Horse Roundup 2020

HORSE 2020

ROUNDUP

P U B L I C A T I O N

O F

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HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

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Expecting 50 Hand Selected Performance/Ranch and Prospect Horses

Friday, Sept 4, 2020 To Be Held During the

Center of the Nation

Sept 4-6, 2020

BELLE FOURCHE ROUNDUP GROUNDS BELLE FOURCHE, SD

For more information contact Curt Westland 605-210-3329 â&#x20AC;¢ cwestlandauction@gmail.com 4

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Bell elle e Fourc ourche our che Hor orse se Sal ale e

FRIDA A , SEPTEMBE AY EMBE 18, 202 EMBER 2 20 Preview Pre P ie att 9 a.m. iew a | Horse Horse Sale S le at 12 p.m. m.

Featuriing ng Allll Classes Cl off Horses H I l dii ng Including ng: g Ranch, Rope and Ponies

Now Taking No Taki Co i nmentsts Consignm Until Unt August 1st Contacts: Lindsey O’Keeffe 307-401-2555 | Levi O’Keeffe 701-721-9248 TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

CSR

HORSE SALE2THE RANCH *

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2020 BOZEMAN, MONTANA

PATRIOTIC PANTIES 2019 Filly Jet Black Patriot × Famous Silk Panties by Dash Ta Fame Her dam is winner of LG Pro Classic Slot & BFA Super Stakes; $237,484 EquiStat Barrel Earnings. Jet Black Patriot (SI 110 $876,921 LTE) is sire of 2019 #1 selling yearling Son Of A Rogue $605,0000. COPPER SPRING RANCH

BB FAME N COURAGE 2018 Filly Carrizzo × Royaldashwithcourage by Captain Courage Her sire has EquiStat earners of over $518,000+ with just 27 competing. Grandsire Captain Courage has a SI 100, earned $137,750 racing. PIF Future Fortunes. UTD Pink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

CANYON CANE 2019 Filly Firewater Canyon × JB Sweet Baby Doc by Merridoc Firewater Canyon has barrel earners of $82,403 with just 12 running, oldest are 5. Merridoc (SI 102 $249,736) is a maternal grandsire of $1,435,975 EquiStat barrel earners. UTD Pink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

MISTER GATSBY 2017 Gelding Dash Ta Fame × Mightypopularfiesta by Popular Resortfigure By the immortal DTF out of a daughter of Firewater Fiesta. He has seen many miles on the ranch. Eligible for Royal Crown, SSS, Colorado Classic and more. WEBB RANCHES

SALLYS SIX SHOOTER 2018 Filly Magnum × Famous Sally by Dash Ta Fame Sire is a futurity champion and Pro Rodeo money earner. Her dam is a full-sister toThe Red Dasher ($228,000).This filly floats on top of the ground and has tons of speed. Eligible for Blue Collar, SSS, CC and more. WEBB RANCHES

BURN N GLO 2018 Filly Firewater Canyon × Meteora (SI 94) by Special Leader Mulberry Canyon Moon, dam of FWC, won over $400,000 and has barrel earners of $530,638. Special Leader (SI 103) has race earners of $12,860,253. PIF Future Fortunes & PESI. UTD Pink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

e are honored to join some of the top breeders in the country to bring a select group of horses to the Copper Spring Ranch sale. This will be our last sale in Montana and with the help of our consignors we plan to make it the BEST EVER! Copper Spring Ranch Sale Graduates will be eligible for a $10,000 Sale Graduates Bonus added to our 2021 $15,000 Open 2D Futurity in New Mexico.

FMI ON CSR SALE HORSES: LISAA@COPPERSPRINGRANCH.COM (406) 579-1540 OR VISIT COPPERSPRINGRANCH.COM

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CSR

HORSE SALE2THE RANCH *

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2020 BOZEMAN, MONTANA

LOOOKINGGOOD 2018 Gelding Furyofthewind × Nick Bar Avenges by Dr Nick Bar Sire has race earners of $7,244,723; barrel earners of $439,496 including 2019 Old Fort Days Futurity Champ. Grandsire an EquiStat Top 10 Leading Sire. PIF PESI; Future Fortunes. UTDPink&RubyBuckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

BOOGYWOOGY CNTRY BOY 2019 Gelding EMA GENE EVANS 2019 Filly Prime Talent × Bogies Miss Git Go by Bogie Biankus Furyofthewind × Runninferfame by Dash Ta Fame Furyofthewind is the sire of 2020 Patriot Futurity Champion Dam is a multiple Montana Pro Rodeo Finals Qualifier; 2015 Reserve Champ; CNFR qualifier 2014–16; 2× and Ruby Buckle Futurity 2nd Go winner, Runaway Fury. Big Sky Regional Champ. PIF Future Fortunes, PIF Future Fortunes. UTD Pink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH UTDPink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

TR DOLLYS BIG GUN 2018 Gelding Fiestas Gotta Gun × TR Dashing Badger by Mr Illuminator Dam is“Dolly”—4× NFR qualifier, 2× NFR avg winner, 2× Reserve World Champion barrel horse. Sired by Playgun, Fiestas Gotta Gun’s dam is Reserve World Champ Firewater Fiesta. PIF Future Fortunes. THOMAS RANCH

GET UR FREEK ON 2018 Gelding Prime Talent × A Freaky Firewater by Fire Water Flit Sire has race earners of $1,653,944; barrel earners of $315,908 including Ram NCFR champ and NFR go-round winner Prime Diamond. PIF Future Fortunes, PESI; UTD Pink & Ruby Buckle. COPPER SPRING RANCH

RY LIL MISS LONGLEGS 2017 Filly Little Catstep × Frenchmans Moon Dash by Dash Ta Fame Her dam is a barrel money earner of over $30K and has produced an American Semi-Finals Qualifier. Her sire is a son of $11 Million SireWimpys Littlestep. She has ability and training to step up to next level. RODNEY & ERIN YOST

opper Spring Ranch is based in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Gallatin County, and has modern indoor and outdoor arenas, two covered stall barns and state-of-the-art RV hookups for our guests. We are located at 601 South Pine Butte Road, Bozeman, Montana 59718. HOST HOTEL IN BELGRADE Front Desk 406/388-7100 HOST HOTEL IN BOZEMAN Front Desk 406/587-5261

FMI ON CSR SALE HORSES: LISAA@COPPERSPRINGRANCH.COM (406) 579-1540 OR VISIT COPPERSPRINGRANCH.COM

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HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

Hollenbeck Horses

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

BY TAMARA CHOAT

Insuring an Equine Investment A Long Way Home

BY HANNAH GILL

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

Horses They Write Songs About

BY RHONDA SEDGWICK STEARNS

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

The Good Ones

BY JAN SWAN WOOD

Rodeos Without Fans

Pre-purchase Exams BY MARIA TIBBETTS

56 HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

Miles City Bucking Horse Sale Canceled

Rodeo Queens and COVID

Schofield Ranch BY MARIA TIBBETTS

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

Kalona Sales Barn

What ranchers read.

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Advertiser Index

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1 (877) 347-9100 Publisher: SABRINA “BREE” POPPE Cell (605) 639-0356 | Office (877) 347-9104 spoppe@tsln-fre.com GM of Sales & Marketing & Fieldman: DENNIS GINKENS Cell (406) 670-9839 | dginkens@tsln-fre.com Editor: CARRIE STADHEIM (605) 622-8935 | cstadheim@tsln-fre.com Digital & Sections Editor: MARIA TIBBETTS (605) 484-4488 | mtibbetts@tsln-fre.com Digital Engagment Editor: LIZ BANMAN MUNSTERTEIGER marketing@tsln-fre.com Graphic Designer: CHRISTA VANDYKE Special Projects & Major Account Coordinator: DIANNA PALMER Northern Black Hills Territory (605) 723-7010 | dpalmer@tsln-fre.com Nebraska Account Manager: GAYDAWN ROGERS (970) 301-2190 | grogers@tsln-fre.com Commercial Account Manager: LEAH BRENCE West River Territory SD/ND/MT/WY (406) 839-1097 | lbrence@tsln-fre.com Commercial Account Manager: TRACY L. HAUK East River SD/ND Territory (406) 951-3211 | thauk@tsln-fre.com Cattle Marketing Assistant & NE Territory Account Manager: CARISSA LEE (877) 347-9114 | clee@tsln-fre.com Director of Field Services & Ringman: SCOTT DIRK West of River ND & SD Territory (605) 380-6024 | sdirk@tsln-fre.com Field Service & Ringman: DAN PIROUTEK (605) 544-3316 | dpiroutek@tsln-fre.com Field Service & Ringman: DREW FELLER CO & NE Territory Field Service & Ringman : MATT WZNICK MT & WY Territory (406) 489-2414 | mwznick@tsln-fre.com

CLASSIFIEDS: CLASSIFIEDS@TSLN-FRE.COM COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ERRORS: The Tri-State Livestock News shall be responsible for errors or omission in connection with an advertisement only to the extent of the space covered by the error. Opinions stated in letters or signed columns do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of Tri-State News.

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ight l t o p S Artist Kristen Schurr

risten Schurr is a western lifestyle and ranch photographer based in Eastern Montana. When

she’s not behind her camera, you can find her in the saddle or helping on the ranch. After working on multiple ranches in Montana, Kristen realized her passion for ranching also translated to a passion for capturing the lifestyle. Now a full-time photographer, Kristen stays busy telling the story through her photos of ranch life, livestock, and the daily lives of those who live it. “The world is changing, but cowboys and cowgirls still do exist. I want to capture the beauty and art of our lifestyle and showcase that in my photography.” - Kristen IG:@kschurrphoto https://kschurrphoto.squarespace.com/

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21st Annual

Dakota Breeders Classic Quarter Horse Production Sale September 11, 2020 Friday, 6 PM CDT

Mobridge Livestock Market â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mobridge S.D. Offering an outstanding selection of performance bred prospects from Five Arrow Quarter Horses and Broken Heart Ranch along with Booth Quarter Horses and other guest consignors.

