nevada rancher july 2015 sneak peek

July, 2015 Volume XLV, Number 7

Photo by Mary Williams HydeBuckaroo Country Photography

Oldest Independent Livestock Monthly in Nevada $1.25

Photo by Mary Williams Hyde

Celebrating the great tradition of Ranch Hand Rodeo

$1.25

2 THE NEVADA RANCHER – JULY 2015

Inside

Our Ranch Hand Rodeo Issue Ranch Rodeo is the American Cowboy’s Pastime Page 10

Ranching Scrapbook Pages 26-27

The Nevada Rancher (ISSN 0047-9489) (USPS #003-257)

published monthly atWinnemucca Publishing,

1022 S. Grass Valley Road, Winnemucca, NV 89445

Call us toll free at (866) 644-5011Periodical Postage Paid at Winnemucca, 89445

Publisher, Peter Bernhard

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Editor, J. Carmen Kofoed

Staff Writer, Jolyn Young

WP Staff Contributors, Joyce Sheen, Heather Hill, Debra Reid,

Jessica Burgess, and Tony Erquiaga

Contributors, Heather Smith Thomas, Steve Foster, Erik Holland,

Lacey Laubacher, Jennifer Whiteley, Katie DeLong, Theodora Dowling,

Ron Torell and Andi Harmon

Sales Representatives, Mildred Ferraro, Rhonda Coleman

Kayla Love-Koseck and Lora Mattingly-Enget

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The Nevada Rancher does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers nor products advertised within, and The Nevada Rancher does not assume responsibility for opinions expressed in articles submit-ted for publication. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. Contents in The Nevada Rancher JUNE not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including, but not limited to original contents and original composition of all ads (layout and artwork) without prior written permission. Subscrip-tion rate: $16.00 per year.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Nevada Rancher, Winnemucca Publishing,1022 S. Grass Valley Road, Winnemucca, NV 89445

Pondy pastures for midwest ranchers

Steve and Sara Hisel live and work on the KDK Cattle Company in Bennington, Okla., one of the areas hit hard by this spring’s flooding. The south border of the ranch runs along the Blue River and experienced significant flooding.

A ranch rodeo competitor tries to escape from a mad cow while her teammate

stands and laughs. We’re sure he rushed in to help within the next few seconds.

Mary Williams Hyde photo


By Katie DeLongSpecial to the Rancher

How many times have you heard a cow-boy say, “I don’t eat chicken,” or a farmer who curses cows?

Of course, we have all heard about the range wars of old between the cattlemen and the sheep-men. Then there’s the ranchers that can’t stand the smell of a dairy farm.

These are just a few examples of an industry that might need to take a hard look at itself — an industry that must support one another or risk

breaking apart at the seams. The fact is agriculture is more than an industry. It is a way of life. It is a culture all its own. Did you ever consider that maybe all people in agriculture are in the same boat - that maybe it is vital that we support each other and stick together?

When the wolves come knocking at the door, they don’t care if you’re one of the three little pigs or a fat, juicy lamb, they will still devour you.

Let’s face it. Agriculture is in trouble. With pressures from environmentalist and animal-rights activists along with increased government regula-tions, perhaps sticking together is the only option

we have. So whether it is the local potato farmer, a large

corporate hay producer or cattle operation, a fam-ily-owned chicken rancher, or the little girl down the road that raises rabbits for 4-H, let’s be sup-portive of each other.

Don’t downgrade your neighbor because they don’t do things how you would. Be supportive. Be a promoter of agriculture. Advo-cate for all those that contribute to the greater good of feeding this nation and this world. After all, we all in this together. There really is power in numbers. F

GUEST COMMENTARY

Agriculture needs to stick togetherKATIE DELONG PHOTO


By Jolyn YoungThe Nevada Rancher

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – For most ranch families, summer time means heat, haying, and weekend road trips to as many ranch rodeos as their schedules and budgets allow. Ade-quately packing for and undertaking a road trip with your entire family plus equine partners can be challeng-ing, and then of course there’s hours

spent in the rodeo grandstands to consider. Here are some helpful tips from seasoned ranch rodeo compet-itors.

