The Outside Circle: Meetings, membership renewal deadlines, clinics, schools and horse sales

      This nice winter weather has sure been hanging on. Lately its been warmer here at daylight than in parts of Texas and Florida where some of my family lives. It’s sure weird weather. I haven’t seen a better time to have a drought as long as it remembers to give us some moisture in the spring.

     New member signup is open for those wanting to join WJRA. Renewals are also open. The forms are available on http://www.wjra.info. If you have general questions or difficulties getting signed up, call the WJRA secretary Chyann 307-760-7443.

    The next Weston Co. Junior Rodeo meeting will be Feb. 12, 6 p.m., at the Fairgrounds Event Center, Newcastle, Wyo.

    This will be my last reminder that the SDHSRA memberships are due Feb. 15! To reduce overall stress, don’t wait until the day before to do this. Believe me, your folks will appreciate it.

     Consignments and entries are open until Apr. 6 for the Gordon Livestock Ranch Horse Competition and Horse Sale on Apr.18. The ranch horse competition is for sale horses only with a saddle for the winner and a buckle for 2^nd place. To learn more or to consign, call 605-441-8544.

    The MonDak Quarter Horse Association Annual Meeting is Feb. 22. Registration will be 2-3:30, meeting at 3:30, supper at 5 p.m. A silent auction will be held and items for it will be needed. The event will be at the Ernie French Center, Williston, N.D.

    You’ve probably noticed that I promote many schools and clinics for rodeo and horse events. My reasoning is that paying for a school or clinic is a pretty reasonable price to pay to get started on the right foot in whatever you are interested in. A school can sure give a kid the right start without the whole aspect of going to a rodeo with a group of equally unknowledgeable/dumb friends and getting bad advice and probably injured. I’m a mother. Ask me how I know this.

    There will be a bull riding and bull fighting school at Belgrade, Minn. (yes, Minn., not Mont.) on Feb. 27-Mar. 1. For more information call 507-779-9363.

    There will be a Shelby Boisjoli-Meged Breakaway clinic for those 12 and under on Mar. 13 at the Badlands Edge Arena, Wall, S.D. For more information call Lainee 605-200-1777 or Cole 605-515-3575.

    A bareback clinic with Andy “Carbomb” Mumm coaching will be Mar. 14 at Meeteetse, Wyo. It will cost $250. To sign up go to http://www.dambuckinghorses.com.

    The Bond Ranch Cow Horse series will be kicking off soon. Dates are Mar. 14, 28 and Apr. 11 and they’ll be at Worden, Mont. For details go to http://www.bondranch.com.

    Jon and Josh Peek will be holding a tie down and breakaway clinic at the IT Family Equine, Bismarck, N.D. Breakaway will be Mar. 19-20 and tie down Mar. 21-22. Both cost $500 with $200 deposit required. To get your name on the list, call Tisa 701-214-1188.

    Sheridan Livestock Auction will be having a horse sale Mar. 25, 2 p.m., at Rushville, Neb.

    South Dakota 4-H Rodeo entry deadline has been changed to April 1. You will have to have your 4-H membership current before you enter, too. Entry forms are on http://www.sd4hrodeo.org/.

     A Tierney Roping clinic with Paul and Paul David Tierney will be Apr. 6-7 at Central City, Neb. They’ll have both breakaway and tie down roping. Breakaway costs $400, tie down $450. They’ll cover ground work, sled and live cattle. To get signed up, call/text Kara Wells 308-940-0884.

    I just realized I hadn’t badgered you to get those stud colts gelded lately. Sorry, I got distracted. With the nice weather and the fact that those stud colts are starting to feel the sap rising a little early this year, it’s time to take the time to get it done. If you’re running all of your weanling/yearlings together, it’s particularly important. Early development in fillies and colts can lead to a badly timed pregnancy. Also, if you think your colt has potential as a stallion, please be realistic. Most make better geldings. Believe me, there are plenty of studs in the world already. I may be the only person in the western states that doesn’t personally own a stallion, if social media advertising is any indication of the population of intact stallions.

So, get that done.

    Well, now that I’ve fluffed the feathers on those who own stallions and nagged and badgered you to geld your colts, I believe this circle is ridden for this week. As usual, please pray for our nation, for our law enforcement, the sane people who live in insanely governed states, and all the first responders. May God bless America!