For more information & catalogs contact Darrell Schlepp - 605-850-8995 | fivearrow@westriv.com or Chad & Gary Pederson - 605-865-3190 | bhrredangus@lakotanetwork.com Catalogs can be viewed at www.fivearrow.com, www.pedersonbhr.com & on facebook. Sale will be live at www.cattleusa.com TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

Hollenbeck Horses go from the ranch to the arena without breaking stride

Mike Hollenbeck's goal is to produce horses that can do anything asked of them, from turning a steer to packing a lamb. PHOTO BY MATT WZNICK.

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

Hollenbeck horses have made a name for themselves in the arena for more than 30 years. COURTESY PHOTO.

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

ike and Eva Hollenbeck got their start breeding horses for the junior rodeo arena.

With three boys starting to junior rodeo in the 1990s, their focus was on building horses that would be solid rope horses, but that would have the brains and feet to make it outside the arena as well. Mike paid attention to the names on the pedigrees of the horses that were consistently delivering at the end of a rope in the arena, and eventually settled on Driftwood stallions crossed on his Doc O Dynamite, Peppys Tejon and King-bred mares for a foundation. Cee Booger Red and Driftwood mares. “What we gathered up was what was going to work in the arena,” Mike said. “It was a slow and gradual process, but it turned out some awful nice horses.”

Mike grew up on a ranch near Edgemont, South Dakota. His family homesteaded in the Trail City and Mobridge area, where Mike’s grandfather, Clay Hollenbeck, raised ranch horses. Mike’s dad, Bud Hollenbeck, carried on the tradition near Edgemont, South Dakota, expanding to include some race horses as well as ranch horses. Mike says he went to Montana in 1980 for the weekend, and got too broke to leave. Today, he and Eva run the ranch near Molt, Montana, with their son, Henry. They run cows and calves, yearlings, sheep and about 25 broodmares. Mike and Henry are also livestock order buyers. The diversity of the ranch requires diversity in their horses. Mike said they send horses out with their Peruvian sheepherders. “They’re out there for days at a time with no one checking on them. The horses they’re taking have to have good dispositions. It takes

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

a pretty special horse to have a lamb dangling on one side and a water jug on the other, plus fencing materials.”

huge leaps for progress; I take it a little at a time. Singletrait selection is not what I’m about.”

Hollenbecks didn’t want to have to have a different horse for every job, so they built horses that do it all.

For a lot of disciplines, horses are done with their primary jobs by the time they’re five. For the horses Hollenbecks raise, they don’t fully realize a horse’s potential until he’s around 6 or 7 years old. “You’ve got to be persistent and follow your bloodlines,” Mike said. “Right now I feel pretty comfortable with what we’re doing. You get to find out how you’re doing when you’re riding these horses. We’re not just selling baby foals and yearlings. You don’t get in a big hurry. You have to be pretty methodical about what you’re doing, whether that’s breeding or training them. Progress comes slow. Take shortcuts and you’re going to stub your toe.”

“My goals are slow, steady progress in providing horses with rock solid foundations, good feet and legs for this ranch and rodeo life they’ve gotta fight their way through, black feet, structural correctness, a decent set of withers, angles to their front and rear end so they’re smooth-traveling,” Mike said. “I don’t try to take these

While color is a big selling point in some segments of the horse industry, Hollenbecks are more interested in what’s under the hide. They do select for black feet, which tend to hold up better and require less maintenance, but other than that, “Color doesn’t stop an electric eye, doesn’t influence a flagger out in the arena, or how a horse can move a string of yearlings,” Mike said. “Some of these flashier horses are more easily marketed, but up to this point, we haven’t been big marketers of horses. We’ve been producers and users rather than marketers. But I’ve grown this operation to a size where we’ve got to market them. We can’t ride them all.”

Marty Oak Simper, Clinician

HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

This year, for the first time, some of Hollenbecks’ horses will be available as young stock— weanlings and yearlings. Mike hasn’t settled on which sale he’ll consign to this year, but he knows they’ll be in the ring come fall.

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This daughter of Peppys Tejon is still a productive broodmare at 19 years old. COURTESY PHOTO.

Hollenbecks intend to continue with their program of keeping, riding and marketing older, finished horses, but they’ve seen enough of the finished product of the bloodlines they’re marketing to be confident that their younger offerings will live up to the reputation of quick, solid horses in the arena or in the pasture. Mike and Henry have plenty to do without starting colts, so they are working with Matt Wznick to put a handle on their younger horses. “He’s very talented, and we’re blessed to work with him,” said Mike. When it comes to dropping flags, the Hollenbeck horses are some of the best. One of the standouts is Rey De Bay, a 2003 grandson of Doc O Dynamite and Mr San Peppy. He was named the

Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Calf Horse of the Year, and carried Henry to a year-end all-around Circuit championship, one of six year-end Circuit championships Henry took home. Greg Goggins, auctioneer, has watched the Hollenbecks' program for years. He said, "Henry is Montana's all-around cowboy. He lives and breathes the cowboy way of life, in and out of the arena." Another memorable horse was King Gold Dulce, a 1992 King-bred horse that won the Montana High School Rodeo Horse of the Year in calf roping and team roping. “He’s the kind of horse we’re trying to make,” said Mike. Hollenbecks haven’t swerved from their belief that Driftwood is one of the best sires to accomplish their goals. They recently lost their senior stud, Driftwood N Drift, who was traced to Driftwood five times. They replaced

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Kalona Fall Draft Horse & Carriage Sale Kalona Sales Barn 121 9th Street Kalona, IA 52247

October 12th & 13th, 2020 Monday, October 12th Schedule: (Running 3 Rings) 9:00 AM: Horse-Drawn Machinery, Equipment, Field Items, Antiques, & Miscellaneous Tack Items. 10:00 AM: Harness & Collars, Saddles & Western Collectibles. 1:00 PM: Carriages, Wagons, Carts, Sleighs & Buggies, etc. 7:00 PM: Horse Pull & Demonstration held in the Horse Arena.

Tuesday, October 13th Schedule: 9:00 AM: Cataloged Draft Horses, Belgians, Percherons, Pulling Horses, Spotted Drafts, Haflingers, Crossbreds, Mules, Light Driving Teams, Driving Horses, Saddle Horses & Ponies.

CATALOG DEADLINE: Monday, September 21st Kalona Sales Barn: 319-656-2222 Sales Barn Fax: 319-656-2232 Devin Mullet: 319-936-0675

Email: ksbauc@kalonasalesbarn.com Website: www.kalonasalesbarn.com Mail to: PO Box 820 - Kalona, IA 52247

Mike Hollenbeck makes sure his horses have a chance to do a lot of jobs. PHOTO BY MATT WZNICK.

him with a son named Mr Badger Ike, who goes back to Driftwood eight times. Mr Badger Ike’s first foals are on the ground this year. “His colts look like they’re going to be pretty heavy-boned. He’s throwing a lot of buckskins,” Mike said. “We’re trying to get some of those good Kingbred horses back into our Driftwood and Doc O Dynamite mares.”

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To that end, Hollenbecks are leasing a stud named LR Pondera King 007, a three-quarter brother to the arena standout King Gold Dulce. “He’s an intensely line-bred King horse. He still has King P234 on his papers,” Mike said. “This is the second crop of colts we’re going to get out of him. We very much like him, but he’s 23 years old, so we’re not going to get many more foal crops.” Though their program started out focused on the junior rodeo arena, it has kept up with the rapid growth and advancement of the horses in the arena. “The top-end rodeo horses are worth so much more than they were back then,” Mike said. “When we first started, for a little of nothing you could pick up a kids’ rodeo horse. The value in these horses has gone up a bunch in the last 30 years. That’s how long I’ve been dragging kids to rodeos. We started with $1,500 horses. Now you have to add a zero to get a decent kids’ rodeo horse.”

One of the major influences in the Hollenbeck horse program, Driftwood N Drift when he was 20 years old. COURTESY PHOTOS

The kids who started the family down this road of horses and rodeo have grown up. Henry and his family are on the ranch and have carried on with the horses and rodeo, but Mike and Eva’s two other sons pursued careers off the ranch. Charlie is in the meat business in Forsyth, Montana and Zane is in the oil business in Watford City, North Dakota. But the family tradition is far from over. Those kids’ rodeo horses will have a place in the Hollenbeck trailer in a few years, as Hollenbecks’ grandkids start down the rodeo trail. “I’ve got four grandkids and one on the way who will take youth rodeo to the next generation,” Mike said. “We won’t switch horses, just faces.”

This 2019 filly is out of Driftwood N Drift and Dyna Doc Miss. COURTESY PHOTOS

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Insuring an equine investment

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

hile nothing can quite replace the loss of a horse, whether a premier cutting horse, exceptional barrel horse, or even elite ranch horse, compensation from an equine insurance claim can at least dampen the financial burden.

discussed the idea, it sounded like a good fit, and we just went from there.”

Trula Churchill with Plains Horizon Equine Insurance had a major medical policy on her own barrel horse, which she ran professionally for several years after quitting her teaching job. When he was injured in 2018, her policy meant she was able to provide him the care to live comfortably. Since his injury, she has worked with Marvin Tavarez Jr. at Plains Horizon Equine Insurance.

