COWBOY CANADIAN
COUNTRY
Fabulous Flundra! NIKI’S HORSE LIFE
plus Vintage Art of Neil Hamelin Hail to "The King" Kelly Sutherland Cowboy Influencers Western Fashion
PM# 40070720
JUNE/JULY 2023 • $6.95
CELEBRATING 150TH RCMP MUSICAL RIDE
FLAPJACKS & BBQ
A COWBOY’S DREAM CROSS-BORDER ROUND-UP
CONTENTS JUNE/JULY 2023 | VOLUME 27, NO.1
FEATURES
33
30 W ESTERN FASHION INFLUENCERS
Tyson, Brittney, Audi — three leading style setters in the Canadian West
33 H AIL TO "THE KING"!
Living Legend Kelly Sutherland, the greatest chuckwagon competitor the sport has ever known
37 R CMP 150 TH CELEBRATION — PART 2 OF 3
The stunning beauty and precision of the famous RCMP Musical Ride
42 CROSS-BORDER ROUND-UP (PART 1 OF 2)
A recounting of the 71-day gather that ranged from Malta, Montana to the Cypress Hills
55 W HAT WORKS FOR US
Doug and Carol Schaffer on handling studs at Sandy Ridge Stallion Station
DEPARTMENTS
PHOTO BILLY MELVILLE COLLECTION
Kelly’s first Calgary Stampede win as a driver in 1974 with the Norman Nilson outfit. Kelly, kneeling in front, his outriders in the back from left, Roy David, Randy Fisher, Richard Fisher and Butch David (sitting)
ON THE COVER: Fabulous Flundra! Horse trainer, pyrotechnics expert, and founder of Heart of the Horse Niki Flundra, on Dan James' gelding, Swampy. Story on page 58. Photo by Meagan Piller Photography
@cowboycountrymag cowboycountrymagazine.com
@CowboyCntryMag
5 7 13 13 14 15 16 17 21 22 24 40 46 47 53 54 62
MY POINT OF VIEW IN THE CORRAL BOOK REVIEW GIDDY UP SPIRIT OF THE WEST WHEEL TO WHEEL REFLECTIONS ARTS & CULTURE PORTRAIT WESTERN COLLECTOR IN STYLE COUNTRY COOKING TRAILBLAZERS HOMEGROWN PRO RODEO CANADA INSIDER ROAD TO THE CFR CLOWNIN’ AROUND COWBOY POETRY
@CanadianCowboyCountry 3
June/July 2023 Vol. 27, No. 1
Proud Member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Field Editor Craig Coulliard craig@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director Shannon Swanson shannon@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner circ @cowboycountrymagazine.com Accounting/Administrator Marie Tanner admin@cowboycountrymagazine Columnists Tim Ellis, Fred Hauck, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Greg Shannon, Bryn Thiessen Contributors Tyson Cardinal, Brittney Chomistek, CrAsh Cooper, Neil Hamelin, Billy Melville, Harry Otterson, Barb & Dave Poulsen, Tammy Pugh, Tom Reardon, Audi Roy, Sandy Ridge Stallion Station Tanner Young Publishing Group Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 Tel: 780-465-3362 | Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @cowboycountrymagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 1 Year: $29.00 incl. tax | 2 Years: $46.00 incl. tax Single Copy: $6.95 + tax Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40070720 ISSN 1701-1132 Please return undeliverable addresses to: Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine c/o Tanner Young Publishing Group Administration Office Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 FREELANCE POLICY Canadian Cowboy Country welcomes freelance contributions but will not be held responsible for unsolicited text or photographs. Direct all freelance enquiries to: freelance@cowboycountrymagazine.com PRIVACY POLICY At Tanner Young Publishing Group, we value your privacy. For our complete privacy policy go to tanneryoung.com/privacy.html or call us at 1-800-943-7336 Canadian Cowboy Country makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. This magazine is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, and Magazines Canada, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors. Visit albertamagazines.com
“This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.” «Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.»
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
MY POINT OF VIEW
If Wishes Were Horses…
My young friend, Houston Parsonage, and me drawing a bead on targets with his scope-mounted .22 calibre rifles. Houston, a crack shot (he practices, he doesn’t just wish to be a crack shot), is in the Top Five shootists in the Saskatchewan Junior High School Rodeo rankings.
E
very editor has a wish list, and one of my favourite articles begins in this issue. It’s all about a time we’ll never see again, the time “before the wire” — when cowboys rode as kings, and their future held endless possibilities. Whether you’re roping, swatting flies or holding a rain dance, it’s all about the timing. For me, the “discovery” of the Charlie Russell painting sporting the Circle Diamond brand of the outfit central to this piece sealed the deal about publishing this first-hand account of this massive, 71-day gather. It all came together easily, so I knew the timing was right. Tom drew the map to orient folks, and the Montana Historical Society let us use the Russell painting (for a small admin fee). Some will simply look at the painting and blow by it. But those who have ridden without wire, and those who have longed to, will love the Cross-Border article. Enjoy! We continue our three-part Salute to the 150th Anniversary of the RCMP. Here in
Part Two, the focus is on the world-famous Musical Ride. I’d venture to guess that every kid that read The Black Stallion series secretly wanted to own a stallion. Some of us have done this, and some have methodically made it their life’s work. I had the great pleasure of visiting with Doug and Carol Schaffer about what it takes to run a stallion station, and it’ll open your eyes. Plus, I enjoyed a visit with our cover girl, the incomparable Niki Flundra. Niki is a woman who has elevated her unique horse training skills into an international reputation for excellence. And speaking of excellence, we are featuring the gorgeous art of Neil Hamelin. Our Trailblazer is horseman Ed Pugh — now there’s a man I wish I’d known. I’ve always liked the saying, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” What it means is that it takes work to accomplish your dreams, and no amount of simply wishing will make them come true. So saddle up and ride — wherever you are in Canadian Cowboy Country.
— Terri Mason, Editor
cowboycountrymagazine.com
CONTRIBUTORS
HARRY OTTERSON
TAMMY PUGH
TOM REARDON
Harry Otterson (circa 1952) oversaw the 1905 cross-border round-up. A year later, he and his wife immigrated to Saskatchewan. He was a ranch manager for the rest of his working life.
Tammy Pugh is the granddaughter of Trailblazer Ed Pugh. Tammy and her daughter, Christina, are the fifth and sixth-generation ranchers on the Pugh Ranch near Dorothy, Alta.
Tom Reardon, now of Maple Creek, Sask, spent much of his life in the saddle working cattle on some of the world’s last great ranges of native grass.
Cross-Border Round-Up, pg 42
Trailblazer Ed Pugh, pg 40
RCMP Musical Ride, pg 37
CAROLINE COWBOY MUSIC AND POETRY GATHERING September 15 & 16 Caroline Community Hall, Caroline, AB Platinum Sponsors
ENTERTAINERS INCLUDING Allen Christie with Riley Tubbs — Amber Williams BJ Smith — Ben Crane — Bryn Thiessen — Doc Mehl Doris Daley — Ed Brown — Ed Peekeekoot John Glawson (Ole Ugly) — Mel Brown Tim Hus Band — Ryan Fritz TICKETS can be purchased at the CAROLINE HOTEL, ROCKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE or etransfer to carolinegathering2023@gmail.com (please include your name) WEEKEND PASS $100 per person DAY PASS $60 per person All inside Caroline Community Hall, 5103 - 48th Ave, Caroline AB For more details follow us on Facebook
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
IN THE CORRAL
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ PICTURELAKE
//// EVENTS & HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE WEST ////
“He’s Moving Like A Tremendous Machine!” Celebrate Secretariat’s still unbeaten record, page 10
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IN THE CORRAL
THE GIFT
2022 World Champion Layne MacGillivray on Day 4 at Century Downs.
SOME OF THE best have come back together and resurrected the show of shows for Western music lovers. The show is called The Gift, and a revolving troupe of some of the best in music come together and sing the hits from Ian Tyson’s considerable catalogue. Named after Tyson’s tribute to Western artist Charlie Russell, this show, originally slated to be a “one-off,” spawned a touring tribute and a massively successful CD. If you miss Ol’ Eon (and who doesn’t?), you’ll love this show. For more, visit peternorthmusic.com/the-gift
CHUCKS AT DOWNS
TINSEL (COW) TOWN!
Getting directions from the director on Jasper Street in Maple Creek, Sask.
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EAGLE-EYED MOVIEGOERS will be searching for familiar faces in an upcoming movie after 200+ residents of Maple Creek signed up as extras for A Cowboy Christmas, a romantic movie featuring Maple Creek and Historic Reesor Ranch. Horses, cowboys, the Cypress Hills and romance — the movie, produced by Trilight Entertainment, is expected to be released for Christmas. Maple Creek town workers brought in more snow and re-decorated the streets. The downtown businesses also re-decorated their storefronts with a Christmas theme. The movie stars are Teagan Vincze, who plays New York executive Ella Wade, and Brennan Martin, who plays ranch owner Cole Reesor. In an unusual twist, Reesor Ranch will still be called Reesor Ranch; the Daily Grind coffee shop will keep its name, as will the western store, Hill Country Clothing. Producer Shane Putzlocher believes Maple Creek will benefit from exposure in the movie. “I hope it’s good for the town and community. This movie will be seen all over the world.” It’ll be fun to see a local town on the big screen, and there will be kissing under the mistletoe. I guarantee it.
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO COLEUR BY PIXABAY; SHELLIE SCOTT; MARCUS DAY
THE DEAL HAS been signed, and it’s official — the 2023 World Professional Chuckwagon association outfits will race again at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino. Due to Covid, all fun everywhere was cancelled, including the races in 2020 and 2021. The WPCA returned in 2022, with Calgary Stampede Champion Kris Molle winning the show title and Layne MacGillivray capturing the World title. The WPCA races will be the official World Final event of the 2023 WPCA season. The feature race is the $75,000 championship on the final Sunday. “We have already started planning to ensure this year’s event provides an even better fan experience for everyone in attendance,” said GM Jackie Morrison. Century Downs is located a little north of Calgary along the QEII highway. The WPCA World Finals will be held August 23–27. For more, visit wpca.com or cnty.com
IN THE CORRAL
CANADA’S OLDEST RODEO GETS NEW HOME IT WAS THE first Stampede in Canada, and now, the Raymond Stampede is moving. It’s been at the same address since 1902, a location donated ages ago by a local family, but now, the town’s mayor, Jim Depew, says the site is needed to expand the community’s high school. Local resident and lifelong rodeo fan Ron Heggie and his family rode to the rescue of the 121-year-old rodeo by donating 14 valuable acres for new rodeo grounds. Heggie and the town worked out an agreement, and his family is excited about the decision. “I want to see the land used for nothing but recreational purposes. I don’t want to see somebody come in, take hold of it, and use it for profit,” he said. “Rodeo’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I want the tradition to continue.” The Raymond Stampede (June 29–July 1) will celebrate this location’s final perf July 1. The committee and volunteers will have the new site ready to crack the latch in 2024.
“Power” — The Dances Series Artist Dimitri Sireno, 36”x48”, Acrylic on canvas
PHOTO CREDIT: TOURISM LETHBRIDGE/UPPERCASECREATIVE.CA
WESTERN ART SHOW ARE YOU HEADING to the old cowtown and the greatest indoor show on earth, the Western Art Show at the Calgary Stampede? Here’s what’s new and happening! Along with the varied and talented lineup of singers and musicians, the Window on the West Stage is having a Chuckwagon Song Writing Contest. Songs must be no longer than 138 seconds. Songwriters will sing their song celebrating 100 years of chuckwagon racing. Be there to listen and cast your vote in this fun contest. We've all been missing it, and now the Stampede is excited to announce that returning this year is the Photo Competition! The winners have been announced on Calgary Stampede’s social media sites, and, thanks to the Historical Committee, a historical chuckwagon will be displayed in the show. Come and see how it all began! There will be 51 artists in Artists’ Studios, including new artist Dimitri Sirenko, a Canadian artist whose previous career was in video games and art direction of animated cinematics and tv shows. These unique experiences allowed him to develop an expressive style with a unique depiction of lighting All this, and enjoy a glass of wine at the Oasis! For more, visit calgarystampede.com.
cowboycountrymagazine.com
A hard-charging barrel racer heading into a turn at the CPRA-sanctioned pro rodeo, the Raymond Stampede in Raymond, Alta.
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IN THE CORRAL
“A TREMENDOUS MACHINE!”
