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The Outside Circle: Smith Brothers dispersal, new saddle horse, upcoming good times

Jan Swan Wood

The sun is shining and I can about line the grass up against something and see it growing by the minute. I’m sure the brandings that were delayed due to rain are in full swing across a big swath of country along with some other cattle work. I see mares and their babies along the road here and there and they’re looking pretty foxy in the green grass too.

I need to correct something I wrote in here a couple of weeks ago. No one mentioned it, but I want to give credit to the right organization anyway. Kevin Jaeger, Newell, SD, along with his partner Eli Lord, won a Dodge truck at Wrangler Team Roping Championship NSI at Billings, MT. I said it was a USTR event, so I’m sorry to have messed that up.

It’s the end of an era of raising good horses with speed, as the Smith Brothers Quarter Horses are holding a complete dispersal Saturday, June 11 at 3 p.m. (CT) at Ft. Pierre Livestock. With Johnny’s recent passing coupled with their stallion, Mr Victory Angel’s death a month before, they have decided it’s time to wind it up. There will be around 50 head with young horses, mare/foals, etc. being offered. What an opportunity to buy into a proven program of performance- and speed-bred horses raised in the rugged breaks and ridges near Ft. Pierre. They’ll be pretty colors too. Of course, a good horse is always the right color.



Another horse sale is on the agenda for Labor Day weekend. The Spur Creek Horse Sale is a brand new sale, and is being promoted as a non-trader, genuine article, using horse sale. Open to well broke mares and geldings, they will be accepting 40 head and the horses will be sifted before being in the sale. They’re doing the preview a little different, too, as they are using a ranch rodeo format. You can’t sell your horse if it hasn’t been used in the ranch rodeo, however, you can be in the ranch rodeo if you don’t have a sale horse, so it’s open to the world in that respect. The sale will be held at the Spur Creek Saloon and Guest Ranch seven miles north of Newell, SD on Sept. 4. For consignment applications or to learn more about it, call Dale Simanton at 605-892-5133.

The 65th Annual Hulett Rodeo, Hulett, WY, will be held June 11-12. It’s a WRA- and NRCA-approved rodeo held in a beautiful location. There’s a lot going on that weekend in a great little town, so don’t miss it.



The Wild West Days PRCA Rodeo at Sturgis, SD, will be June 17-19. They will kick off with steer roping on Friday at noon with the rodeo performance at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday there will be rodeo slack at 8 a.m., a Novice Bronc Ride at 1 p.m., with the rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Sunday they are having a ranch rodeo. It was a great rodeo last year, so I expect it to only be better this year.

The 5th Annual Matched Bronc Ride at Philip, SD, will be June 17 at 7 p.m. The Round 1 cowboy auction will be June 14 at the 73 Saloon in Philip. There will be three progressive rounds featuring 25 of the top PRCA hands and 50 of the toughest PRCA broncs from Burch and Korkow. This event benefits the Philip Arena Association. Your ticket will get you into the free burger feed from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on the June 17, too. The matched bronc rides are really great watching and fast paced as well. What a show this is bound to be!

Upcoming Indian rodeo action includes the Crow Native Days at Crow Agency, MT, June 23-26 and is NPIRA region. July 29-31 will be the Medicine Root and Eagle Nest District Rodeo at Kyle, SD and is GPIRA region. These are great rodeos with some of the best hands you’ll ever see in the arena. It’s for all ages, too, so you’ll see whole families competing.

NRCHA Derby competitors are invited to attend the Independence Derby on July 1-3 at the Seven Down Arena, Spearfish, SD. There’s a $16,500 added purse and is the first major Derby held in this region. Go to http://www.sdrcha.com for more information. This would be a fun event to go watch with the top cowhorses in the area working for a dandy paycheck.

Young Gillette, WY, barrel racer Cedar Kohr was hurt in a horse accident on May 11 when she was kicked by a nearby horse while saddling up. The kick caught her in the lower back on the right side, injuring her liver and kidney, breaking a rib, and causing contusions to the lung. She’s just a little gal, so that one kick really did some damage. She is recovering after a stint at Denver Children’s Hospital. Boy, you just never know what’s going to happen when you leave the house in the morning, do you? Even the gentlest horses are still horses. Best wishes to Cedar and a quick recovery.

Youth rodeo hands should be getting tuned up for the Elks Youth Rodeo at Sheridan, WY, Aug. 27-28. Open to all youth 17 and under, pre-registration is due by Aug. 15. The entry forms can be found on http://www.sheridanelks.org, or by requesting one by mail at Elks Youth Rodeo, PO Box 624, Sheridan, WY 82801. Information is also available by calling 307-674-7297.

The APHA has announced another Open Champion and it’s Royaltys About Face, owned by Leonard and Debra Ruggiero, Victor, MT. The 2005 chestnut overo gelding has earned 22 halter, 18 trail, two hunter under saddle and three western pleasure points. The neatest thing about this award is that he was bred and raised by the Ruggieros and Debra has done all of his show training herself. She’s also his caretaker and groom. It’s nice to see one of the homegrown horses find success along with the person who has invested all of the time into it. Sure beats the trainer stepping off and the rider stepping on at the gate into the show pen. At least it means a lot more to me. Congratulations Debra!

Please send me anything you want mentioned in here, along with results from your horse-related function. I’m always happy to share it with everyone else.