Churchill insures all types of horses, from ranch and pleasure riding horses to professional rodeo horses, race horses, show horses, brood mares, and everything in between.

“People would always ask me for a reference on who to use for horse insurance,” Churchill said. “I got to thinking about it, I’m referring a lot of people, I should be on his team. We

Equine insurance comes in varying levels and policies, though, at minimum, a policy with Plains Horizon Equine Insurance is $250 per year and increases with the value of the horse. A six-figure horse can cost $3,000 per year or more.

“Basically horses that people insure are ones that they feel like they need to replace or protect their investment and, although they aren’t necessarily replaced, they can have the funds to start over,” Churchill said. Often those with a lien or loan on a horse or those who lease a horse are great candidates to use equine insurance, she said.

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HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

A horse’s valuation is based on the price paid and can potentially ramp up with training and accomplishments. “The agreed value is what we agree your horse is worth and what you would get paid if you filed a claim,” Churchill said. “That, initially, is the purchase price of the horse, then horses that have proven themselves and have won in the arena, have gotten more training, or have proven themselves on the ranch, there’s justification to increase value.” Churchill gave the example of a two- or three-year-old ranch horse purchased for $5,000. As it becomes more competent at its job a year or two down the line, dragging calves, doctoring bulls in the pasture, being ridden by the kids at the playday, its agreed value could be increased to $7,500 or $10,000, for example. “Just because it’s not an expensive horse doesn’t mean that the person didn’t spend a lot of money on the horse,” Churchill said. “I have customers that don’t have what some would consider an expensive horse, but it was a lot of money for them, so they insured that investment.” The flip side of this is that horses can’t be purchased for one price one day and have an incredibly increased agreed value the next. “We aren’t going to let you buy a horse for $5,000 today, go rope a bull in the pasture, and say he’s worth $10,000 now,” Churchill said. “He hasn’t been owned long enough to justify that type of increase. Generally, it takes a year or so to consider.”

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An insurance policy can also be placed on what Churchill calls a prospective foal. “If you have a lot of money invested in stud fees and embryo transfers, you can insure the embryo,” she said. The majority of policies taken out are for full mortality, which covers all risk mortality including theft, if that is proven and all channels are pursued to get the horse back. With this policy, if euthanasia is considered, the vet, claims adjuster, and owner work together to ensure the best care and consideration is made for

the animals. Horses can’t be euthanized in order to collect compensation if their quality of life is still intact.

herd,” Churchill said. “The registered guys, if they had a special cow, they’re more likely to put mortality on her. It would cover anything if they lost her.”

“Everything is done with the best interest of the horse,” Churchill said. “If they say, ‘I’m going to put him down and collect the insurance on the horse,’ they need a viable reason for that, and it has to go through the vet.”

Although the name of the company specifies horse insurance, they also offer cargo, farm/ranch, and liability policies.

In addition to full mortality and major medical, a special accident policy is also an option for equine owners seeking coverage.

“Our agency motto is reliable protection, one strong relationship at a time,” Churchill said.

“That covers any visible, external accident or injury,” Churchill said. “It doesn’t cover any sickness, illness, colic, or disease and is a less expensive route, as when horses get older, the full mortality rate goes up for them.” Plains Horizon Equine Insurance also offers livestock insurance, which can cover a whole commercial herd, favorite embryo donor cow, prized bulls, or a working dog--nearly anything agriculture-related. With this offering also comes varying levels of protection, including mortality, like for horses, or specified peril, which covers specific incidents such as loss by lightning strike, flood, fire, tornado, snow storm, contaminated feed or water, and more. It doesn’t cover sickness, however. “The commercial guys are going to lean more toward specified peril on the whole

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Kalona Sales Barn has been a staple in Kalona, Iowa since 1947. The Mullet family has had their name on the Kalona Sales Barn since it opened.

PHOTOS COURTESY KALONA SALES BARN.

Kalona Sales Barn

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

he horses in the sale ring have shaggy feet the size of dinner plates. At easily 16 hands and weighing a ton, these horses are bred for strength, endurance, and disposition, not speed or cow sense, like most horses in most sale rings across the West and Midwest. At Kalona Sales Barn in Kalona, Iowa, these draft horses are in the spotlight three times a year, and the sale requires two sale rings, one for horses and one for the accompanying tack and equipment, said Devin Mullet, third-generation owner of the sales barn. The draft horse sale has become a big attraction, as few sale barns are in a location that provides the market for buyers and sellers. There is a strong Amish community around Kalona, and they supply a lot of the horses and equipment for the sales, but an increase in small-acreage and subsistence farming has led others to draft horses, whether as a hobby or source of horsepower for farming. “We sell a lot of machinery during the horse sale,” Devin said. “Horse-drawn wagons and things like that. It draws a lot of people from different generations. It’s interesting to hear the stories and the different uses of horses. We have a lot of people that come and buy horses to work in the field, or crossbreds or driving horses. There are a lot of outfitters that come and buy horses for camps and various things, and lots of trail riding horses.” While the draft horse sale happens every February, April and October, the first Monday of the month is horse sale day.

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The draft horse sales always draw a good crowd at the Kalona Sales Barn.

“It’s always been the first Monday of the month,” said Mullett. “People can rely on that, every month. We get buyers all over the Midwest to come to it.” They sell everything from Percherons and Gypsy Vanners to ponies and Quarter Horses. Devin said prices have been good for draft horses and ponies. “This comes after a real hard time when colts weren’t worth anything. The numbers went down and now they’re back in demand. They’ve kind of reached a balance between the supply and demand.” The April sale was canceled this year, because of COVID-19, but the sales are up and running again, though they had to cancel the tack and equipment sale because they had so many horses to work through. The family has seen the ups and downs of the market and economy since the sales barn opened in 1947, started by Devin’s grandfather and great-uncle. Now Devin’s three kids, Rochelle, Alana and Kyle, all work there, carrying the tradition into the fourth generation. “We enjoy the people,” Devin said. “We have a lot of good customers who have come here for years. We hear from people all the time who say they’ve been coming here for 40 to 50 years. We just enjoy meeting the people and the different livestock.” Nearly every species of livestock goes through the sales barn.

The monthly horse sale sees all types of horses, though good using horses usually bring the best money. “It’s a pretty good mix, but where what we really sell good is a good, honest, good-broke horse,” Devin said. They have several sellers who sell consistently, so Devin’s family and the buyers know the horses are represented honestly and with integrity. Honesty is what they have built their business on, Devin said. “I think a key to our business is we run our business honestly. When you buy here, everything’s on the up and up.” Another draw for horse sellers and buyers is the on-site Coggins testing. About 10 years ago the horse sale featured 700 to 800 horses a month. The Coggins test, which is required before a horse can cross state lines, involved a vet drawing blood, sending the test off, waiting a few days to get the results back and then finishing up the paperwork. The lab on the premises allows the resident vet to draw blood and have the paperwork in hand the same day, saving the seller a lot of time and hassle. Their location about 15 miles south of I-80 in the middle of the country makes it attractive to buyers and sellers from all over. Devin estimates their average monthly horse sale sees 300 to 400 horses find new owners. The majority of the horses bring between $1,500 and $5,000. He said the highest seller he can recall was $25,000, and some of the draft horses bring more than $10,000.

In addition to the monthly horse sale, they have a sheep, goat and hog sale every Wednesday, and cattle and hay sale on Thursdays.

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Rodeos Without Fans

Colorado’s Shali Lord made sure her sponsors got plenty of attention during the virus pandemic by shout-outs on social media and videos about them. PHOTO BY DON CHRISTNER.

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

his has been a year of unexpected, unknown and uncomfortable, thanks to COVID-19. But for professional cowboys and cowgirls, the uncertainty offered a chance to rest, recuperate and spend time with family, all while making sure they were still delivering on their promises to their sponsors. For barrel racer Shali Lord, the pandemic and lack of rodeos gave her more time at home with her husband, Phy, son, Slade, and daughter, Stealy, and with her horses. She was able to ride young horses more and season them at barrel racing jackpots. “It was good to get out and get the rodeo horses prepared and the young horses seasoned.” Ranch work didn’t slow down at their place near Lamar, Colo. “I wasn’t able to travel (to rodeos) but nothing changed with ranching,”

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she said. The family usually brands their cattle in one big bunch on one day, but this year they were able to split it into five smaller brandings. “Our little boy Slade was able to rope (at the brandings) a little more,” she said. “He roped at each one.” She and the kids enjoyed their time together. “We did a lot of fun things outside,” she said. “We did trail rides and looked for crawdads and went fishing. We went for rides in the creek, and Slade got to rope his goats quite a bit.”

The cancellation of pro rodeos gave contestants more time at home with their families . Barrel racer Shali Lord stayed home in Lamar, Colo. with her husband, Phy, son Slade, and daughter Stealy. They had time to go on trail rides, look for crawdads, go fishing, and rope goats. COURTESY PHOTO.

One of the first rodeos back was Ft. Worth, which was the finish for Rodeo Houston, canceled on March 11, before it was completed. There were no spectators, just contestants, so there was no crowd noise or music. Some horses do well with the noise and some don’t. For Lord’s horse Can Man, he likes the sounds. “I feel like he likes the music and noise,” she said. “I think he fires harder.” Lord placed in each round, twice on Can Man and once on CeCe (winning the second round on her). Can Man did fine, “but I think he gets more excited to run when it’s loud with more music and a crowd.” With no rodeos to showcase sponsors, Lord made sure they were visible on her social media. “I did a sponsor challenge,” she said, “and did a write up every day. Every day I’d put two sponsors on social media, tag them, talk about them and how they helped me. I had a lot of videos, trying to advertise for sponsors and thinking of unique ways to get their product out.”

