basics that only come with the physical act of actually braiding — then a mentor becomes helpful, and then that guidance means something.” Hensley continues, “Part of becoming proficient in anything is having to figure things out yourself. That struggle in itself makes you become better. That line is so thin… we want to help people, but we want to help them to make them better, not hold them back.” The desire to preserve the traditional cowboy arts was the inspiration for founding the TCAA. Through its shows, workshops and scholarship programs the association has become a clearinghouse of resources for aspiring artists of all skill levels. c
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Hobbles, Wald
Quirt, Wald
Reins, Wald
More on the TCAA The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) is an elite group of saddlemakers, bit and spur makers, silversmiths and rawhide braiders who found common cause in the need to attract the next generation to take up these four disciplines and the equally important task of helping the public understand and appreciate the level of quality available today and the value of fine craftsmanship. Learn more at tcowboyarts.org.
Bracelet, Hensley
Quirt, Hensley
Hobbles, Hensley
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Welcome Back,
Heartland By ROB VOGT
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For more than a decade, people from all over Canada, the United States and around the world have been coming to High River to see what Maggie’s looks like in real life and to — just maybe — catch a glimpse of TV magic. Maggie’s is, of course, one of the central locations in Heartland, which tells the story of a family who owns and operates a working ranch, where horses and people can go to heal. It is entering its 12th season on CBC and showing few signs of slowing down. A whole generation has watched Amy Fleming, a “horse whisperer,” and her guy, Ty, Sister Lou, Grandpa Jack, and Dad Tim, grow and change. So what keeps fans coming back? Why has Heartland, a Canadian family drama set and filmed in Canada, succeeded where so many other homegrown productions have failed? Dean Bennett has been there from the beginning. He directed the pilot, went on to direct more episodes than anyone else and has been the show’s producer the past two seasons. He’s also worked as a ranch hand, which provided him with the background to give the show that rural feel, tone and integrity that viewers connect to. He attributes the show’s success to telling stories with an openness and authenticity that gets to the heart of things. The themes are universal, and viewers can relate to them. Much of the credit goes to the writing team led by Heather Conkie, Heartland’s head writer, who has been there since the show debuted in the fall of 2007. “We’ve written it in a believable way,” she said. “People can relate. People can see their own lives reflected in the show.” The writers have also kept the show fresh, never shying away from tough subjects, and changing as the world changes. The characters are flawed, not perfect, whether it is Tim’s one-time battle with painkillers or Lou’s compulsive attention to detail. 24
“We’ve tried to keep it as real as possible,” Conkie said. Because the show has been on for 11 seasons, viewers have begun to see the cast as family. It has given them time to become invested. What has contributed to that feeling is that 95 per cent of the cast has remained the same. No characters have disappeared or been replaced with different actors. It is shot in real time, so viewers have watched the characters grow up. Amy started as a high school student, catching the school bus to town. Now she is married to the man of her dreams, and she is a mother. Ty was an angry juvenile delinquent, who could care less about animals. Now he is a husband, father and veterinarian. Location, and the spectacular vistas it provides, is another important element in Heartland. Whether it is a panoramic view of a ridge, a sunset, a stand of aspens or an old drooping cottonwood, the cinematography provides a richness that reminds viewers of where they live and come from, or, if they have never been to the foothills, a place they’d like to see. “These [elements] are as important a character as our other characters,” Bennett said. Moreover, Heartland allows them to show summer, spring, fall and winter. “It gives people the feeling they’ve lived a year in the life [of Heartland,]” Conkie added. However, the show would not go on without the support of its fans. The show is seen in 119 countries and has attracted more than one million viewers — unheard of in Canadian television in the 21st century. “I cannot say enough about our fans [and] how much they mean to us,” Bennett said. “We would not be here without them.” Fans eat, drink and breathe every detail, know the characters as well as anyone and share their experiences. So much so, Heartland has received heartwrenching cards, letters and messages. Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO COURTESY HEARTLAND/CBC
s you walk down the street in High River, Alberta, you see it nestled in among the local businesses. To the untrained eye, it is a rustic, log cabin with a simple sign on it that says “Maggie’s,” but to fans of the TV show Heartland, it is a favourite coffee shop and feed store.
Alisha Newton who plays Georgie (on the grey), and Amber Marshall who plays Amy, riding on the set of Heartland
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has been a skating coach and a long-time organizer of the Terry Fox Run. She has a simple rule on Sundays for those who want to contact her. “You can call at any time you like except seven o’clock — that’s when Heartland is on.” She has watched the show from the beginning. She even ordered the Heartland series of books by Lauren Brooke, on which the show is based, to see what the program was all about. The show interests her for many reasons. There is always a storyline or plot about horses, which is a passion. The writers have portrayed realistic situations, such as the plight of Tennessee Walking Horses, or the mistreatment of horses earmarked for a slaughter plant, or an outbreak of Strangles — a disease that hits the ranch. It is important to her that Heartland is filmed locally, has a great cast and has realistic relationships. Sisters Amy and Lou
Fleming are the children of divorce. They struggle not only with the death of their mother in the first episode but also the relationship with their estranged father, Tim Fleming. One of the highlights for Lozeman was driving to High River to meet Amber Marshall and Graham Wardle, who play Amy and Ty. Betty Mackin is a flight attendant from Calgary who has also watched Heartland from the start. She likes the family values the show portrays and how it reflects reallife issues. In particular, she points to the character of Lou Fleming. When she meets her future husband, Peter, the ranchers treat him with mistrust. He works in the oil patch, and they fear he will wreck their way of life, but he does not. Later, when the economic downturn decimates the oil and gas industry, Peter loses his job. These are actual situations viewers identify with. New fans have also discovered Heartland because accessibility to episodes has Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS COURTESY HEARTLAND/CBC
“It shows how profoundly it affects their lives,” Bennett said. One letter credited Jack Bartlett, Amy’s grandfather, with saving a marriage. Two cards from the United Kingdom described how people were struggling with their health and watched Heartland as they were going through treatment. “It buoyed their spirits,” Bennett said. Heartland has also been on at the same time and day for 11 seasons. In a world where appointment viewing has all but disappeared as people watch TV shows whenever they like on whatever device they choose, families will still drop everything, gather around the screen at 7 p.m. on Sunday night and watch the show together. It harkens back to the days when people used to gather on Sunday nights to watch The Wonderful World of Disney or The Beachcombers, as a family. Deb Lozeman is a farm wife who lives about 45 minutes south of High River. She
Heartland Trivia STAR Amber Marshall has a heavy-duty social media presence, with more than 117,000 followers on Facebook and more than 53,000 followers on Twitter. STAR Heartland is currently the longest running one-hour scripted drama in Canadian television history. STAR The series is shot entirely in Alberta: the exterior scenes are filmed in Millarville, High River, and the great outdoors. STAR In the series, Chris Potter portrays Amy’s and Lou’s father, Tim Fleming, while Shaun Johnston portrays their grandfather, Jack Bartlett. Despite the age gap of their characters, in real life Potter and Johnston are only two years apart.
