Outside Circle by Jan Swan Wood: Congrats committees, cancellation, breakaway and barrel jackpots and series, TB ivermectin warning

I’m liking this nice weather. It’s great for cattle work, and about anything else. My Dad always said that December was the best month for a drought. I’m not looking forward to snow and I know a lot of others aren’t either. It’ll come eventually.

Congratulations to all of South Dakota’s great rodeo committees and the accolades garnered at the WNFR Awards Presentations. Laarge Outdoor Rodeo winner was Deadwood’s Days of 76 Rodeo; Large Indoor rodeo was the Black Hills Stock Show’s Rodeo Rapid City; Medium Rodeo was Belle Fourche’s Black Hills Roundup. The hard work of the committees, devoted fans, and a great governor that didn’t shut down the state all worked together for this. Well done!

I have another cancellation this week. The Hutchinson Arena Winter Jackpot Roping Series that was to be held at the CamPlex in Gillette, Wyo., has been cancelled.

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There’s a Breakaway Roping Jackot Dec. 12 at the Fairgrounds, Torrington, Wyo. It will start around 2 p.m. and will have three head and a short go for $180 entry. For every 20 ropers they’ll be adding $200 to the purse. It’s WCRA and WPRA approved. For further details, Call Leroy Milligan at 307-534-6029 or Heather Milligan at 307-532-6029.

There will be a meeting on Dec. 12, 10:30 a.m., to form a Versatility Ranch Horse Club. The meeting will be at the Rockin’ H Arena, Piedmont, S.D. It will be affiliated with the National Ranch Horse Versatility Association, and they plan to have three schooling clinics and shows. All are welcome to come to the meeting to learn more about this and ask questions. These shows have taken off like crazy elsewhere and I’m sure they will here too, giving our area another great event to participate in.

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The M & M Equine LLC Winter Barrel Series will be held at Ford Pavillion, Douglas, Wyo. Dates are Jan. 21 and 29; Feb. 12 and 26; March 5 and 12. The arena will open at 4 p.m., exhibitions from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; open arena 6:30 to 6:50; Open 4D and youth will run rogether at 7 p.m. and peewees will follow.

Fonner Park, Grand Island, Neb., will be holding their 68th Annual live Thoroughbred racing meet Feb. 19 through May 1. For more information on races or to reserve your season seating, call 308-382-4515. It’s exciting to know that racing is going to continue there.

I promised to share more details on the Johnson County SkiJor Wars at Prosinski Park, Buffalo, Wyo. It will be held on Feb. 27, signup will be the evening before at 6 p.m., with live music at 7 p.m. Entries are $50/team and races will start at 9 a.m. It’s free admission for spectators. Divisions are Youngsters 18-34; Midsters 35-50; Old Ranchers 50 and up; Boarder Bandits/Snowboards; Cowgirls/Ladies; Mule Skinners/mules; plus the Buckin’ Beer Keg Races during intermissions. For further information call Jacy Todd at 37-620-5814.

Most have about wound up their cattle and horse work for the fall, but if you’re still at it, I share a warning. I heard a sad report of a good working dog getting poisoned when it licked up some ivermectin wormer. Dogs that are of Border Collie heritage, even a small part, can be very sensitive to ivermectin, and may ingest it without you realizing it, either through a spill or a horse spitting some paste wormer out. The dog I heard about went blind suddenly and died. If they don’t get a fatal dose, it can still cause some very traumatic reactions and an extensive vet bill and lots of anguish. So, if you’re worming horses or cattle, be very careful with out old standby ivermectin.

This is also a good time to get these northern horses wormed with a good botacide. Read the labels to make sure you’re getting the right product for prevention of bot larvae. I remember having every saddle horse having a bot warble emerging on their back in the spring. It was nasty and what had been done to them internally over the winter was even nastier. Having good products to prevent that and to take care of other internal parasites is such a blessing. Most youngins have never seen those grubs on horses and cattle. You haven’t missed anything either.

Well, that’s my circle for another week. I hope this nice weather holds for a while. Have a great week and pray for our nation.