One change the virus brought might stick around after the pandemic is over, Lord thinks. At barrel races, cowgirls are usually there all day, waiting to make their runs. With social distancing, barrel races outlined specific time slots so each barrel racer had a window of time to be there. It was convenient, Lord thought. “It was a lot more efficient for everybody,” she said. “This way, you know exactly when you’re going to run, and you know you won’t be there all day. I look for them to continue doing that.” For the number one man in the steer wrestling world standings, the lack of rodeos gave him time to get other things done. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, was able to get farming and cattle taken care of, in preparation for the summer and the return of rodeos. “I tried to get everything ready to go again,” he said.

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His sponsors were understanding that their logos weren’t in front of rodeo fans, Reeves said. “I’m pretty tight with all of mine. I have a personal relationship with them, that’s for sure.” Because of the lack of rodeos, the ones that have run have been televised on The Cowboy Channel, which is a plus, Reeves thinks. “It gets more exposure for rodeo,” he said. The lack of a crowd at Cave Creek, Ariz. (May 2224) and Ft. Worth’s wrap up of Houston (May 29-31) didn’t affect him or his horse. “It was like slack for us.” Reeves won first at Cave Creek, bringing home a check for $1,849. The break was good, but he wished it hadn’t happened. “It’s been fine, but I’d rather not have had it.” Tie-down roper Riley Pruitt invested his time off from the pandemic in a new baby. When Rodeo Houston was canceled, his younger child, son Bryant, was five days old. So Pruitt, who thought he would be gone for a month, hit the road, heading home as fast as he could. “I got back home as soon as I could to help Jenna (his wife) and I got to be a dad. I didn’t have to worry about being ready for anything.” His horses also got a rest. The gray horse he rode at the 2019 National Finals Rodeo has a pulled groin and will be out till the winter. His second horse, a sorrel named Bentley, needed a break. “I used him at seventy-some rodeos last year. He had lost all confidence. That was his first year of rodoeing, and he handled it extremely well and got me to the (National) Finals, but his confidence was shot, he was sore, and I was sore.” With the rest, Pruitt has a “new” horse in the sorrel. “I kicked him out to pasture and let him be a horse,” Pruitt said. “Three weeks ago, I brought

Matt Reeves turfs a steer at the 2019 Wrangler NFR. The Texas cowboy used his time off from rodeo during the pandemic to get cattle and farm work done. PHOTO BY JACKIE JENSEN.

Last year was Riley Pruitt’s second qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The Gering, Neb. cowboy used his time home due to the pandemic to change diapers and care for his and Jenna’s second child, a son, who was born in March. PHOTO BY

JACKIE JENSEN.

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When the COVID19 pandemic hit, pro rodeos canceled, allowing tie-down roper Riley Pruitt to be at home with his wife, Jenna, daughter, Chloe, and son, Bryant, who was born in early March. PHOTO COURTESY SAMANTHA ALVIZAR PHOTOGRAPHY

HORSE ROUNDUP 2020

him in and started getting him back into shape. He has never worked like this before. He’s been amazing. His confidence is higher than mine.” It also allowed Pruitt to recoup. During the San Angelo, Texas Cinch Shootout in early February, Pruitt tore his calf muscle and couldn’t walk. He competed at San Antonio the next night but struggled. “I wasn’t ready for the American (Rodeo), he said. “I couldn’t sit in the truck, I couldn’t drive. I was really worried about Houston.”

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During the pandemic break, he rehabbed his leg every day. “I didn’t touch a rope, a horse or a calf,” he said. “I needed a break worse than anybody.” He’s feeling better now. “It’s been six or seven years since I’ve felt this good. (In pro rodeo) you never give your body a break.” Pruitt competed at Rodeo Houston’s Super Series Finish in Ft. Worth, to no fans in the stands. But that was okay. “My horse works a lot better with no crowds and no screaming.” The horse scores better when it’s not as

loud. “When it’s loud and out of control, when I throw my hands up (at the end of a run), he looks for me. He gets nervous.” But Pruitt is ready for fans. “We do miss the fans, and the fans miss seeing rodeos.” During the break from rodeo, Pruitt had time to work around his place near Gering, Neb. “I bought some calves and got the basement done in my house. That was huge,” he said. “I had put that off for four years.” Whatever he did, daughter Chloe, who is two, tagged along. “Every day, all day, she hangs out with me and we just work. Anything I can do to make her happy, we do.”

Pruitt is ranked tenth in the tie-down roping world standings; once rodeos begin to happen again, he’ll be ready to go. “With the way this year is going, it will be a rat race, trying to get to every rodeo.” He also realizes that it’s not easy for committees to put together rodeos, with health restrictions and possible sponsorship decreases. “There are a lot of towns struggling. We are not pushing rodeos to happen. It will be hard for some towns to have a rodeo.” There was a silver lining to the pandemic, he said, but he’s ready to rodeo. “It was a huge blessing for me. I got to help Jenna with two kids. I love it, I absolutely love it, but I’m ready to rope and go win.”

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Queen

two years

Rodeo queens make adjustments in wake of COVID-19

BY RUTH NICOLAUS

eing a rodeo queen is usually a memorable year. But many women who were crowned at state pageants for 2020 get to double that.

That’s the case for every state rodeo queen across the nation, and for Miss Rodeo America, too. Because of COVID-19, on May 27 the Miss Rodeo America Association canceled its pageant, with state rodeo pageants following suit.

Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney (on the left) stands with Miss Rodeo Canada Alicia Erickson.

So because there are no pageants, each state is allowing their queen to serve again in 2021, if she chooses to. A second year gives the women a chance to experience the rodeos and events they’ve missed due to the virus, said Crystal Myers, national director and pageant chair for the Miss Wyoming Rodeo Association. Myers estimates that because of canceled rodeos, Rachel Derner, the 2020-2021 Miss Rodeo Wyoming, will miss three-fourths of scheduled appearances this year. Giving queens a second year will give them “the chance to actually travel and take advantage of their titles,” she said. The Miss Rodeo America Association’s cancelation seemed premature, in hopes that health measures 32

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would be relaxed by pageant time, but it was done in part for the benefit of the states’ pageants. “The biggest reason (the MRA) canceled so early is because state pageants are starting to plan now, and they didn’t want to get caught in a spot where they had to cancel the (national) pageant but states had already crowned a queen,” Myers said. The Miss Rodeo Colorado Association holds a preliminary contest, which, this year, would have been April 18. It was rescheduled, and then when the state pageant was canceled, it was canceled as well.

LEFT TOP: Rachel Derner is the 2020-2021 Miss Rodeo Wyoming. Like her “sash sisters,” she will serve two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LEFT BOTTOM: Miss Rodeo Colorado Hailey Frederiksen will serve two years, as state rodeo queen pageants are shut down this year due to the virus.

Before the MRA’s announcement, they had considered ways to hold a state pageant, said Megan Bryant, president of the Miss Rodeo Colorado committee. They looked into a shortened or a virtual pageant, but it would have taken away from the opportunity, she said, noting that even for the women who don’t win, competing in a pageant is a valuable experience. “Only one girl can win, and the rest of them are learning from the experience.” Age restrictions for MRA and state candidates will be waived for 2021, to allow the women to compete. MRA

RIGHT: Miss Rodeo Nebraska Joeli Walrath will represent the Husker State for two years in a row, due to pageant cancellations because of the coronavirus.

pageant contenders must be at least 19 years old and cannot be 27 before Dec. 31 of the year they compete. Because there are no rodeos to attend, the queens have taken to social media and technology to connect with rodeo fans. Miss Rodeo Nebraska Joeli Walrath does a podcast every Monday, called “Be True. Be You.” It’s a shout out for mental health, including activities and tips for mental wellness. She’s posted coloring book pages on her Facebook page, and gave one of her sponsors, Platte Valley Auto, a chance TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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to showcase the Jeep she is lent, as she drove it through a cruise night in St. Paul, Neb., in April. Walrath, who lives near Ashton, also visited a nursing home in Loup City with her horses. She rode past the windows and was able to talk to residents, as the nursing home streamed her visit through TVs in the residents’ rooms. Miss Rodeo Colorado Hailey Fredericksen posts a video each Wednesday at 10 a.m. called “Miss Rodeo Colorado’s

Kids Corral” on her Facebook and Instagram pages, with a variety of content. She’s read children’s books and has interviewed rodeo and western industry notables. For Miss Rodeo America Jordan Tierney, this year hasn’t gone how she planned. Miss Rodeo America travels 100,000 miles each year visiting rodeos across the nation. She’s been home in Oral, S.D. since mid-March.

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AQHA Legacy Breeder

It was tough to see rodeos cancel each week, she said. “Every time I got on social media and saw another event get canceled, my heart would sink a little bit.” She, like Walrath and Frederiksen, has connected with fans through social media. In a typical year, she signs 100,000 autograph sheets. This year, in April, she asked fans to submit their names and addresses and she mailed out signed pictures. She’s also promoted her sponsors by wearing their clothing on the ranch, in informal “photo shoots.” Tierney has been on the family ranch with her parents, Paul and Robin, “doing a little bit of ranching,” she said. She helped with calving and is breakaway and team roping again and riding young horses and has had time to work on her fitness plan. Nearly every state queen has accepted her state’s offer to be queen a second year, including Walrath. Being Miss Rodeo

Nebraska “is a job of a lifetime,” she said. “So to be able to do it for more than one year, I am so thankful.” Walrath graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2019 with a bachelor’s of science in animal science with an equine option. Frederiksen is a 2019 graduate of Colorado State University with a major in animal science and a minor in ag business.

their titles for a second year. “Because life happens,” she said, “but these young ladies deserve to be able to represent their state.” Tierney summed it up: “I don’t take for granted the fact that there are a lot of girls who grow up wanting to be Miss Rodeo America, and the fact that I get to do it for two years is a blessing. I don’t take this title for granted.”