HALL OF FAME! CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL-deserved accolades to phenomenal fiddler Calvin Vollrath and photographer extraordinaire Bill Borgwardt! Calvin Vollrath has composed over 800 tunes (many of which have become international fiddle standards), recorded 72 albums, plus produced numerous music books of his original tunes. He has played on hundreds of recordings, including Ian Tyson, Brett Kissel and many more, and shared the stage with acts like Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, and Jess Lee. In 2011, he was inducted into the North American Fiddler’s Hall of Fame in New York. The Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society touts Calvin as “one of the driving forces behind the revitalization of fiddle music.” Photographer Bill Borgwardt has been
involved with the media and employed in the photographic, motion picture and television industries since 1966. Bill has been involved in the Canadian country music industry since the 90s, volunteering his shooting and organizing skills to Global Country Canada. He helps organize and promote Global Country programs, concerts, and events. Since 2004, Bill has also been the road manager for the annual tour of Global Country Star Search winners to Nashville and the North American Country Music Associations International competition in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In 2011 he was presented with the Bev Munro Award by the Association of Canadian Country Music Legends for his support of country music in Alberta and across Canada.
2023 MARKS THE 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s iconic Triple Crown win. Affectionately known as “Big Red,” the chestnut stallion raced into the hearts of a nation in 1973. He set a speed record for the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5). He won the Preakness Stakes (1 3/16 miles in 1:53; stakes record), and it was in the Belmont Stakes (1 1/2 miles in 2:24; stakes and track record) that Secretariat not only became the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 25 years, but he also won the race by a world-record 31 lengths. All of these records still stand today. Secretariat forever cemented his name — as well as the names of his owner Penny Chenery, jockey Ron Turcotte, and trainer Lucien Laurin — into racing history. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974. After Secretariat’s death due to laminitis in 1989, a necropsy found that his heart weighed an estimated 22 pounds — more than twice the size of a typical Thoroughbred’s heart. “I don’t think we will ever see another horse like him,” said Secretariat’s Triple Crown-winning rider Ron Turcotte from his Canadian hometown of Grand Falls, New Brunswick. “He had it all — the temperament, the ability, the soundness and the versatility. To me, he was the perfect horse. He loved to compete, and he loved to run.”
“
It is not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.”
Check our Facebook page to see where Ash will be next: Follow Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTOS COURTESY COUNTRY MUSIC OF ALBERTA
Specializing in Rodeo, Ranch & Humourous Fine Artworks!
IN THE CORRAL
EVERYTHING EQUINE!
SIPPOLA WINS AT THE HORSE EXPO CANADA EVEN THOUGH HE’S started colts for years, Dustin Sippola is relatively new to colt starting competitions. Dustin won that event, the 2022 Heart of the Horse in Brooks, the 2022 Saskatchewan Equine Expo in Saskatoon, and recently, the Trainer’s Challenge at The Horse Expo Canada in Red Deer. “I picked a blue roan colt that I figured had lots of life in him,” explained the two-time CFR saddle bronc finalist. “If they are too dull, it’s hard to keep them focused.” His methods impressed the three judges who awarded him the top spot. Wylene Wilson was very entertaining and an obvious fan favourite. “The goal of Horse Expo is to create a place for the entire equine industry to come together. I think we’ve started down the right path for that.” explained event Executive Director Ryan Gordon. The next Horse Expo is April 26–28, 2024. For more, visit horseexpo.ca. .
Listen to
THE TRAINERS CHALLENGE at Everything Equine on the Border held in Lloydminster was a huge success and enthralled the audience. The competitors were Trevor Mertes, Braden Bernier, and Kade Mills; this year’s winner was Braden Bernier. He’ll be returning in 2024 to defend his title. The tradeshow, which featured everything equine, was very well attended, and the big draw for the kids was their Dummy Roping Competition. The top finishers all received youth ropes. The inspiring barrel racer Amberley Snyder hosted a sold-out afternoon session on mental health and preparation for competition. The well-attended banquet followed her session. Amberley is the barrel racer paralyzed from the waist down (from a vehicle accident) who has gone on to keep competing and speaking at events across North America. Her story is inspirational, and many of her fans were pleased to have the chance to meet her. The 2024 event is already in the planning stages in Lloydminster, so make plans to attend!
Amberley Snyder speaking at Lloydminster
THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST “Radio Program” Ride through the Rangeland of the West every week
Celebrating over 30 YEARS
of Stories Great Western Music Horse Training Advice And much more
with Hugh McLennan
Hear it on your favourite radio station or on demand at Hugh-McLennan.com Check out the new Spirit of the West Facebook page too!
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IN THE CORRAL
– June/Ju
02 3 –
23
2 ly
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CANADIAN COWBOY?
Library of Congress THE LIBRARY OF Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C. that serves as the library of the U.S. Congress and the de facto national library of the United States. Founded in 1800, the library is the United States’ oldest federal cultural institution. The LOC is one of the largest libraries in the world, containing approximately 173 million items in its collections. The library is open for research to the public, including Martin Grams, Jr, a Pulitzer-nominated American pop culture historian who has written extensively on radio, television and motion pictures, including (among many) Renfrew of the Mounted, featured in our Apr/May 2023 issue.
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FIT FOR A QUEEN I HAVE HAD a fun spring, topped off with a cool set of new wheels! As Miss Rodeo Canada, I have got to be a part of some really fun activities like “Cowboy Curling” at the Crowsnest Pass Skijoring event. For those of you that have not watched it, cowboy curling is a rider towing another person on an inner tube (the curling rock) around a corner and then launching the “rock” at the curling target. Whoever is closest to the center target wins! I made a pretty good rock as my team won first place. Only one pylon was harmed during the launch. March was also when I received my new Dodge Ram Longhorn 1500 truck, and I am so excited about all the places “Stickers” and I will go! As I drive across Alberta this June and July, I’m heading north to Grande Prairie and Lea Park and then south to Innisfail, Sundre, and High River. Then I’m turning around and heading back to my hometown of Ponoka for the Ponoka Stampede! Being last year’s Miss Ponoka Stampede and being from the area is a nice way to end my June and a great place to spend my birthday! At the beginning of July, I’m heading to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede. Then I’m going international as I head south to Cheyenne, Wyoming for their famous Frontier Days. I am blessed to be attending many CPRA rodeos this year, so be sure to stop by for a visit and an autograph! With Gratitude Mackenzie Skeels Miss Rodeo Canada 2023
COWGIRLS’ ALMANAC THE DUST HAS barely settled from the Cowgirl Cattle Company Rendezvous held in May, and now we can share this news! The Cowgirl Cattle Company and Canada’s greatest Western magazine, Canadian Cowboy Country, partnered up to produce the first “Cowgirls’ Almanac.” “Cowgirls” includes all ranch women and those whose heart is in this lifestyle, and you are invited to be a part of this historic publication. The Almanac will include sayings, sage advice, ranch family histories and their brands,
remedies, photos, and old-time recipes. This book will also recognize past and present cowgirls for their contributions to ranching and rodeo in Western Canada over the last century and beyond. The Cowgirls’ Almanac will be lighthearted, educational, humorous and a great read! To contribute to what will be a terrific historypreserving book, visit cowgirlcattlecompany. com, and send in your wisdom!
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
GIDDY UP WITH GREG SHANNON
I CAN DO THAT
THE RANGELAND DERBY 100 YEARS OF CHUCKWAGON RACING AT THE CALGARY STAMPEDE
Celebrating the centennial of chuckwagon racing at its birthplace, the Calgary Stampede, author Glen Mikkelsen’s book has some tantalizing tales of life on the track and behind the barns of the legendary rodeo grounds in Calgary. This is the author’s third book on the Canadian West’s unique sport, which has enthralled and entertained fans, from royalty to rock stars, for a century. As fans know, chuckwagon racing is not just one guy on the lines but involves whole families, multi-generations of people and horses who attract sponsors and international attention. Along with the great tales, facts and information are also included, from photo credits to Calgary champs, major rules, wrecks and triumphs. Read it, and you’ll be drawn into a sport that perhaps you never knew existed, a world so unique that, to quote Vern Nolin, “Only 70 guys in the world do it.” Rangeland Derby: 100 Years of Chuckwagon Racing at the Calgary Stampede | By Glen Mikkelsen | 352 pages | Folklore Publishing | folklorepublishing.com
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Not long ago, I discovered a treasure trove of the late Ian Tyson’s work on YouTube, including a relaxed interview and performance on Texas Connection, the show hosted by Jerry Jeff Walker. The two legends seemed like brothers from another mother as they reminisced about holding down bar stools at the Kettle of Fish restaurant in Manhattan in the ’60s. Ian said it was there that he first heard “Bobby” (Bob Dylan) sing “Blowin’ in the Wind.” His first thought afterwards was, “I can do that.” He quickly said, “But, as it turned out, no one could.” Ian was inspired and wrote his first song the day after. “Four Strong Winds” was recorded by Ian and Sylvia Tyson in the summer of 1963 and has since been covered by artists around the world, including luminaries like the Jordanaires, the Carter Family, John Denver, Johnny Cash and fellow Canadian Neil Young. The song resonated with audiences everywhere and generated healthy royalties. Ian used some of the proceeds from Young’s version for a down payment on a ranch in the foothills near Longview, where he raised cattle and cutting horses. To say that Ian Tyson had a major impact on Alberta artists wouldn’t be overstating.
“Four Strong Winds” was the first song a young Paul Brandt learned to play on guitar. His mom was so impressed that she sprung for lessons. That turned out pretty well. Wainwright’s Ryan Lindsay felt compelled to pay homage on his new project Seasons with an understated cover of “Summer Wages.” Ryan told me he was nervous about cutting it and decided the best way was to just ‘get out of the way of the song.’ “We stripped it back, recorded the instruments together in a friend’s house in Winnipeg, and I recorded the vocals on a vintage-style mic at another friend’s studio.” After Ian Tyson’s passing, Corb Lund posted a heartfelt tribute. “...Canada and the world has lost a legendary songwriter, performer and lifelong advocate for the romance and reality of the West. His music and presence will be missed by myself and by many others. But I’ll miss his friendship the most.” Four strong winds that blow lonely Seven seas that run high All those things that don’t change come what may But our good times are all gone And I’m bound for movin’ on I’ll look for you if I’m ever back this way…
Greg Shannon 840 CFCW Morning Show Co-Host Hear Greg Shannon & Co-Host Stella Stevens weekday mornings on 840 CFCW! Email Greg with column suggestions: greg@cfcw.com
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SPIRIT OF THE WEST
Catching Horses BY HUGH MCLENNAN
G
eat competitors are not always great horsemen. Something interesting happened when three successful performance horse riders took a trip to a guest ranch for a horseback holiday. One was a dressage rider from the West Coast, one competed successfully in Western pleasure and reining, and one was a successful show jumper. They all owned good horses and kept them at a boarding facility. They learned more from this guest ranch experience about reading horse behaviour than they did from their years of competition. They didn't bring their own horses. Meadow Springs Guest Ranch had a string of solid, reliable horses that were turned out in a forty-acre pasture each night. The first morning, Kathy McMillan told each guest which horse they'd ride, pointed them out in the pasture, gave them each a halter and said: "Go catch your horse."
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That's where their education began. Kathy could walk out with her halter and catch any horse anytime. These three experienced riders gave up in frustration after nearly an hour of coaxing, chasing, cursing, and trying to corner their assigned mounts. Finally, Kathy smiled and said, "OK, watch this." She walked up to the first horse until he raised his head and looked at her. Then she looked at the ground. The horse continued to look at her. She took a step sideways, and the horse rotated so he could continue watching her with both eyes. She took a step back, and the horse took a step forward and stopped. Kathy walked up to him. The horse lowered his head and put his nose in the halter. These three riders always kept their horses in a box stall, on a hot walker, or tied somewhere. They never had the opportunity to learn how to catch their own horse.
