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Outside Circle by Jan Swan Wood: Rough stock rodeo, bull futurity/maturity, horsemanship clinic, horse tails

We had some wonderful rain last weekend! That two and a half inches was sure a blessing and really brightened up the grass. I just can’t believe how beautiful the country looks for as late as it is in the summer. By the time you read this, Labor Day will be behind us and early fall will have been officially started. I’m definitely not ready for that yet.

The third Annual Austin Janis Rough Stock Extreme Rodeo will be Saturday, Sept. 6 at Lower Brule Arena, Lower Brule, S.D. The calcutta will be at 5 p.m. (CDT) with the event starting at 6 p.m. There will be barebacks, saddle broncs and bulls with $4,000 added, so there will be some top talent there riding. This neat event will only cost you $5/person admission or $10/carload.

The MBBA Finals will be Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Cherry County Fairgrounds’ new indoor arena in Valentine, Neb. There will be 100 bulls from the top breeders and they will be competing for over $80,000! The bulls will be competing in four age divisions: yearling Futurity, two year old Futurity, 3-4 year old Classic and Maturity. The Futurity starts at 10:30 a.m. (CDT), then the bullriding Classic/Maturity at 7 p.m. It’s sanctioned with the Don Gay Bull Riding Tour and will have $3,500 added for the bull riders. The calcutta will be Friday night at 6 p.m. at the Peppermill Steakhouse. Call 605-842-0915 for info or go to the website at http://www.nbbabulls.com.



There’s a unique horsemanship clinic coming up right away near Rapid City, S.D. Jim Hicks, a Nevada buckaroo who is now training Grand Prix dressage horses, will be doing a two day clinic called “Dressage Principles For The Horseman.” It will be on Sept. 20-21 and will run from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day. This clinic will really aid riders in developing collection, body control and motion for more effective cattle work and roping. There are a few rider spots left, so call Sally Amtmann at 435-647-6951 for info. Auditors are welcome and can watch for $5/day, kids 12 and under free! You can learn more about Jim Hicks on his website at http://www.sagecreekequestrian.com.

My friend Dan Kissack won the tie-down roping at the Range Days Pro Rodeo during the Central States Fair in Rapid City, S.D. He not only won it, but with an 8.2 run, he was a full second faster than second place! That just doesn’t happen often with the tough competition that’s always there.



A unique situation came to be at the Campbell Count PRCA rodeo at Herried, S.D. There was a five-way tie for first in the steer wrestling. All five ‘doggers had a 4.8.

I heard that someone has been cutting the switches off of horse’s tails in the Gillette, Wyo., area recently. I’m to understand that the long hair is sold in bulk for the manufacturing of paint brushes. I suppose the domestic supply for horse tail hair got a little skimpy when the slaughter plants shut down. Anyway, the thieves are doing this at night and some were done right in the corrals at someone’s place. It creeps me out to think of someone out in my pens at night messing around with my horses, much less stealing their tails. What’s the world coming to?

The Montana Supreme Court has rejected Jim Leachman’s bid to have his conviction for animal cruelty overturned. He claimed they never proved the horses he was starving belonged to him (despite his brand on all of them). On his other hand, or in his other mind, he is suing the Bureau of Indian Affairs for selling his horses after they were contracted to gather them. He has trouble keeping his stories straight. It’s getting toward the time when people are weaning their colts. If I can make a suggestion, if you have a stud colt to wean, wait until a hard frost, then have him gelded while he’s still on his mother, and then wean him in another two weeks. They heal up so fast and never act like anything happened to them. You can brand him and pull his little wolf teeth (if they’re there) at the same time.

Well, that’s my circle for another week. I appreciate it when folks send me their news items and am always glad to share them here. Have a great week.