changed over time. When the show debuted in 2007, if you missed an episode, you had to wait until reruns aired. DVD box sets followed, which allowed fans to watch past seasons, but the real change occurred with the advent of Netflix and CBC online, which enables viewers to watch past episodes. In addition, people who sign up for Netflix discover Heartland, and this has attracted a whole new generation of fans. Josh Crawford is one such fan. Originally from Woodstock, NB, he works at a car dealership in Calgary and started watching two years ago, on the advice of a friend. He watched three episodes online and was hooked. He then bingewatched the show, catching up on 10 seasons in a few months. Being from the Maritimes, he is not part of the horse culture or mystique. What attracted him and keeps him watching are the characters — the connection between them and the love they share. They wrestle with life’s problems, but there is always a positive outcome and a silver lining. cowboycountrymagazine.com
He describes Amy as a horse whisperer, who is faced with a challenge every episode. As the show progresses, everyone in the family somehow contributes to solving the problem and finding that silver lining. Ultimately, that is what sets Heartland apart. Viewers tune in to see themselves reflected in the show. They identify with the characters and see that when times are the toughest, there is a way out. As hard as life gets, it will get better, and Heartland shows that week after week, year after year. That is why fans flock to see Maggie’s in downtown High River and give their time as extras when the show is shooting. You can see for yourself, Sunday nights at 7 p.m., on CBC or online. If you haven’t already discovered Heartland, you can see what millions of people have embraced for well over a decade. c
STAR Not only is the show filmed in Canada, all of the actors are Canadian as well. STAR The Town of High River markets itself as “High River — Home of Heartland” and attracts tourists from all around the globe. STAR Amber Marshall has a deep personal love for animals and owns many horses among the over two dozen animals on her ranch. STAR More horses have appeared on Heartland than actors with speaking roles. STAR For more information on almost every aspect of the hit show, visit cbc.ca/heartland
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RANCHERS’ SPECIAL
What Works For Us Calving Season By TERRI MASON
W
e’re back with our popular series on ranching — What Works for Us, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the operations of some of the nicest cowboy outfits on the Canadian range. I contacted a few select ranchers to ask, “When it comes to calving, what works on your place?” Every ranch is different, and while no one can tell another person how to ranch, they can say what works for them. I extend my thanks to the ranchers that shared their know-how of what works on their place.
Cattle on the Chilco range Inset: Part of the Miller clan, from left: Darla, Dean, Lorraine and Janet Miller.
Chilco Ranch Established 1880s Commercial herd Nearest town: Hanceville, B.C.
RANGE TV
Elevation: 2,180 feet [664 m]
DEAN MILLER
The famed Chilco Ranch has been producing beef for over a century, but the 2017 wildfires destroyed fences, all of their corrals and handling facilities, some equipment and farming implements, as well as a guest house and machine shed. “But we were lucky,” said ranch owner, Dean Miller. “We lost some cattle, but everybody else survived the firestorm.” Out of the ashes, this Phoenix of a ranch is welcoming the new life of calving season. “We usually try to calve the heifers 10 days ahead of the cowherd. We start our heifers about March 20th. Sometimes we still have some snow; usually it’s dry, but sometimes we’ll get spring storms. The 28
heifers are in closer; they’re penned, and we monitor them,” says Dean Miller. Grandson and ranch manager, Jordan Grier, elaborates. “We calve out 200 heifers. We ran horned Hereford bulls, but last year we bought some black and red Angus to turn out on our heifers to see if the cross will make it a little easier calving for them, and to get a bit of a cross back in the herd. We have a calving barn not far from the main ranch buildings. We’ll leave the heifers out in the hayfield until they start to get close [to calving], and then we’ll bring them into the pen. We night-check them a lot; but it’s a pretty easy system the way we have it set up. We have panels set up inside a bigger pen, close to the barn. We move in any
heifers that are close to calving because we have a camera system — we’ve got 10 cameras set up — so the heifer is always in front of a camera. We can go get some lunch and watch her on our TV, or we can check the cameras from our phones. We help a few heifers calve because we don’t really keep the birth weights light here. We keep our heifer bulls and eventually turn them out with the cows, so we don’t take much of a hit on our weaning weights. It’s a little more work calving heifers, but we never have an issue calving after that. The birth weights are in the 70–80 lb range, but our heifers are pretty big. Our camera system helps — especially with range cattle that are not really gentle — because a cow will stop her labour when a human appears. We have Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS BY KIM TAYLOR; BELLA JOHNSON
Annual rainfall: Approx. 6 inches
a camera that’s a pan/tilt and 22X zoom, so we can zoom across the pen [it’s the size of a football field], and if the feet are coming out backwards or upside down, we can get out there and help her. This way, it’s a lot less stress on her. It doesn’t change the fact that we still check them,
and it also allows us to check and make sure the crew is safe, too. As soon as the heifers have calved, we move them field to field, further away from the main ranch, and we do all of that on horseback. Now our cows — they calve themselves out on the open range and rarely have a
problem. We check them on horseback, and sometimes I also use a drone to search because it’s pretty rugged over here. So, for calving on the Chilco, it’s a cross between Mother Nature and technology — that’s what works for us.”