As Kathy explained, catching a horse in a 12’x12’ box stall doesn't require nearly as much savvy as catching one out in a big pasture, but in most cases, it can be done if a person can learn to read the horse. These three riders learned a lot from Kathy about how to use body position, body language and the ability to recognize what the horse is thinking. This experience helped them with their horses when they got back home. It's not uncommon to see horses turned out in a pasture or paddock, still wearing a halter. The reason usually is that's the only way they can be caught. I see a couple of things wrong with that practice. Most importantly, it's dangerous. Many horses have been injured or killed from having the hatter snag on a fence, a limb or something else. Also, it shows the owner still needs to learn the art of catching a horse. c
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO COURTESY HUGH MCLENNAN
(left) Kathy McMillan
WHEEL TO WHEEL
Thanks to the Chuckwagon Races BY BILLY MELVILLE
PHOTO FROM BILLY MELVILLE COLLECTION
T
he Calgary Stampede has always billed itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” What makes it great is the combination of all the events the Stampede offers — the Rangeland Derby, rodeo, midway, Nashville North, Draft Horse Town, the Young Canadians, the pancake breakfasts, the parade, etc. Each of these events enjoys varying levels of popularity and prestige, each has created its traditions, and the combination has made the Stampede the iconic event it is in the eyes of the world. The chuckwagon races are arguably the most iconic event at the Calgary Stampede. Like the Stampede, whose reach goes far beyond the 10-day festival in July, the reach of the “chucks” goes far beyond the racetrack. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the chuckwagon races in 2023, let us look at the reach and traditions created by the chuckwagon races of the Calgary Stampede. We start with the classic tradition celebrating 100 years — the pancake breakfast. Originally a publicity stunt by chuckwagon driver Jack Morton and his crew, ever since that day when Morton’s ranch cook Horace Inkster started cooking flapjacks on his cast iron stove and handing them out to fans, the flapjack tradition has stayed. There are countless pancake breakfasts every day in the city and surrounding area. The “Stampede Breakfasts” is the one event that connects everyone to the Calgary Stampede — a tradition made possible thanks to the chuckwagon races. The Stampede is one of Canada’s largest music festivals, and Wilf Carter is regarded as the father of Canadian country music. Wilf Carter worked for chuckwagon driver Jim Ross as a barn hand and as an outrider in the late 1920s. Ross asked Wilf to perform off Ross’ wagon at one of the famed Stampede breakfasts. Here, Carter
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Billy’s grandfather, Orville Strandquist and his wagon at a pancake breakfast
was discovered by CFCN Radio, which ultimately launched his career — made possible thanks to the chuckwagon races. The Stampede draws high-profile people from around the world, notably Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. Of all the Stampede events they experienced, only the chuckwagon races caused the royal itinerary to be behind schedule, as the royal couple insisted on staying until the last heat was run. Another Stampede tradition — staying until the last race, thanks to the chucks. It would take a book to list all the things the races have done for the Stampede and
the lives they have touched. From the Currie Barracks chuckwagon during World War II that boosted the morale of the Canadian troops to the millions of dollars it has raised for charities over the years through groups like, among others, the Mavericks Chuckwagon Team, and the indigenous cowboys whose presence continues to play a major role. Watching the chuckwagon races lures hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Without a doubt, the chuckwagon races are the one event that elevated the Calgary Stampede above any other event of its kind in the world. c
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REFLECTIONS
I’ve Never Seen a Horse Quite That Colour
The title is one of the many quotes I attribute to the late One-Eyed Wonder of Words, Don Wudel. As I’m writing this, it’s been over a month since we gathered to celebrate Don’s life and support one another. I and many others could write volumes on Donny’s impact and influence, but I’d like to trot over to the pasture this thought feeds in. If you travel the trail that leads to this pasture, it winds through dark timber, lofty vistas and rippling water courses. It’s the experiences and lessons that make up my life. The pasture is where I graze the opinions and observations I share in my interactions with others. Some of the thoughts that graze in the pasture include: • Even a dead clock is right twice a day • Even a blind squirrel will find the occasional pinecone • If you stand still, you will eventually be in the right place • Some of the time, you’re going to be right • It’s better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt • If you find yourself stuck in a hole, quit digging • If you can keep your head when everybody is losing theirs, you’re probably holding the axe • There’s no bad colour on a good horse These words of wisdom see beyond the obvious and see the value of what’s inside — especially the last gem.
It’s this last thought that I’d like to trot out. Yesterday my interactions included catching up with a guy I’d ridden for some years back. He was a tough guy to ride for but a great guy to have as a friend. As we talked about folks we knew and times we shared, we also shared some of our troubles and difficulties. Later I spent some time with a fellow pastor who had recently had a heart attack and then sat for a bit with a neighbour who is dying from pancreatic cancer. If we look back to the first horse (unique colour) it is often used to say something “nice” when there nothing else to say, but it’s also the freedom to not have to have all the answers. If you look at Christ’s dealing with people, He always had the question that led them to the answer they needed. His questions to the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-30) were different from his questions to the Samaritan Woman (John 4:4-42) but in each case, it’s what they needed. We, on our own, won’t have all the answers but 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have the “mind of Christ.’’ If you have answered His call, you can understand those words. One of them might be the one to carry you home. It’s the horse we ride (faith) that carries us to the pasture where we can gather these thoughts. 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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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ CANICULA
BY BRYN THIESSEN
ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
Go East, Young Man VINTAGE ART OF NEIL HAMELIN BY CRAIG COUILLARD
Out Of Range 28"x34" Acrylic on canvas
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ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
A
TOP: Signs Of Our Heritage 22"x33" Oil on board ABOVE: Out Of Season 22"x30" Oil on board
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re artists born with a gift, or does hard work and perseverance pay off? In the case of vintage artist Neil Hamelin, the answer is ‘yes’ to both. “I’ve never taken a professional art class or course. I’m completely self-taught,” explains Hamelin. “I took a high school art class once because I wanted to be near a certain girl,” he chuckled. “I had a talent that I didn’t know I had until a series of incidents forced me to take my life in a different direction.” Born and raised on the West Coast, Hamelin’s only exposure to farm and ranch life was visiting his grandparent's farm in Manitoba near Swan Hills and a summer gig working for a BC outfitter. Blessed with size and talent, he played hockey in the Western Hockey League with stints in Victoria and Seattle before back injuries sidelined his promising career. Disappointed but undeterred, he went to school to become an Aircraft
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT Maintenance Engineer working in the industry for several years. And Cheri, the girl in his high school art class, became his wife! A bad fall at work re-injured his back, and he was out of work for twoand-a-half years. From a once solid middle-class life, the Hamelins found themselves unemployed and quickly burning through their savings. He fell into a deep depression. With the encouragement of Cheri, he picked up a paintbrush. He was shocked to see how well his hand was responding to what his mind was seeing. “There was a familiarity there that I didn’t understand,” he explained. Having few other employment options, he painted a few pieces and found out there was a market for his work at various farmer markets and other venues. “I wasn’t painting your typical West Coast art. Being a mechanic, I’ve always been interested in old machinery and prairie scenes, so that’s what I started to paint. And it sold.” Even though he has natural talent, he literally paints seven days a week, honing his craft. “A lot of hard work, perseverance, failure, and some success has gone into my career.”
Peter And Hank 30"x38" Oil on board
Making A Nest A Home (In memory of Neil's momRenata Hamelin) 20"x30" Oil on board
Neil's coin design, the Royal Canadian Mint
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ARTS & CULTURE
PORTRAIT
ABOVE: Seeds Of Life 24"x40" Oil on board LEFT: Self Portrait — Neil Hamelin, Artist 18"x20" Oil on board
2016 was the turning point for the Hamelins, personally and professionally. “I was invited to exhibit at the Calgary Stampede Art Show. It was a phenomenal experience, and the response was great. We fell in love with the area and the people — it felt like home.” He was named Best 2-D Artist that year.
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In 2019, they purchased an acreage east of Calgary near the community of Langdon. “My vintage art inspiration literally comes from working farmers and ranchers in a 20km radius from my home.” “I’m always looking for the rust, the abandoned, the authentic,” explained Hamelin. “Every dent, scratch, scar, and wrinkle tells a story. I’m intrigued with the connection between man creating something and the hand of time decaying it.” In 2016, Hamelin was invited by The Royal Canadian Mint to compete for a coin — and he won. Since then, he’s been a regular contributor to the Mint. His most recent work was a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that was shown to her at Buckingham Palace. She approved it shortly before her passing.
Hamelin is quick to point out that there is no Neil without his wife, Cheri. “She carried me through some very dark times. She encourages and inspires me every day. I often say I don’t paint for the money, but I’m thankful she is my business manager.” Each piece of art carries Neil’s signature, and he also hides his wife’s name in every painting he creates. Since moving to Alberta, Cheri has also transformed from west coast girl to a teamster and wheelwright. She works at Alberta Carriage Supply, helping in the office, rebuilding wagons, and working with their draft horses in old-time farm demonstrations. The Hamelins' fully embody that often-used phrase of 'living the dream.' For more, www.neilhamelin.com, and visit his booth at the Calgary Stampede Art Show. c
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
WESTERN COLLECTOR 1923 CALGARY STAMPEDE BY FRED HAUCK
2023 marks the 100th anniversary since the 1923 Calgary Stampede, officially the 3rd Stampede, 1912 being the first, 1919 the second.
But 1923 is a significant year in the Stampede’s life. It was a year of firsts. The first official chuckwagon races took place, the first time a pancake breakfast was held, and most importantly, the amalgamation of the Exhibition and Stampede. The Exhibition had been an annual event since 1886. Stampede founder Guy Weadick initially wanted to join the Exhibition in 1912. Exhibition head, Ernie Richardson, declined due to the Stampede being new and having no guarantee of success. The 1919 Stampede was known as the “Victory Stampede” due to 1918 being the end of World War I and a time to celebrate. Prior to 1923 and 1919, Weadick put on two other Stampedes — one in Winnipeg (1913) and one at the Sheepshead Bay Speedway in New York City (1916). Guy was originally from New York. One interesting fact that I found while reading the 1916 New York Stampede program was that two events listed were chuckwagon races, and stagecoach races, each with two contestants. I found no rules regarding both, so I don’t know how the 1916 and 1923 races compare. The 1923 races featured old-time original range chuckwagons, complete with cast iron wood stove and water barrels. The rules included racing around the track and back to home base, unhitching the horses, and unloading the stove; the first smoke from the stove was the winner. Not necessarily the fastest outfit would win. Some drivers used kerosine-soaked straw in the firebox to entice a faster fire and smoke. Bill Somners was a 1923 winner, and another was Clem Gardner. Clem competed in 1912 and kept competing into the ’30s with his wagon outfit. Guy Weadick persuaded the 1923 wagons to form a parade in downtown Calgary. After the parade, they pulled out their stoves and cooked pancakes for the crowd. After the Saturday evening performance,
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2 everyone in the grandstand was treated to buffalo meat sandwiches. Stampede directors acted as waiters. The honourable Chas Stewart, Minister of the Interior for Canada, donated five buffalo to be barbequed for the special occasion of the opening of the Banff Windermere Highway. From 1923 on, there has been a Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, except in 2020. To my knowledge, the 1923 poster is the only one reproduced — once as an exact copy on paper and once on cloth — both in the 1970s. The 1923 poster, and posters for many years to follow, featured Edward Borein’s famous drawing entitled I-See-U featuring a cowboy on a bronc. A car window decal was produced as a souvenir, and Guy Weadick, as in years before, had an official photographer taking postcard photos to be reprinted and sold. c
4 1. 1923 postcard; roasting buffalo over a pit 2. A 1923 window decal advertising the Stampede and the Buffalo Barbeque 3. A cloth reproduction of the original 1923 poster 4. Edward, Prince of Wales, who owned the EP Ranch at Pekisko, Alta (south of Calgary) was featured on the program, as well as Ed Borein’s famous drawing, I-See-U
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IN STYLE
WESTERN STYLE SHIRTS FROM WORK TO PLAY
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Wrangler Men’s Shirt Premium performance, cowboy-cut long-sleeved, spread collar. Six solid colours by Wrangler. $67 CAD. wrangler.com
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Cruel Girl’s Girl’s geometric print button-down Western shirt, printed cotton, pink rhinestone snaps. $40USD cinchjeans.com
Riley & McCormick Ladies Shirt Ladies Western shirt with contrasting cuffs, snap closure. Outfit your whole company! McCormick Western Wholesale. realcowboys.com
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO: PIXABAY
COUNTRY COOKING
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
COUNTRY COOKING
Pancake Celebration Hotcakes, griddle cakes, flapjacks — call them want you want, they are a weekend staple!
SIMPLE HOMEMADE PANCAKES BY DIANA RATTRAY The beginning of a great feast begins with a simple recipe, and here’s one you can build on! In Alberta, a pancake breakfast is the stuff of legends. Combine this basic recipe and some delicious twists to turn a simple idea into a grand feast. This recipe makes enough for two people, but it’s easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled. Heat the griddle, and let’s get started!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 large egg, slightly beaten • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 3/4 cup milk
INSTRUCTIONS
1. C ombine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk or stir to blend thoroughly. 2. S tir in egg, oil, and milk. Mix lightly, just enough to blend. 3. G rease your griddle or cast iron frying pan
and heat to 350F (175C). (If unsure of temperature, flick a couple of drops of water into/onto the pan, water should rapidly bounce a couple of times, sizzle and be gone.) 4. D rop or pour equal amounts of batter onto the pan. Some folks use a measuring cup, a squeeze bottle or a ladle — whatever works for you. 5. A s the pancakes cook, when you see bubbles popping on the surface, flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
• Add about 3/4 cup of fresh cleaned blueberries to the pancake batter. • Fold about 1/3 cup of chopped pecans into the batter. • Buttermilk Pancakes: Decrease the baking powder to 1 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add about 1 cup of buttermilk, or enough to make a thick but pourable batter. • Add about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of miniature semisweet chocolate morsels to the batter.