It’s a big commitment for state queens to carry a title for a second year, Tierney said. State queens must raise much of their funding themselves, and often put educational and career goals on hold while they serve. “I have to commend the girls who have decided to go another year,” Tierney said. “And the girls who might not choose to, I understand and respect their decision.” Even with all the cancellations and disappointments the virus caused, there’s a silver lining, Tierney said. “I’ve been able to be home, see my family and be back on the ranch. For me, it’s been a huge refresher as to why I do this.” She knows her dad will miss her in the practice pen when her schedule is full again. “My dad is probably going to miss me turning steers,” she said. She’s ready for two years of the title. “I’m excited to finish out 2020 strong, and to come into 2021 with the same enthusiasm I came into this year with.” Myers, with the Wyoming program, said the women should get the chance to hold

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THE MORE YOU KNOW

Pre-purchase exams can protect, buyers, sellers, horses

Dr. Jackie Christakos watches a horse trot out during a prepurchase exam. COURTESY PHOTO.

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BY MARIA TIBBETTS

ynn Kohr knew she wanted the mare. “She was spectacular,” said Kohr, a professional barrel racer and barrel and pole horse trainer. The coming 4 year-old had been raced, and the seller, a good friend of Kohr’s, said she’d never been lame. “I loved her bloodlines and I loved her looks,” Kohr said. “I was all in.” Kohr has a policy of doing a pre-purchase exam on every horse she buys, if they’re older than a yearling. Kohr knew this mare had the potential to be at the top of the 1D times, but an inoperable OCD lesion on a stifle they discovered during the pre-purchase exam meant those dreams were physically impossible for Kohr and this mare. “It meant she could be very successful at a lower level,” Kohr said. “It meant I wasn’t putting the horse in a place where I would have been demanding more than she could actually give.” The pre-purchase exam gave Kohr and the owner enough information to make a decision about how to realistically market the mare, finding a situation where she could be successful and her owner could accomplish her goals. That’s the goal of the pre-purchase exam for Kohr—to take care of everyone involved in the transaction, including the horse. Dr. Jackie Christakos is an associate veterinarian at Littleton Equine Medical Center. She describes a pre-purchase exam as a “snapshot

in time for an overall baseline idea of the horse’s health.” For a basic pre-purchase exam she said they look for signs of lameness, discomfort and the horse’s ability to flex all the joints as required for the intended purpose. They check eyes and ears for potential management issues. More in-depth exams can include radiographs, ultrasound, bloodwork, endoscopy to check airways, and drug screening. “We all wish we had a crystal ball to predict the future,” she said. “What we’re trying to figure out is the risk in light of the job you want to do.” Christakos said she seen very few perfect horses during pre-purchase exams. “Some clients ask if the horse passed, and that’s not a concept we use anymore. We talk about risk evaluation. Does this horse have a favorable, guarded, poor or good prognosis for what they want to do? So many horses are between pass and fail that we don’t use those terms anymore.” It’s important to be honest about your expectations for the horse with the vet who does the exam, Christakos said. “A horse may, for one use, be relatively able, where for a harder job they may not be capable of that. It depends on the degree of use and the overall prognosis.” One of the most difficult, and most common, questions Christakos gets is, “What would you do?” In vet school, she said, they were taught that they need to keep their opinions out of their professional duties, but she disagrees with that. “I base my response on my relationship with my client and what I know of their past horses,

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Dr Jackie Christakos

A basic pre-purchase exam involves mostly look and feel, but more in-depth exams can include ultrasound and radiographs. COURTESY PHOTOS.

concerns and experience. Our job as a vet is to come from a non-emotional perspective. We have to be able to say this is what we’ve found, this is the management, this is how likely it is that the horse won’t be able to do its job. We can’t predict the future, but we’re trying to give our best prognosis.” For some people, like Lisa Nelson, who breeds and sells working cow horses, in Arnold, Nebraska, the decision to request a pre-purchase exam depends on the value of the horse she’s looking at, and whether she can see the horse in person. If the horse is valued at more than $5,000, or she can’t watch the horse move, she requests a pre-purchase exam. “I think everyone that I’ve personally had done has been successful. It’s reassured me that the decision was a good one,” she said. If she’s considering broodmares, she adds a breeding soundness exam to the requests if the mare is worth $5,000 or more. “If it’s a cheaper price point, for me, personally, I’ll take the chance. I try to gather as much information from the seller as possible.” In that price range she usually gets full x-rays done, in addition to the basic exam that checks for lameness, sickness, problems with their mouth or teeth and eye issues. In February she started an online performance horse auction and recommends a pre-purchase exam for people buying in that scenario, where the vet could see a problem in person that may not be apparent on a video.

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Kohr said she doesn’t have a pre-purchase exam done on younger prospects because they probably aren’t broke well enough to be able to trot off, which is necessary for the vet to see what they need to see. “I do, however, watch each colt move and I do spend considerable time with them, looking at conformation and their travel patterns.” She requests an exam for every horse she’s considering, if it’s older than a yearling. Kohr said she bases the pre-purchase exam thoroughness—whether she has radiographs or other tests done-on the age and intended use. If she’s selling a horse she always recommends the buyer get a pre-purchase exam done to protect everyone involved, including the horse. “I look at it as a baseline on that horse’s health,” she said. “I’m looking to see how I can manage and protect anything I need to on that horse, and I look for what I can expect from that horse’s areas of strengths and weaknesses, providing me that baseline to act upon.” Christakos agrees, saying a pre-purchase exam provides a value outside of finding any red flags, especially for less experienced horse-buyers. “I think for some horses, the pre-purchase exam can get close to the cost of the horse. There’s a range from backyard horses that are a relatively small investment to start, to horses that are going to be insured because they’re worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s sometimes as important for that first-time horse so you

know what to expect for management, and what you can expect of the horse.”

the horse before, to get an opinion that isn’t shadowed by

Even if the vet finds an issue, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the end of the road for the buyer and that horse. “I think you need to go in with that perspective that it’s a discussion about whether it’s something you’re willing to manage or not. Our goal with a pre-purchase exam is getting a horse into an appropriate job,” she said.

any part of the exam, it’s important to have a discussion

As for the cost, Christakos said in their clinic in Littleton, Colorado, a pre-purchase exam starts at just under $400, and can go up to several thousand, depending on what tests and radiographs are requested. Kohr said she’s heard of $35 pre-purchase exams, though near Gillette, Wyoming, where she lives, the cost is more typically around $300.

still very low, but the seller shouldn’t have any objection

a relationship with the seller. “If there’s an objection to about why,” she said. “It’s a very safe thing from a seller standpoint. Nothing invasive is being done in a baseline exam. Once you get past that, you may have to get permission to sedate the horse for other tests, and the risk is to the baseline exam.”

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Since the buyer pays for the pre-purchase exam, the information collected belongs to the buyer, Christakos said. They can decide if they want to share it with the seller or not. In most cases, as in the one of the mare Kohr was going to buy, anything negative that shows up in the exam, that hasn’t been disclosed, is a surprise to the seller as well as the buyer. There aren’t many cases of attempted deception, Christakos said. But if you have any doubts about the horse being accurately represented, the exam can keep everyone honest. In some cases, requesting a drug screening can help avoid a conflict down the road if the horse’s behavior changes drastically after purchase. Anyone who sells horses should be open to a prospective buyer asking for a pre-purchase exam. Christakos suggests finding a vet that hasn’t worked with

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At home on the ranch

Schofield family raises ranch horses for ranchers

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BY MARIA TIBBETTS

PHOTO BY DUSTI BERRY, CREEKSIDE REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY.

auling their horses to the neighbors’ branding is the primary source of marketing for the Schofield family, of Philip, South Dakota. But when your goal is to raise solid ranch horses that can do about any job that needs to be done, that’s the best marketing there is, says John Schofield, who ranches and raises horses with his dad, Bob. In the early 1980s, Bob Schofield took over the ranch from his dad, who started their registered horse business in 1971 with a stud named Bucks Ace High and half-a-dozen Hoddy-bred mares.