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY TAKASHI “JAKE” ITOGAWA Ranch foreman Takashi “Jake” Itogawa and his wife, Yoshimi, and their daughters, Lynka and Milay
Takashi “Jake” Itogawa
Gapview Ranch Stoughton, Sask. Commercial herd: Black Angus 540 head / 95 heifers and 500 Yearlings Elevation: 560 m (1,837 ft) Annual Average Precipitation: 318 mm rain; 100 mm snow / 418 mm (16 inches)
PHOTOS BY YOSHIMI ITOGAWA
I am Japanese, and I only have 13 years experience in this country,” says Takashi, known as Jake. “In spring of 2006 my late boss, Stuart Morison, offered me a chance to be a cowboy here in Saskatchewan after he got to know me when I was fighting bulls. I am following my boss’s way still; he passed away last autumn. We usually start calving heifers in early April and the cows towards the middle of April. The heifers are corn grazing in a separate pasture, and we give them scour shots. The heifers get two shots: one in midFebruary, then a booster in mid-March. I have the heifers in the closest field, and I usually check every 2–3 hours. I usually use a side-by-side [quad], but I’ve been cowboycountrymagazine.com
using a young horse too the last couple of years. It’s good practice for her. I will also swing a rope with a breakaway hondo, it’s good practice for her and for me, but if I have a problem, I’ll bring the heifer in — I have a heated barn/arena with a chute, and I help her calve. After I check the heifers, I usually go and check the cows too. They’re close, but it’s not often they need help. I tag the calves as soon as they’re born, and that’s when I use the side-by-side, as I can just drive up to the calf and tag it; that’s why I check so often. I can also jump in because some cows will chase me. They are very protective. We have many coyotes, but the coyotes don’t go after the healthy calf; they take the sick or weak. It happens, and I understand. We have five border collies,
but I don’t use them when I’m checking the heifers and cows. They stay in the side-by-side. The ranch is about 10 sections: half in flat land, half in hills on the edge of Moose Mountain. We also rent some land from Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation. Spring weather can be a problem; one year we lost lots — 60-some calves in a very, very bad spring storm [2011]. The cattle were trying to find shelter; it was so bad I couldn’t even drive in the truck, I couldn’t see. That was a bad storm. My English is not so good, but I understand cowboy English. I spend most time with cattle, less with people. Stuart helped me so much to be a ranch manager. I love my whole life, and he gave me the opportunity. I would work for him forever.” c 29
RANCHING IN THE WEST
WineGlass Ranch HERITAGE RANCHING WITH A MODERN FOCUS By KEN FAVRHOLDT
J
ust southwest of Cochrane lies one of the oldest family ranches in Alberta.
PHOTO BY KEN FAVRHOLDT
Founded in 1885, the Towers Ranch, renamed the WineGlass after its early cattle brand, has seen six generations of the same family, and today, the ranch has taken on a new life and renewed purpose by an agreement with SALTS — the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society.
WineGlass Ranch today, over 150 years after its founding
31
RANCHING IN THE WEST
The ranch’s owner, Edith Wearmouth, is proud of the ranch’s endurance over 13 decades. Edith’s great-grandfather, Francis Towers, born in 1850, was only 16 years old when he left England for Canada on a cattle boat, to work on the CPR. He married Elizabeth Glover in Toronto in 1883 and later that year he relocated to Calgary, then sent for his wife. They had seven children. In 1885, Towers took up a homestead on NW 1 / 4 20-25-4-W5th, which became known as the Towers Ranch. The WineGlass brand was adopted in 1889. In 1928, the ranch was divided between the Towers’ sons, Leslie and Harold. Harold sold his part of the ranch in 1946 and moved to Calgary. Leslie married Edith Callaway in 1917, and they had one daughter, Alice Vernice, who married Hugh Hamer Wearmouth in 1941. The Wearmouths had three children, including Edith in 1953. When Hugh became Leslie’s partner in the 1950s, the ranch was renamed the Towers and Wearmouth Ranch. Edith married Lindsay Eklund in 1973 and had three children. The Eklunds took over the ranch in 1980 and renamed it the WineGlass Ranch, after the old brand. Edith, originally working as a nurse, took over the ranch after she divorced in 1994. As owner, her mandate focusses on 32
stewardship and protecting the land as habitat for a successful cattle operation, a healthy habitat for wildlife, and as a natural filter for water that flows across the WineGlass range. “My philosophy is to act as a steward of the resources that I manage for the future generations…. I want to keep it for what it was meant for — grazing, habitat and clear water,” says Edith. The ranch has won several awards for its conservation efforts, including a Master Farm Family Award in 1989 and the Alberta Beef Producers Environmental Stewardship Award in 2004. There are 300 cow-calf pairs on the 1,200 acres, surrounded by 40 miles of fence. Calving takes place between March and May. Branding, both a lot of work and a social event, happens in May. Feeding stops at the beginning of June. Then the bulls are turned out and the “farming” begins — harvesting hay for winter feed through to September. October is the time for weaning and preg checking and the calves are sold. Although this is a yearly cycle, no two days are the same. Since 2010, Edith’s son, Travis Eklund, and his wife, Kara, have taken over operating the ranch. Edith is now part-owner with her son, talking business about five mornings a week.
