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Page 8:: Featured Open Range Magazine CountryMusic Artist Darius Rucker - From Hootie to Country

Page 10:: Mob Grazing - a greener way for cattleranchers

Page 16:: Land trust groups gather to honor land andeach other

Page 17:: Ranch Rodeo - How the Cowboys Play

Page 18:: Capturing the West - Jimmy Smith

Page 22: How Many Steers to Buy a Pickup?Cynthia Vannoy-Rhoades

Very special thanks to Jeff Short –our main contributor and the one person who can

remind us all, that it can be done.

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Proud sponsor of the Second Annual Open Range Magazine'Concert in the Barn' Cowboy Poetry and Concert Dinner Show

Page 6:: Religion in the West - Cowboy Camp for Kids - The greatstate of Georgia offers rodeo lessons for those that love the West... and God.

Page 7 :: Open Range Magazine’s “Love of the West” Art Page

Page 12 :: Open Range Magazine's Featured Cowboy PoetDiane Tribitt

Page 14 :: Cattle Ranching in the Fall - Weaning Season

Page 15 :: Cowboy Careerin' It - Shooting America's Rodeo inEurope

Page 24 :: Open Range Magazine's bi-monthly featured ShortStories of "Jack and Cleve's adventures on the Plenty of RocksRanch" - The Auction Horse by Cowboy Poet and Western AuthorDave P. Fisher.

Page 30 :: Cowboy Cuisine - A bunkhouse roundup of classicand contemporary cowboy cooking! Sponsored byTableMountainVineyards.com.

Editor/Publisher Amanda SmithPhotographer Amanda Smith

Staff Writer Codi ValleryArticle Contributor Dave P. Fisher

Staff Writer/Senior Publication Representative Mike VelasquezSenior Marketing Representative Chirs Aspinall

Gaffer Rosco OruzcoStaff Writer and Photographer Jessica Smith

Graphics and Layout Dignified Designs and Ginger Ludtke of Ratgraphics

Published by Dignified Designs - Glenrock, WyomingExecutive Assistant to the Editor Jessica Smith Subscribe online: www.openrangemagazine.com

or at www.magazines.comOr mail the enclosed subscription card to:

Open Range MagazineP.O. Box 1207

Glenrock, Wyo. 82637Cover Photo “Dahli Cowboy ” © Amanda Smith

Ranch Rodeo Photo © Amanda Smithwww.countryandwesterncowboy.com

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Background photo page 29 courtesy Wikimedia.

If you arel o o k i n gfor a funway tos p e n d

time learningabout andi n t e r a c t i n gwith horses,then look nofurther than KBHorse Camp in

Hahira, Georgia. Run by owners Kim and BrianMcGhee, this family-friendly, Christian-based horsecamp offers something for everyone--not matter whattheir experience with horses may be. With activitiesand lessons on rodeo events such as barrel racing, goattying, and calf roping (to name just a few) this campoffers practical, hands-on learning for anyone interest-ed in horses and rodeo.

Kim McGhee started the camp soon after graduat-ing from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College inTifton, Georgia, with degrees in Registered Nursingand Animal Science. So why not become a nurse or avet? Kim answered this question succinctly when shestated, “When I die, I will be abl e to say that I didsomething that I loved to do my whole life. I will haveno regrets.” Kim, who was on a rodeo scholarship toABAC, has competed in team roping, barrel racing,and breakaway roping.

KB Horse Camp runs year-round and includesSummer rodeo camps for beginners where kids wholive in the city, and would never have the chance totake part in a rodeo, come and spend a week at theCamp. At the end of the week, their parents get tocome to KB and watch them compete in a rodeo--showing off what they’ve learned throughout theweek. During the school year, some students come tothe Horse Camp for a few hours each night to take partin the experience. Kim believes that horses kept herout of trouble when she was younger, and she wantsto make sure that other kids have the opportunity tolearn about these most amazing animals. “My love forrodeo and horses led me to start putting on camps for

kids. I also like teaching personal lessons about ropingand barrel racing,” she said.

KB Horse Camp has been in existence for the lastseven years and has had campers aged from 3 to 73join in the rodeo experience. Of her horse camp Kimstates, “We…offer quality training. We try to learnfrom the best…I try…to teach them (campers) theright way, so if they ever wanted to go pro, they couldbe able to do that.” And apparently Mrs. McGhee isdoing a bang-up job since one student was chosen tocompete in Oklahoma this summer in the High SchoolAssociation rodeo.

With a love of children, horses, and rodeo, theMcGhees have established a wonderful place to men-tor kids who may need it, teach kids who want it, andshare their love of horses with kids who otherwisewould never know it--all in a loving, non-denomina-tional Christian atmosphere.

For more information on Kim, Brian, or KB HorseCamp, visit their website at www.kbhorsecamp.com

“When I die, I will be able tosay that I did something thatI loved to do my whole life.

I will have no regrets.”

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Open Range MagazineFor the Love of the West

Art Page

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Ranch Rodeo - Photo © Amanda Smith - www.countryandwesterncowboy.com

Country Music’s Newest Star

From Hootieto Country

Having your first country album debut at#1 on the Billboard charts – following amulti-week #1 debut country single – isa huge achievement by anyone’s meas-ure. When you add to that the New

York Times’ claim that your debut album is “one ofthe year’s most vibrant country albums,” andVariety’s declaration that “Country music has a newmajor star, and the genre may never be the same” –well, it can be pretty heavy stuff.

So it comes as no surprise that Capitol RecordsNashville artist Darius Rucker is delighted by thecritical and commercial success of his first countryalbum, LEARN TO LIVE, and very proud of the #1single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” – onwhich Rucker was a co-writer. And his delight

only increased as his second single, “It Won’t BeLike This For Long,” also landed atop all threecountry singles charts.

However, what Darius Rucker mostly feelsthese days is grateful . . . Grateful that the mil-lions of fans that knew Rucker as the voice of

Hootie & The Blowfish, the Grammy-winninggroup whose album CRACKED REAR VIEW sold

more than 16 million copies, happily followed thesinger/songwriter in his natural evolution tocountry music. Grateful that hundreds of countryradio programmers embraced him as a welcomeaddition to the genre – as did the nation’s count-less country music fans. . . Grateful that Nashvillesongwriters and established country artists haverecognized him as one of their own . . . Gratefulthat he has been embraced by media and invited toperform on The Late Show, The Tonight Show, TheEllen DeGeneres Show, The Jimmy Kimmel Show,and more . . . And finally, grateful that, as a seasoned

performer who has already experienced the fickleDar

ius

Ruc

ker

Darius Rucker

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highs and lows of fame, he’s grounded and secureenough these days to truly appreciate this new phasein his music career.

With the critically-acclaimed LEARN TO LIVE, thelistener realizes that this project is steeped in the coun-try traditions of meaningful lyrics and resonantmelodies, yet is still an album that sounds completelymodern.

And, as the best country albums do, LEARN TOLIVE takes the listener on a voyage through life’sexperiences. The album’s arc covers major life themessuch as falling in love, birth and death. “This CD is ajourney,” Rucker says. “I real-ized I’m 42. I’m not going towrite many songs about drink-ing, chasing girls or booty calls.I was going to write songsabout having kids and stuff -songs about life.”

