Month of mud, 2009 Indian Rodeo Champs and cowboys needing some help
Well, it’s muddy. Also snowy, but, underneath it all, it’s muddy. Good thing I have a mud knot tied in my horse’s tail for this circle! Baxter Black said one time that March should be renamed Mud, and I believe he’s right. He also said that it was the last month that you could stick a tractor clear up to the axles. He’s obviously not from gumbo country! I have personally buried tractors clear up to the axles well into April and May.
I rode Shank’s Mare up to open a gate this a.m. and it was sure slick. Thawing mud on top of ice is rather dangerous, even on a slow moving ol’ thing like her. It was kind of ironic that I was walking to open a gate for a bunch of horses. I remember when THEY worked for US! After watching some near crashes as they came loping toward me, though, I was just as glad to be afoot (closer to the ground that way). Watching them stretch out and run made me remember why we are still feeding them; they sure move easy with long strides and fluid motion. Fun to watch.
I need to correct something that I wrote in last week’s column. Actually, I haven’t heard a peep from any of my readers, but got to thinking about it and realized I was wrong. That’s what I get for relying on memory instead of the written facts! I stated that a HYPP positive horse would be P/P. It should be H/H (for double homozygous) instead. I’m sorry if that confused anyone.
The Rockin The Bakken Rodeo Series continues March 26-27 at New Town, ND. The Four Bears Casino is in cahoots with it and it’s a NRCA rodeo with great added money.
There’s also a Badlands Pro Bull Riders event going on. Sounds like a great way to get some dollars accrued toward the 2010 year end, plus get out and have some fun on the rodeo trail after a long, cold winter.
I want to wish a very belated congrats to some great Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association members. South Dakota and Montana were well represented at the 2009 Indian finals with Joe Wilson of Kyle, SD winning the Barebacks; Jeremy Meeks of Interior, SD winning the Saddle Broncs; Michelle Walkingbear of Ft. Smith, MT winning the Ladies Breakaway; and Kira Simonson of Loring, MT winning the Jr. Barrels. Here’s hoping your 2010 season is a good one too.
The Black Hills Roundup is going to be honoring longtime family ranchers and ranches in the tri-state region in their Grand Entry. If you know a ranch and ranchers that are still ranching and you think they qualify, hurry and contact Janie Norlin, Gabby Bush, or Jay Olson in the Belle Fourche area, or call 605-210-3379.
There’s a very small cowboy putting up a big fight and needs your prayers and help. Clancy Goebel, son of Tony and Janesa Goebel, St. Onge, was born very prematurely on Feb. 24 (he was due June 8), weighing 1 lb 13 oz., and has been fighting hard to survive. He is getting stronger every day, and as of this week, is up to 2 lb 8 oz! He’s in the N.I.C.U. at Rapid City Regional Hospital. His early delivery started with his Mommy having a ruptured appendix and getting very ill. Janesa is also doing better every day and is able to be with Clancy at the hospital a lot.
Of course, this is all very expensive (about $10,000/day right now), plus the travel expenses of Janesa and Tony driving back and forth to be at the hospital. In view of that, there is going to be a Silent Auction on May 22 in conjunction with a 4D Barrel Race at 7-Down Arena, Spearfish. They are accepting any and all donations for this. There have already been some breedings to some top-notch stallions donated, plus some other great items. If you want to donate something, you can call Lorita Crofford at 605-642-1940 or Sunday Bossert at 605-641-2103, or leave it at the Broken Spur Tack shop in Belle Fourche, SD. I’m sure cash donations would also be welcome at the present time and would help Janesa and Tony a lot.
There’s also another bigger cowboy putting up a big fight in an ICU at Mayo Clinic. John Hunt of Eagle Butte was gravely injured in a car accident near Pierre last week. He had a dislocated jaw and shoulder, mangled arm, broken hip and myriad other injuries. He’s undergone surgery to repair all that they can and has many plates, pins and screws in him. He’s getting stronger, but it’s going to be a long and tiresome recovery. His wife Laura is in Rochester with him. There has been a fund set up for John at the State Bank of Eagle Butte, Box 10, Eagle Butte, SD 57625. Please help this young couple if you can. I always think, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Don’t forget to get your deposits in for the 25th Annual Korkow Ranch Rodeo School before April 1st! The school is April 23, 24, and 25, with top PRCA instructors in Barebacks, Saddle Broncs, Bull Riding and Bull Fighting. Call Jim Korkow at 605-224-5607 for more info.
Another school that will probably fill up really fast is the Joe Beaver Tie Down and Breakaway school at Minot, ND June 10-11. The deposit is due for that by May 15, so start saving your lunch money. Call Wes Wickum at 701-839-5581, email him at wesley.wickum@combined.com, or call Joe Beaver at 979-777-6946 or check it out on http://www.joebeaver.com.
Congrats to Clayton Morrison of Cavalier, ND who has his name at the top of the standings in PRCA Steer Wrestling. He joined the Pros in 2007 and has sure put his name on the charts this season with a big win at Denver’s National Western, then winning the final round and second overall at San Antonio and tying the arena record with a 3.2 second run. That’s smokin’!
The northern plains cowboys and cowgirls are really making us proud with so many in the top 10 in the standings! Hope the season sees all of them staying healthy and having safe travels so they can continue to do their jobs and win.
Well, this mud has sure got my horse winded, so I think its time to pull up and slack my cinch for a bit.