Edith confesses the ranch is not without its challenges. Modern problems include the proximity to the large urban centres of Calgary and Cochrane, which abuts the ranch. The pressure from development and population is a constant threat. On the other hand, proximity means many urban school children visit and learn about ranching and conservation. Making a sustainable living is a related challenge. “Many ranchers have huge equity tied up in the land; they could sell and not worry about money again,” she says. “But family ranching is not something to do to get rich.” Succession planning is the challenge that occurs when one child wants to ranch, and the others don’t. Fortunately for the ranch, Edith’s son and wife left the city and goodpaying jobs to find their roots. They have planned not to sell and have found an innovative way to keep the ranch in their family. The recent conservation agreement with SALTS in November 2018 will help in that regard. Justin Thompson, Executive Director of SALTS states: “This project is a perfect example of how private land conservation benefits all Albertans. Because the WineGlass surrounds Jumpingpound Creek, a source of Calgary’s drinking water, keeping the property as healthy grasslands Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTOS BY KEN FAVRHOLDT; COURTESY WINEGLASS RANCH
The original homestead, photographed around 1935, after the ranch had already been established for 50 years
instead of roads and houses will help “It allows us to preserve the ranchmaintain water quality for over a miling tradition that we’ve developed in Clockwise lion people.” the last 133 years,” says Edith. “We from top left: The easement will cover 1,247 incorporate new technology and Entrance to acres (5 km2), including grasslands, learning, but we always keep to the the ranch, forest and riparian areas along original goals of productive, long-term, photographed Jumpingpound Creek. This landscape ecologically sustainable ranching.” in late Fall diversity is valuable wildlife habitat The decision has given Edith, who Edith, the for hawks and eagles, elk, bear, deer, is still the ranch owner, more free time matriarch of cougar and other mammals and for her many hobbies, such as playing the WineGlass birds. Without the easement there flute in two bands at seniors’ centres, (seated). Her son, Travis would be great pressure from urban church services and with the Celtic Eklund, and his development to convert the land to band in a local pub. Travel, dancing, wife, Kara, are housing. The easement will restrict playing piano and entertaining form the future of land conversion yet still allow ranchher other pastimes. Yet ranching the outfit. ing and other activities to maintain a remains key. Fog descending healthy, prolific environment. Saving “Ranch life really satisfies my sense on the outbuildthe ranch from development will of purpose. This is where my heart is. ings on the protect the capacity of the landscape Not only on the land but doing the WineGlass Ranch as a natural filter and for water storwork — I love working with my kids age. As well, Jumpingpound Creek, on the ranch. Working cows together a tributary of the Bow River, is important troutis a performance to behold. Being around those spawning habitat between Ghost and Bearspaw kinds of people — cowboys, cowgirls, working outdams, upstream of Calgary’s Bearspaw Water side, feeling a sense of accomplishment — those Treatment Plant. The project was supported by are the great things,” she says. both the provincial and federal governments. “Ranching is not so much an occupation as it Edith believes the conservation agreement is a vocation. It is something you are called to — won’t change things much. The family will ranch certainly not for the money, but for the desire to it in the same manner that they always have, in an live the life.” c environmentally sound and sustainable way. But SALT will help guarantee the health of the ranch. cowboycountrymagazine.com
Southern Alberta Land Trust Society (SALTS) is a non-profit organization that was started 20 years ago by a group of southern Alberta ranchers. Headquartered in High River, the organization believes that intact ranch lands contribute to the economy, not only through the cattle industry but also by providing protection for clean water, wildlife and heritage. The focus is on land of high ecological value and protecting it from being fragmented and degraded. Conservation agreements allow the ownership and management to stay with the rancher, allowing the land to be protected into the future. The conservation easements place restrictions around future development on the land. The landowner, in exchange, relinquishes some development rights for financial compensation, but the land can still be sold or transferred. The conservation easement is a legal agreement registered on the title of the land in perpetuity. Restrictions are intended to preserve the conservation values of the land, such as native prairie, native forests, riparian areas, wildlife habitat and watershed values. The preservation of esthetic and cultural values is also a positive outcome of conservation agreements. To date, SALTS has preserved over 20,000 acres (80 km2) thanks to 40 conservation easements stretching from west of Calgary to Waterton Lakes National Park. The benefits of these protected lands include the preservation of water quality, wildlife and fish populations, local food production, and scenic resources. For more information, visit salts.land
33
Rodear The Trifecta of Cowboy Skills by TERRI MASON
W
hat is rodear, you ask? The Spanish word, (pronounced roe DEER) translates to mean “encircle” or “round up.” It’s also the root of the bastardized word, rodeo, but that’s a different story.
34
Line, is a smooth and flowing showcase of skill and a thing of beauty to watch. In Alberta, the mothership of handlers is the Canadian Cattle Dog Association, a relatively new outfit dedicated to the furtherment and improvement of dog and stock handling. Over 80 per cent of participants in the working cow dog competitions are ranchers and working cowhands, the folks who work stock every day with their canine partner. The challenge is to bring their “A” game to town with the pressure of competition, a clock, fellow competitors and an audience. It is interesting to note that, currently, the majority of the working cow dog events take place in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Not because of a lack of good cowhands in B.C., or Alberta, but rather, I suspect, the high cost of liability insurance, but don’t quote me on that. Generally, working cow dog competitions are organized by each province’s stock dog association. In the U.S., the sport is gaining traction, with big-time prize money and competitions being held across the West. The sport has even spread to places that us Westerners refer to as the “Far East,” like New York State. Rodear is the trifecta of cowboy skills. If you can ride well, read livestock and handle a dog, then this just might be the sport for you. c
ASSOCIATIONS BC Stock Dog Association stockdog.bc.ca Canadian Cattle Dog Association canadiancattledogassociation.ca SSDA Working Stock Dogs saskstockdog.ca Manitoba Stock Dogs manitobastockdog.ca
UPCOMING EVENTS (at press time, many did not have their events listed yet) Apr 27–28 Cowdog Rodear Competition Mane Event, The Westerner Red Deer, AB 844-578-7518 Jul 6 Maple Creek Dog & Pony Show High Chaparral Arena Maple Creek, SK 306-330-9224
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO COURTESY KIM TAYLOR; ILLUSTRATION BY MONSTERJOKE/VECTEEZY
Essentially the sport of rodear involves a good cowhand, on a good horse, with a good dog, moving cattle through a set pattern of obstacles, in a set amount of time. The trial can involve a number of things, but essentially, the handler will be using the dog and their horse to move a few head through, say, a gate, sometimes over a bridge, and often they will have to sort — meaning peel off and move one cow away from the herd, peel off and move another cow the other way, away from the herd. Depending on the size of the arena and course, the time limit can be as short as four minutes or up to eight. Poor stock handling receives an immediate point reduction; plus, it just looks bad. I can tell you what this sport is not; it’s not a barking, yelling, grip and rip, runthe-fat-off-the-beeves, sic ’em madhouse. Perhaps at one time (and perhaps still in some forgotten corners of the world) Baxter Black’s great line, “Giving a border collie to a cowboy is like giving an 18-piece socket set to a caveman” may still hold true, but with the prices of good cattle, horses and dogs escalating, ranchers and working cowboys alike are working a lot smarter, with less risk to themselves and their stock. When done well — and that is the goal — a working cow dog competition, or rodear as they call it south of the Medicine
Pro Rodeo
CANADA
INSIDER CARMAN & RIPP RULE
Carman Pozzobon racing on Ripn Lady at the 2018 WNFR. The mare raced every day, carrying Pozzobon to the second-most prestigious and coveted title of Average winner, netting her an added $67,000+, a buckle and saddle. For info on Pozzobon and her barrel horses in training, visit carmanpozzobon.com. PRCA ProRodeo Photo by Billie-Jean Duff
RODEOCANADA.COM
CANADIAN COWBOY COUNTRY FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
CINCHJEANS.COM
TYLER WAGUESPACK
HAILEY KINSEL
WADE SUNDELL
CALEB SMIDT
PAUL EAVES
CLAY SMITH
CO NG R ATULATIONS 2018 WORLD CHAMPIONS 36
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
C.P.R.A.