PHOTO FROM BILLY MELVILLE COLLECTION
A CENTURY OF FLAPJACKS In 1923, Horace Inkster, the ranch camp cook for Jack Morton's C-X Ranch, went along with the Morton wagon for the chuckwagon races at Calgary, and then after the parade, decided to feed some fans. Horace unloaded the ranch's cast iron cookstove used for roundups and started a tradition that is still celebrated today.
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SCOTTISH ROSEHIP JELLY BY KAREN GRIEVE Rosehip jelly is fabulous on toast or pancakes. It makes a great glaze for roasting meats, a tasty addition to gravy, on the side with roast chicken, baked ham and on a charcuterie board. Rosehip jelly requires some foraging, so in late summer or early fall, go for a lovely walk and pick some rosehips.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 lbs apples — any breed • 2 cups rosehips • 2 cups sugar • 1 lemon — juice only
INSTRUCTIONS
1. T rim the tufts off all the rosehips and then pulse in a food processor. Chop the whole apples in quarters (don’t bother coring or peeling), and toss them into a large pan. Cover with water and add an extra 3 cups of water on top. 2. B oil and cook until they are tender. Add rosehips. Simmer for a further 10 minutes and let it cool a little. 3. S et up a jelly bag/cheesecloth in a sieve (or whatever you have to strain the mix). Pour in the mixture and let it drip into a bowl overnight. 4. M easure the liquid, and for every 2 1/2 cups, use 1 3/4 cups of sugar. 5. B ring the liquid, sugar and lemon juice to a slow boil to dissolve the sugar. Now boil until you reach setting point of 220F (105C). 6. L et it cool a little before pouring it into sterilized jars. Seal.
NOTES: Like all good jelly making this is an overnight job. You want to get the most of the juice from those rosehips and apples once you’ve boiled them together. Now the most important thing in making jelly is DO NOT squeeze the bag to get more juice. Processing rosehips: Rinse and chop off the tufty hard ends, toss them in a food processor and whiz them around. (Avoid touching the furry bits inside the rosehips; it will make you itchy). This jelly will keep in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within a month.
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COUNTRY COOKING
BROWN BUTTER GRILLED PINEAPPLE COURTESY CANADIAN BBQ SOCIETY CBBQS.CA
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
with Mint Chimichurri COURTESY CANADIAN BBQ SOCIETY CBBQS.CA This BBQ-ready recipe features a modern twist on traditional lamb chops that includes the minty, zippy chimichurri, an uncooked South American sauce used both as an ingredient in cooking and as a table condiment for grilled meat. Chimichurri is popular in Argentinian, Nicaraguan and Uruguayan cuisine. It is traditionally made of finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano (but in this recipe, mint) and red wine vinegar or lemon juice. It is somewhat similar to Moroccan chermoula. Ready in under an hour, this simple dish makes a stunning seasonal main alongside grilled vegetables or a tomato salad.
INGREDIENTS
• 8 lamb chops • 1/4 cup olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika • Beef Fixx- Motley Que
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• 1 cup fresh mint leaves • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your grill to high heat. 2. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, Motley Que Beef Fixx 3. Brush the mixture onto both sides of the lamb chops. 4. Grill lamb chops for 3-4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. 5. In a food processor, combine mint leaves, parsley leaves, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. 6. Serve grilled lamb chops with mint chimichurri on top. 7. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature • 1 fresh pineapple • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 tsp cinnamon • 3 Tbs of brown butter • 1 pint vanilla ice cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. 2. Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and remove the skin. Cut the pineapple into 1/2 inch slices. 3. Spread brown butter onto pineapple slices 4. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. 5. Place the pineapple slices on the grill and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. 6. Grill the pineapple for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. 7. Serve the grilled pineapple with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. 8. Enjoy!
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO COURTESY CANADIAN BBQ ASSOCIATION; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/YULIIA
GRILLED LAMB CHOPS
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 2. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns a golden brown colour and smells nutty. 3. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof container. 4. Let cool to room temperature before using in a recipe.
THE RIGHT CHOICE...
SUN TEA
COWBOY BOOTS • COWBOY HATS • TACK • CLOTHING AND MORE...
BY TERRI MASON
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ BOYRCR420
I used to live in Oklahoma — a dusty little town called Yukon, outside of Oklahoma City. My late sister Val lived there, and after I finished a job in NWT, I hopped on a plane to visit my sister and attend the NFR – the last year it was held in the Sooner State. It took me over eight months to come back home. Oklahoma was pure culture shock. You’d think I’d be more sophisticated for a gal that used to hang her hat in Dogpound, Alberta. What stands out to me were the freakishly long bridges spanning a trickle of water (they have flash floods), their gorgeous pink highways (everything is red clay), and Sun Tea. Even buying a Big Mac at McDonald’s, the question was never, “Would you like a Coke?” It was “Would y’all like Tea?” None of that sugary, gloopy stuff in a jar or can, they meant slow-steeped cold Tea. No Okie with any pride drank Tea made any other way. Fill the gallon jar (customized with a spigot) with ice-cold water, drop in 6-8 tea bags and set it in the sun to brew. It is a thirst-quenching elixir of the gods. Sun Tea is still the summer drink in my camp. Red Rose Tea, cold water — and if company’s coming, start another gallon jar of the stuff. Sometimes I’ll add slices of lemon, lime and oranges. Those who have never lived near Dogpound and have an unsophisticated palate might request sugar — but only add it to their glass — not the whole jar. They say brewing Sun Tea started in China over 3,000 years ago, but they’re always saying stuff like that. For me, Sun Tea started on a lazy porch swing in Yukon, Oklahoma.
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2023
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WESTERN FASHION INFLUENCERS
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FASHION INFLUENCERS
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WESTERN FASHION INFLUENCERS
Tyson Cardinal “PRETTY FLY FOR A FLANK GUY”
Ever since C5 Rodeo’s flank man Tyson Cardinal first stepped up on the back of the yellow chutes at the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas, it caused a flurry of social media questions — “Who is this guy?”
A self-described “typical Rez kid” (“Thank God I had such good parents”) Tyson considered himself “badass” and wanted a look to match. It was Billy the Kid’s bowler hat In the movie Young Guns that caught his eye. “Man, that’s a badass hat. I need one.” Flash forward some years to the first year he flanked at the NFR. He met a custom hat maker who made his first bowler, and the rest of his eye-catching wardrobe fell into place. Custom shirts, blazers in stunning colours and his classic bow tie set him apart with his unique style. “I always say ‘I’m not common’ — nobody remembers common.” From flanking some of the greats and working on one of the most successful rodeo ranches on both sides of the Medicine Line, Tyson Cardinal has set the flanks and the stage for working rodeo fashion.
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
WESTERN FASHION INFLUENCERS
Brittney Chomistek STYLE SCHOOL
Brittney Chomistek’s unique style has been showcased in many settings, most famously during her reign as 2018 Miss Rodeo Canada, in her classroom and now on her social media site, Canadian Cowgirl Closet.
“I’ve always wanted to look different; try different looks and stand out. After my reign, I kept my “Queen” clothes but showed how you can take pieces like that and make them work for every day. I just keep trying new things and being OK that I don’t look like everybody else.” One of her wardrobe must-haves came straight from her Queen closet. “I have a Kippy coat; it’s red, and it’s still a staple in my wardrobe. I wear it every Canada Night at the NFR,” she said. Customizing a wardrobe is her specialty, and not just her clothing — her cowboy hats have undergone dramatic overhauls. “I took a lot of my hats and changed out the Cattleman crease and got them reshaped into fashion hat styles. Some I’ve since changed back, but I love the versatility of a good hat. It shows that you can change them up too, and they look completely different.” Her confidence shines, and her enthusiasm is catching. “I tell every young girl, ‘You are perfect the way you are’ — and we need to celebrate that a little more.”
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WESTERN FASHION INFLUENCERS
Audi Roy CLASSIC AUDI
Everyone has a style all their own, and Western-style influencer Audi Roy is no different.
“In 1990, ’91, I got my start with promotional clothing with pro rodeo. If some pieces were turned down, I just put them under my label, Classic Rodeo, and they sold well or sold out.” This was the start of Classic Rodeo Boutique. Audi’s favourite “must-haves” fit certain criteria, and while they might seem simple at first glance, they’re not. Her classic look is a starched white shirt, cowboy-starched jeans and real turquoise jewellery. When it comes to the starched look, she has an advantage. Her husband, 1992 World Champion Steer Wrestler and Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer Mark Roy, makes a trip to Texas every month with his successful highend horse transportation business. It’s in Texas where Audi gets her favourite pieces cowboy pressed. “It costs $4–$5 in Texas,” she laughs. “I have a love of denim,” says Audi. “And I have some boots, that’s for sure. Some of my key pieces are good leather pants, real turquoise — and I love a good hat. And of course, there always needs to be a little animal print in life,” she said. “That’s the nice thing about fashion. Yes, there are some trends, but really, anything goes. You put it together, and if you’re rocking it — it’s good.” c
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
LIVING LEGEND
Hail to “The King” KELLY SUTHERLAND BY BILLY MELVILLE
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The most influential people who helped launch Kelly’s chuckwagon career, from left, Dave Lewis, Darlene Lewis, Kelly, Evelyn Sutherland, and Max in 1967
On March 18, 1969, Kelly married Debbie Renaud, and the two newlyweds would soon set out on an adventure that would cover a half-century. Mentored by chuckwagon legends Dave Lewis and Ralph Vigen and backed by sponsor Archie Hackwell, 17-year-old Kelly Sutherland raced for the first time as a professional chuckwagon driver at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Race Meet in BC. He also drove at his first Calgary Stampede that same year. Kelly had a major breakthrough that year when he won his first show as a driver at one of the biggest shows of the day — the Manitoba Stampede. At times, his hell-bentfor-leather dash to the track style proved costly, but Kelly continued to enter the winner’s circle, including another major win at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1971. The
next year was a breakout year for 19-yearold Kelly. Even after a heartbreaking loss at the Rangeland Derby to Ralph Vigen by less than a second, Kelly won three consecutive shows and finished the 1972 season second in the World Standings. By 1974, Kelly reached the peak of chuckwagon racing, winning his first Calgary Stampede and first World Chuckwagon Championship. When the 1978 season wrapped up, Kelly was a four-time Calgary Stampede Champion and a two-time World Champion chuckwagon driver. But in 1979, philosophical differences arose between the Calgary Stampede and the Canadian Rodeo Cowboys Association. The CRCA represented both rodeo competitors and the chuckwagon fraternity, and the board prohibited their members, both rodeo and chuckwagon, from competing at the Calgary Stampede. Kelly organized a group of financial backers (himself among them) and helped create the Battle of the Giants in High River, an alternate event that would go head-to-head with the Calgary Stampede. Kelly promptly won the 1979 event and captured his third World Chuckwagon Championship by the season’s end. The 1980s, albeit successful, was a turbulent decade for Kelly. The wagon men decided to leave the CRCA and formed the World Professional Chuckwagon Association. Then, after a three-year absence, the Stampede board announced that the top
Left: Kelly practicing riding racehorses at his father Max’s farm in Grande Prairie, ca. 1962 Right: Kelly with his father, Max, and Archie Hackwell (dark hat) with the Rangeland Derby Bronze Trophy. Archie was his first sponsor, and he stayed with him until his dying day. Kelly also won the World Championship that year. Archie Hackwell passed away less than a year later.
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTOS FROM SUTHERLAND FAMILY COLLECTION
K
elly Sutherland was born to Max and Evelyn Sutherland in Grande Prairie, Alberta, on October 29, 1951. His father, Max, had a lifelong passion for horses, and in 1960 Max began running his horses in flat races. Soon after, Kelly began his competitive career as a jockey, riding his first race in Rio Grande at the tender age of 9. In 1965 Max Sutherland and Dave Lewis partnered up, and the two men assembled their first chuckwagon outfit. By 1967 Dave Lewis joined the Canadian Rodeo Cowboys Association and headed out on the professional circuit with Kelly as his number-one barn hand. When they got to the Calgary Stampede, Kelly wanted to outride for Dave Lewis, but Kelly’s father wouldn’t allow it. The following week at the Manitoba Stampede, with Max Sutherland absent, 15-year-old Kelly competed in his first chuckwagon race as an outrider, and the legend of Kelly Sutherland was born. 1968 saw Kelly continue to compete as an outrider and outrode at the Calgary Stampede for the first time behind Dave Lewis. In August of 1968, Kelly decided to grab the lines and compete in his first show as a chuckwagon driver at the Dawson Creek Fall Fair — a decision that would change the face of chuckwagon racing forever.
