The Outside Circle: New Year/Old Me, breakaway practice, ropings, stock show events, horse sales

It’s a brand spanking New Year. I once again partied not at all until 10 p.m. and then slept through the festivities. Not one time has the new year failed to appear while I slept, so it seems to be working. I don’t make resolutions but if I did, it would be to not make any resolutions. I just live each day as best I can and to treat others as I’d like to be treated. So far, so good.
Golliher Arena is planning to have breakaway practices every Friday, 4-7 p.m., at the indoor arena near Belle Fourche, S.D. They’ll be using the calf sled for the first 30-40 minutes before roping live calves. It’s $20/horse to rope, $10 if you just want to ride. Open to all levels of horses and riders, all are welcome. Be sure to call before you haul if the weather is bad. You can message Lake Iolani Stevens on Facebook or call Jerry at 605 641-0698.
Broadus Winter Roping Series is kicking off again. They’ll have both breakaway and muley roping. Dates are Jan. 4, 11, 25, Feb. dates to be announced. Breakaway is enter at 9 a.m., rope at 10; muley roping enter at noon, rope at 1 p.m. All held at the Powder River Co. Indoor, Broadus, Mont. For info, call Taylor at 406-853-3500 or Lane 406-853-1194.
The Kjerstad Event Center at Rapid City, S.D. will have two full days of riding and roping. Jan. 6 will have open riding until 4 p.m. with stock show consignment horses riding for free. Then they’ll rope 4-8 p.m. for $25/horse. Jan. 7 will be practice 2-6 p.m., then a jackpot at 6:30. Drawpot, $50/person. Pay on site. For more information call Levi O’Keeffe at 701-721-9248.
The SDRCHA Stallion Nominations are due Jan. 10!
Adon Ranch Productions will be having some Winter Jackpot Ropings at the Cam-Plex, Gillette, Wyo. Dates are Jan. 10 and Feb. 7. Get details on their Facebook page.
There will be a Shelley Fitzgerald Ranch Sorting Clinic Jan. 16, 4-7:30 p.m., at the James Kjerstad Event Center, Rapid City, S.D It’s $150/person with a $50 deposit to hold your spot. There are only 12-15 spots available. Call or text 307-660-9501 to sign up.
Gordon Livestock, Gordon, Neb. has it’s horse sale schedule figured out. Open consignment sales will all be at 2 p.m., on Jan. 20, Feb. 24, Mar. 17 and April 21. There’s no May sale, but the Premier of the Sandhills Spring Catalog Sale is June 2. For more information call Patsy Tines at 605-282-1171 or the salebarn at 308-282-1171.
BHSU Rodeo’s Cowboy and Candlelight Banquet and scholarship fundraiser will be Feb. 7, 5 p.m., at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, Spearfish, S.D. RSVP mail-in deadline is Jan. 23, online Jan. 30. Tickets are all reserved and can be purchased online at http://www.BHRodeo26.Givesmart.com.
With the nice winter temps and weather, it would be a good time to get the appointment made to get those stud colts gelded. They’ll start getting studdy acting when the days start lengthening, and before you know it, they’re not cute anymore and they start getting an attitude. You can geld them, clean up any wolf teeth that have emerged and brand them while they’re off in lala land. Your colt will be a better citizen and, best of all, the newly minted geldings and fillies can all stay together without the risk of a surprise foal out of a filly.
I’m going to awkwardly climb up onto my soap box and give one of my motherly/grandmotherly lectures now. I drive a county road and then a highway to go to town. Every trip I see bundled of net wrap that have rolled off the bale bed of a pickup as it cruised along. Just like the big plastic ice bags and feed sack, you know darn well that the flatbed will distribute them as you drive along. Your first clue is that they’re gone when you arrive home or at the coffee shop. It’s not a miracle, it’s littering. You know who you are and you need to do better! How hard is it to keep a bucket or small barrel fastened to the headache rack on your pickup and put the trash inside before you leave the feed ground? It’s not hard and it would sure be better for everyone if you did.
Well, I’m done scolding, so I think I’ll call this circle ridden. Have a great week, pray for our leadership, our nation and all the first responders. May God Bless America!