2019 CPRA Schedule FEBRUARY Claresholm, AB * (BR).............................. Feb 23
APRIL Medicine Hat, AB....................................... Apr 5–7 Olds, AB * (BR) pending........................... Apr 12 Tofield, AB * (BR)........................................ Apr 13
MAY
President's Message As we leave 2018 behind and look to 2019, rodeo contestants and fans alike anticipate another exciting year. With a spectacular 45th Canadian Finals Rodeo held for the first time at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alta., in the books, plans are underway to make Canadian Pro Rodeo’s premiere event even better in year two. The CPRA was well-represented at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December. Congratulations to the six competitors, who among them, earned over $400,000. A special shout out to B.C. cowgirl and 2017 Canadian Champion, Carman Pozzobon, who won the barrel racing aggregate ($67,269) at this year’s Final. Kudos as well, to Canadian stock contractors, including Vern McDonald and C5 Rodeo whose outstanding grey, F13 Virgil, was named Top Bareback Horse on both sides of the border for the second straight year and to the Northcott-Macza organization who had two bucking horses among the top stock selections at the WNFR — Get Smart (top SB) and Spilled Perfume (2nd, BB). And congrats to Big Stone Rodeo, whose bull, Spotted Demon, was named top bucking bull of the NFR. Details are being finalized for the new Maple Leaf Circuit, which will kick off later this spring. A list of Circuit rodeos and an announcement about a location for the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals will be made shortly; check RodeoCanada.com for CPRA member Circuit details. There are a few event changes on the 2019 CPRA schedule. We’re sorry to see the Camrose Spring Classic take a year off and hope to see this event return in 2020. The spring season started off with the Rebel Energy Services Bull Riding in Red Deer Jan 12, and 2019 approvals for both existing and new events are coming in. Wishing everyone a happy and successful 2019. See you on the rodeo trail.
PHOTO COURTESY CPRA
Terry Cooke, President, CPRA
Drayton Valley, AB.................................... May 3–5 Stavely, AB................................................... May 9–11 Coleman, AB................................................ May 10–12 Innisfail, AB * (BR)..................................... May 11 Falkland, BC................................................. May 18–20 Swift Current, SK * (BR) new................. May 25 Grande Prairie, AB..................................... May 30–Jun 2 Leduc, AB...................................................... May 30–Jun 2
JUNE Wildwood, AB * (SB)................................. Jun 1 Hand Hills, AB............................................. Jun 1–2 Rocky Mountain House, AB.................. Jun 7–9 Brooks, AB................................................... Jun 7–8 Lea Park/Marwayne, AB........................ Jun 8–10 Bonnyville, AB date change.................. Jun 14–16 Innisfail, AB.................................................. Jun 14–16 Wainwright, AB ...................................... Jun 20–23 High River, AB............................................. Jun 21–23 Sundre, AB................................................... Jun 21–23 Ponoka, AB .............................................. Jun 25–Jul 1 Williams Lake, BC ................................. Jun 27–Jul 1 Airdrie, AB.................................................... Jun 28–Jul 1
JULY Calgary, AB * (BR) new............................ Jul 2–4 Coronation, AB........................................... Jul 5–6 Taber, AB pending..................................... Jul 5–6 Benalto, AB.................................................. Jul 5–7 Teepee Creek, AB....................................... Jul 12–14 Oyen, AB * (BR)........................................... Jul 17 Morris, MB ............................................... Jul 18–21 Edmonton, AB ........................................ Jul 19–21 Quesnel, BC (SB single event)............... Jul 19–21 Kennedy, SK................................................ Jul 20–21 Medicine Hat, AB ................................... Jul 25–27 Pollockville, AB * (SB)............................... Jul 27 Bowden, AB * (BB)..................................... Jul 27 Lacombe, AB * (BR) new: tentative.... Jul 27 Bruce, AB...................................................... Jul 28 High Prairie, AB.......................................... Jul 30–31 Canadian Pro Tour rodeos * Refers to special events All dates are subject to change Please visit rodeocanada.com for up-to-date information
cowboycountrymagazine.com
37
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
The Short Round
By TERRI MASON, CPRA
LUCY LOUISE THURSTON
Congratulations to Zeke and Jayne Thurston on the birth of their first child, Lucy Louise Thurston. She was born August 11, 2018 in Stettler, Alta. Zeke burst onto the Canadian rodeo scene when he was just a kid as one of the multi-award-winning Thurston Gang trickriding and trick-roping contract act. Today, the five-time CFR and four-time NFR qualifier is the 2016 World Saddle Bronc Champion. Jayne is an RN who is working on her Bachelor of Nursing degree. She is also an accomplished rider and team roper who most recently qualified and competed at the 2018 World Series Team Roping Finals in Las Vegas. The young family make their home near Big Valley, Alta. — T.M. 38
TEAL MARIE POPESCUL
Congratulations to Braidy Howes and Tyler Popescul on the birth of their first child, Teal Marie. Teal was born November 30 in Provost, Alberta. Braidy is a Ladies Barrel Racing CFR qualifier and the incoming CPRA Ladies Barrel Racing Director. Tyler Popescul is a tie-down roper and team roper. — T.M.
EVERHETT WILLIAM LAMBERT
Congratulations to Zane and Stacey Lambert on the birth of their first child, Everhett William Lambert. Everhett was born October 23, 2018 in Ponoka, Alta. Everhett’s bull-riding dad, Zane Lambert, has qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo four times and is the two-time and reigning PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada Champion. Zane is competing in the PBR Global Cup in Arlington, Texas on February 9–10, 2019. Everhett’s mom, Stacey, is a reclamation consultant who works with oil exploration companies to restore lease sites. The young couple make their home in Ponoka, Alta. — T.M.
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO COURTESY JAYNE THURSTON; PHOTO COURTESY BRAIDY HOWES; PHOTO COURTESY ZANE LAMBERT
CONGRATULATIONS!
C.P.R.A.