LIVING LEGEND
PHOTO BY PAUL EASTON
LIVING LEGEND
eight wagons from the WPCA would be invited to compete at the 1982 Calgary Stampede. However, Kelly was blacklisted from competing at the Rangeland Derby for some comments he made during the dispute. Despite many efforts to keep him out, Kelly’s persistence prevailed, and ultimately, he was reinstated to compete at the 1982 Rangeland Derby. Then in 1984, in the aftermath of a disputed penalty at the Rangeland Derby, Kelly withdrew from the Calgary Stampede. It appeared his chuckwagon career would be over after sitting out the last half of the 1984 and the first half of the 1985 season. When Kelly returned to the WPCA Pro Tour, he won the Manitoba Stampede and qualified for the 1986 Rangeland Derby. His return to the Calgary Stampede in 1986 was just as striking, as he swept the Rangeland Derby, and by the time the 1980s had wrapped up, Kelly had tied Ralph Vigen for the most World Chuckwagon Championships with five. Success did not slow down for Kelly in the 1990s. He was honoured with the WPCA’s Prestigious Chuckwagon Person of the Year Award in 1994 and added three World and three Rangeland Derby Championships to his resume. As he crossed over
cowboycountrymagazine.com
Kelly Sutherland (centre) with outriders Reo King (left) and Chanse Vigen after winning Kelly’s 12th and final Calgary Stampede in 2011. Mark Sutherland is in the red jacket.
into the new millennium, the championships continued to pile up, and so did the records. In 2002, Kelly made history when he tied Dick Cosgrave’s 60-year-old record of 10 Rangeland Derby Championships, bringing his World Chuckwagon Championships to a record of 10. The 2010s would be Kelly’s sixth and final decade as a chuckwagon driver. In 2011, he hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (now the Prince and Princess of Wales), William and Catherine, during their visit to the Calgary Stampede. Kelly
won his 12th and final Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby and his 12th and final World Chuckwagon Championship. At the Calgary Stampede’s centennial celebration in 2012, Tervita Corp bought Kelly’s tarp for $300,000 —a record price still at the Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction. In an emotional presentation, Kelly was honoured with the Calgary Stampede’s prestigious Guy Weadick Award. He ran his final race at the Calgary Stampede in dramatic fashion in 2017, and the acclaimed career of Kelly Sutherland officially ended at the end of the 2017 WPCA Race Season, where he was honoured with the WPCA’s George Normand Lifetime Builder’s Award. The script Kelly wrote over his 50-year career is staggering and almost unparalleled in the entire sporting world. Through all the success and setbacks, praises and criticisms, Kelly’s wife Debbie has been by his side every step of the way, and their children Tara, Mark and Mandi have all played a supportive role in their father’s incredible journey. He’s been known as Killer, The King, The Feather, or just simply Kelly, but no matter the moniker, the name Kelly Sutherland has become synonymous with chuckwagon racing. His extraordinary ability as
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LIVING LEGEND
Outriders honouring Kelly Sutherland as he leaves the infield at Calgary for the last time
PHOTO BY PAUL EASTON
a chuckwagon driver and as a horseman, combined with his unequivocal charisma, made Kelly Sutherland to chuckwagon racing what Muhammad Ali was to boxing. Some of the top titles Kelly earned included 12-time World Champion, 12-time Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion, 10-time Manitoba Stampede Champion, eight-time Ponoka Stampede Champion, six-time Calgary Stampede Aggregate Winner, six-time North American Champion, five-time Battle of the North Champion, and five-time Strathmore Stampede Champion among many, many other wins. He competed in a record 77 Championship final heats — 21 at the Rangeland Derby alone — and was victorious in 25 others. His records might fall someday, but what never can be displaced is Kelly Sutherland’s role in building chuckwagon racing into a sport for the masses. He is a living legend — and the greatest champion that chuckwagon racing has ever seen. c
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
RCMP 150 TH
RCMP MUSICAL RIDE BY TOM REARDON
PART 2 OF A NEW 3-PART SERIES
PHOTO COURTESY SW SASK OLDTIMERS' ASS'N
RCMP Musical Ride entering the Parade Grounds at Fort Walsh, 1999
Today’s RCMP Musical Ride is based on yesteryear’s cavalry drills, which were part of the training for recruits of the North-West Mounted Police. The drills used by the NWMP were developed during the 18th century when Frederic the Great of Prussia reinvented cavalry tactics and trained his group to a high standard. The maneuvers Frederic devised soon came to be imitated by other European nations, including Great Britain and, subsequently, the NWMP.
Performing cavalry drills for public ceremonies began in Europe during peace times in the 19th century and often included the music of regimental bands. The first British musical ride is thought to have been
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performed in London in 1882. While the NWMP’s first recorded riding display was at Fort Macleod in 1876, it wasn’t until 1887 that they set their cavalry drills to the music of their Regimental Band and the first Musical Ride was performed. In 1904, in recognition of their 30 years of policing the Yukon and Northwest
THE 2023 RIDE SCHEDULE RCMP 150th anniversary tour with stops tentatively scheduled for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. For updates, visit rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Territories, King Edward VII added the title of Royal to the North-West Mounted Police. The Ride only performed sporadically until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 when all performances were suspended. During WWI, most members of the RNWMP were exempted from military services because they were needed on the home front to discourage acts of enemy sabotage. After the war, the RNWMP merged with the Dominion Police to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1920. The Ride resumed that year and continued to evolve, becoming increasingly popular throughout Canada, the United States and England. In the early years, the Force attempted to colour-coordinate the horses of various troops but that proved impractical. Instead, they saddled up any horse that
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RCMP 150 TH
was suitable and available. But, in 1937, possibly the biggest single factor in the Musical Ride becoming an internationally recognized symbol of Canada was set in motion. Assistant Commissioner Stuart Taylor Wood was a member of the RCMP contingent sent to the coronation of King George VI. Wood was so impressed by the contrast of the black horses and the scarlet-clad Life Guards of the Household Cavalry that he resolved to see the RCMP also mounted on black horses. Wood became Commissioner in 1938 — a year later, he ordered that RCMP only purchase black horses. With The Ride being suspended for WWII, a small breeding operation was established at Regina to raise black horses. This proved impractical due to the lack of available space. As a result, Commissioner Wood pursued and acquired the long-ago abandoned Fort Walsh in Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills. With the arrival of the railroad in 1883, The Force abandoned the Fort and relocated near the rail. The Fort’s
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site and surrounding countryside became a commercial cattle operation eventually owned by Frank Nuttall. The Commissioner, the province and the rancher negotiated a three-way swap. Nuttall moved his two-storey house from
“When The Ride resumed touring in 1948, it featured all black horses for the first time.” the site to newly-deeded former Crown land and Commissioner Wood had his dream remount ranch near the location of the infamous Cypress Hills Massacre — the event which hastened the formation of the Force in the first place. When The Ride resumed touring in 1948, it featured all-black horses for the
first time. They performed at several locations in Canada and the United States. The Fort Walsh Remount Ranch continued to provide black mounts until 1968, when the operation was relocated to Pakenham, Ontario. A portion of the horse ranch is now a 1,600-acre National Historic Site administered by Parks Canada. For the first time since 1930 The Ride returned to England to perform at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. That was the beginning of a long history The Ride and royalty share. In 1968, riding master Staff Sergeant Ralph Cave suggested that the RCMP gift one of their horses to Canada’s Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Federal Cabinet and the RCMP Commissioner supported the idea and on April 28, 1969, Fort Walsh-born Burmese was presented to Her Majestry when The Ride came to the UK to perform in the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The Queen asked that Burmese be included in the performance and that her rider carry the royal standard instead of
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO COURTESY CYPRESS HILLS-GRASSLANDS DESTINATION AREA
The world-famous RCMP Musical Ride returned to its roots when, in 2005, the scarlet riders performed at Fort Walsh. The troupe toured Saskatchewan and Alberta to celebrate the provinces’ centennials.
RCMP 150 TH
CONSTABLE LEN GILES
PHOTOS COURTESY COURTESY RCMP-GRC; LEN GILES
Noble, a seven-year-old mare, was flown to England and presented to King Charles III
the normal red and white pennon, so the Monarch could more easily follow her gift horse in the show. Additionally, Centenial (unusual spelling) was presented to the Queen in 1973 to celebrate the Force’s 100th anniversary and Saint James in 1998 to mark the 125th anniversary. In 2009 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the gifting of Burmese, the Queen was presented with George. In 2012 a mare called Elizabeth was presented to the Queen in memory of her mother, who had the same name. At the Queen’s request, four of her gifted horses ridden by Canadian Mounties led her funeral procession in 2022. To mark the 150th anniversary of the Force’s founding, the RCMP gifted Elizabeth’s son, successor, and honourary Commissioner of the RCMP, King Charles III, with a Musical Ride horse named Noble on March 11, 2023. The King requested a horse from the Musical Ride to use in parades. For such occasions the King had been using his late mother’s aging horse George.
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Other highlights from the Ride’s colourful past include performing in Scotland in 1957 as part of the Edinburgh Tattoo and performing for the first time in the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in 1964. The Ride travelled by air for the first time in 1968 when it performed in Bermuda. In 1969 on a tour of the United Kingdom, the Ride performed in Wales. They also escorted the Queen from Windsor Castle to the showgrounds — the first time any troop other than the Household Cavalry had been permitted this escort. The Ride’s first time in Asia was at Osaka, Japan, in 1970 for Expo 70. In 1977 they toured Ireland and the UK to participate in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. Today, the RCMP Musical Ride consists of 32 riders, the member in charge and support staff. The Ride tours Canada and internationally, performing at approximately 40 venues annually between May and October. To read Part 1 of our Salute to 150th Anniversary of the RCMP, visit cowboycountrymagazine.com and look for "Renfrew of the Royal Mounted." c
Len Giles in the forefront riding Nugget on the 1962 Musical Ride in Victoria, B.C. He was riding “half section” with riding instructor Doug Jessiman, riding Nero.
Constable Len Giles graduated from Depot in 1960, at a time when in order to graduate, cadets had to have successfully completed 140 hours in the saddle. After one year in Princeton, B.C., Len was asked to join the Musical Ride which he did, for the 1962 tour. “After one year I left,” he said. “I joined to be a policeman, not a horseman.” After an international career that saw postings as far away as Hong Kong (CSIS), he retired to B.C.
BEST MOMENT
“One of my best and memorable moments was riding at the Seattle World’s Fair. The massed bands of the Canadian military Army, Navy, & Air Force were there, about 300 guys from the Canadian military playing for Canada Week at the World’s Fair. To me, that was probably the highlight of my riding time on the Musical Ride.”
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TRAILBLAZERS
Ed Pugh Legendary Stockman BY TAMMY PUGH
Ed at the Stampede Grounds on the day of his induction into the Rancher’s Hall of Fame in 2002
Many people don’t realize that being a rancher isn’t something a person chooses; it’s a way of life that most are born into. There is no greater feeling than riding through your herd and seeing your brand. My grandfather’s family began ranching in the Dorothy area of Alberta in 1911. The third generation of the Pugh Ranch was born on Sept
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24, 1921, to Fred and Vera Pugh. My grandfather, Joseph Edward Pugh, knew he was destined to be a rancher; he loved horses and working with cattle. In May 1941, he joined the Army, was sent to Huntingdon, Quebec, and later transferred to London, Ontario. It was here that he met his bride, Edna McLeod. He became ill with
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTOS COURTESY PUGH COLLECTION
If I could ask my grandfather one last question, it would be: ‘Why did you choose to live your life as a cowboy?’ I strongly believe he would have responded by saying, ‘That’s who I am; it’s in my blood.’
