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Outside Circle by Jan Swan Wood: Dummy Roping, Open 4D at Torrington, Watford City a busy place, snake hunt

We had quite a whirlwind here for a couple of weeks! The grandboys came before Christmas and got to spend a whole two weeks with us. Sadly, it was too doggone cold to let them outside for part of that, but they still got to go do chores, chop ice, cake the cows, and play in the snow. It’s just amazing how much more fun snow is for them than it is for us. Their Daddy got to take them out and pull them on the sled with a saddle horse for some “wild” snow pile jumps and loud giggling! Every time he’d let the horse have a moment to blow a bit they’d start telling him to do it again. It sure had him grinning too. The horse didn’t seem to mind either.

In regard to that, the great uncle of that horse was the one I remember my Dad pulling the big toboggan with. I can still see Reno, sharp shod for winter, loping across the meadow with the snow billowing up around the toboggan. He’d pull the sleds back up the hills during sledding parties too. Good ranch fun for three generations of horses and four generations of people.

January 16 is the date for the Neal Hermanson Dummy Roping at Sidney, Mont. It will be held at the VFW in Sidney this year and entries are from 3-4 p.m. with the roping at 4:30. The kids will rope first. It is a pick one, draw one and the top 15 advance to the short go for the calcutta. Sounds like a great time to be had inside where it’s warm!



The Wednesday Night Open 4D Barrel Races are underway at the Goshen County Fairgrounds, Torrington, Wyo. Upcoming dates are Feb. 3 and 17; March 2 and 16; April 6 and 20. There is open riding at 6:30 to 7 p.m., exhibitions at 7-8 and the open starts at 8 p.m. For more info contact Debbie Beede at 308-631-1153.

The Watford Roughrider Jackpot barrel race will be Jan. 24, 2016 at the Roughrider Arena in Watford City, N.D. Entries open at 11 a.m. and a single run barrel race will start at 1 p.m. For more information contact Jason Gillen at 701-609-0733.



Also at that same all season indoor facility there is team roping practice on Wednesday evenings at 5 p.m. and barrels on Thursdays at 5 p.m. There are lots of events coming up at the Roughrider Stables and you can find out more about them at http://www.roughriderstables.com.

If you are down around the Wright, Wyoming, country, the Southern Campbell County Agricultural Complex indoor arena has open riding available. It’s $25/hour, so bring a friend and share the cost. There are barrels and poles on site or you can bring your cattle and practice roping or whatever. For details or the reserve your riding time, call Janet at Wright Town Hall at 307-464-1666.

You might sure want to get your name on the list early for this clinic. Brad Andrews, Red Owl, S.D. horseman and trainer, will host a horsemanship and colt starting clinic at the Watford City Fairgrounds, Watford City, North Dakota, May 19-22. It will be $450/clinic with $100 deposit required to hold your spot. You can audit the clinic for $25/day. Brad is a very talented horseman, down to earth and easy to relate to, plus he’s very good at what he does. For more information on the clinic call Dave or Sandi Smithberg at 701-774-3782 or email neckyoke@dia.net.

If you’re looking for something to do in a warmer climate and have always wanted to go to Florida anyway, you can go and participate in the second Annual Python Challenge in the Everglades. Over 400 people have already registered to go hunt and kill the invasive Burmese Pythons that have infested the swampland and waterways in Florida but I’m sure if you really want to go there’s still room for you to wade through deep water in heavy cover in pursuit of the slithering menaces. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the snow for you.

Well, that about winds up my circle for another week. Be sure and send me any upcoming events or news items you’d like shared here and I’ll do my best to help you out. Have a great week!