Guests on the album includeBrad Paisley on the humorous“All I Want” and Vince Gilland Alison Krauss on theinspirational

“If I Had Wings.” “To me,he’s one of the best guitar play-ers around,” Rucker says. Gilland Krauss made Rucker, theultimate fan, dizzy withdelight: “They sounded likeangels. You have these twoartists singing on top of myvoice . . . it gave me chills.”

Rucker has always had aclose kinship to country musicand country artists. “Growingup in South Carolina, it wasalways around, always on theradio,” he says. First a fan ofBuck Owens, Rucker naturallygravitated towards DwightYoakam, New Grass Revivaland Radney Foster in his twen-ties. “When I first heardRadney’s voice on Foster &Lloyd’s ‘Crazy Over You,’ Ithought, ‘this guy’s voice isbigger than Texas.’ I’m think-ing, ‘this is cool songwriting.’ ”

Fans of the Hootie & The

Blowfish - many of whom had already made the nat-ural migration from pop to country radio - realize thatthe band’s catchy songs were rooted in the same ele-ments that make great country music. In fact, Ruckersays, “We talked about being a country band, and Ijust got outvoted! They also used to kid me about howI always was bringing them country songs that theyhad to turn into rock songs . . .” Therefore, making hisfirst country CD was not so much a big leap forRucker as simply a slight shift in Rucker’s musicalevolution. As Billboard magazine noted, “There’s asense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a mem-

ber of the country family, ratherthan an interloper… Soundslike country may have a shiningnew star.”As a student of great songwrit-

ing, Rucker earned hisadvanced degree while work-ing on LEARN TO LIVE.“Writing with those songwrit-ers was like going toSongwriting University,” hesays. His professors/co-writersincluded such legendary writ-ers as Rivers Rutherford (BradPaisley, Tim McGraw, GretchenWilson); Frank Rogers (BradPaisley, Trace Adkins) and ClayMills (Diamond Rio, RebaMcEntire). “So many people inpop try to write all these psy-chedelic crazy lyrics, and I’msure I’ve been part of that - butthat’s something you don’t findin country music. The thing Ilike most about country songs isthat they keep it simple. I lovethat, and I love the melodies.”

Fellow South Carolina nativeRogers also served as thealbum’s producer, a job hesecured immediately aftermeeting Rucker: “In the first 30minutes, we wrote ‘All I Want.’The label asked if I wanted tomeet the other [potential pro-ducers] and I said, ‘Nevermind. I met my guy’.”

~ Sometime success can be based purely on getting there ~

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10

Left: The Guptill children are ablend of the two with Pat’slanky athleticism and MaryLou’s kinetic energy. Theyoungest three, Josie, Pauland Tia zip and zap all overthe ranch, moving fencelines,riding horse, checking cattleand helping their parents withdaily chores.

Ten years ago Pat and Mary Lou Guptill of Quinn, S.D. realized if theywanted to give their children a chance to be apart of their family ranchingoperation they would need to expand. “But we didn’t have a place toexpand to,” says Pat. “So instead we began to look at ways to get moreproduction out of the land we had.”

South Dakota ranchers look to

Left: After meeting Mary Lou you realize herspirit is bigger than her body and you wonderhow she keeps it all contained.

Above: Moving fence is a daily chore. TheGuptills are among the few in WesternSouth Dakota who have implemented MobGrazing on their pastures. A form of rota-tional grazing, mob grazing calls for focusedgrazing on small areas of pasture beforemoving the cattle on to another area.Portable electric fences are utilized for thesystem. The Guptill heifers are moved eachday while the cows are left in larger areasand moved every three to four days.

Cowboy “Careering It”

By Codi Vallery

Left: South Dakota is a statethat measures distance bytime and the Guptill ranch islocated 30 minutes north ofthe infamous Badlands.Where the eroded buttesand sharp cliffs of thenational park yield to mixedprairie grasses and farmcountry.

Left & Above: In August the Guptills hosted a PastureWalk and invited those interested in mob grazing to viewtheir pastures and cattle. Area ranchers, organizationsand agencies took part in the opportunity.

Below: In old west terms Pat is a“tall drink of a man” looking like heshould be on the basketball courtrather than in the worn blue jeansand sweat stained baseball cap heis wearing – sure signs he spendsmuch of his time outdoors workingthe ranch.

Right: The pasturelands are predominately cool seasontame grasses. The family has an abundance of crestedwheat grass which they are now beginning to phase outwith the help of mob grazing to western wheat grass –a native grass of the northern prairies. The cattle herdis thriving on the product.

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These poignant words were spoken by cowgirlpoet, Diane Tribitt. Diane, who lives inMinnesota, is no stranger to the cowboy way of

life or the tragedies it can bring. Having been aroundcattle her whole life, Diane married Randy Tribitt, andinto ranching, in 2002. Randy, who was a Vietnam vet-eran, was a seasoned cowboy and no stranger to therodeo having been a saddle bronc rider, a steerwrestler, and a team roper. He had been doing volun-teer work as a pick-up man for the Buffington RodeoCo. when, two years and five days after they were

married, Randy was killed in a rodeo ac cident. Randywas performing a ‘pick-up’, which is removing therider of a bronc horse once the run is through, whenthe runaway bronc crashed into him and he wasthrown to the ground. Diane was then left with atough decision--should she leave the ranch and headinto the ‘mainstream’?…or should she keep goingwith the life she so dearly loved? Fortunately for cow-boy poetry lovers everywhere, she chose the latter. “Icouldn’t imagine living any other life but the ranch,”she said, “I couldn’t give it up.”

Diane stuck it out with the ranching lifestyle,although she had to shift gears a bit. She had a smallherd of cattle, which she sold to buy more land andturned that land into custom grazing for people whoown cattle, but don’t have grazing pastures. Everyyear, Diane tends to between 550 and 1300 cow/calfpairs for other producers who pay her for ‘cowboying’and herding their cattle.

Not only does Diane run her custom grazing busi-ness with her fiancée Sam (a cowboy from NorthDakota), they also operate a grain bin constructioncrew, which erects grain bins almost anywhere in theMidwestern region. Add to this the fact that she hasfour children (the youngest of which will be startingcollege in July) and 4 beautiful grandchildren, plusher fiancée Sam’s three grown children, and you trulyhave one busy lady!

How did Diane get into the cowboy poetry ‘scene’?In her own words, “I’ve…written poetry my wholelife, but it turned into strictly cowboy poetry in 2005. Ihad written my first cowboy poem called ‘Tribute to aCowboy’ on the first year anniversary of my hus-band’s death,” she said quietly. Someone who read itsuggested she put it on CowboyPoetry.com and,“…so I did and it got accepted and it just kind of blos-somed from there,” she added. Over the years, Dianehas had many requests for permission to use her‘Tribute’ for cowboy funerals and memorials and thishas led her to a realization: “I found out [that] when Iwrite the poetry, it’s actually for other people,” shestated knowingly, “When you can touch people likethat…it is the joy of writing…”

A couple of Diane’s poems have been put to musicby western singers such as Curly Musgrave andBelinda Gail. “That’s a rush in itself, just to hear mywords put to music and sung by such great singers!”she said, “No words can describe it!”

As far as when she finds time to write her poetry,this industrious and intelligent lady had this to say:“There’s ideas going all the time--I carry a recorderwith me or a pen and paper…I kind of just jot stuffdown,” she explained, “Som etimes you’re sorting cat-tle and something hits you…it comes at all times.”Diane continued with, “I like to at least write ideas

Dia

ne T

ribitt

“I just like to write aboutthe experiences on theranch and the people I’vemet and the cattle, thekids, the nature, the spir-ituality--it all seems tocome to life in poetryand I just…feel [that] it’ssomething I can helppass on and preserve.”