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST
Trail boss Ed Pugh leading the way as the bucking horses ford the Red Deer River
scarlet fever and rheumatic fever and was discharged due to the illness. My grandparents moved back to Dorothy to live on the ranch and start their own family. He worked many different jobs to help support his family, from working in a coal mine in East Coulee to moving buildings. The only job that brought a smile to his face was working for local ranchers. My grandfather had a passion for ranching. Being out on his horse riding through his herd brought him profound pleasure. Seeing his brand –X7 on the right rib of his Herefords made him so proud. At calving time, he would be saddling his horse at daybreak to go check the cattle. One day he told me he had something to show me out in our pen of heifers. I followed him out to the corral to see what the surprise was, and there amongst our Hereford heifers was one pure black heifer calf. I thought it was the most amazing calf. It was at that very moment I became a fifthgeneration rancher when he gave me that calf to start my very own herd. When it came time to gather the herd for branding or even to move the cattle to a new field, four-wheeled bikes were never allowed. He would say that they would cause unneeded stress to the cows and that a horse and rider could do a much better job. In 1946 the Stampede was trailing bucking horses through Dorothy to
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Calgary, and it was then that my grandfather joined the crew. It might have been that first trail ride that ignited his passion for the world of rodeo. He started on the rough stock crew in Calgary. Every morning they would sort the stock for that day’s performance. In the afternoon, he would flag the rough stock out of the chutes. Then there were the chuckwagon races in the evening, where he was up in the Eye in the Sky as one of the race judges. They were long days, but he loved them. He even raised a few of his own bucking horses to take to the Stampede. As times changed, trailing the bucking horses to Calgary came to an end, and the broncs were trucked. In 1987 the Calgary Stampede decided to relive history and trail the bucking horses into Calgary from the Stampede Ranch, and they asked my grandfather to be the Trail Boss. He was honoured and led the bucking horses and crew with pride. The four-day ride covered approximately 140 miles. He helped plan the safest route, and on the second day, the plan was to swim the horses across the Red Deer River. The morning the ride began, plans had to be changed as the river was still too high. Instead, they trailed the horses to East Coulee and crossed the river on the bridge. History was repeated again in 2000, and my grandfather was Trail Boss again. On this ride, they swam the bucking horses
across the Red Deer at Dorothy, and my grandfather led them across. With Ed Pugh as Trail Boss, all the horses and riders arrived safely at the Calgary Stampede grounds. He worked for the Calgary Stampede for 57 years, receiving his invite to be a part of the crew for every spring Rodeo Royal and the summer Stampede. In 2003 he received his final invite to Rodeo Royal, but he had to decline because of failing health. He said, “They didn’t fire me; I retired.” That spring, he attended Rodeo Royal but this time as a spectator. At the age of 81, my grandfather was still heeling at brandings, and it still only took him two hops and he was in his saddle. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rancher’s Hall of Fame in High River. Many consider my grandfather a legend, but he didn’t see himself that way. He believed in living life to the fullest, and ranching and rodeos are what fulfilled his life. Being able to work alongside fellow stockmen is what kept him going. We lost my grandfather to brain cancer in 2003. He is buried at Dorothy. The ranch then passed to his son, Norman Pugh. Today, the fifth and sixthgeneration Pugh women are the ranchers running the home place. I know my grandfather is looking down on us with pride, knowing that he taught us well and we carry his legacy with honour. c
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KEEPER OF THE WEST
CROSS-BORDER ROUND-UP PART 1 OF A 2PART SERIES
WRITTEN BY HARRY OTTERSON (1878-1960) FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE MAPLE CREEK NEWS, MARCH 16TH AND 23RD, 1939. CONDENSED AND EDITED BY TOM REARDON
This famous Russell painting, created in 1897, features a Circle Diamond-branded steer, which was the company that Harry Otterson was repping for in this article. It proved once again that Charlie painted “what he saw” of the open range era. The Herd Quitter, Charles M. Russell, Oil on canvas, 1897, Montana Historical Society, Col. Wallis Huidekoper Collection, X1952.02.01
This cross-border round-up happened 118 years ago in the southwest corner of the District of Assiniboia. Shortly thereafter, on Sept 1, 1905, new boundaries were drawn, and Saskatchewan and Alberta became provinces while the District of Assiniboia became a historical footnote. I was fascinated while reading this article, then I realized that I am familiar with much of the country they covered and conceded that this story wouldn’t pack the same wallop for someone from elsewhere. So, I drew a map, it’s crude, but it will help you ride along on this epic 71-day undertaking. — Tom Reardon
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
KEEPER OF THE WEST
SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER ASSINIBOIA, NWT
R IVE
WR BO
ALBERTA, NWT
BROOKS
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY MOOSE JAW SWIFT CURRENT
MEDICINE HAT
OLD MAN RIVER
MEDICINE LODGE
LETHBRIDGE
EASTEND
LE BATT
IVER
ST LO
MILK R
BEAR CREEK
DAVIS LAKE
10 MILE
K
REE
EC DG LO
PAKOWKI LAKE
SKULL CREEK
MAPLE CREEK
UL
K
CREE
NS
CO
R
VE RI
CLAYDON ASSINIBOIA, NWT
SCALE MOOSE JAW TO LETHBRIDGE: 350 MILES/560KM CURRENT SK/AB BOUNDARY CHINOOK
MILK
MONTANA
IVER AN R CHM FREN
WHITEWATER
HAVRE
WOOD MOUNTAIN
70 MILE
STONEPILE
RIVE
R
SACO MALTA
FORT PECK INDIAN RESERVATION
GLASGOW
MAP CREATED BY TOM REARDON; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ SS404045
NASHUA
The vast territory between the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Milk River in Montana was an empire of grass and water where cattle roamed at will. The round-up outfits reached far from the home ranch during the summer to gather the straying cattle and return them to their range. I was in the employ of the Bloom Cattle Co. Circle Diamond brand, with headquarters near Malta, Montana. This was a southern company with breeding ranches in New Mexico and Colorado. The Milk River range was used to mature and fatten the steers, with only a few hundred cows on the range to furnish beef for their cowboys. The influx of sheep in great numbers between the Milk River and the Canadian line was fast destroying the range for cattle. Montana cattle were moving into Canada in increasing numbers, partly on account of the splendid range found there but largely on account of the vast trek of shepherds across their home range. During the late summer of 1904, there were several disastrous prairie fires along the Canadian border. The greater part of the range was burned from Battle Creek east to
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“There were several representatives for numerous Montana ranches with us, which shows how far cattle strayed.” the Frenchman River, north of Saco, Montana. The Bloom Cattle Co. was ranging some 15,000 steers at that time, and as the fire destroyed a large part of their summer range, the Montana cattle moved into the Cypress Hills and along the Whitemud [local slang for the Frenchman River] in still greater volume. This influx of cattle in the fall of the year created uncertainty amongst the local ranchers on Battle Creek, Davis Lake and the upper Whitemud, fearing the range would be overstocked for the winter. Complaint was made to the Royal North-West Mounted Police, and as a result, some 1,200–1,500
cattle were gathered and held by the police, and the Montana owners notified. The season was late, well into December when the cattle were released and started for Montana. However, stormy weather set in, the cattle were turned loose and left for the winter, an arrangement having been made with Canadian authorities that the cattle would be moved out the following spring. The next spring [1905] was rather dry, and the prospect for grazing on the burned area rather poor. As a result, the Bloom Cattle Co. arranged to place the greater part of their aged steers on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation south of the Wood Mountain district. We gathered our saddle horses early in the spring and on May 1st left Malta with a round-up outfit to gather a herd in the Cypress Hills and move it to the Reservation. There were several representatives for numerous Montana ranches with us, which shows how far cattle strayed. We had a large outfit, about 300 saddle horses. We struck the Whitemud at the old Stone Pile Detachment. The river was quite high and sand had piled into the bank on the far side, and though we rode back and
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forth several times before putting the wagons in, the mess wagon got stuck and we had to unload. We spent a couple of very unpleasant hours getting the load transferred to the bank as the water was quite deep and real cold. We followed the police trail to the Eastend RNWMP Detachment. Constable Harry Willis checked our outfit, and I explained the purpose of the outfit and the country we intended to cover. Mr. Willis informed us that the usual custom was that a Mounted Policeman should accompany all foreign round-ups while working in Canada, but at that time, he was shorthanded and really did not want to spare a man. Also, as we were going directly to Maple Creek and intended to start working on Bear Creek, we could report at the Maple Creek Detachment, and the officer in charge would arrange all details necessary. There was a first-class police trail from Eastend to Maple Creek, which we followed. I was anxious to hire a cowboy who knew the country north of the Cypress Hills, as none of us were familiar with that district. I met a man at Eastend by the name of Arthur Hardy, who was acquainted with the greater part of the country. Hardy arranged to go to the ranch he partnered on, then meet us in Maple Creek. I was very pleased to secure him. We moved on toward Maple Creek. During the afternoon a storm blew in from the
north. It was snowing heavily as we pulled in at the head of Bear Creek. This was an ideal spot to weather a storm — fine shelter for the horses and good grass. We pitched the tents in a well-sheltered spot among poplar thickets, plenty of wood to burn and no herd to hold. The cowboys figured that for once they were lucky. The storm lasted
Author Harry Otterson (left) and Walt Larson, on the T Down Bar Ranch south of Shaunavon ca. 1915. Notice the team and buggy in the background.
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two days and the snowfall was quite heavy in the high altitude, although at Maple Creek the storm was very light. When the weather broke, we made our first circle covering the country east and north as far as Skull Creek. As we were taking down camp to move after dinner, Scott Miller, rep of the Bears Paw Pool with headquarters south of Chinook, rode into camp driving his mount of horses. Scott had gone to Malta expecting to arrive before we left but we had been away several days. We had quite a herd of Montana cattle when we reached Maple Creek. We camped about a mile [1.6 km] south of the barracks and I rode to the base to report. Captain Dean was in charge. I presented my permit, which I had received at Eastend and explained that Mr. Willis was unable to send a Mountie with us. I gave Captain Dean an outline of the territory we wished to work, west between the CPR and the Cypress Hills, to the west end of the hills. Then around to the south side and east by the 10 Mile detachment, Davis Lake, Eastend and on down the Whitemud to the Montana line. He suggested that we disturb the [local] cattle as little as possible for he understood that west of Maple Creek the cattle were rather poor and weak, and advised under such conditions that we avoid driving them any great distance to a
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PHOTO COURTESY LARSON FAMILY, VAL MARIE, SASK.
KEEPER OF THE WEST
KEEPER OF THE WEST
PHOTO COURTESY SOUTHWEST OLD TIMERS ASSOCIATION
For comparison, here is the Montana branch of the XIT heading back to the ranch headquarters near Glendive in 1908. The plume of dust was caused by their cavvy of 165 head of Thoroughbred saddle horses. The cross-border round-up had a remuda of 300 head of horses.
sorting ground. This was a sensible precaution and I readily agreed. We discussed the different problems arising from range stock crossing the international boundary. We had a very pleasant visit and he advised me he would not send a member with us, as our course would be in line with their detachments. I would report at Medicine Lodge, 10 Mile and Eastend. From there, they would detail a Mountie to accompany us to the Montana border. Two Mounted police were detailed to go to our camp with me to check our horses, men and equipment. When I was leaving, Captain Dean invited me to return later; he expected a few men from town to spend a social evening. I was pleased to accept and had a very pleasant time at the barracks. I met several men I came to know well in later years. They were practically all stockmen and I felt very much at home. I remarked on the mildness of Canadian liquor compared to the 40-rod sold in Montana bars. [40-rod got its name because it was said the whiskey could kill at that distance.] My comment did not arouse any discussion however, after trying several samples, I was
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convinced you could reach great heights by consuming just a reasonable amount. I also found these men had very little respect for a four-card finish and insisted on making a call to be certain. [A strategy sometimes used in a poker game.]
When I was leaving, Captain Dean invited me to return later; he expected a few men from town to spend a social evening. We rounded up the country north and west of the barracks one day and found quite a number of Montana cattle. Among them a Circle Diamond cow with an unbranded yearling heifer calf still sucking. We butchered this calf for beef in the evening and I sent one quarter to Captain Dean with the compliments of the outfit.
The cowboys had two nights there, and everyone voted Maple Creek a town where a cowboy could enjoy himself without getting into trouble. We moved west, keeping our wagons about midway between the crest of the Cypress Hills and the CPR. [The distance between the railroad and the top of the hills varies from 27 to 50 kms.] We camped in the Graburn district when another spring storm struck, and we were delayed a day or two. Arthur Hardy went to visit friends nearby and Pete Armstrong returned with him, looking for work. He was familiar with the country around the west end of the hills, and I was pleased to engage him. Pete returned home and met us the next day with his bed on a pack horse. Arthur and Pete were with us until we finished in the late fall — very reliable men. Pete was exceptionally good with a beef herd and as practically all our work was handling beef, I made Pete foreman of the beef herds. Next issue in Keeper of the West (Aug/Sept 2023): The conclusion of this epic, 71-day round-up before the coming of the wire. c
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HOMEGROWN GROW A BIRDHOUSE BY TERRI MASON
Until I signed the mortgage papers and bought my little Taj Mahovel here in Maple Creek, I had spent my life only interested in grass from a grazing perspective. But then came home ownership, and suddenly, everything changed.