IMAGE COURTESY PIXNIO; PHOTO COURTESY BARB POULSEN
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING AND ANNUAL MEETING TAKE NOTICE THAT a Special Meeting (the “Special Meeting”) of the Members of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (the “Association”) will be held on February 23, 2019 at Lions Club Event Center, 109-5th Avenue, Cochrane, Alberta commencing at 10:00 a.m. and FURTHER TAKE NOTICE THAT the Annual Meeting (the “Annual Meeting”) of the Association will be held at the same location immediately following the Special Meeting. The Board of Directors has set December 31, 2018 as the record date for the Special Meeting and the Annual Meeting. Regular Members in good standing as at December 31, 2018 will be entitled to attend and vote on matters to be brought before the Special Meeting and the Annual Meeting. Any Member entitled to be present and to vote at the Special Meeting or the Annual Meeting may be represented at such meetings and vote on any matter properly brought before the meetings by any person (who need not be a Member) as proxy for the Member, provided that a written proxy signed by the Member in a form complying with the Canada Not-for Profit Corporations Act and acceptable to the Secretary of the Association is deposited with the Secretary prior to commencement of the applicable meeting. A form of proxy is available on the website of the Association. In accordance with the By-Laws of the Association, Members will be provided with notice and particulars of the matters to be considered at the Special Meeting and the Annual Meeting by regular mail or email. These materials will also be available on the website of the Association. — By order of the board
cowboycountrymagazine.com
JASPER
The Jasper Heritage Rodeo is the only rodeo held within the confines (and I mean that literally) of a national park. While the rodeo is, by far, the longest-standing, continuous event in the history of this national park, the pro rodeo committee is in a fight for survival to keep its iconic, 93-year-old rodeo alive in this mountain town. The 93rd Annual Jasper Heritage Rodeo runs August 7–10, 2019. — T.M.
AWARDS Congratulations to the winners of the Committee of the Year Awards, and to the winners of the Best Ground Award and the Most Improved Ground Award. These awards — sponsored respectively by Canadian Cowboy Country magazine and by the Canadian Professional Barrel Racers, honour professional rodeo committees for their hard work and dedication to the sport of rodeo. — CPRA
Danny Daines accepting the Golden Rake Awards
Committee of the Year Awards Sponsored by Canadian Cowboy Country magazine
Best Ground Awards Sponsored by the Ladies Professional Barrel Racers
Large Rodeo — Ponoka Stampede, Ponoka, Alta. Medium Rodeo — La Crete Field of Dreams Pro Rodeo, La Crete, Alta. Small Rodeo — Hand Hills Lake Stampede, Hand Hills, Alta.
Large Rodeo — Wainwright Stampede, Wainwright, Alta. Small Rodeo — Innisfail Pro Rodeo, Daines Ranch, Innisfail, Alta. Most Improved Ground Award — Dawson Creek Exhibition & Stampede, Dawson Creek, B.C.
39
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
NORTHCOTT MACZA DOUBLES DOWN IN VEGAS
Zeke Thurston, winning Round 9 with 90 points on-board Andrews Rodeo’s H09 Brutus PRCA ProRodeo Photo by Billie-Jean Duff
By TERRI MASON
They made a nation proud. Six top-of-their-game Canadian competitors and 60 Canadian head of bone-jarring rodeo stock descended on Las Vegas, and with no end of flair, they are bringing home an armload of prizes and more than $500,000 US. Scott Guenthner winning Round 3 in 3.30 seconds PRCA ProRodeo Photo by Ric Andersen
Bareback
Steer Wrestling
2018 World Bareback Champion: Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa
2018 World Steer Wrestling Champion: Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, Louisiana
Some epic stories came out of this year’s contest, most notably watching Manitoba’s Orin Larsen power through after undergoing knee surgery a mere three weeks before the WNFR. Larsen, who arguably possesses the longest and most dramatic spur lick of all the bareback riders showcased in Vegas this year, did catch the judge’s eye a time or two; he won Round 7 and spent half the time in the top six and in the money. He finished 8th in the Average, which earned him an additional $6,346.15; add that to his prize purse, and in total, the Manitoba cowboy earned $92,076.92 US — and the reputation as one tough hombre.
Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alta., who came to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as the number one ranked bulldogger in the world, and our freshly crowned Canadian Champion, Scott Guenthner of Provost, Alta., who was ranked number three in the world, were riding Cassidy’s Tyson, voted Canada’s Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year. Hazing for the cowboys was five-time Canadian Champion, Cody Cassidy. Scott Guenthner won Round 3, finished 7th in the Average, netting him an additional $11, 423.08. In total, Scott earned $94,403.84 US. Curtis Cassidy won Round 4 and Round 6, finished 14th in the Average and brought home $82,346.16 US.
40
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
C.P.R.A.
Top Stock Awards of the WNFR Bareback 1. Nutrena’s Killer Bee, Beulter & Son Rodeo, Elk City, Okla. 2. Spilled Perfume, Northcott Macza Rodeo, High River, Alta. 3. Junior Bonner, Stace Smith Pro Rodeos, Athens, Texas Saddle Bronc 1. Get Smart, Northcott Macza Rodeo, High River, Alta. 2. Medicine Woman, Frontier Rodeo, Freedom, Okla. 3. Brutus, Andrews Rodeo, Bagwell, Texas Bull 1. Spotted Demon, Big Stone Rodeo, Cessford, Alta. 2. Hot N Ready, Smith Harper & Morgan Rodeo, Athens, Texas 3. El Patron, Lancaster & Jones Pro Rodeo, Fairfield, Texas
cowboycountrymagazine.com
41
Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
PRCA ProRodeo Photo by James Phifer
PRCA ProRodeo Photo by James Phifer
Left: C5 Rodeo’s F13 Virgil with Clayton Biglow aboard in Round 5, setting a new arena record of 93 points Right: Orin Larsen, winning Round 7 with 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s 906+ Tip Off
Team Roping 2018 World Champion Team Ropers: Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Oklahoma & Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Missouri
There were no Canadian team ropers in the 2018 WNFR
Saddle Bronc 2018 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider: Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa
Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alta., scored two spectacular 90-pt rides, won Round 9 and finished 3rd in the Average, netting him an additional $43,153.85. All told, he earned $149,403.85 US. Clay Elliott of Nanton, Alta., didn’t get a score in four rounds, but when he did score, it was a good one — so good in fact, he still finished 7th in the Average, netting him an additional $11,423.08. In total, he earned $44,692.31 US.
Tie-Down Roping 2015 & 2018 World Champion Tie-Down Roper: Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas
There were no Canadian tie-down ropers in the 2018 WNFR
Ladies Barrel Racing 2018 World Champion Ladies Barrel Racer: Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas
So many things can be said about Carman Pozzobon of Savona, B.C., and her mare, Ripn Lady, a.k.a. Ripp. First off, the mare is, once again, the 2018 Barrel Horse with the 42
Most Heart winner in Canada (she also won in 2017), and she’s a pistol. Carman herself is a phenom. The barrel horse trainer turned pro in 2015, earned her way to two CFRs and now, the World — and she rode away with the second-most coveted prize in the race. Carman Pozzobon won the Average, netting her an additional $67,269.23. All told, she earned $117,884.62 US.