12

By Jessica Smith

down weekly,” and then added with a smile, “Gettinga good poem once a month this time of year is kind of[difficult].” And difficult it is, for Diane deals with allthe normal goings on with cattle, such as disease, tim-ber wolves, etc., and still finds time for family andpoetry.

Her joy of writing has led Diane Tribitt to manyawards and accomplishments, including being namedCowboyPoetry.com’s 14th Lariat Laureate in 2008, theAcademy of Western Artists Will Rogers CowboyAward: Female Poet of the Year for 2008, and a final-ist for the Western Music Association’s Female Poet ofthe Year, to name just a few. She recently returnedfrom performing at the Calgary Stampede in Canada,and looks forward to her second appearance at Elko’s2010 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering which willbe held in January.

Her feelings on the awards and nominations? “Youknow, it’s just so good to be honored with an awardbecause of what we write…the awards--they’re awe-some…that people think enough of your writing toeven nominate you, much less get voted in for [anaward]…,” Diane said humbly, “It doesn’t change meas a person--I try to do everything I do the best I canand I’m just glad that the20poetry that I write gets therecognition.” She went on to add, “That’s the bigthing for me is that poetry is really coming back andbeing appreciated…it’s not about me--it’s about thepoems.”

Diane ended the interview with some very wiseand inspirational words for women everywhere. “IfI’ve learned anything, it’s…always respect yourself,always respect others, and always be responsible foryour actions,” she said, “If you want to be a rancherand you’re a girl--do it…just because you’re femaledoesn’t mean you can’t do it.” She then added, “Iguess my advice is to [just] pick your dreams and fol-low them and do everything you can do to make them

come true because if that’s where your heart is, that’swhat you’ve got to do. I come from a family of 10 girls[and] no boys and I’ve been lucky to have been raisedwith the understanding that a woman can set hermind to do anything she wants to do, but she shouldalways remember to be a lady while she does it.”

Wise words from a warm and wonderful lady whohas shared her gift of poetry with the public and con-tinues to be an example to people everywhere. Ladiesand gentlemen, Open Range Magazine salutes DianeTribitt, cowgirl poet extraordinaire.

For more on Diane Tribitt and her amazing gift ofpoetry, visit www.dianetribitt.com

A COWBOY FAREWELL

The mountains are covered in blankets of snow.Don’t reckon I’ll be ‘round to see you this spring.

The echoes have fallen from the lone hoot owl callin’Now he sits by my window and I know what he brings…

My cowboyin’ days, they were truly amazingFound life before death in the clear mountain air

Now I’m ready to wander new pastures up yonderAnd I’m ready to ride the four winds that blow there.

I’ve rode all the rank ones – down to my last run.

I’ve bulldogged the devil in three seconds flat.My years have been many; true love’s found me plenty.

Ain’t a cowboy on earth who could want more than that.

Instead of a halo, I’d like a gold buckle;Some jingle-bob spurs with my brand on each side;

A riggin’ bag waitin’ at those pearly gates‘nsome broncs, bares, and bulls for us cowboys to ride

Adios, mi compadres. Farewell, Corazon.Goodbye to Chinook winds that sing soft and low.Don’t wanna be late when my pals are all waitin’

for me, and my spirit is restless to go

I’ll soon walk the Red Road, and join the great circleTo sing cowboy songs from the sweet bye-and-bye

Till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feetI’ll be ridin’ that heavenly ranch in the sky

© co-written by Diane Tribitt & Will Dudley

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The Fall works on a typical Nevada ranch includeweaning which is as the cowboys put it "takingthe big ones away from the little ones" or sepa-

rating the calves from their dams. This entails gather-ing cows and calves to a corral and parting themeither down an alley or from one pen to another. Avery noisy process as the cow-calf pairsare not quite ready to end their rela-tionship and are very vocal aboutit. Many operations then sort thecalves, keep heifers that will gointo the brood herd and ship thesteers and feeder heifers that havebeen sold and go to grass or feedelsewhere. Here we give thecalves vaccinations and wormerand keep them at least 45 days forlater marketing.

Weaning Season

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Jon Griggs, Second Vice President of the Nevada Cattlemen'sAssociation and Ranch Manager for the Maggie Creek Ranch in Elko, Nevada let Open Rangeknow what Weaning Season is about.

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Subject: Photogapher chosenfor Rodeo Europe tours

Kent Kerschner of Hutchinson, also known asthe Foto Cowboy, has been chosen to cover theinaugural rodeo events in Europe. The tour inEurope will begin in Sept. The first of 35 Rodeosto be held in Europe will be in Madrid Spain,Kent will be documenting the events as the hap-pen. Kent got the asignment for his knowledgein all aspects of any type of Photography situa-tions to knowledge of Rodeo. Where to be at theright time, and the timing of the photos. Kentwill be traveling with the Rumford Rodeo com-pany in conjunction with the Rodeo EuropeTour. http://rodeoeuropetour.com/ Kent willbe traveling with them till the first of Oct. wherehe has to come back to do a wedding senior pic-tures, and then off to cover the PBR(Professional Bull Riders) finals in Las Vegas. but the tour dont stopthere. after the Finals in Vegas, the trip back to Europe will be to do the last 8 rodeos in Tonno Italy andRomin Italy to close out the final part of the trip to. For more info contact:

Foto CowboyKent Kerschner620-669-7325http://fotocowboy.com

Kent Kerschner poses with a camera that his grandmother gavehim 27 years ago. Kerschner, of Hutchinson, is known throughoutrodeo country as "Foto Cowboy." AP Photo.

PRESS RELEASE Cowboy Careerin' It

The beautiful Saratoga Valley of Wyoming wasthe perfect place to host 300 supper guests forthe Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land

Trust’s Barbeque.Held each year at a different location in the state, the

XH Ranch operated by Laura Bucholz and her son anddaughter John and Bessie, welcomed those in atten-dance to an elevation of 7,200 feet and a postcard per-fect setting of southeast Wyoming.

Guests enjoyed conversation over a delicious beefdinner and waged bets against each other during thesilent auction. The auctionhelped garnish more than$25,000 to assist with the LandTrust’s efforts to conserveWyoming’s working familyfarms and ranches and thewide open spaces, naturalhabitats, and western lifestylethey support.

The evening ended withmusic and dance provided by Jimmy and the Boys.Laura Bucholz’s welcome to her guests resonated the

purpose of the ag land trust group – a deep love ofland and the western way of life. “Twenty-six years ago during my family’s annual

vacation out of the Texas heat to the coolness ofWyoming, I met this boy. His name was Kurt and heinvited me to see what he called ‘the other end of thevalley.’ Off I went and four dates later it was decidedthat ‘the other end of the valley’ was where we want-ed to spend our lives together. I wouldn’t be here if itweren’t for my Kurt’s love for the XH and the openspaces it represents,” said Bucholz.

Today, she manages 450 cows on the ranch, AI’ingapproximately 150 head and calving in March. Itkeeps her busy, but she welcomes visitors to her hometo learn about ranching and land stewardship.“Kurt knew we couldn’t count on anyone else to main-tain a way of life that we all cherish. We can’t sit backand assume others will do it for us; we have to step upto the plate to promote conservation of our ranchlandsand our ranching way of life,” said Bucholz.