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PHOTOS: TERRI MASON; STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ RUTH P. PETERKIN
Seed catalogues began arriving. I was on a first-name basis with the folks at local greenhouses. I started diverting downspouts into wildly-decorated rain barrels. Birds flocked, bees droned, and people slowed as they walked by the rapidly-expanding flowerbeds out front. In the backyard, it wasn’t long before I covered most of the grass with raised vegetable beds and created larger flowerbeds. That’s right — the gal whose only contact with flowers was on her various wedding days was now growing them and winning a highly-coveted Yard of the Week award. (See how I slipped that in?) But there was still something missing. I like the unusual, the unique, and the things (and people) in life that deserve a second look. For me, that “second-look” plant is a Birdhouse Gourd. Birdhouse gourd seeds are available at many greenhouses; I found them at Peavey Mart and saw them at Veseys.com. Start them indoors, transplant them under a sturdy trellis and have fun. Drying the gourds is crucial. I drilled a hole through the top of each one, lashed them onto heavy string, and hung them like a garland over the heater. The hole helped them dry faster. I recommend you do something similar to prevent mould. Once dry, drill the bird-sized hole, shake out the seeds, decorate (if you’d like), and then wax to provide protection. No two will be the same! c
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
INSIDER PRO RODEO CANADA
Steer wrestler Tanner Milan teams up with his talented equine partner, Eddie, to win round one at the 2022 CFR. CPRA photo by Wildwood Imagery/Chantelle Bowman
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PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER
2023 CPRA SCHEDULE PRESENTED BY PEAVEY MART
JUNE Grande Prairie, AB
................. June 1-4
Leduc, AB.................................................June 1-3 Hand Hills, AB.........................................June 2-4 Brooks, AB.............................................June 9-10 Lea Park, AB
........................June 9-11
Rocky Mountain House, AB..................June 9-11 Bonnyville, AB...................................... June 10-11 Gleichen, AB *(SB)................................... June 14 Stavely, AB...........................................June 15-17
A GREAT START
Innisfail, AB..........................................June 16-18 Wildwood, AB *(SB).................................June 17 Wainwright, AB Sundre, AB
............... June 23-25 ........................ June 23-25
High River, AB.................................... June 23-24 Bassano, AB — NEW.........................June 24-25
Rodeo season is off to a great start! Entries are strong; we’re seeing excited fans and some great performances. Congratulations to event winners and rodeo committees for making the start of our 2023 season so successful. While most events to date have been Maple Leaf Circuit Series rodeos, we’ve moved into our SMS Equipment Pro Tour with the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement Rodeo May 27-28 and the Grande Prairie Stompede June 1-4. We’re excited to welcome back SMS Equipment as our Pro Tour sponsor. Thank you for your support! With sixteen Tour rodeos on our schedule, we’re looking forward to seeing athletes from across North America competing at these and other events. Exciting too is the news that The Cowboy Channel is our new live-stream partner. Rural Media Group has entered into an agreement with FloSports to purchase and obtain the media rights license for the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. The Cowboy Channel will be the new home of the Canadian Finals Rodeo, the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals, the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Finals and several other stops along the SMS Equipment Pro Tour. Numerous Canadian pro rodeos will be part of The Cowboy Channel’s “100 Rodeos in 100 Days” schedule, which begins in June with Reno Rodeo and ends in September with the Pendleton Roundup. Thank you to FloRodeo, a group we’ve enjoyed working with for several years. We appreciate all you contributed to the CPRA. 2023 should be outstanding. Follow all the action on our website www.rodeocanada.com, and our social media channels: Facebook and Instagram: @prorodeocanadaofficial l Twitter: @prorodeocanada Safe travels, everyone; see you at a CPRA event soon!
Ponoka, AB Williams Lake, BC
................. June 26-July 2 ..... June 30-July 2
Raymond, AB................................ June 29-July 1 Airdrie, AB.....................................June 30-July 1 JULY Benalto, AB ..............................................July 7-9 Teepee Creek, AB
................July 14-16
Bowden, AB ..........................................July 14-15 Morris, MB
........................... July 21-23
Kennedy, SK......................................... July 21-23 Medicine Hat, AB
................July 27-29
Rockyford, AB..................................... July 28-30 Pollockville, AB *(SB)...............................July 29 Bruce, AB....................................................July 30 AUGUST High Prairie, AB.........................................Aug 1-2 SMS Equipment Pro Tour Rodeo * SB=Saddle Bronc
Terry Cooke, President, Canadian Professional Rodeo Association
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FloRodeo Network broadcasts Canadian Finals Rodeo, Maple Leaf Circuit Finals and SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour rodeos.
Visit RodeoCanada.com for updates. 49
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER
PRO RODEO’S SPRING HIGHLIGHTS
2022 Canadian LBR Champion Taylor Manning making a winning run at Broncs & Honky Tonks in Medicine Hat, Alta. Photo by Wildwood Imagery/Chantelle Bowman.
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER
T
he Canadian Professional Rodeo season is well underway, with several contestants enjoying early season success.
WEEK ONE
Pascal Isabelle describes his bareback riding career as a ‘work in progress.’ If 2023’s first Canadian spring rodeo stop, the Broncs and Honky Tonks event in Medicine Hat, Alta., is any indication, things are progressing nicely indeed for the Quebec-born cowboy. Isabelle posted a stylish 84-point ride on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Fabio for a firstplace cheque of $1499.30 The likeable three-time CFR qualifier came from a non-rodeo background. “My dad was a carpenter, so I grew up in the construction business. My older brother, Eric, took me to some amateur rodeos out in Quebec, and I fell in love with the sport.” One of the 29-year-old’s earliest pro rodeo memories is a trip out to the Williams Lake Stampede (B.C.) with veterans Denny Phipps and Michael Solberg and working on his English during that trip. One wonders what pearls of wisdom Messrs. Solberg and Phipps shared with the fresh-faced rookie during those many miles! “I’m feeling pretty confident about this year,” Isabelle, who had a solid winter at the U.S. rodeos, added. “I have high goals for myself. I want to be a Canadian champion. My travelling partner, Ty Taypotat, won it last year, so I know that feeling, and I want it for myself.” And the 2022 Canadian Barrel Racing Champion, Taylor Manning, is wasting no time in defending her title. The 19-year-old Alberta cowgirl partnered with her gelding Little Sexcee Cowboy (aka Archie) for a 12.55 second run, the Medicine Hat win and $2575.60.
Maple Leaf Circuit Finals last fall in Regina, then chalking up top spot at the Medicine Hat Broncs & Honky Tonks event. The 16-time CFR qualifier now sits first overall in the Canadian standings with over $8000 won in the still young season. His times over that four-win span are 3.6. 3.7, 4.1 and 4.4 — that spells consistency, a quality that has been a hallmark of the brilliant Milan career. “I don’t remember ever having a start to the season like this, that’s for sure,” Milan acknowledged. April was a busy time for the affable Canadian as he and partner, Chelsea Moore, welcomed their second son into the world, Kesler, baby brother to Standon Milan. And while he wasn’t riding the horse this weekend, he was quick to attribute a major portion of his success over the last couple of years to Eddie, the gelding he acquired in 2020 from Canadian bulldogging legend, Lee Laskosky. “They’d been team roping and barrel racing on him, and he’d only run about 10 or 15 steers but after the first steer I ran on him I knew he was special, and I knew I had to own him.”
Turns out Milan was right. From the 2022 Canadian Finals to this weekend, cowboys have won over $200,000 on Eddie. Meanwhile, the brothers Schmidt, Tate and Kagen also kept their winning streak going. Following up on their record-setting (3.3-second) final run at the Maple Leaf Finals, the Barrhead team ropers were 3.8-seconds last week and 3.7-seconds in Dawson Creek this week ($1750 each), making a trio of runs that borders on the unbelievable. And Camrose, Alberta bull rider Coy Robbins appears to be unstoppable, as he padded his lead at the top of the Canadian standings courtesy of an 87.5-point winning effort on the Calgary Stampede bull, 797 Night Walker, for $1958.
WEEK THREE Fort St. John bullrider/bull dogger, Jake Gardner, captured a couple of titles to keep his early season effort going. The 2022 winner of the Kenny McLean Award (formerly the All-Around Award) split top honours in bull riding at the Kananaskis Pro Rodeo in Coleman, Alta, with an 86-point ride on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Fallen Angel, joining Paraguay-born Fabian
WEEK TWO Tanner Milan is on a heater, no doubt about it. Two-time Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion, Tanner Milan, is four for four to kick off the 2023 Canadian rodeo season after a weekend win at the Dawson Creek Spring Breakup with a 4.4-second run that netted $2243 for the Milan bank account. The B.C. victory comes on the heels of winning the final two performances of the
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2022 Kenny McLean Award-winner Jake Gardner on Legends Rodeo's 955 Tabletop. He rode for 84 points and the win at Taber Spring Classic Rodeo. Photo by Wildwood Imagery/Chantelle Bowman.
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PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER Dueck in the winner’s circle. Gardner then added an outright win at Taber, mastering Legend Rodeo’s Tabletop for 84 points and $1371. Factor in a sixth-place $541 cheque in the steer wrestling at Taber, and you have a solid $3000 plus weekend on this side of the border that has Gardner in second place in the bull riding standings. “I had a couple of good draws this weekend and I knew if I capitalized it could turn out pretty good for me,” Gardner noted. “I was dialled in and got the job done. The Legend Rodeo bull, Tabletop, is up and coming with lots of potential and Keslers’ Fallen Angel over in Coleman, I’ve been on him three times and rode him twice. I guess the weekend went pretty well as I hoped and anticipated it might.” But the 26-year-old, three-time CFR qualifier wasn’t done. He headed off to the famed George Paul Memorial Bull Riding in Del Rio, Texas and rode both his bulls there,
including an 87-point effort in the short round to finish third overall for a $7276 payday and a $10,000 plus total injection to his PRCA bank account. Seven-time World Champion and 2019 CFR qualifier Sage Kimzey was the George Paul champion. “Rodeo is definitely my main priority and the NFR my main goal,” Gardner stated. “And I want to be a Canadian champion bull rider eventually. I’d really like to be at the CFR in both my events, that would be cool.” As for the Kenny McLean Award (the former All Around Award) Gardiner is justifiably proud of the accomplishment. “Kenny is a legend and a BC guy so it’s pretty sweet that I got to win the first one.” Sherwood Park bareback rider Kody Lamb was also a double winner this weekend, chalking up victories at Taber with an 85.5-point ride aboard Legend Rodeo’s Flashy Secret for $1218 and adding a 1-2 split (with Clint Laye) at Coleman courtesy of an
86.5 mark on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Up North Outlaw for an additional $1113. The twin wins solidified the cowboy/ singer/songwriter’s hold on a top-five spot in the early season Canadian standings. Barrel racer, Taylor Manning, added another win to her 2023 portfolio with a 12.61-second run for the Kananaskis win and $2013 to move the 2022 titleist to second place in the Canadian standings. And a couple of newcomers to the professional ranks displayed their prowess as well. Bull rider William Barrows, the pride of Foremost Alta, was second at Taber and third at Coleman for a tidy $1932 weekend haul, while Saskatchewan teenager Kate Beierbach cruised to a 12.85-second barrel racing run and her first pro rodeo cheque, $1102 for her 4/5 spilt at Coleman. Check out rodeocanada.com for further updates. c
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
PRO RODEO CANADA
INSIDER ROAD TO THE CFR
COY ROBBINS DARK & DANGEROUS ROAD BY TIM ELLIS
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oy Robbins had his career all mapped out. It was all going to plan. He had won the Pro Rodeo Canada Steer Riding Championship, the Lakeland Rodeo Ass’n Steer Riding and Junior Bull Riding titles in back-to-back years and was the 2017 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year. But then his career path turned down a dark and dangerous road. “My first major injury was in February of 2018 when I dislocated and broke my shoulder,” begins the 23-year-old Camrose, Alta, area bull rider. “There were some complications, and I had emergency surgery the next day.” “In that surgery, they severed a nerve, and then I had to go back for another surgery. I ended up being out for over a year. I probably could have skipped the nerve surgery, but my shoulder wouldn’t be what it is now. I remember (2008 Canadian Champion) Tyler Thomson telling me it’s better to take a year off the beginning of your career than five years off the end of it.” The road to recovery was not an easy one for Robbins. “Before the injury, I was always a guy who wouldn’t quit until my head hit the ground,” offers Robbins. “But I struggled quite a bit when I came back. Mentally, I wasn’t able to trust myself with being OK to put everything on the line.” Robbins was afforded a glimpse of a potential return to form at the 2019 Ponoka Stampede when he won the long round with a sparkling 89.5-point ride. Unfortunately, his return was cut short. “Later that year in September at a PBR in Magrath, I broke my arm,” recalls Robbins, who was named to Team Canada for the 2017 PBR Global Cup. “I ended up having to get two surgeries that time as well.”
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Coy Robbins on Big Stone Rodeo’s 73 Smog at 2022 CFR. Photo by Wildwood Imagery/Chantelle Bowman
“I was out about eleven months with that, and then COVID hit. There wasn’t much to go to, and I think I got complacent at home. So, the 2021 season was a bit of a struggle again.” In 2022, a healthy and confident Robbins flipped the script. “I’ve always known I can compete with the best,” says Robbins, who now owns a feed and forage business and produces a PBR Canada event in Camrose each spring. “The way I finished the year gave me the confidence and reassurance that I can be in the conversation when it comes to Canadian titles.”