TravelingA lot of things can go wrong

on any road trip, and things are further complicated when haul-ing horses and/or small children. Bringing supplies such as spare tires for the truck and trailer, a working jack (nothing ruins a shoulder-of-the-

highway fix-it job like discovering your jack won’t raise up), a heavy jacket even if rain isn’t in the fore-cast and a credit card for unexpected expenses can help. It’s also important to be resourceful and bring a good attitude.

“Best way to survive traveling is to be able to get along and to know that things are gonna happen and to be able to deal with it,” said Jessica Hoots, ranch wife and experienced

road warrior. “Flat tires, road construction,

weather, hotel reservation mess-ups and even the dreaded lost wallet are all part of the package. You have to be as prepared as you can be but don’t be surprised if something comes up.”

Spectating with kids The Garijo family is famous for

having the best set-up in the awning section along the arena fence at the

RANCH HAND RODEOISSUE FOCUS

Ranch Rodeo Tips: Helpful suggestions for summer competition

Slick horn ropers tie onto a muley in the team roping event at a Ranch Hand Rodeo.


THE NEVADA RANCHER – JULY 2015 11

McDermitt Fourth of July Ranch Rodeo. As faithful regulars every year in the heat of sum-mer, they have perfected the art of staying cool in the desert with kids. Jaci Garijo shared a few of her tips with us.

“Number one thing is to bring a canopy. Super hot — and without it you will melt,” she said. While not the cheapest item on a ranch rodeo packing list, a good canopy can be used for years and is a great investment.

Garijo also suggested bringing plenty of beverages, such as the kids’ favorite drinks and home-brewed iced tea. Watermelon and other refreshing snacks are also in their cooler. They also cool down from the outside, too.

“We have even brought water misters,” she said. Just remember to be courteous of contestants who need to water their horses, and if there is only one water source near the arena, bring an extra hose with a Y hookup to the spigot so others can use it as well.

A grass carpet to keep down the bug dust, extra chairs, bug spray, water balloons for the kids and nets for catching lizards and butterflies will all help keep the little ones entertained while Mom and Dad rope.

Horse care tipsWhen traveling with equine companions,

always pack plenty of hay for the duration of the trip plus a little extra. In addition to feed, it’s handy to bring a basic shoeing outfit consisting of a couple of extra shoes in your horse’s size, nails, a rasp, driving hammer and hoof stand.

You don’t want to risk stone bruising your horse if he throws a shoe, and most people don’t pack shoeing supplies so don’t count on borrowing these items on the road.

A basic vet kit can be useful and prevent a person from sacrificing their roping glove stash or the baby’s diapers to stop the bleeding on a leg wound.

Besides bandages and vet wrap, it’s a good idea to throw in a tube of probiotics, electro-lytes in case of dehydration, and a painkiller such as Bute or Banamine.

If you want to save space while packing all the family’s clothes, horse tack, kids’ toys and snacks/beverages into one vehicle, collapsible water buckets can be handy. They also serve as grain buckets for feeding time, are inexpensive and available from outfitting supply stores. F

Ranch rodeo contestants gallop across the arena en masse for a team event.


Ranch rodeo is the American national pastime for the working cowboy, and July is one of the peak months for the sport. The Fourth of July is “Cowboy Christmas,” with numerous events happening all over the West during that week. Events and rules vary by region, but there is exciting roping and riding action taking place from coastal California to grassy South Dakota and beyond all month.