“Mainly what we’re after is ranch horses,” said Bob. “We just want good using horses. We don’t own a four-wheeler, everything we do with our cows is horseback.” They’ve got about 30 mares and just got a new sorrel stud, named Sampsons Boy Six, from Dave Hermanson’s program. The stud is a grandson of Gray Starlight and goes back to Freckles Playboy on the bottom. They’re looking forward to his first colts next spring. They've had a procession of studs through their program in the last 50 years, including Ole Alamitos AA, by The Old Man; Husky Fancy Bar, who goes back to Roan Bar and Tom Baker; Fox of the Country, a Leo grandson; Dusters Image,

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The Schofield family has been raising Quarter Horses for nearly 50 years. PHOTO BY DUSTI BERRY, CREEKSIDE REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY.

an own son of Range Duster; Tailorwood, a grandson of Orphan Drift; and Mr Fancy Freckles, a grandson of Colonel Freckles. About half of the mares they have now are Tailorwood daughters, and every mare on the place, minus one— about thirty of them—was bred and raised by the Schofield family. Bob said they like the Driftwood bloodline, and are hoping the outcross to the new stud will just keep building the horses they like, and like to use. Dusti Barry has known the Schofields all her life, and has had the chance to see their program grow, and ride

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some of Schofields’ horses. “He’s worked on his program and stayed true to the bloodlines that worked for him, and he’s dang sure produced some of the nicest horses in the area in my opinion,” she said. “I’ve personally ridden several horses from their program and they are some of the greatest I’ve been on. They don’t breed the ‘popular’ lines, so they’re often overlooked by buyers, but every horse they breed turns out. And Bob is just an all-around stand-up guy too.” As others in the industry get more specialized, focusing on speed for arena horses, or cow sense, for cutting horses, the Schofields are trying to stay in the middle of

Bob Schofield

PHOTO BY DUSTI BERRY, CREEKSIDE REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY. (top) and John

Schofield (right) both raise and ride horses simply because they love it, and they love doing their jobs horseback. Bottom right Bob Schofield on a Taylorwood gelding. COURTESY PHOTOS.

the road, breeding horses that have some size, some speed and some cow—enough of each to be successful dragging calves, tying onto a bull or sorting in the alley. But their first priority is disposition. That doesn’t mean they haven’t been successful in the arena—some have. But that’s not what they’re chasing for their horses. “We breed a lot for size. Most of our horses are over 15.2 pretty easily. The biggest horse we own is 16.1. I don’t ride him very much in the winter because it’s hard to get my leg that high with the clothes on,” said John.

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From left to right and back to front: Bob Schofield, Jake Laube, Callie Cauwels, Jeremy Cauwels, John Schofield, Harla Schofield, Kristina Laube, Samantha Schofield, Shelby Hanson, Brock Hanson, and Briley Hanson

Callie (Schofield) Cauwels and Shelby (Schofield) Hanson on Tailorwood, one of the foundation stallions of the Schofield program. (Right) Bob Schofield on Husky Fancy Bar gelding and John Schofield on Fox of the Country gelding. COURTESY PHOTOS.

Schofields used to sell their horses through the horse sale at Phillip Livestock Market. When that sale stopped, they sold through Faith Livestock, but now all their sales are private treaty. They sell most of their horses as yearlings and weanlings. When they had the sale they sold weanlings, but more people want yearlings now, it seems, he said. “We sell them to make room for the younger horses. We sell a few saddle horses. People will ask if we’ve got an older broke horse for sale. They can come down and ride them, if they like them, they can take them, if not, we’ll keep them and keep riding them.” Schofields recently sold a horse that is destined for the arena, but for the roughstock events, as a pick-up horse. “We use them for ranching, but they can do about anything you need,” Bob said.

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Bob and Harla Schofield raised horses and their five kids near Phillip, South Dakota. PHOTO BY DUSTI BERRY. (Right) Bob Schofield and Briley Hanson on a Tailorwood gelding. COURTESY PHOTO.

Though marketing isn’t a big part of their program, word has still gotten out about their horses. “We have quite a few repeat customers,” Bob said. “There are always some new ones showing up, mostly through word-of-mouth. They see our horses at a branding or something, and ask where they came from. We’ve had them get down into Florida and all over Texas. They get strung around eventually.” The family was recently recognized by the AQHA as a Ranching Heritage Breeder, which requires the ranch breed and register at least five foals a year, maintain a remuda for the specific purpose of operating a working cattle ranch, have received at least an AQHA 10-year Breeder award and submit at least three reference letters, including one from a current Ranching Heritage Breeder. Applicants are reviewed and approved by the AQHA Ranching Committee and AQHA Executive Committee.

John filled out the application, thinking it would be a way to add some credibility to their breeding program. “I figured let’s give it a shot. I thought it would be a good way to honor our horses as well.” Bob and his wife, Harla, have four daughters, Kristina, Callie, Shelby and Samantha, who come home and help. Shelby and Kristina run the family’s Facebook page, where they advertise some horses. Bob and John both say they’re in this business because they love horses. “I love to ride,” John said. “I love to work cattle on them. I’m getting more into training them myself. It’s just an incredible feeling when you’re trying to get a horse to do something and the horse figures it out. We try to have all our horses be enjoyable.”

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Bob Schofield

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Kade Gierke with his sons Koy and Tel on Geyser. PHOTO COURTESY

MEADE/GIERKE FAMILY.

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A 5-year-old Kade Gierke feeds his horse Geyser, given to him by his Grandpa Frank Meade. PHOTO COURTESY MEADE/GIERKE FAMILY.

Frank on Geyser at Froze to Death Grazing District, c. 1995. PHOTO COURTESY MEADE/GIERKE FAMILY.

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TOP LEFT: Geyser – then known as Polo – at home during his years in Maryland. BOTTOM LEFT: Polo decked out for St. Patrick’s Day. TOP MIDDLE: Polo celebrating Easter with his riding clients. TOP RIGHT: Polo was very adored at his riding stable in Maryland. PHOTOS COURTESY AMANDA MEDVET

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TOP: Koy Gierke’s (5) first ride on Geyser.

MIDDLE LEFT: Tel Gierke (2) rides great-grandfather’s and dad’s horse.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Aunt Renae Meade sets Kade Gierke up on Geyser.

BOTTOM: Grandpa Frank’s first saddle, given to him at 7 years old in payment for trailing steers 20 miles bareback. PHOTOS COURTESY MEADE/GIERKE FAMILY

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Miles City Bucking Horse Sale

BY HANNAH GILL

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n the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, announcements of canceled rodeos were rolling in by the day this spring, much to the dismay of cowboys and cowgirls across the nation. Among one of the early events to cancel was the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, and it was not an easy decision to cancel what would have been the 70th year of the sale says John Morford, president of the MCBHS Board of Governors.

“That was a very difficult meeting for us,” Morford says. “Our responsibility is to try to bring people into Custer County and Miles City to boost the local economy.” The Bucking Horse Sale brings more business to the area than Christmas, but Morford says the responsibility to protect the people of Custer County was at the top of the list, and holding an event that doubles the population of Miles City for a weekend, drawing people from all 50 states didn’t

bode well for trying to prevent the spread of the virus. “Plus, with the rules of crowd gatherings, we couldn’t have it anyways,” he says. “There was no way to distance 5,000 people standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the grand stands.” The board consulted with county commissioners, the health board and the governor’s office before making the final decision, but in the end, the board chose to get in front of it and cancel the event early

For the first time in 70 years, the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale was canceled, thanks to COVID-19. PHOTO BY KRISTEN SCHURR

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rather than waiting until the last minute and ruining numerous travel plans. When the board went public with the announcement to cancel this year, Morford says it was heartening to hear the positive comments of local business owners who acknowledged the likelihood of financial hardship, but thanked the board for not taking the chance at bringing COVID-19 into Custer County. Looking to next year though, Morford expects it to be a “cracker jack of a bucking horse sale” with an even

better matched bronc riding on Sunday, as this year would have been the first year the match was sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. They’re expecting a larger tradeshow, thanks to newer, larger facilities being built at the fairgrounds this year and more opportunities for outdoor vendors. “This year would have been great because our matched bronc ride would have been bigger and better than it’s ever been,” Morford says. Thanks to becoming sanctioned, 32 of the best bronc riders in the PRCA would have been in attendance, and several stock contractors would have brought their best stock. “Last year our calcutta [for the match] was at $90,000, so I am going to expect next year our calcutta will be $125,000 to $140,000. It’s going to be huge.” The Bucking Horse Sale has grown immensely in the past 70 years, as have the community events surrounding the famous weekend in May, including one of the biggest western themed parades, a quick draw artist contest at the city park, a big breakfast provided the by museum, cowboy church services, and of course, the concert and street dance. The concert this year was supposed to be Casey Donahue, and he has already been rebooked to perform in 2021. The idea behind the Bucking Horse Sale originated after there was an overabundance of horses in the area after the first World War, where horses were a big part of the war effort. “There was always a demand for horses, and this big wide open country around Miles City was really conducive to raising horses,” Morford says. “Everybody and their neighbor jumped in and wanted to get in on that, but

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An invisible virus did what wind, weather and war couldn’t do—cancel the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. PHOTO BY KRISTEN SCHURR

then pretty quick when that market disappeared there was just horses running everywhere and everybody just had lots of horses so it got to be a bragging rights thing about, ‘Well I’ve got a horse nobody can ride,’ and ‘Well I’ve got one better.’” So the Miles City Roundup came into being in the early 1930s and 1940s until rodeo started to gain popularity and people started to figure out that if they had an actual event, they could market those horses as bucking horses. “So that’s kind of how it got started,” Morford says. “The early owners of the Miles City sales yard, they’re the ones who got the first bucking horse sale going in 1950.” Back when Morford was the foreman at the sale yard around 1980, he says they were seeing a lot more stock run through the actual bucking horse sale than they are currently, and that it used to be somewhat of a “logistical nightmare” trying to sell 600 to 700 horses in three days.

