by William J. Bechaver
SOUTHERN COLORADO — The world of Ranch Rodeo is expanding, and the grassroots event is growing in popularity. For those of us who have attended one of these premier events, it’s the most fun that can be had on 40 legs! This summer, we’ve had four Ranch Rodeos in our area, with a fifth one coming up in La Veta this Friday.A Ranch Rodeo takes the skills of the cowboy back to basics and actually highlights more of the talents that are needed for ranching life. For those of you unaware of this growing movement in rodeo competition, here’s how it works.
Rodeo contestants work as teams. There are four people per team, working on horseback. Four head of cattle are introduced into the arena at once: a calf, a heifer, a steer, and a cow. Four tasks must be performed on the livestock by each team.
The heifer must be driven down the arena, into a pen using the cutting skills of the team. Roping skills are needed, as the calf must be roped and thrown on his right side so a brand can be applied to his left hip. Team roping skills are needed as the steer must be roped, and bulldogged to the ground, to be doctored by the ranchers. Then they must rope and restrain the wild cow for milking.
After all the tasks are completed, the team must report back over the start-finish line, returning home with all their equipment. Nothing, not even an errant hat nor a forgotten rope, can be left in the arena.
The “branding” is applied with an iron in a goo of flour paste. The “doctoring” requirement is in the form of a chalk mark on the steer’s head. There must be milk in the bottle for inspection by the judges, and one heifer must remain fenced in the pen at the end.
The team with the best time wins the rodeo, the top prize, and each member receives a nice belt buckle. The top teams receive prize money.
The Las Animas 4-H Fair in Trinidad last weekend hosted an exciting Ranch Rodeo to the satisfaction of the throngs in the audience, a crowd which attested to the event’s growing popularity in southern Colorado.
The winning team of Open Hearth Cattle Company completed all four tasks in under three minutes with an astounding time of 2:58.38! Team members were Alan Oloman, Dave Bunker, Brian Olomon, and Tate Rusk.
Since a dozen teams were entered in the rodeo, the top four received prize monies. In second place was the Crowder Ranch team. Third prize went to the team of The Lady And Some Sticks. Coming in fourth was the team from Oak Creek Cattle Company.
Now to the simple math. Four horses, four head of cattle, and four cowboys or cowgirls. If my math is correct, that adds up to the most fun to be had on forty legs.
The next area ranch rodeo is in La Veta on Friday 7 August, with the Calcutta beginning at 6:30 pm. It is presented by the Huerfano County Stock-Growers Association in the Huerfano County Rodeo Arena.
There are few rules to the competition. Most have to do with the safety of the contestants and the livestock. However my favorite is the final rule, which states, “Be respectful and definitely no off language.” That’s an excellent rule for life in general.