Pamela Dewell, Wyoming Stock GrowersAgricultural Land Trust Executive Director said theBBQ draws agricultural operators and lovers of openspace from throughout Wyoming each year.

“This gathering has drawn supporters fromthroughout the state – from Meteetsee to Devils Towerand from Jackson to Old Cheyenne,” said Dewell.“Everyone here has contributed so very much to ourwork and to who we are as an organization. Our LandTrust is focused on Wyoming’s working landscape.We are the only conservation organization inWyoming that operates within the guidelines anddirectives of our parent organization, the WyomingStock Growers Association.”

A prestigious honor, the Kurt Bucholz ConservationAward, was bestowed up localrancher and retired family doc-tor, Dr. John Lunt during theevening’s activities.The award is given each year toan individual who exemplifiescommitted conservation values,particularly those that center onprotecting and nourishingWyoming’s working ranches.

“There was complete shock and awe… I was verytouched to be given this award,” said Lunt.

He himself used the Agricultural Land Trust sever-al years ago to protect the Highline ranch, a life-longdream he and his wife were able to purchase afterleaving an established Colorado surgical practice.The couple never looked back, and instead fell in lovewith the people and land surrounding Saratoga, Wyo.Through the land trust they placed 1,380 acres into aconservation easement to protect grazing, sage grouse,irrigation, and scenic and open views.

“For 130 years across Wyoming the hand of therancher and farmer has been gentle, transformative,and landscape-enhancing; not because the early ranch-ers set out to be ‘environmentalists,’ but because theirsurvival depended upon open working landscapes,irrigated meadows, and a healthy productive ecosys-tem,” said Lunt. “This landscape is what we inherittoday.”

Lunt was appointed to the first Wyoming StockGrowers Agricultural Land Trust Board of Directors in2001 and has served on the Board since that time. To date, the Wyoming Stock Growers AgriculturalLand Trust has conserved over 108,000 acres through41 conservation easements. For more information,please visit www.wysgalt.org.

By Codi Vallery-Mills

“This landscape is whatwe inherit today.”

– Dr. John Lunt

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Ranch Rodeo is an event that was re-created anumber of years ago to return to the roots ofrodeo when the first event was established in

1882. The event widely hailed as the first rodeo washeld in North Platte, Nebraska and was produced byWilliam F. Cody (Buffalo Bill). Buffalo Bill incorporat-ed trick riding and a number of other entertainingadditions to the rodeo.

The competition was about the ranches and whocould be awarded the prize of being the best ranch inthe rodeo. Ranch-versus-ranch contests graduallysprang up, and events were created that simulatedwhat the ranch cowboys did for work each day on theranch.

These rodeos were a gathering of ranch families andbecame a social function that was not only a competi-tion but a time of visiting with each other and sharingtheir lives. As time went on rodeo evolved and becamea showcase of each individual cowboy rather than theteam concept or ranch-verses ranch competitions thatwere originally held. Modern day Ranch Rodeo is areturn to those times of sharing and friendly competi-tion.

In today’s fast paced environment it is rare that onecan go to a sporting event of any kind and see and feelthe camaraderie and the friendliness that we feel atranch rodeo. www.ranchrodeo.net

"RANCH RODEO - THE HIDE RACE"

Capturing The WestOpen Range Magazine’s Featured Western Artist

May 20, 2009

I would like to introduce a new up and comingWestern Art artist, Jimmy Smith, born James M. Smithon October 8, 1969 to Robert and Patricia Smith inCottonwood, AZ. He was named after his Mother's lit-tle brother James Martin Herridge, who passed awayat the age of 14 as a result of head trauma receivedduring a Little League baseball game. Jimmy, also abaseball fanatic, started playing at the age of five andcontinued well into his thirties. We raised 4 childrenhere in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix, AZ, 3 boys andone girl. Jimmy graduated from Maryvale HighSchool in Phoenix in 1987. In 1988 Jimmy enlisted inthe Army. He served with 4 years with great pride asa part of the elite First Cavalry Division Honor Guard.

Jimmy, an avid hunter, exceptional athlete and out-door enthusiast, as you will be able to see in his paint-ings.

Our other 2 boys served in the US Army as well. Theoldest, Chad, retiring in December 2008with the rank of Master Sergeant afterserving 24 years. Younger brotherJustin, has served in the U SArmy on 3 different occasions andis currently stationed at Fort Bragg,N.C. Jimmy's little sister Danae, justcompleted basic training on herbirthday 23 April 2009, and is cur-

rently in 'AIT'Advanced IndividualTraining at FortLeonard Wood, MOand hopes to be sta-tioned at Fort BraggN.C.

After his militarystint Jimmy enteredinto the CommercialAircraft fueling busi-ness rising to theposition of StationManager by 2004. In2005 Jimmy experi-enced a dramaticchange in his life whenhe was involved in aroad rage incident whichresulted in the death ofone of the two drunkenoccupants of the other

Above: Footsteps

Above: It’s Just Us.

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vehicle. He was wrongfully convicted of manslaugh-ter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. We arecurrently appealing this conviction.

Although he has always been interested in art, pen-cil drawings here and there, watched an artist's showon PBS and mimicked the techniques, especially BobRoss. He hadn't taken it seriously, more of a hobbyand for something to do. Since his incarceration, hehas picked up pencil and drawing pad and starteddrawing again. He has always shown an interest inCowboys and Native Americans. In January 2007 hewas watching another artist doing watercolors andthought that he could do it, so with borrowed sup-plies, he created 'Brandin' Blisters'.

He was very happy with the result. He has devel-oped a 'Working Cowboy' collection, which includes 7different paintings so far (Brandin' Blisters, AllCinched Up, Quittin' Time, Footsteps, Just a Pinch, It'sJust us, and Victory Dance). His Mother and I werevery impressed as well and have been encouraginghim to continue. So I get magazines and cut out pho-tographs and he compiles an idea from them to createhis watercolor art. I had a local printing companyprint up about 5 early pieces had them on display atthe Blazing M Ranch in Cottonwood, AZ (www.blaz-inm.com) in the K-Bar Trading Company gift shops.He now has prints of his artwork in New York,Montana, Australia, North Carolina to name a fewplaces.

Jimmy has always been a Cowboy at heart as Ialluded to in an earlier email. The photos I suppliedare at the age of 20 or so. Jimmy has three children,Kory 18, Brandon 15, and Dylan 9. Dylan is featuredhere in 'Yee Haw' a watercolor recently finished froma photograph taken Christmas 2003.

He also did a watercolor of 'Randy Johnson' who isBrandon's favorite baseball player.

Although Jimmy is in prison, we have all gained theprivilege of enjoying his Fine Art creations in water-colors. Jimmy probably never would have picked upa brush to even try the watercolor medium had he notexperienced this unfortunate incident in his life. Youcan see in the poetry he has written, he has reachedout to God.

Above: Double Vision.Right: Robert Duvall as Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove.

Above: Brandin’ Blisters.

19Continued on Page 25

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Deep in the silence of the forestIs where I'd like to be,

So I can hear in nature's stillnessGod's voice as it speaks to me.