“Back then we would buck horses on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and we would run out of riders,” he says. “We just had so many but there was a lot of horses in the country.” With that number of horses, it was hard for rodeo stock contractors to try to find good bucking stock, like searching for a needle in a haystack. “People were bringing us horses that, just because they bucked grandma off trying to gather the milk cows, doesn’t make that a good bucking horse,” Morford says. “We just had so many horses that it was hard to find a good one, and then people that had good bucking horses were reluctant to bring them to a sale that was so full of mediocre horses because they would get lost in the sale.” Not to mention, if a consignor did have an exceptional bucking horse, the luck of the draw might pair it with a green cowboy, and then the horse wouldn’t be shown to the best of its ability. TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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Over the years, the horse numbers have dropped. Some of that could be contributed to the law banning horse canneries, some to the expense it takes to run horses, but overall the sale has transformed to a quality over quantity outlook, and the entire weekend has evolved and horses are sold only on Saturday now. “So now when you consign a horse to the Bucking Horse Sale now, you have to have a history behind the horse,” Morford says. This change was made about five years ago. “You have to have outs on him, its more on the

futurity side of things now, so now when we buck horses at the sale we buck anywhere from 125 to 150 on Saturday and about all of them are proven bucking horses.” As a result, more bucking horse breeders are consigning horses to the sale, and in turn, buyers are happier with the opportunity to buy horses that are already proven. Back in the old days, horses would sell for maybe $100, or around there on average, Morford guesses. Now, Morford has seen a horse sell for $12,000, but figures the current average is around the $1,200 to $2,000 range, but there is always a handful that sell for around $5,000. “That just comes from over the years, we’re getting better horses,” he says. “It was kind of a two-fold thing as well, we wanted to start tightening up what we put in front of the public, and in order to get better horses, we needed to have fewer horses so we needed to have other events.” Horse racing has a long history with the Bucking Horse Sale, but about 15 years ago bull riding was added, 10 years ago mutton bustin’ was added, wild horse races are now part of the weekend entertainment, and Morford guesses the matched bronc riding was added to the program in the early 2000s. Change is inevitable, but through the years the Bucking Horse Sale has made many changes for the better and despite the 70th anniversary of the Bucking Horse Sale being canceled, Morford says he is sure loyal fans will be even more inclined to make next year bigger and better than ever.

Organizers are confident next year’s Miles City Bucking Horse Sale will be bigger and better than ever, thanks to loyal fans and some changes to the event. PHOTO BY KRISTEN SCHURR

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Horses

they write songs about

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BY RHONDA SEDGWICK STEARNS

rom the best ones to the worst ones, horses have inspired people to memorialize them in song for centuries. The Zebra Dun, The Strawberry Roan, I Ride an Old Paint, Comanche, Miss Aledo…the list of notable—though often nameless—horses goes on and on. Jim Bob Tinsley’s scholarly and definitive book “He Was Singin’ This Song,” is one of the richest sources about the earliest cowboy songs, highlighting “Doney Gal,” “Goodbye Old Paint,” “I Ride an Old Paint,” “The Strawberry Roan” and “The Zebra Dun.”

Comanche was the only surviving member of the 7th Cavalry following The Battle of the Little Bighorn, and the subject of Johnny Horton’s song.

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John A. Lomax traveled the country in the early 20th century, recording folk music from all cultures.

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Gene Autry, one of the most famous cowboy singers, said this of Tinsley, whom he met in the 1940s: “He had roots in the Carolinas . . . had also lived in Arizona and picked up the slang of the western cowboy, including its Spanish-American terms. A natural storyteller, Jim Bob didn’t just introduce ballads to an audience; he interpreted them. And the audiences liked his down-home speech, his ironic humor and his respect for the authenticity of the stories or sentiments related in the ballad verses. Whenever he was traveling in the West and was in the neighborhood of the events told in a song, he would seek out cowboys who might know firsthand precisely what the verses meant . . . for almost fifty years he’s been tracking down where they came from and what their words refer to.”

Round the campfire’s flickering glow, We sing the songs from long, long ago. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, Me and my Doney gal we're bound to go. “Doney Gal” was discovered, recorded and documented early by the scholarly Lomax father/son team dedicated to finding and saving for posterity “traditional songs of the American cowboy.” Actual authors, even origins, were ambiguous, and rare as hens’ teeth. In 1937 Louise Henson wrote music and some words to “Dona Gal,” claiming it was her own composition. John Lomax met her and her band, The Jolly Bog Trotters in San Antonio, recorded the song, and deposited it in the Library of Congress. The colloquial Appalachian term doney or doney-gal means “a sweetheart,” and the song’s eight stanzas portray such affection between the cowboy and his horse. 64

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With my feet in the stirrups, my bridle in my hand; Good-bye, Old Paint, I’m a-leavin’ Cheyenne. Old Paint’s a good pony, he paces when he can; Good-bye, Little Annie, I’m off for Cheyenne. –“Good-bye Old Paint” Tinsley calls “Goodbye Old Paint” and “I Ride and Old Paint” “the two traditional songs about paint horses,” and he thought the former was older. XIT ranch cowboy Jess Morris, born at Vega, Texas in 1878, learned the tune on the trail, on a jew’s harp, from exslave Charley Willis. Black horse breaker Jerry Neeley gave Morris his first lessons on the fiddle, inspiring him to later take lessons in classical music from a violin teacher who had studied in Italy. New Mexico writer Lester Raines describes Morris “as much at home in a tuxedo, boiled shirt, and bow tie, playing classical music on a violin as he was in Levis, loud shirt, big hat, and cowboy boots and playing on the fiddle.” John Lomax recorded Morris’s rendition of “Goodbye Old Paint” in 1947 and sent it to the Library of Congress. The director of that repository at the time commented, “Morris’s brand on ‘Old Paint’ is clear and unmistakable: he has the oldest known version; he traces it to a point of first origin, Charley (who learned it from whom on the trail?); he made his own ‘special arrangement’ for the fiddle; and he has, in the folk tradition, his own song.”

He's about the worst bucker I've seen on the range He'll turn on a nickel and give you some change He hits on all fours and goes up on high Leaves me a spinnin' up there in the sky I turns over twice and I comes back to earth I lights in a cussin' the day of his birth I know there are ponies that I cannot ride There's some of them left, they haven't all died I'll bet all my money, the man ain't alive That'll stay with old strawberry When he makes his high dive –“The Strawberry Roan” Cheyenne Frontier Days’ 1914 bronc riding champ Curley Fletcher was a natural to write such a song as “The Strawberry Roan.” Living and promoting rodeos in Arizona, Fletcher also “dabbled in writing verses about cowboys.” In December of 1915 the Arizona

Record at Globe published Fletcher’s words as “The Outlaw Broncho”. Fletcher reworked and re-titled the song, publishing it in his chapbook “Rhymes of the Roundup” (1917) as “The Strawberry Roan.” Within eight years the words had found a tune, but some rustling and brand blotching was involved, with Jack H. “Powder River” Lee also claiming authorship for a time.

Old Dunny was a rocky outlaw that had grown so awful wild That he could paw the white out of the moon every jump for a mile. Old Dunny stood right still–as if he didn’t know– Until he was saddled and ready for to go. –“The Zebra Dun” “The Zebra Dun” references a horse with ancient coloration typical of the Spanish Marismenyo, indigenous to central and southern Spain in the seventh century, introduced to America off the ships of Columbus. Although named for the horse, the song is about the anonymous rider, and the surprise he offers his audience, “That every educated feller ain’t a plumb greenhorn.” He thumped him in the shoulders and spurred him when he whirled, To show them flunky punchers that he was the wolf of the world. When the stranger had dismounted once more upon the ground, We knew he was a thoroughbred and not a gent from town Pioneer photographer L.A. Huffman wrote of a bronc stomper in an incident such as the song describes. J. Frank Dobie heard a story from old cowhand John Custer, claiming he saw the ride that inspired the song, on the Z Bar L Ranch north of Big Springs, Nebraska. It’s been said that Charlie Russell’s friend Con Price pulled the stunt described by the song at a cow camp of the Circle S outfit in New Mexico; and John Lomax was told the song’s composer was Jake, “a black cook who worked on a ranch owned by George W. Evans and John Z. Means on the Pecos River near Valentine, Texas.” Ike Like, homesteading along the Cimmarron River, pulled the same surprise on a passing trail drive crew, however his “costume” was bib overalls, plow shoes and TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

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faked “dumb farmer” persona. After Ike (and the bad horse they’d ‘loaned him’ to start from his homestead and help them drive the cows for the day) acted out an early dawn version of the worst bronc ride they’d ever witnessed--with both upside down in a rocky gully for a spell--Ike rode up near their wagon and stepped off the sweat-dripping horse. Opening his pocket knife, he turned back one badly ripped leg of his bibs, cut off the strip of torn flesh hanging from his bloodied calf, threw it in the fire, then smilingly inquired of the cook if they had any coffee left. The battle was over at Custers Last Stand And taps were sounding for all the brave men While one survivor, wounded and weak Comanche, the brave horse, lay at the General's feet –“Comanche” Another song about a horse in early American history honors the sole surviving member of the 7th Cavalry in the Little Big Horn Battle in 1876. “Comanche” was written by the late John Gale ‘Johnny’ Horton as one of his semi-fok, so-called “saga songs” which began the “historical ballad” craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s. According to the BismarckTribune published May 10, 1878, “Comanche was a veteran, 21 years old, and had been with the 7th Cavalry since its organization in ’66 . . . he was found by Sergeant DeLacey in a ravine where he had crawled, there to die and feed the crows. He was raised up and tenderly cared for . . . he carries seven scars from as many bullet wounds . . . four back of the foreshoulder, one though a hoof, and one on either

hind leg . . . on the Custer Battlefield three of the balls were extracted from his body and the last one was not taken out until April 1877 . . . he is of medium size, neatly put up, but quite noble looking.”