Teams in the West compete in the branding event with two guys horseback and two guys on the ground, while Midwest competitors have one guy heeling calves and three guys on the ground, but the concept is the same: rope and brand as fast as you can in the style of the region. The main object of bronc riding all over America is to hang, rattle, and spur if you can until the whistle, but guys in Texas are hanging onto their saddle horn while Great Basin cowboys prefer to rope up. Regardless of the style of ranch rodeo, the spirit of camaraderie, celebrating cowboy culture and enjoying a uniquely American sport is the same. F

Forget baseball — Ranch Rodeo is the cowboy national pastime


By Lacy LaubacherSpecial to the Rancher

All athletes require a warm up before they compete. If you watch a professional

sport of any type, the athletes will be doing a sport specific warm up before they go on the field or court.

A warm up serves several purpos-es; it can increase performance, help reduce the risk the injury, and help prepare the athlete for competition mentally. It can also be a chance to check in with your body and the horse before entering the arena. Horses can be considered high level athletes no matter what their compe-tition level. The better the warm up, the better the performance and the longer the horse can compete.

Every horse will vary in the time it needs for a good warm up. Some horses will require more riding and moving while others will be good

with the minimum fifteen minutes right before they go in the arena. Some will need to be in the arena they are competing in so there aren’t any spooky surprises, while others could care less what arena they are competing in.

Starting outTo start a good warm up, go for

the most effective one possible for both you and your horse. This will require some trial and error while not treating the warm up arena as social hour. Save that for after your event or once you know how your horse wants to be warmed up.

Since they are the ones doing the majority of the work, they should get the warm up that works best for them. Instead of mindlessly warming up, create a warm up that will benefit the horse and the event(s) you are about to compete in while consider-ing the individual characteristics of the horse.

For most western events, you will want to warm up on both sides while working on bending, stopping, and backing at all speeds. Start slow and then add speed so the muscles can get used to what you are asking before asking for the move at top speed. Get the hind end engaged by stopping and free up the front end with some roll backs or lateral move-

ment. If the horse is too bendy, do counter bends. If the horse is really good at stopping, work on moving out a little. The goal with that is to get the horse to listen to you instead of going on auto pilot.

How long? A warm up of approximately 15

minutes should be ideal for most horses. However, there are some horses that will perform better after being ridden longer. If this is the case go for more trotting and loping than walking and galloping. Work in some circles but don’t make the warm up a marathon of different movements. Horses that need to move more just need simply that — more movement. Trotting is the best to condition hors-es and get them in better shape, so you might as well make the more riding useful.

Stretching If stretching your horse is part of

your routine, or you want to add it in, make sure you are stretching warm muscles. Ride or lunge your horse for at least five minutes before stretch-ing and keep the stretches simple before competing. Carrot stretches are useful and so are front and hind leg stretches. Make sure you don’t overstretch the muscles and use prop-er body mechanics so you don’t hurt yourself.

What’s not effective? A not effective warm up would be

to go, run the horse around a little then go sit and hang out until your name is called. This does absolutely nothing for you or the horse to get ready.

Even if your horse is a seasoned competitor and you might not think he/she needs the warm up — their muscles do and possibly their minds also.

If being in the arena makes your horse act up, then find a place to warm up away from the arena where your horse can be calm and the warm up doesn’t turn into a battle of wills.

If you have to do an early warm up and let your horse sit before you actu-ally compete, that’s fine if you know how to work with it. Get a moderate warm up in early, then before you go in to compete do another 15 minutes of moving your horse.

Even if you can’t lope and do everything, you can still do some walking, stopping, trotting, circles, backing, and moving off your leg.

It doesn’t take long to warm up and you don’t want to fatigue the horse before your event as that would be counterproductive. Consid-er your event, consider your horse, and plan out the best warm up that is the most effective. It’s a small step but can be hugely beneficial to your performance. F


Winning before the event beginsKeys to an effective warm up

HORSE CARE TIPS



Broncs have their day at Mother’s Day Ranch Bronc Weekend in Burns, Ore.