His voice, it echoes through the trees,as the wind caress their limbs.Like angels softly whispering

a thousand prayer hymns.And through the coyote, his voice, it laughs

a strong and joyful song,This speaks of his enduring love,

as it winds its way along. He speaks through the bugle of an elk

and the hawks' solemn cry.And evening plays his symphonies

in the cricket's lullabies.These melodies, they've stirred my soul

To depths no words could expressAlone in the forest my heart did find

a greater happiness.

He is now 39 years of age waiting for his day incourt, so the truth can finally be heard. He under-stands what he did was wrong, i.e. fleeing the scene ofan accident, for which he has now served over 4 years.Until then, he works as an educational aide, helpingthose interested in achieving their GEDs, as well asthose interested in a NCC certification as an electri-cian. He is currently working on his associate's degreein Business and during his spare time he applieswatercolor to paper and lets creates these beautifulpieces of Fine Art. He also teaches the techniques toanyone interested. He did 'The Porch' while teaching afellow interested in improving his own art, perspec-tive and the use of light and shadow to enhance yourcreation.

He also paints wildlife and landscapes that wereinspired by experiences shared with his Dad andbrothers and sister, while hunting, fishing, and camp-ing or someplace they often visited while traipsingaround Northern Arizona particularly the MogollonRim country.

As you can see from the following examples howmuch he has improved from Jan 2007 to March 2009

He has always told us that he cannot do faces, as inportraits. When we received the painting of RobertDuvall as Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove, wehad to tell him, we see you can do faces now.

We were able to provide a better instruction bookand we are currently trying to raise money to orderbetter art supplies for him to use in the Fine Art work-shop. He has gained a high level of trust and respectfrom the staff in the prison.

His Mother and I are amateurs at promoting our sonand his artwork, so please excuse our clumsiness inour attempt to get him recognized. I have set up agallery at fineartamerica.com under Jim Smith ArtWork 2009 and have had several pieces purchased andthe art collectors were very impressed with the resultthey received from Fine Art America. The Gicleeprocess on archival art paper or canvass does theprints. They also provide framing and matting servic-es. I can also order Giclee prints on paper or canvass 11x 15 to 60 x 120 unstretched, (I can stretch these myselffor anyone interested) and 11 x 15 to 30 x 40 stretchedfor those interested in larger pieces than those offeredon Fine Art America. Please send e-mail torobertleroysmith_7@q.com for more info and quote.He is offering some originals for sale at this time.

Sent with extreme pride,

Jimmy's Father and motherRobert L. SmithPatricia A. Smith

robertleroysmith_7@q.com928-639-00431845 W. Dart CircleCottonwood, AZ 86326

Capturing — Continued from Page 23

Above: Just a Pinch.

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Ranching is hard way to makea living, but even more sotoday. It is no wonder than

many family farms are being splitinto subdivisions or sold to richpeople. Anyone who loves ranch-ing can tell you that they have trou-ble making ends meet.

Old timers will shake their headsand blame the fact that our societyis so materialistic, and that youngranchers and farmers can’t make ago of it because they spend toomuch money on things such as tel-evisions, new cars and nice houses.

This has some bearing on it, weall like conveniences, and thingsthat make life easier, like runningwater, indoor toilets, gas or electriccook stoves. But, that is far from thewhole story.

The price of what we market tolive on, livestock, in particular , cattle, has not kept upwith the price of what we buy. Therefore, it is muchmore difficult to make a living by strictly raising beefcattle.

As proof, I went into old newspapers for the past50 years, from 1959, using ten-year increments, to2009. I took the current beef prices, pounds per calf foreach year.

I had a little trouble finding prices on pickups,because at the time, in the Sheridan, WY newspaper,The Sheridan Press, didn’t list prices on vehicles veryoften, but I found enough for a comparison. To compare, I also checked the prices of a used pick-up, 2-wheel drive because in the 50’s a 4x4 pickup wasnot as common as they are now. So, here is how itworks out, and how many steers we, as ranchers, hadto sell each year to purchase a used pickup. 1959

A ’56 ½ ton Chevy with topper listed for $1395, anda ’55 Ford ½ ton was $995; with a ’53 Dodge ½ ton was$595. The average being around $995, call it $1,000.

Steers that rated ‘good’ and weighed 605-785pounds sold for $.22 to $.25 cents per pound, or $187dollars per calf, while light weight, 350-400, sold for$.30, or a total of around $120 per calf. Average in 1959was approximately $150 per calf, so it took about 6steers to purchase a three to five year old pickup. In 1962, my dad, Wallace Vannoy, wrote in his notes. September 25, 1962 – Delivered yearlings. 87 heifersaverage weight 592 pounds, 145 steers averageweight, 658 lbs. Eight 2-year-old steers averageweight, 893, total check $35,950.61, less $2400 downpayment, total head 240.

The average heifer price $131.66 each, average steer

price $158.90 each. The price was $.24per pound, so it did go up much inthree years. We raised commercialHerefords, fairly average cattle for thattime.

In 1959, Wyoming also ranked 14thin the US in the number of registeredHereford cattle, Texas lead with 65,428registered, but there were 12,424 regis-tered Herefords in Wyoming in thatyear. Most ranchers purchased regis-tered Hereford bulls to put with thecommercial cows, as our family did. 1965

In 1965 a three year old, ½ ton Fordpickup was advertised for $350, whilea ’57 4-wheel drive Landrover pickuplisted for $595. A 1963 Interna tionalHarvester Company Pickup, ½ ton, V-8, sold for $1595, while a IHC 1962 ¾ton 120 sold for $1395, average wasstill around $1000 to $1200.

Choice steers, and it is tough for range steers tograde out as choice, weighing over 500 pounds, soldfor $.22-.24, while those rated ‘good’ sold for $.20-22..50. If you had really good steers and got the high-est price, you would collect $120 per steer. The small-er calves, those weighing under 400 pounds, soldbetween $.26 and $.28, averaging $112.

In 1965, you needed between 6 and 8 steers to pur-chase a used pickup.

Wallace’s notes, Oct. 10, 1967 – We rolled out yester-day, same crew as yesterday, Cynthia out of school.Also had Dean Floate and Emory Carr and NealSchuman. Gene Gligorea took delivery in place ofTaberna (these were cattle buyers) Yearlings averageweight steer, 709; heifers, 665. Each steer $171.97.Heifers,$150.81. The total check $46,390.75. 147 steersand 140 heifers. (.24 cents per pound. Same in 1962.) 1975

In 1975, pickups were selling for between $1,500 fora 67 Jeep 4x4, to $2685 for a 1971 Scout pickup, 4-speedand 4-wheel drive. Average, $2090. Feeder steers hadn’t went up much in the past tenyears, 300-500 pound choice steers were selling for$.38 to .40, bringing $190 for a big one. Most of us dur-ing that time were probably more likely to sell not aschoice steers weighting around 400 for .35, for themagnificent sum of $152. Average, $171. Now, only 16years later, it takes 12 steers to buy a used pickup.

In 1974 Dad recorded “Delivered and weighed 200head, average weight 694 pounds. Sold for .30 perpound. 206 head of heifers averaged 638 at .27 centsper pound.”

September 4, 1975 - “Cow buyers offering .35 forsteers.”

Cynthia J. Vannoy-Rhoades

September 5 – Chuck Lawrence, (cattle buyer) wasback with an offer of .31 for heifers and ..35 for year-ling steers. Sold out.” (Not completely, just that yearssteer crop.)

In August of 1975 dad wrote – “Bought a new Ford,(pickup) $3400 plus mine. (trade in) So, the total price of a steer in 1974 was $208, and aheifer was $172. It took 16 steers in 1975 to buy a pick-up.

