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The Outside Circle: Rest in peace Howard, unique injury, Finals qualifiers & grass founder again

Jan Swan Wood

Heard a few geese going over this morning. I hope they’re some locals that were just flying to the valley for a snack on grain stubble. As much as I like hearing them and the cranes, I like them better in the spring than in the fall!

My deepest sympathy to the Howard Hotchkiss family of Reva, SD. Howard, 83, died in his sleep at his ranch home in the beautiful Slim Buttes. What a grand way for a very fine man to pass on. Howard was a rancher and horseman to his very core, and ran good cattle and raised good horses to take care of them with. He was also a Christian man, living his faith every day and sharing it with others. Howard and his family were long distance (everything is in that country) neighbors for a while, and I remember Howard horseback and roping at brandings on one of the many good horses he had raised. Whenever and wherever I met Howard and his lovely wife June, we would stop and have a good visit. He was always so positive and fun to talk to that it put a bounce in my step for days after.

Howard passed his deep and abiding faith in the Lord and his love of the ranch and livestock on to his two sons and his grandkids. He is survived by his wife June, sons Dan and Sandy and Mark and Jill, and grandkids, Ty and Jessie, all of the home ranch near Reva. He’s also survived by his brother Dub, Miles City, MT, and many nieces and nephews. Howard will be missed by all who knew him, but, we believers will see him again. ‘Til then, my friend, adios.



My neighbor, Taygen Schuelke, Newell, SD, was hurt in a high school football game last week. In the crash of bodies, his kidney was lacerated. He was rushed to the hospital in Rapid City where they discovered that he only has one kidney, so a serious injury became critical. He was flown to Sioux Falls and placed in the ICU. He stabilized there and was moved to a room in a couple of days, where he was slowly allowed to start walking around and sitting up. He’s home now, thankfully, and mending. He’s a standout rodeo hand and has been a tough competitor at National High School rodeos, plus SDRA and NRCA rodeos. His specialty is bull riding, but he also rides saddle broncs, team ropes and calf ropes. He’ll be sitting on the sidelines for a while to heal up, but I’m sure he’ll be back on the rodeo trail whenever his doctors (and mom) deem it’s okay. Continued prayers for a full recovery would be appreciated.

Don’t forget the fundraiser for little Cayci Spencer on Oct. 9 at Faith, SD. She’s the three-year-old daughter of Joe and Kayla Spencer, Hayes, SD. The fundraiser auction is to help with travel expenses for her cancer treatments. It’s at the Legion Hall in Faith at 3 p.m. You can still send donated items to Kyle Brink, 17011 Maurine Rd., Faith, SD 57626. There’s a fund set up at Farmers State Bank, Box 187, Faith, SD 57626 if you want to donate money.



Round 2 of the Golliher Fall Series Barrel Race will be Oct. 16. Call 605-642-5363 for info. There’s a nice place for spectators to sit, plus a lunch stand, so a very enjoyable time can be had. Make sure you have a piece of Clara Ann’s German chocolate cake while there!

Trent Mills, Gillette, WY, won the steer roping at the Mountain States Circuit Finals Steer Roping in Sterling, CO. He was the only roper to have a qualified time on all four head. His brother Travis of Gillette won the year-end award in the Circuit. They are both qualified for the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping in Torrington, WY, next spring.

The NRCA finals will be at the Event Center in Rapid City, SD on November 25-27. That’s a great show to go watch!

The ProRodeo season is over for 2011 and the unofficial results are in. Going to the WNFR in barrels from our region are Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, #6; Britany Fleck, Mandan, ND, #12 (she went from #16 to #12 at the Justin Boots Championship rodeo in Omaha); and Jill Moody, Letcher, SD, #14. Britany is the first woman from North Dakota to qualify for the WNFR.

Regional ladies who have qualified in the top 12 in the Canadian ProRodeo standings are #1 Trula Churchill, Valentine, NE; #5 Lisa Lockhart; and #11 Jane Melby, Backus, MN.

There will be a Molly Powell Level 2 Barrel Clinic at Miller’s Horse Palace, Laurel, MT, on Oct. 15-16. Limited to 14 students, it’s $375 (includes clinic, barn fee and meals) with a $200 deposit due Oct. 5. Mail deposit to Christie Hebert, 335 Gabes Rd, Pavillion, WY 82523; e-mail her at cherbert@wyoming.com, or call at 307-851-7142.

There’s a Josh Peek Calf Roping and Breakaway school at the Leaning Pole Arena, Killdeer, ND on Oct. 29-31. Josh is a WNFR calf roper and all-around hand. The cost is $425 for the three days and there is a limited number being taken. Call 701-260-5504 for info. There will be a horsemanship clinic the day before too. Go to http://www.leaninpolearena.com to check out the details.

On Saturday Nov. 5, there will be a Girls Only Breakaway Roping at Halliday, ND. There will be High School and Under, Open, and 45 and Over divisions. Ladies only, as the name suggests, and a saddle in each division. Contact Lyle Gjermundson at 701-938-3382 or 701-333-9466 for more info.

We’ve had some freezes here and there, so if the flies have been killed off at your place, it would be a good time to make an appointment with your vet to geld those stud colts that you have. They make nicer citizens if they don’t ever know they’re a stud, so don’t put it off.

With the rains around the area, the green grass came on and I’ve heard of a handful of founder-prone horses having problems. If you have a cresty necked, overweight equine (horse, mule or burro), they can founder on that new growth of grass, especially when it’s very cool at night and warm during the day. That early morning grazing is the worst, so if you must turn them out, do it after it warms up for the day. Grass founder isn’t just a spring problem.

Well, that about winds up the circle for the week. By the way, the reason I write about barrel racers so often is that they send me news, so, if you want to see your event in here, please send it along. I’d be happy to share it.