HORSEPOWER


First flight —This young bucking horse in training is part of the Glen Shelly string provided to the Burns Mother’s Day rodeo. This was his first time out of the chute and flanked (without a rider... one thing at a time). While he looks a little off-kilter here, he didn’t fall and got a good experience in an arena with a crowd.

What better way to give mom a thrill than with the annual Mother’s Day Weekend Ranch Bronc Riding and Rodeo in Burns, Oregon!

All photos by Andi HarmonLC Ranch Photography


By Jolyn YoungThe Nevada Rancher

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – Compet-ing in ranch rodeos is a popular pas-time for many working cowboys, but paying entry fees and travel expenses can sometimes be a hardship. Tap-ping into sponsorship opportunities by using social media can help alle-viate the financial strain for social media-savvy cowboys and cowgirls.

In the modern marketing world, sponsors want athletes who will help them build sales, so athletes with a strong social media reach are more likely to attract sponsors.

“We know that sponsors want to work with athletes or teams, and ranch rodeo has both. They are look-ing for athletes, but they want ath-letes who will help them sell their products and services,” said Mike Donnell of Donnell Rodeo Promo-tions. After working as an agent for professional rodeo cowboys, Donnell now develops social media marketing programs for individual athletes and sports associations.

“The general consumer looks very favorably at brands that they see in social media. They’re inclined to fol-low those brands and purchase those brands,” said Donnell.

Since a large percentage of the general population uses at least one form of social media every day, marketing strategies have shifted to

target those audiences. While this principle is well-known and utilized in other sports, it’s a relatively new development to ranch rodeo cow-boys.

“We’re not trying to uncover any new ground here. We’re just trying to get the folks in the ranch rodeo world to see that this is the way things are done today,” said Donnell. “What we are doing is common in every other sport but ours.”

To get started, sponsored contes-tants need to be comfortable on at

least one type of social media. Most clients that Donnell works with have a personal Facebook page, and he works with them on adding other platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, or a YouTube channel. Contestants can then post photos, videos and other content to their sites for others to view and share. By promoting a service or product online, contestants are offering sponsors more than just their company name and logo on a shirt that is seen only while compet-ing at a rodeo.

“Social media is a twenty-four-sev-en, 365-day-a-year media. You as a contestant can continue to promote your sponsors all year long. You’re not just asking them to help you get to and from a particular rodeo,” said Donnell.

Donnell encourages ranch rodeo contestants to look beyond the typ-ical ranch supply and cowboy gear sponsors. He tells clients to consider any businesses that the ranch or team members personally do business with in the local area.


New opportunities for ranch rodeo contestants

MARY WILLIAMS HYDE, Special to the Rancher

While carrying a sponsor flag during the rodeo is part of the traditional, “old school” type of sponsor promotion, posting an image like this on an association’s or individual’s social media page allows it to reach a larger audience. This image of Megan Harney at the Western States Ranch Rodeo Association Finals appeared on the association’s Facebook page.

Using social media to attract and promote sponsors


“This doesn’t have to be boots, hats, saddles and ropes. It could be a local bank, a local retail store, it could be whatever,” he said.

While a ranch rodeo competi-tor needs to savvy how to run a smart phone, computer or iPad to take part in and benefit from using social media to attract and promote sponsors, it’s not necessary to be an Internet whiz. Sponsor-ships can be obtained and main-tained if just one person (or spouse) from each team can post online. Additionally, many contestants with personal Facebook pages have the

basic skills to take advantage of online marketing opportunities, they just need some coaching to reap the full benefits. Donnell cited the nearly 7,000 followers on the West-ern States Ranch Rodeo Association’s (WSRRA) Facebook page as evidence that many in the ranch rodeo com-munity are already well-connected via social media.

Donnell works with the WSRRA and extends his services and consult free of charge to all interested mem-bers. He can be reached at [email protected] or by phone call or text at (719) 543-6458. F

nevada rancher july 2015 sneak peek

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