This was the real world of the cow business, theamount of cattle sold that fall, and the price received.

During the 80s and the 90s, cattle prices took a jumpand held onto the price for several years. 1980

In 1980, calf prices were high for a change. With 500to 600 pound steers selling from 78 to 82 cents apound, with those weighing 700 to 800 pound sellingbetween 70 and 75, or between $390 and $525 each.

Heifers were generally about ten cents per poundlower, a 650 heifer would bring around $.64.

A five-year-old four-wheel drive pickup was sellingfor $3550, with a two year old GMC ½ ton selling for$3895.

In 1980 it took 7-8 good steers to purchase the abovementioned GMC. But, if you opted for a 1978 GMCcrew cab, the price was $6500, taking over ten head ofsteers to purchase that pickup.

In 1980, dad records, “Got to stockyards at 8:01.Average weight 979. (These were two-year-old steers)Buyer gave us $68.50 hundredweight,” (68 ½ cents perpound, or $665 per steer.) 1985

Unfortunately, the high market=2 0didn’t last long.Sheridan Livestock reported the averages forSeptember 4, 1995 as; 450-600 pound steers, 60-70,with heifers 58-61. Billings Livestock Auction wassomewhat better, with 500 to 600 pound steers sellingfor 65-74. A 600-pound steer only brought $420.

However, pickups did not drop in price just becausecow prices did. A year-old Dodge Ram 4x4 was sellingfor $11,900, with an 8-year-old Chevy Silverado 4x4selling for $7500. You would have to sell between 17and 28 steers to buy either of these pickups.

Dad had pretty much retired from ranching by thistime, so his notes did not reflect the prices, but theywould be close to those quoted above. 1990

There was a another little burst of good news forranchers in 1990, as prices went about as high as theyhad ever been, with 600-800 pound steers selling for76-84 cents a pound, and lighter calves, 500 pounds,bring up to $1.00. So, ranchers were receiving between$500 and 600 per calf.

But, pickups kept pace. A 1987 GMC 4x4 sold for$9,495 with a 1985 Dodge 1 ton 4x4 selling for $8,995.You would have only needed 14 steers to buy a usedpickup in 1990. 2000

The good prices carried over for the next ten years,with prices between $.84 for the heavy weights and

$1.14 for the light calves.. A rancher could get between500 and 650 per head. But, pickups too went up inprice. A 1998 Chevy with an extra cab was a whop-ping $22,995, with a 97 chevy selling for $21,695. In2000, you would have to sell between 20 and 30 steersto purchase a two year old pickup.

We were raising Longhorn cattle by this time, and Isold some young bulls, weighing about 400 pounds. Iwrote, “Bull calves bought 79-81 cents and the largercritters bought .37-43. A three year old steer sold for$552, and yearling bulls averaged $325.” Longhornson the average sold for less than beef cattle, so this wasabout average. 2009

Today, prices are still high, but have not went up asmuch as other items. I sold out my cattle some ye arsago, but according to the Buffalo Livestock Auction onJune 24, 580 pound steers were selling for $1.05, and640 steers were $1.03. About $600 per steer. In the most current want ads in the local Sheridanpaper, a 2006 pickup was listed for $17,995. Today, ittakes 27 steers to buy a two-three year old used pick-up.

Not only have pickups went up, but everything has.While, as you can see, cattle prices haven’t risenenough to keep up with inflation. Is it any wonder thatmany rancher’s and/or their wives, work in town? Orthat most ranchers lease out lands to outfitters forhunting, negotiate surface damages or lease paymentsfrom energy companies just to make a living?

So, there you have it. Now you know how manysteers you have to sell just to buy a used pickup.I hope it doesn’t depress any ranchers outthere too much.

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24

Iwalked into the house to get a cup of coffee; Iglanced at the clock and about dropped the pot. Itwas four in the afternoon! My partner Cleve had

set out at five this morning for the auction to sell acouple of steers and pick up some heifers in exchange,he still wasn’t back. I’d been out all day tending tochores, all the while figuring Cleve had gotten backand was taking care of things elsewhere.

I run on Winnemucca time, which means I neverpay attention to the time. On our ranch, the Plenty ofRocks, cows can’t tell time. I don’t care for watches,when the sun goes down I know it’s time to quit,except at calving time, but that’s another story. Rightthen, I was wondering what happened to Cleve. Didhe run the truck off into a draw or was he hanging outat the 2 Auction Horse/Fisher auction yard’s café?Should I be concerned, call 911, or bust a two-by-fourover his head? Just then the phone rang and I startedhunting for a two-by-four.

It was Cleve. “Hey Jack, sorry I’m so long, but I’mstill here at the yard.”

Before he could say another word, I cut him off. “Iwormed the calves, doctored the sick, and put newshoes on Trig. There’s still riding the colts and now it’stoo late to fence the north. Just what in the heck areyou doing?”

“Now, take it easy Jack. I sold the steers and pickedup the heifers, they’re in the truck, don’t worry aboutthat. I have made us the greatest deal, you won’tbelieve it. Bring down the horse trailer, I got us a goldmine and it was a real steal.”

I ground my teeth. I know Cleve, and he was prob-ably right, I wouldn’t believe it. “What is it and howmuch did it cost?”

His happy voice came back, “A horse and it wasonly four hundred bucks.”

I squeezed the phone until my knuckles turnedwhite. I knew it. I knew he was up to another one ofhis hair-brained ‘make us rich’ schemes. I was goingto count to ten before I yelled, but only made it tofour. “You bought a horse! At the auction?Nobody buys a horse at the auctio n , t h e y ’ r ethere for a reason you know!”

He comes back, “Easy Jack, I met Slim overhere. . . .”

That’s all he had to say. Now, Slim Johnson’s ourneighbor, about two hundred acres to the east.Personally, I would prefer it to be more like two hun-dred miles, or better yet the North Pole. He’s one ofthose old windbags who’ll stand there bragging andlying until you want to run and stick your head in thestock tank and drown yourself. I can’t stand the oldcoot, but Cleve believes every word he says. Like todrive me crazy. Well, here it was, Cleve and Slim, talkabout a pair to draw to. I knew this had to be bad.

I only made it to three this time. “Don’t tell me youpaid four hundred dollars for an auction horse onSlim Johnson’s say so?”

Cleve starts going on about how Slim knows hishorses, and what a deal he made. I don’t recall hearinga lot of it, my brain was sort of fogged by the smokecoming off the volcano between my ears. “Don’t youmove an inch, I’m on my way.”

Fortunately the pickup was already hooked up tothe four-horse trailer. I jumped in and hit the key. Thatold rig fired up with a cloud of smoke signaling ourlittle cow dog Buck to come a running ‘cause we weregoing someplace. He jumped up in the bed, I jammed‘er into gear and took off. By the time I hit the first cat-tle guard I was doing a hundred and ten, then I hit sec-ond gear.

I roared into the auction yard spinning dust androcks in every direction. Nothing was in the lot exceptour stock struck. I hit the brakes and slid in alongsideof it. Bailing out, I saw Cleve by the pens, I started forhim wishing I had picked up the two-by-four. Theauction boss stomped past me yelling about gettingthat horse out of here so he could go home.