Robbins finished the 2022 campaign by winning the Canadian Finals Rodeo bull riding aggregate title while missing out on the championship by a mere $1,300. He then finished as runner-up to the PBR Canada title and won the CPRA’s Maple Leaf Circuit Finals to end the year. “I felt better than ever,” offers Robbins, who followed up last year’s success by winning the most money in the 2023 PBR Canada season by mid-April. “I think the 16-year-old, hungry Coy would have been proud of the season I had, knowing that that’s what I was capable of.” c
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CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER
ASH COOPER ART AND RANCH GALLERY
"The years have been good to me. It’s the weekends that have done the damage.” 54
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
WHAT WORKS FOR US
Sandy Ridge Stallion Station BY TERRI MASON | PHOTOS COURTESY SANDY RIDGE STALLION STATION
Sandy Ridge Stallion Station’s leading money-earning stallion, Root Beers Boots. He is a champion reining horse the Schaffers crossed on a few of their race-bred broodmares. At press time, his total offspring earnings are $550,000.
—Carol & Doug Schaffer “ When I started out as a kid, I figured out that I might as well have a horse that makes me money,” said Doug. “So I’ve had stallions since before I was married.” The couple started with one stallion, “A little extra cash income for us,” confirmed Carol. At the end of each year, they reviewed how it went and where they wanted the business to go. By the early ’80s, the couple had two stallions. “We used to have two broodmares,” says Carol. “Then five, six — then ten. After Doug got to about 15, he was talking to Les Burwash, saying, ‘I think I’ve got too many mares.’ Les asked him, ‘How many babies do you have to sell?’ He said, ‘None.’ ‘Well,
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there’s your answer,’ “We are sold out every year,” Carol continued, “and I have a request list for a couple of years in advance.” With their success came a careful and thoughtful expansion. Doug worked offfarm, and as their operation continued to grow Carol and their children pitched in. “When we got busier, we hired a gal to help,” said Carol. “It was then that I became brave enough to handle the stallions and do a lot of the work before he came home. This really helped as there were days we were breeding/feeding at midnight prior to that.” with the couple fully committed to their facility. They currently have six stallions standing at stud and 55 Sandy Ridge broodmares. To date, the couple has registered 532 AQHA foals from their mares.
Location is crucial to any horse operation, but a stallion station must also be convenient. “We’re only a half-mile off the TransCanada, and it’s pavement right to our driveway,” says Carol. All the stallions have their own space, complete with a shed, an outdoor run and a cutoff where they turn out for grass. “We don’t box stall our stallions,” said Doug. “They’re happier and more content.” All mares are bred using artificial insemination for many reasons — the main reason being semen management, but there are many perks to using AI as well — safety for the animal handlers, safety for the animals, high sperm motility, and disease-free AI. Doug handles the AI, both semen collection and breeding of
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WHAT WORKS FOR US
Clockwise from top: Aerial view of Sandy Ridge Stallion Station near Bassano, Alta; Owned and ridden by Kim Gerwatoski, SR FAMOUSINPARADISE by HEZGOTTABEFAMOUS won over $84,000 in his first year of barrel competition; Doug and Carol Schaffer
the mares. “Horses are a lot easier to AI than cattle,” he confirmed. With the cost of stallions and the breed’s popularity for so many sports, it wasn’t long before the Quarter Horse industry allowed foals bred through AI to be registered (the Thoroughbred industry does not), so shipping of fresh semen is a big part of the business. This is where their investment in technology comes in; the semen is carefully examined, sperm count is recorded, etc. Breeding outside mares is done one of two ways: getting AI bred (with a trained technician) by shipped live semen, or sometimes the owners bring the mare to the Station to be AI’d by Doug.
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“Often, a mare is dropped off by a passing barrel racer,” says Carol. Carol determines whether the mare is cycling (in “heat” and receptive to getting pregnant) to make it the shortest stay possible for the mare. Every mare has an individual pen. Usually, the stay is about a month, and before leaving, the mare is preg checked by the veterinarian. With barrel horse earnings hitting the stratosphere, mare care is also carefully monitored. “We treat the horses the same way we’d want ours to be treated,” says Doug.“Word of mouth travels fastest, and that’s our best advertisement.”
Not surprisingly, the couple are experts in the field of hormone-influenced behaviour. With that firmly in mind, the Station hires three–four seasonal breeding season (summer) female staff, and two of their young grandsons work there too. Why hire just women? A couple of reasons; it works well for the couple as the staff live in their home and safety. “That’s what works for us,” said Carol. “If you turn out four geldings in a field, they get along really well. Turn out a mare with the geldings in the field — and it’s a wreck,” said Doug. Those who have never handled a stallion might consider this hiring practice
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
WHAT WORKS FOR US sexist. Those who have handled stallions know that even the best-behaved stud is unpredictable, highly explosive and very dangerous, and to keep animals and people safe, the staff must keep their mind on the job. Safety with mares is also paramount, as they can have a bit of an attitude. “We’ve had 65 stallions over the years,” said Doug. “Some stallions put you in danger, but the main thing is this: the only stallion you can trust is a dead one.” Says Carol, “You can have the nicest stallion and then something can trigger him. A gelding across the way can trigger them; it’s crazy.” “The first thing I tell the girls,” continued Doug, “I don’t have a horse on the place that’s worth your life. If there’s a wreck — get out — and we’ll see what we can salvage.” Grass for over 60+ head of near-constant grazers is always an issue, but the Schaffers have the life-giving elixir of irrigation on their outfit. “We rotational graze the mares, moving them each week to a different area
and let the pastures rest.” They also grow most of their hay. Some of their clients (about 5–10 a year) bring their mare back to the Station to foal. “It’s a stress factor for them,” explains Doug. “They love having babies but not the stress of foaling out a mare. Carol has foaled out over 500 mares, and she has the expertise. Many also bring the mare in foal, hire Carol to foal her out, keep the mare there until she comes into a second heat, and get her rebred — usually over a month after foaling.” As always, some people consider owning their own stallion to stand at stud, and when asked for his advice, Doug flatly states, “Don’t.” He’s seen it all. “They look only at the end result and not what’s needed to be in place for a successful end result. You have to be totally dedicated,” he explains. “With my cow camp background, I was used to horses with different attitudes and had some background in how to protect myself, but somebody that thinks a stallion is ‘so wonderful and going to be my best friend’ — no. It’s a dangerous game to play.” c
AT A GLANCE NAME: Sandy Ridge Stallion Station ESTABLISHED: 1980s OWNERS: Doug & Carol Schaffer NEAREST TOWN: Bassano, Alta ELEVATION: 2,600 feet (792M) ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: 17 inches (440mm) SIZE: 160 Acres – fixed irrigation BREEDS: Quarter Horse HERD: STALLIONS: 6 stallions/1 yearling stud MARES: 55 select broodmares Breed 200+ outside mares annually BRAND: Horse: Running Bar S, Left Hip www.sandyridgestallionstation.com
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THE WESTERNERS
PHOTO BY MEAGAN PILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Niki on Dan James' famous gelding, Swampy.
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
THE WESTERNERS
Fabulous Flundra! MULTI-AWARD-WINNING HORSEWOMAN
PHOTO SHAUNA KENWORTHY
BY TERRI MASON
R
Niki performing her astonishing Liberty horse act on Zyada at 2014 Innisfail Pro Rodeo.
eading Niki Flundra’s long list of accomplishments (so far) makes you wonder what you’ve done with your life. Seriously. Let me just reel off some of her qualifications: a master horse trainer, a licensed pyrotechnics expert, a multi-award-winning act as a trick rider and a Liberty horse trainer who has performed multiple times at every major
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rodeo in North America, a successful stunt woman seen around the world in movies and Heartland, among others, a mom to three boys (Ridge, Shade and Kace), married to 3X Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion Dustin Flundra, a rancher, and, as if that’s not enough, she is also the founder of Heart of the Horse, an equine-focused training session/competition complete with clinics, shopping, a stunning night show (with pyrotechnics, of course) and inspirational guest speakers.
She is tiny, tiny, tiny, but as strong as an ox, gracious and almost Southern in her manner, yet she quietly commands thousands of pounds of horseflesh to do as she asks — without a halter or bridle in sight. “I had it in the back of my mind for quite a while,” said Niki, as she explained her reason why she started the extravaganza. “I’ve always been in event production and have worked in film, the Stampede and at the CFR on the pyro crew
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THE WESTERNERS Silver Sage venue that provided everything that we needed.” Trainer’s challenges aren’t new, yet Niki has found a way to present them in a different light. “It’s really cool how it works,” enthused a patron. “There are three pens, three horses and three trainers all going at the same time.” “We have a ton of ranchers, and people who are involved in the ag industry,” Niki explained. “The one thing that I believe is that there is something in it for everybody. From those who just like to watch horses, to those that are involved in high-level training.
Niki and Ace
for many years, special FX in movies — and I really enjoy that creative aspect,” she said. “I was at the point in my life when I was thinking of scaling back my time on the road. Three little ones and a trailer full of horses, and at that time, Dustin was still rodeo’ing, so I was looking for a change.” “I still needed a career,” Niki continued. “I wondered if I could make a go of a big event, and so I’ve been trying to build it up, and so far, it’s working.” Her reputation as a master trainer attracts top trainers, her reputation as an exciting performer attracts the crowds, and her reputation as a class act attracts the horse owners to place their valuable young horses under her care.
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Niki started Heart of the Horse in 2019, and the response was enthusiastic. Then the next year, everything fun in Canada and pretty much around the world (except South Dakota) was forced to shut down. In 2021, she changed everything up (held outside, for example) and then finally, after the darkness cleared, in 2022 it was sheer strength of will on her part that saw Heart of the Horse rise from the ashes. It was moved to a new location — the Silver Sage Arena in Brooks, and yes, the patrons, trainers, shoppers and fans came back to rekindle the momentum. “We thought long and hard about where we were going to move it to, and it was the
There are demos, night shows, clinics and the social aspect — no matter where you’re at with horses, there’s something there for you.” The lineup also appeals to those of a more philosophical nature as well, with the inspirational speakers she invites who share their life experiences that inspire and teach. Amberley Snyder (the young Texan whose partial paralysis saw her back in the saddle and even barrel racing at The American rodeo, due to overwhelming fan support) is one of the speakers Niki has hosted in the past. “She’s a personal friend of mine, and I know she has inspired my journey. Whether you’re a horse person or not, to hear her story is a blessing.” This year, HOTH is hosting 2012 Canadian Bareback Champion and six-time NFR qualifier, JR Vezain. Paralyzed from the waist down at a rodeo in Texas, his comeback story is inspirational. “You asked me why I wanted to do this,” continued Niki. “I wanted to have a different spin, where, at the core, it helps people with horses. I know what horses have done for me,” she paused. “Everybody has challenges, and some have more, but I think that those who have the blessings of having a horse, they know what they bring to their life — and I wanted to bring that to people.” Heart of the Horse is on Aug 24–27, 2023, at Silver Sage Arena in Brooks. For more, visit https://www.theheartofthehorse.ca. c
Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023
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COWBOY POETRY
The Railroad Corral BY JOSEPH MILLS HANSON (1876-1960)
Oh, we're up in the morning ere breaking of the day, The chuck-wagon's busy, the flapjacks in play; The herd is astir o'er hillside and vale, With the night riders rounding them into the trail. Oh, come take up your cinches, come shake out your reins; Come wake your old bronco and break for the plains; Come roust out your steers from the long chaparral, For the outfit is off to the railroad corral. The sun circles upward; the steers as they plod Are pounding to powder the hot prairie sod; And it seems, as the dust makes you dizzy and sick, That we'll never reach noon and the cool shady creek. But tie up your kerchief and ply up your nag; Come dry up your grumbles and try not to lag, Come with your steers from the long chaparral For we're far on the road to the railroad corral. The afternoon shadows are starting to lean, When the chuckwagon sticks in the marshy ravine; The herd scatters farther than vision can look, For you can bet all true punchers will help out the cook. Come shake out your rawhide and snake it up fair; Come break your old bronco to take in his share; Come from your steers in the long chaparral, For 't is all in the drive to the railroad corral. But the longest of days must reach evening at last, The hills all climbed, the creeks all past; The tired herd droops in the yellowing light; Let them loaf if they will, for the railroad's in sight. So flap up your holster and snap up your belt, And strap up your saddle whose lap you have felt; Good-bye to the steers from long chaparral, For there's a town that's a trunk by the railroad corral.
STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ TYLER OLSON
This poem, turned song, has been recorded by some of the great Western singers, from Michael Martin Murphey, to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and also our old friend, Don Edwards. You can hear Don’s version on Spotify — Canadian Cowboy Country 2023 Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06iUG4knxlqe9DbqczvhkQ
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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2023