Bull Riding 2018 World Bull Riding Champion: Sage Steele Kimzey, Strong City, Oklahoma
Kimzey is the first bull rider to win five consecutive World Championships. There were no Canadian bull riders in the 2018 WNFR.
Rough Stock It took some digging, but I finally came up with the list of the Best Stock of the WNFR. There were 105 rank bareback horses invited to the rodeo; 25 were Canadian and, boy, did they buck! First off, congratulations to Vern McDonald and the crew of C5 Rodeo of Lac la Biche, Alta. The highly decorated bareback sensation, F13 Virgil of C5 Rodeo earned his place in the record books when the amazing grey carried Clayton Biglow to an arena record of 93 points in Round 2. The next night everyone’s heart was in their throat when Mason Clements hung up on Northcott Macza’s great mare, Spilled Perfume, in Round 3. The pick up men got in
there in good time, but it was cowboys that caused havoc. Contestants on foot rushed in and got between the horse and the rescue squad, handicapping the pick up men. “They hung up for four minutes, and they had to stop her with the flank on,” explained Ward Macza of Northcott Macza Rodeo. Clements was unharmed. Spilled Perfume was scheduled to buck again in the 8th round, but Macza decided against it. “I pulled her because they hung up on her too long,” he explained. “I’m trying to protect my horse.” Despite having only one trip under her cinch, Spilled Perfume earned the Number 2 nod for Best Bareback Horse of 2018 WNFR. In the saddle bronc pens, out of the 105 saddle broncs invited, 23 were top-notch, rank Canadian horses. Northcott Macza’s 242 Get Smart earned the title of Best Saddle Bronc of the WNFR, earning Ward Macza another plaque for his trophy room. In two trips, Get Smart bucked off Wade Sundell and Sterling Crawley. We added it up: the gelding superstar was only ridden for five out of a potential 16 seconds. Congratulations as well to Bruce Sunstrom, Julio Moreno and the entire crew of Big Stone Rodeo for earning the top prize of the NFR for their bull, Spotted Demon. The bull has already earned PRCA Bull of the Year and at the WNFR, he bucked off Garrett Tribble in Round 2 and Boudreaux Campbell in Round 9. c Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
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New Date!
APRIL 5, 2019 - 11AM FORT MACLEOD AUCTION
Box 1330 • Fort Macleod, AB T0L 0Z0 • 1-888-553-7715
www.livestock.ab.ca Contacts: Darren Shaw 403-601-5165 Allan Lively 403-627-7776 • Justin Keeley 403-627-6534
Many thanks to Jack Daines for his tireless work on the Alberta Circuit over the years and to Glenda Thompson for the outstanding administrative help!
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Chain Lakes Yearling Classic Sale: August 2019 Western Canadian Video Sale: September 2019
te!! Save the da est rg la ’s a d 2 of Cana video sales!
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Pro Rodeo Canada Insider
Craig Weisgerber winning Round 5 in 3.5 seconds at the 2018 CFR in Red Deer
WEISGERBER & REGGIE HORSEPOWER MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE By TIM ELLIS
Ask steer wrestler Craig Weisgerber why his 2018 season was far more productive than his previous eight years on the Pro Rodeo Canada trail, and his answer is simple: “I don’t know.” If you delve further into trying to find an explanation, that’s when the 30-year-old comes up with more detail. “I would have to say horsepower made the biggest difference for me,” explains Weisgerber, who finished a career-best sixth in the 2018 Canadian Pro Rodeo standings, with $34,251 in earnings. “The overall theme during the season was drawing good, scoring good and having it all work out in the end. “I was bouncing around jumping in different trucks with different guys and bouncing around with different horses the past couple of years. It was hard to get in a groove.” 44
Then along came Reggie, the bulldogging mount bought by Bo Anderson late in the 2017 season, which seems to fit Weisgerber to a “T”. “I rode him at Armstrong and won the Todd Boggust jackpot on him back in 2017,” says the Ponoka, Alta., cowboy of his first rides on the seven-year-old bay gelding. “I told Bo that wherever that horse goes, I’d like to go with you. “He’s a solid, honest horse. Easy to ride and let’s me do my job. He let me have so many more opportunities. I have total confidence in him, and I started being more confident in my own ability. I started to ask myself, ‘why can’t it be me?’” The partnership helped Weisgerber qualify for his second Canadian Finals Rodeo, the first coming back in 2011. “Some years I was top 15, sometimes I was top 20 and other years I wasn’t even on
the radar,” recalls Weisgerber of the previous seasons in between CFR qualifications. “I guess it definitely shows dedication. I put in the same amount of work each year. “That was seven years ago, and some guys have bigger gaps than that, so I felt fortunate to get back. The draw and who can handle the pressure seems to separate who makes the finals and who doesn’t. There were 25 guys late in the season who still had a chance to qualify — it was crazy. You couldn’t stub your toe because you knew the guy behind you wasn’t going to.” Weisgerber ended the regular season in fifth spot, his highest ever finish, with over $21,000 — two-thirds of that coming from wins at the Manitoba Stampede in Morris and the Finning Pro Tour Shootout in Armstrong, B.C., and from placing deep at his hometown Ponoka Stampede. And to cap off the comeback season, last year’s CFR just happened to be only twenty minutes from Weisgerber’s ranch. “There were lots of people in the crowd who knew who I was,” quips Weisgerber, who won the fifth round at the Finals at the Centrium in Red Deer back in early November with a 3.5-second run. “That was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.” c
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
PHOTO BY BILLIE-JEAN DUFF
CPRA photo by Billie-Jean-Duff
Kamloops Cowboy Festival --- March 14th - 17th, 2019 This will be the 23rd Anniversary!! presented by
The BC Cowboy Heritage Society
www.bcchs.com
Featuring the Best in Cowboy Poetry Western Music
Check our web site for special accommodation rates at the Coast Kamloops Hotel
1-888-763-2221
A Cowboy Trade Show with quality exhibitors displaying western products
The Art of the West Show and Sale proudly sponsored by Canadian Cowboy Country ~ flatwork ~ sculptures ~ photography Traveling from Alberta or Saskatchewan? Take a motor coach & don't worry about the driving. See our web site for details!
a full Festival weekend pass is only $80
AUCTION HIGHLIGHT Much more than a Western art exhibition and sale, The Russell is a Western art experience!