Cleve was sitting on the top rail of the pen lookingprouder than a new daddy. Over the rail I could seethis black horse that looked like the last survivor ofNoah’s Ark. I was glad I had spit out my chew or I’dof swallowed it and choked to death. You had to haveseen this horse, his ears were laid back and he lookedlike he wanted to kill the first person that came nearhim. I looked at Cleve and all I could say was, “Why?”

Dave P. Fisher

The Auction"The Adventures of Jack and Cleve on the "Plenty of Rocks Ranch"

“Now, take it easy Jack. I know you don’t like Slim,but the man really knows his horses, he told me so.Slim spotted him right off the bat and tipped me off.This horse is none other than Sir King Winifred Snit,the world champion cutting horse.”

I think all of my senses quit working at once I wasso excited to be looking at the King . . . yeah right. Istarted to count to ten and said the heck with it. “SirKing Win-a-what? You can’t be serious! You lost whatlittle sense you got? Just look at that critter, he’s amess! Weepy eyes, hammer head, and cow-hocked.Only thing he’s ever cut is a trail to the barn. His back-bone looks like the Continental Divide for crying outloud and if his teeth stuck out any further he could eatfrom across the fence. Next week you would havefound him in Buck’s supper bowl.”

Cleve was still feeling pretty proud of himself. “Irealize the champ don’t look like much right now, butSlim swears by him. Slim saw him win the big Denver

cutting show and a dozenother big shows around

the country. Hethinks it’s a realshame what theydid to the champand figures wecould do somegood with him.”

I got pastthe wanting

to bust at w o -

by-four over his head part and just shook my head.Cleve’s a bit slow at times, so I explained it real slow.“First off, Slim’s never been out of Nevada, in fact thefarthest he’s ever been is Battle Mountain, and that’sjust because he gotdrunk and his horse drifted with the wind. He neversaw this horse anywhere, ‘cause just like Slim, it’snever been anywhere. So, now that you understandthat, tell me just what it is this old coyote bait is sup-posed to do for us?”

Cleve got his hackles all up and goes to being defen-sive, wanting to prove he’s right. “I’ll allow that thechamp doesn’t look too good right now, but with a lit-tle care and good feed he’ll turn out looking like a newpenny. Of course his competition days are through,probably why they dumped him, but we can stillmake a fortune off this guy. Here’s my idea and Slimbacked it, we’re going to put him out to stud!”

I think I got that ‘deer in the headlights’ look, but Ican’t be sure. I just stared at that sorry critter andshook my head. “Cleve, you got that bill of sale?”

He hands it to me and I read it, then I read it again.I motioned for him to come closer and look at thepaper. I pointed at it and spoke slow, “See this, it says$400, one g-e-l-d-i-n-g. Geldings don’t make little hor-sies, or didn’t your dad ever explain that part?”

Now, Cleve really is a good fellow, a little light inthe head, but a pretty decent sort. He always has aplan for making us rich, which usually results inmoney down the drain or a couple pounds of hide offmy carcass. He tends to run off half-cocked withoutthinking the whole thing through. He just stared at thepaper and then admitted that he never really looked;he just got all excited and took Slim’s word for it.

I made it to ten this time. “Partner, you just blewfour-hundred bucks for eight-hundred pounds of dogfood on the hoof. You might want to use your ownhead next time instead of Slim’s.”

I walked away towards the truck leaving Clevestanding there looking at his new horse. I glanceddown at little Buck trotting beside me, “Come onBuck, let’s get Cleve’s champeene cutting horseloaded before that auction boss strings us up.”

I got a catch rope out of the truck. I figured that jug-head wasn’t going to let me anywhere near him. I gotin the pen and sure enough he wanted to kick me realbad, but Buck kept him busy. I dabbed a loop on himand drug him out with Buck’s encouragement at hisheels. I was already formulating a plan to get ourmoney back and even the score with Slim at the sametime.

Getting that horse back to the place, I pulled himout and into an alley, blocked him in and tied himtight. I hosed him down until he was clean and lefthim to dry. When he was good and dry I got out thewhite paint and run a stripe down his muzzle andgave him four white socks. I then headed for thehouse.

25Continued on Page 31

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Cleve was watching me the whole time without say-ing a word. When I picked up the phone he askedwhat I was doing. I told him I was going to get ourfour hundred bucks back. I picked up the phone anddialed Slim’s number. When he answered I said, “HeySlim, the horse man, have I got a deal for you. I justhappen to have picked up a roping horse, but don’treally need another one and figure to just sell him. So,naturally you being the roping expert that you are youcould appreciate this fine horse, so I figured to giveyou first shot at him.”

Well, that took ol’ Slim right where he lives and Icould just see him puff up. He acknowledged that Iwas right about figuring him the expert on ropinghorses.

“I’ve put out the word Slim, so you’d better hurryand get over here, ‘cause at four hundred bucks hewon’t last long.”

I hung up the phone and just grinned. I couldalready hear his truck coming down the road.

Dave grew up wild andwooly running throughthe hills of Western

Oregon, hunting, runningtraplines, and in general beinganywhere that did not have a roof over it. It was only anatural progression that he would find his way to herd-ing cows and riding broncs in rodeos. It was also natu-ral for him to go from there to becoming a horsepackerand hunting guide, horseshoer, bronc buster, andteaching folks how to stay on top of a horse and not falloff. In a nutshell, to make his living in any way thatkept him under the western sky and in the saddle. Thatlife took him through Oregon, up to the wilds ofAlaska, and all through the Rocky Mountains, finallycoming to rest in Colorado as the Packer and ridinginstructor for Rocky Mountain National Park.

The many years of enduring rain, sleet, snow, andbeing a popsicle with a hat on frozen solidly into hisstirrups, not to mention being kicked, stomped, runover, and in general throwed and rolled on finally tookit’s toll on his body and produced enough bodily dam-age to take him out of the game, but not out of the sad-dle. To compensate Dave began to write about the cow-boy life he always loved and still holds dear. To date hehas become an internationally published author ofmagazine articles, western novels, short stories, andcowboy poetry. He was awarded the 2008 Will RogersMedallion Award for Outstanding estern Fiction forhis western short story collection Bronc Buster – ShortStories of the American West. He has also collected sev-eral “Reader’s Choice Awards” for his short stories.

Dave incorporates his vast background and knowl-edge of the West and its people to make his stories andpoems come to life. His specialty is telling a few seri-ous, but mostly humorous, stories and poems in thestyle of Robert Service, but Service never met some ofthe characters that Dave has created. To boot, all ofDave’s stories and poems are original, created from hisown deep well of seeing the world from the cowboyside.

Dave has been a featured Cowboy Poet and WesternHumorist in shows in Nevada, California, and Oregon.He has also been invited to speak to groups about thehistory of the West and the cowboy.

His audiences have said that he is creative, funny, agood poet, a good writer, and clever. His friends andfamily just shake their heads and smile, all knowing thereal truth, that he got throwed down on his head onetoo many times. You can learn more about Dave at hiswebsite: www.davepfisher.com

Auction — Continued from Page 29

AAbboouuttDave P. Fisher

Author’s Biographical Note: Will Bagley’s dozen books cover the overland emigration, frontier violence, railroads,mining, and the Mormons. He is series editor of the documentary history, Kingdom in the West: The Mormons and theAmerican Frontier. His Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows won the WesternHistory Association’s Caughey Book Prize. He lives in Salt Lake City, where he served as a Wallace Stegner CentennialFellow. Bagley wrote this series in cooperation with the Alliance for Historic Wyoming.

