Bryce Canyon Mule Days BY SAMUEL SKALING

Bryce Canyon Mule Days

by Samuel Skaling

Bryce Canyon Mule Days is held the first full week of May every year. This year looked as if it wasn’t going to hap- pen with the COVID-19 outbreak. But, after much deliberation, and meeting with County Commissioners and the Mayor of Tropic, we decided to move forward with Bryce Canyon Mule Days and had one of the best events since the start in 2017.

Tropic, Utah, is the home of Bryce Canyon Mule Days, setting below Bryce Canyon National Park and not far from Escalante, Utah. We had a little bit of wind and sunny skies, perfect for getting all our riders out on their guided rides and back safely.

Mule Days all started with a vision from Tropic resident and outfitter Mclain Mecham and his wife Merrillee, to bring people from all over to experience their little piece of heaven on four legs and long ears. It is one of the most beautiful drive-ins you’ll ever see on your way to the rodeo grounds. The Mecham fam- ily, with the help of other residents of Tropic, have built a full size arena and stalls to house 100 mules. This year’s addition was a new announcers booth with power and internet.

The Skaling family has known the Mecham family for many years. I’ve been able to help the Mechams with Mule Days after the first year. I run the website, take reservations, and try to keep things organized. Our goal is for riders to have a memorable time expe- riencing the most unique and beautiful country imaginable.

There was also a full retail boutique offering Cowboy Hardware cowboy snap shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and vests with the logos of BCMD for women, men, and kids. We also offered gift items and leather goods by B Diamond Leather custom made with the

mule theme. My mom, Diva Amy, designs and creates the BCMD merchandise to support the event.

We have been fortunate enough to set up the Bryce Valley Community Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization to help the local community. Portions of the proceeds raised at the BCMD event go towards this foundation. The money is raised in the Bryce Valley and helps the residents of the Bryce Valley. Funds raised could help residents with travel expenses who have to travel for cancer treatments. This is important to Mclain and his family as they have lost his brother, mother, and other family members and friends to cancer.

Each year we do a silent auction where 100 percent of the funds go to the Foundation. We have donations of wonderful items like handmade leather goods, firearms, saddles, handmade furniture, equine products, tack, quilts, jewelry, and other custom items so generously donated by mule riders, local businesses, residents, and BCMD participants. This year we raised $5,400 dollars. The professional MM Auction Service team stepped in and did what they do best, and auctioned off a rifle for a local young man, Rozin Manning, who had brain surgery. The rifle sold for $2,500 and a hat was passed around the audience gathering donations to bring the total donation to $8,000. We would like to thank all the people who so graciously donated, contributed, and purchased items in the silent auction.

This year we were fortunate enough to have well known Ty and Skye Evans, of TS Mules, hold a clinic Monday through Wednesday. Ty’s clinic in our arena covered everything from groundwork to working cattle. The majority of all participants of BCMD rode in the TS Mule Clinic. It was such a great success that the Evans family will be back in 2021, so make sure you sign up on their website

Mclain Mecham

photo by Kathy Robertson

Riders at Powell Point

The TS Mule Clinic at Bryce Canyon Mule Days photo by TS Mules

Willis Creek

photo by Sherry Jensen

Riders might even encounter snow this time of year photo by Kathy Robertson

Riding Thunder Mountain and come see them next year.

Every morning we meet and start with the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and a prayer. This gives us time to appreciate the great country that we live in and land that surrounds us.

When riders check-in, we have sign up sheets for all the rides that we offer. They range from 2.5 hour rides to day rides. Groups are sent out with guides in one of the many trailers going to the trailhead. Our guides are very knowledgeable of the trails and surrounding areas. They very graciously donate their time to show all our participants the trails and the sites. We appreciate the drivers and guides for all their hard work and dedication. Groups are typically limited to eight riders and one guide. We stagger the leave times to make sure everyone is spread out, so everyone has the most epic experience possible. Some of the popular trails are Willis Creek Narrows, Losee to Casto Canyon, and Johnson Hole to name a few.

We always suggest riding Thunder Mountain to first time participants. We don’t do any rides in Bryce Canyon National Park, but Thunder Mountain is the closest thing you can get to riding in the park. We drop off riders at the bottom and pick them up seven miles later at the top.

New for 2020 BCMD was the Chrome In The Canyon Premier Mule Sale presented by MM Auction Services. Colby and Codi Gines are well known and highly respected in the equine world, especially mules. Mclain has always wanted a mule sale held in Tropic and when the Gines reached out to do a sale, we jumped at the opportunity. They run a very professional operation and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. Many mule auctions were already cancelled due to the virus and we were happy to see Colby and Codi Gines able to bring the best consignors to Tropic and make a lot of new mule owners happy. The high seller at the Chrome In The Canyon Mule Sale was

photo by Kathy Robertson

offered by Petersen Mule Company for $23,000. A total of 27 mules were sold this year in person and online bids. The goal for 2021 is to sell 50 mules. We would like to thank the MM Auction crew, buyers, and consignors for making Mclaine’s vision come true.

During the week we have several demonstrations being done by World Renown Packer, Jeff Pace and a Bit and Bridle Clinic by David Miller. Our demonstrations are a couple hours and are held later in the day, so all riders can make it back in time to see and learn.

We have several arena events during BCMD. The Trail Obstacle Course is one of the events. All proceeds from this event go to the Bryce Valley Community Cancer Foundation. There is a junior class, open class, and the sale mule class. The course included cattle sorting, putting on and taking off your rain slicker, dragging a log, crossing deadfall, and riding across a bridge. The crowd cheered on the five entries in the junior class and Mclaine made sure they all won a custom BCMD belt buckle. Team penning was another event for participants and sale mules. Winners for the team penning were Ty Evans, Jerry Meyers, and myself. We look forward to more junior events, cattle events, and reining events for next year.

A mule selling during the Chrome in the Canyon Mule Sale

Colby, Codi, Casen, and Caden Gines with high selling mule Ellie and consignors Shawn and Nellie Petersen. Ellie sold for $23,000

In years prior we held our Friday Night Concert at the local high school. This year, due to the virus, we weren’t able to gather in the auditorium. We built a special stage complete with a canvas canopy and party lights at the announcer’s booth. Concert goers brought a chair and sat in the arena surrounded by the majestic views that make this area famous. It was the perfect setting to enjoy Brenn Hill and Kenny Hall perform.

Collectively, the decision was made to hold this event in spite of all the virus news. It was a good decision and it was a tremendous success. We would like to thank the town of Tropic, the Mecham family, the participants, the many volunteers, the sponsors and the clinicians. Mark your calendars for this wonderful event for next year, May 3-8, 2021. Reservations for the event sell out quickly, so be sure to reserve your spot this October. Visit brycecanyonmuledays.com for more information.

Junior Trail Course winners (left to right) Alivia Mecham, Trevyn Clark, Ellie Evans, Jace Christensen, and Kyson Brinkerhoff photo by McKoye Mecham

Jace Christensen competing in the Junior Trail Course

Kyson Brinkerhoff, 9 years old, on Jake, 28 years old. Jake is Kyson’s first mule, and this photo of them was taken the day after Bryce Canyon Mule Days on the Thunder Mountain Trail by his grandfather Andy Mortensen. “Kyson started riding earlier this year and is learning fast,” said Andy