M A RC H 21‒23, 2 019 Join us at The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum. The Russell is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious and fun western art events in the world. It is set to impress once again, offering competitive bidding for significant works by highlyacclaimed historic and contemporary Western artists. Charles M. Russell (1864‒1926), Approach of White Men, 1897, oil on canvas, 24 ⅛ x 34 ⅛ inches
400 13 th Street North | Great Falls, Montana | (406) 7271939 | cmrussell.org cowboycountrymagazine.com
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PROUD TO BE IN OUR COMMUNITY
1-888-Finning | Finning.com 346-6464
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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2018/January 2019
CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER
Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery
Yep. Good fences make for good neighbours.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
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COWBOY CHURCHES It is not what we have in life, but It is not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters. who we have in our life that matters.
Nechako Valley Cowboy Church Last Sun. of every month, 7 p.m., Nechako Community Church Building, Hwy 16 E, Vanderhoof, B.C., 250‑567‑4960 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, north of Caroline, Alta., 403-844-6641 Community Cowboy Church Every Tue., 7-8 p.m., Niton Community Hall, Main St., Niton, Alta., 780-795-2326
Specializing in Rodeo, Ranch & Humourous Fine Artworks!
Cowboy Trail Church Every Tue., 7 p.m., Cochrane Ranche House, 101 Ranchehouse Rd., Cochrane, Alta., 403‑638‑4254
Now showing at our gallery in Senlac, Saskatchewan Open Sundays from 1 – 5 pm
Heartland Cowboy Church 1st and 3rd Tue. of every month, 7 p.m., Stettler Agriplex, 4516‑52 St., Stettler, Alta., 780-877-2331
Follow Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery
James River Cowboy Church Every Wed., 7 p.m., James River Community Hall, 2.5km S of James River store or 11.5km N of Sundre on RR 53, Alta., 403‑638‑6439 Pipestone Cowboy — Cowgirl Church 2nd Mon. of every month, 7 p.m., Pipestone Café, Hwy 795, 11 km north from junction Hwy 13 and 795, Pipestone, Alta., 780-312-8653
For information call toll free: 1-800-530-0131
St. Albert Cowboy Church Every Fri., 7 p.m., 60 Liberton Dr., St. Albert, Alta., 780-459-2222 The Cowboy Church Every Fri., 7:30 p.m., Centre Park Church, 52 Peacock Dr., 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., 780‑384‑2114
Hugh McLennan & Western Spirit
Hosts Hugh & Billie McLennan and Cruise Vacations invite you to join them at the Westerner in Red Deer, AB for a night of socializing with past cruisers and entertainment
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Willow Valley Cowboy Church 2nd Sun. of every month 10:00 a.m., 26016 Hwy 595, 15 km east of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Alta., 403-347-0206 Battlefords Cowboy Church 1st and 3rd Thur. of every month, 7 p.m., Legion Hall, 22 St., Battleford, Sask., 306-937-2733 Diamond C Cowboy Church Every Tue., 7:30 p.m., 208 Sidney St., Maple Creek, Sask., 306‑662‑3431 Cowboy Valley Church 4054 PR 432 Morden, Man., 204-822-9909
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
WHO WANTS A VACATION? OUR READERS DO! CALL NOW to book your ad space for our Annual Western Vacation Guide in our next issue Guest Ranches · Trail Rides · Rodeos · Events & Gatherings · Attractions · Adventures · Tours
Kristine Wickheim
1 800 943 7336
kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com cowboycountrymagazine.com
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cowboycountrymagazine.com 49
COWBOY POETRY
Tall Men Riding By S. OMAR BARKER
This is the song that the night birds sing As the phantom herds trail by, Horn by horn where the long plains fling Flat miles to the Texas sky.
Hoof dust flies at the low moon’s rise, And the bullbat’s lonesome whir Is an echoed note from a longhorn throat Of a steer, in the days that were.
Oh, the high hawk knows where the rabbit goes, And the buzzard marks the kill, But few there be with eyes to see The Tall Men riding still.
Inch by inch time draws the cinch, Till the saddle will creak no more, And they who were lords of the cattle hordes Have tallied their final score.
They hark in vain on the speeding train For an echo of hoofbeat thunder, And the yellow wheat is a winding sheet For cattle trails plowed under.
This is the song that the night birds wail Where the Texas plains lie wide, Watching the dust of a ghostly trail, Where the phantom Tall Men ride!
PHOTO BY SPIRIT OF AMERICA/ADOBE STOCK
S. (Squire) Omar Barker (1895–1985) (he signed his letters Lazy SOB) lived in Las Vegas, New Mexico and was a prodigious freelance writer, Spanish teacher, statesman, novelist and most importantly to the cowboy poetry world, was the author of five books of poetry (Winds of the Mountains, 1922; Buckaroo Ballads, 1929; Sunlight Through the Trees, 1954; Songs of the Saddleman, 1954; and Rawhide Rhymes, 1968)
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Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
$64,000 BARREL RACING EVENT
May 31–June 2 2019 at CSR Bozeman, MT IN CONJUNCTION WITH 5/31–6/1 $15,000 2D Futurity & $7500 1D Derby
+ Futurity Bonus $5000 Future Fortunes and $5000 Triple Crown 100 +$1000 Western Fortunes Futurity & $1000 Western Fortunes Derby +$3500 Added BBI Futurity | Derby Sidepots
WPRA, BRR & NWBRA (Pending Approval) $5000 Added Open 5D Saturday $5000 Triple Crown 100 Bonus Saturday $250 Added 3D Youth Sidepot $5000 Added Classic Open 5D Sunday $10,000 Future Fortunes Bonus to Open 5D $250 Added 3D Youth Sidepot $500 Added 2D Futurity Sidepot UBRC Sidepots Enter On Site
A Christian Fundraiser for Families of Western Heritage For more information and forms visit CopperSpringRanch.com
The Classic Snap Your shirt should be as tough as you are, and when you put on a classic snap Wrangler, you know it will stretch and move along with you. Shop all the classic cuts in the eye catching shades you love at Lammle’s Western Wear.
Live your own west
Calgary • Cochrane • Edmonton • Fort Saskatchewan • Spruce Grove • Red Deer • Lethbridge • Camrose • Medicine Hat
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lammles.com
Canadian Cowboy Country February/March 2019
Lloydminster • Olds • Strathmore • West Kelowna • Kamloops • Prince Albert • Regina • Saskatoon