It was down in Forth Worth at the big fat stock show Bob first had the chance to watch this filly go He walks right up to him says, "How much will you take?" They said, "Enough money for the rent and a steak" Now Bob says, "I'll take her, but now let me see Will you take a check boys, upon the Cross Dee?" The boys said, "No Bob, it's cash that we want" So he gets the two thousand and he pays 'em right off Miss Aledo, Miss Aledo swing to and fro Watching them dogies wherever they go First to the right, then to the left Always in front of 'em doing her best –“Miss Aledo” Songs about horses didn’t die out with the advent of barbed wire. When cow cutting became popular, the paint mare Miss Aledo, born in 1950, rose to fame and was memorialized by cowboy musician Ray Reed in his song bearing her name. Reed and his family came to New Mexico by covered wagon in the early 1900s. He heartily adopted the culture, music, horses, and lifestyle of the American cowboy as his life path, promoting it through his own writing and performance, and by founding the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium at Ruidoso.

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THE GOOD ONES

Kelly, Horse of a Lifetime

BY JAN SWAN WOOD

ou’re truly blessed if you have to stop and think about the answer to the question, “Which horse was the best you ever had.” I was asked that recently, and I finally settled on my old pard Kelly.

I've had faster horses, ones that did certain things better, but, all in all, Kelly did everything I ever needed to do horseback and gave it his whole heart in doing so.

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I traded a mentally unstable, beautiful, dangerous horse for Kelly. I got some boot and a fresh set of shoes on him in the trade. At the time, I needed something, anything, more trustworthy than the horse I traded. I didn't figure on keeping Kelly very long, just getting him broke while getting my work done, then selling him. He wasn't my type of horse, too flashy. He had a blaze face and four high white socks. He was black with white hairs throughout his coat. I've never seen another quite like him.

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Jan Swan Wood and her son, Colin, on Kelly. COURTESY PHOTOS.

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His appearance improved much faster than his attitude.

He was no bargain when I got him. He'd been beaten over the head until his ears were lopped and I thought he was pig-eyed. His molars weren't very solid in his jaws and his nose drained from damage to his face. Not really a pretty start. On top of this, he was very defensive. He looked out for himself and would hurt a person if he felt threatened. He ran me out of a pen in the barn the first day. I knew we had work to do. As the swelling went out of his head, he had a big, bright eye, good set to his ears, and didn't have a roman nose. His appearance improved much faster than his attitude. I started riding him right away in spite of his head problems, and just put miles on him checking cattle. I rode him in a bosal to keep his mouth from being worried. But, he sure worried about me. If I turned my head fast and he caught the brim

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of my hat out of the corner of his eye, he whirled away to avoid what he thought was a club. I had a handful in this big, stout 4-year-old. He was watchy and would strike on the ground, but didn't have any real buck in him. The safest place to be was on him the first six months I had him. My patience was wearing a little thin after that amount of time and having to watch him every moment. But, one day, I went to catch him to take his turn in the rotation and he was a different horse. All the adversity and mad were just gone. When he signed on as my partner that day, he never made another bad move. He gave his new job all that he had and was attached to me completely. When he came around to me, he became an absolute clown. He had more personality than any five horses, and a sense of humor second to none. He could unlock,

untie, unbuckle anything, and even unsaddled another horse once. He'd untie himself or take his hobbles off and go make mischief with the other horses at brandings and suchlike. He took a slicker off a saddle one time and played with it until there were multiple bridle reins broken by the horses that had been previously tied up. Not everyone was as amused by him as I was. One of his quirks was that he would sneak around me when I was busy and lick my glasses. He usually got a cheek in the deal too, but his target was my glasses. I don't know why. If I was trying to catch another horse out of the bunch, he would be jealous and pester the other horse and often, try to bite me on the butt. There was never a dull moment around him. I've never met another horse with his work ethic. He got string-halted in his left hind leg when he was a 5-year-old. A boggy creek crossing got him, but, though he was short on that corner, he never let it slow him down. He'd also been choked badly at some time and his throat was damaged so he roared when he was breathing hard. But, though it made it hard for him to breath, he never quit until the job was done. Why did I keep riding a horse with those problems? Well, he just never quit on me, so I sure wouldn't quit on him. He refused to let a bunch of cattle get away from him and would go up or down absolutely anything to get ahead of a bunch that was leaving. It was kind of wild to ride but he always got them stopped before they got away. He also had a nose like a hound and would put it right down on the ground

to find them. He would hunt cattle in the brush and find them where I couldn't see anything. Then it was Katiebar-the-door 'cause he was going to bring them out! In spite of being a little short on the left hind, he would pull harder from the horn than any horse I've ever ridden. I could load something in a trailer alone as I could tie off, step off and help from the ground, and he'd pull them in the trailer, whether yearling, cow or big bull. He was smart about it and would change angles until he got it just right then lay into it. He'd have to turn his head to keep the bit shanks from getting in the dirt.

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He pulled the holes through on my breast collar tugs more than once and would sure check out the riggin' in a saddle! Kelly was about 15.2 hands and weighed a solid 1,200 pounds. He cinched really deep and had a long, strong shoulder. He was smooth muscled behind and wide and square between the front legs. I had ridden him for about nine years when I was approached by the man who had had him before the guy I traded him from. He asked me if I wanted Kelly's papers. I told him I never knew he had any and asked him how he was bred. He grinned and said he didn't think I'd recognize anything on them as Kelly was a papered Tennessee Walker.

I never did get his papers from the man, as they didn't really mean anything to me as by then. I wouldn't have sold him for any amount. He was a keeper. Kelly and I put a lot of miles in together for the nearly 20 years I rode him. I rode on pasture cattle and dayworked on him. It didn't matter what the job was, if I had Kelly along I was mounted for it. I was never one to just need to rope something all the time, but when I got my blood up in a cow war, I would rope something I shouldn't pretty consistently. I roped a big, barren Charolais cross two year old heifer just after she'd wallered over a fence when I was trying to pen her. I dabbed it on her just as her front feet hit the ground. I took my dallies and Kelly stopped her in her tracks, a woven wire fence with two barbs on top and a broken post between us and her. He turned his head to look back at me with his â&#x20AC;&#x153;What's your plan now, genius?â&#x20AC;? look on his face. Since I was already going to have to fix the fence, I just turned him and he drug her back through it and into the pen. He never faltered, but I know he wondered about my judgement at times. He was a great bull-handling horse. If a bull turned to fight, Kelly put his big, broad chest to them and when they hit him, he'd squat down on them until they gave ground, then he'd grab them by the top of the head and peel the hide off while mashing their nose in the dirt. That usually satisfied their yen for hitting a horse. I rode Kelly until he was 23 years old. He got his loin hurt crossing a slick draw that fall and was never completely sound again, so I quit riding him. He'd earned his retirement.

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I only rode him one more time after he was retired and that was when he was 26. I had a cow in the corral that was trying to kill her calf and he was the only horse in. I had to save the calf, so I saddled him up and we went in with her. She hit him several times, but didn't much care for having her head bit, so we were able to stuff her and her poor little calf in a shed. It had a really low roof and I had to bend over to ride in there with her and separate them with a gate. I never doubted that Kelly would do the job to his high standards and he did.

That's the last time I rode him and he'd earned every bit of his good feed and care for the rest of his days. The fall of his 28th year he was really stove up and was having a hard time getting up off the ground. Out of love and respect, I didn't want to see him go the hard way, so he was put down. I've ridden a lot of other really good horses over the years, but never a one that was any better than Kelly at his job, nor a more devoted partner to work with.

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HORSES:

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Advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Index AQHA REGION 2 ................................................................... 16 BELLE FOURCHE LIVESTOCK ............................................ 5 BILLINGS HORSE SALE ..................INSIDE BACK COVER BUTTE CO EQUIPMENT ........................................... 23 & 40 CAVVY SAVVY.............................................................. 40 & 41 COPPER SPRING RANCH ............................................. 6 & & DAKOTA BREEDERS CLASSIC .......................................... 13 FARMERS & RANCHERS LIVESTOCK ............................. 31 FULTON PERFORMANCE HORSES ............BACK COVER GREG GOGGINS .................................................................... 64 HOLLENBECK RANCH ....................................................... 66 HUSKERLAND BREEDERS QUARTER HORSE PRODUCTION SALE ............................................................ 35 HUTCHISON WESTERN ..................................................... 78 K R RAUCH CO. ..................................................................... 48 KALONA SALE BARN ........................................................... 18 KIST LIVESTOCK - HORSE SALE ...................................... 28 LAUING MILL IRON L RANCH ......................................... 80 LAZY JS RANCH .................................................................... 58 LEAGUE OF LEGENDS HORSE SALE ............................... 73 LIECHTY HOMES ................................................................. 71

LINDSKOV IMPLEMENT ........................................... 23 & 39 LOUIE KROGMAN FAMILY QUARTER HORSES .......... 75 MARTIN-TRUDEAU INSURANCE .................................... 18 MONTANA RANCH HORSE ............................................... 49 MYERS TRAINING STABLES .. INSIDE FRONT COVER, 1 NORTHERN PREMIER INVITATIONAL HORSE SALE... 4 OPEN BOX RAFTER RANCH ............................................. 79 PLAINS HORIZON EQUINE INSURANCE ..................... 64 POWDER RIVER QUARTER HORSES .............................. 53 RAYS WESTERN WEAR ......................................................... 9 RICE'S RAPID MOTORSPORTS ........................................... 3 RQHBA...................................................................................... 61 RUZSA QUARTER HORSES ................................................... 2 SPERRY QUARTER HORSES ............................................... 76 SUGAR BARS LEGACY HORSE SALE ............................... 72 SUTTON QUARTER HORSES ............................................. 34 THE NILE ....................................................................... 55 & 74 TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS.......................................... 67 WINNER CHAMBER ............................................................ 19 WRCA........................................................................................ 12 WYO QUARTER HORSE....................................................... 77

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