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Main Street in renovatedSouth Pass, Wyoming.

There are 20 originalstructures in

South Pass.

Some say the Shoshone called South Pass ”theplace where God ran out of mountains.” As chiefhistorian of the National Park Service, the great

western historian Robert Utley summarized the stag-gering significance of the place: it “made possible theopening of a practicable wagon road to the Pacific”and “extended the territorial claims of the UnitedStates.” For almost half a century, “the South Passroute was the way west.”

A long list of famous Americans crossed South Pass:Native leaders Washakie and Red Cloud, hunter-explorers Jedediah Smith, James Clyman and ThomasFitzpatrick, religious leaders Marcus Whitman andBrigham Young, military commanders Stephan WattsKearny and Albert Sidney Johnston, and ElizaSpalding and Narcissa Whitman, “the first whitewomen,” wrote one trapper, “that had ever penetrat-ed into these wild and rocky regions.” More impor-tantly, more than 500,000 ordinary Americans crossedthe Great Divide at South Pass between 1840 and 1870on their way t o new homes in the West, the largestpeaceful migration in human history.

“Off the main road now, and not often visited,South Pass is one of the most deceptive and impres-sive places in the West,” Wallace Stegner wrote a gen-eration ago. “Stop there and watch the cloud shadowsgo over, and see the white rumps of antelope moveamong the sage, and study the deep, braiding ruts thatthe wagons made as they fanned out and came downthe long, even slope from Pacific Spring.” Stop thereand shut off your engine, and you can “listen to thewind, which breathes history through dry grass andstiff sage,” and begin to understand something aboutthe spirit of the people who moved America west.

Today, South Pass has escaped many of the disas-ters that have ravaged the rest of the West: the sweep-ing view from its summit is little changed since 1850.To the southwest, the sage-covered Antelope Hills fallaway, terminating at Pacific Butte, which rises morethan 400 feet above the pass. To the west, every creekand stream flows into Green River. Buttes—someranchers call them “sky islands”—knobs, hills, dunes,and creeks fill the broad and broken expanse of the

valley, and the Wyoming Range f rames the westernhorizon. Two miles below the great divide, the greenoasis of Pacific Springs is still “boiling up through thesod as cold as ice itself,” just as it did on August firstin 1852 for Parthenia Blank.In 2006, an estimated 7,487 visitors left the pavementof Wyoming State Highway 28 to cross three miles ofgravel road to the see the trace of the Oregon,California, Mormon, and Pony Express NationalHistoric Trails. They rattled across the cattle guard atthe entrance to the buck-and-pole fence surroundingthe ten acres the BLM has set aside to mark SouthPass. In many of America’s most historic places, thepast has an almost magical ability to disappear: asprawling metropolis surrounds the Alamo, andInterstate 80 runs right over one of the Donner Party’scabins. But beneath the looming majesty of PacificButte, South Pass endures. “Recovering the Lost Trailhas a deeper meaning than merely gratifying a whimor satisfying a feeling of curiosity,” Ezra Meeker saidin 1915, and it is still true.

J. Ross Browne predicted that Americans wouldmake pilgrimages to South Pass. “I can stand on SouthPass and close my eyes, and hear the hoofbeats of thePony Express riders, the cracking of ox-team drivers’whips, the creak of wagon wheels, the voices ofwomen and children,” said Wyoming native Tom Bell,whose great-great-grandmother crossed South Passduring in the 1850s. For those who value its living con-nection with history, South Pass represents a nationaltreasure that we can either squander or save for futuregenerations. “South Pass is one of the few placeswhere you can stand in 2006 and 1846 at the sametime,” historian Terry Del Bene observed. “That’spretty special. We’re running out of places like that.”But, unless we make our voices heard, South Pass is atrisk. The Greater South Pass Historic Landscape needsyou to take a moment and write the BLM (BLMLander Field Office, P.O. Box 589, Lander, WY 82520and Wyoming BLM, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY82003) and let them know that you want to protectSouth Pass for your children and grandchildren toenjoy.

Bunkhouse Recipes - a Round-up of Classic and Contemporary

Cowboy Cooking

Cowboy Wild West Potato CasseroleIngredients2 large potatoes, with skins on8 ounces sour cream4 ounces diced green chiles1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese1 teaspoon parsley flakes2 tablespoons salsa2 teaspoons Italian bread crumbsPaprika for garnish

Boil potatoes with skins for 30 to 45 minutes untilsoft when pierced with fork. Cool slightly and peel.Slice potatoes and set aside. Mix sour cream, greenchiles, cheese, parsley and salsa in bowl. Line agreased casserole dish with sliced potatoes on bottomlayer, then a layer of cheese mixture. Continue layer-ing potatoes and cheese. When complete sprinkle withbread crumbs and then paprika. Bake at 325 degrees Ffor 25 to 30 minutes, or until slightly brown on top.

Well Water on the RocksIngredients3 ounces Beefeaters Gin2 ounces chilled Triple sec1 ounce Blue CruracoCrushed Ice

Chill cocktail glasses. In a mixing glass half-filledwith crushed ice, combine all ingredients and stir(gently) until blended nicely. Strain into the chilledglasses. Smooooooth.

Bacon Wrapped BeansIngredientsBacon (less than a pound)2 cn Whole green beans1 cn Golden mushroom soup

Wrap 1/3 slice bacon around a bundle of beans.Make small bundles of beans. Place bundles in a 9x12-inch glass baking dish. Spoon soup over beans. Coverwith foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil &bake about 10 minutes more.

Cowboy PuddingIngredients2 cups granulated sugar2 cups white rice3 quarts milk or canned milkequivalent1 pound raisins or other dried fruit1 tablespoon nutmeg

Put your Dutch oven on thetable and throw in two cups of riceThen throw in 2 cups of sugar andmix it up real nice. Next comes themilk - if you have some, put 3quarts in your pot or get Carnation“Cow in a Can.” On the trail milkcan’t be bought. Hang your potover the fire to simmer nice andslow. Your milk will tend to boilover if you hang your pot too low. Give your puddin’some time to work, an hour to get thick. For flavor stirin the nutmeg, agitate well and the bottom won’t stick.Slowly add the raisins, stirring them in as you proceedThis will help your “Spotted Pup” thicken, right nowthat’s what it needs. Hang it higher over the fire andthe rice will continue to swell.

Stand your spoon up in the mess, ’cuz that’s howyou can tell If your “Spotted Pup” is thick enough orif it still needs heat. Just keep stirrin’ occasionally andsoon it’ll be ready to eat.

Open Range ™ suggests the following Wyomingmade “Table Mountain Vineyard” wine to pair withyour cowboy supper.

Wyoming Gold - White Table Wine 2007 - WyomingGold is a semi-sweet wine made from the Elviragrape. The wine imparts fruity and citrus flavors,while remaining true to its native vine characteristics.The wine is full of grape flavors and heritage. Bestserved chilled. perfect with richer meals. Best enjoyedwith good friends & family!

www.tablemountainvineyards.com

Cowboy Cuisine sponsored by:Table Mountain Vineyards

...they was bedded down, and we cooked ev’nin’ chow o’er a cowchip fire as best as we knew how.an excerpt from Clark Crouch - Cowboy Poet

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Proud sponsor of the Second Annual Open Range Magazine 'Concert in the Barn' Cowboy Poetry and Concert Dinner Show