Canadian Cowboy Country - Dec 17/Jan 18

Outrider Jim Shield Life’s Greatest Reward

Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Inducted

The Wardens: Now THIS is Mountain Music

NEW 6-PART SERIES

Starting Your Next Great Horse with Trainer J.P. Forget

Ranch Romance

Wedding Stylings in Leather & Lace

Alberta’s Bar Diamond Ranch Land of Good Medicine

PM# 40070720

DEC 2017/JAN 2018 • $5.95

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24 RANCHING IN THE WEST

LAND OF GOOD MEDICINE Jim and Carol Hern and their ongoing diversification of the Bar Diamond Ranch Photo by Lee Gunderson

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 | VOLUME 21, NO. 4

On the Cover J.P. Forget and ten-year-old stallion, Wimpys Stepping Out, owned by Forever Pine Quarter Horses of Bluffton, Alta.

Photo courtesy J.P. Forget / Tara McKenzie

FEATURES 20

THE WESTERNERS

The Wardens This trio of trail-toughened park wardens write authentic Canadian mountain music

22 TRAILBLAZERS Wilf Carter

From the Rockies to the radio, the inspiring story of Canada’s Yodelling Cowboy

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COWBOY WAY

Starting Your Next Great Horse — Part 1 of 6 Renowned horse trainer, coach, author and instructor J.P. Forget guides you step-by-step on starting the young horse

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cowboycountrymagazine.com

Ranch Romance Four stunning Western weddings showcase the leather and lace styling, down-home accents and of course, the horses, that complete their love story

DEPARTMENTS 6 My Point of View 9 In the Corral 13 Western Art Review/Porch Reads 14 Spirit of the West 16 Wheel to Wheel 18 Reflections 41 Pro Rodeo Canada Insider 51 Clownin’ Around 52 Western Directory 54 Cowboy Poetry 5

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Celebrating the Seasons

erry Christmas and Happy New Year!

You never know when paths will cross as the seasons of our lives unfold. I couldn’t have imagined back some 30+ years ago that I’d get to enjoy J.P. Forget’s training all over again — only this time in the pages of Cowboy.

J.P., the multi-award-winning renowned author and instructor whose resume reads like a manual on “How to Succeed as a Horseman,” will be penning a year-long column on starting a young horse. Alumni of Olds College will know J.P. from his tenure there; reining and cow horse competition fans will know him from that arena, and barrel racers have learned some fine arts under his tutelage also. Yet when you meet the man it’s his humble demeanour that sets him apart. Welcome, old friend.

Back by popular acclaim is our Western Weddings — and what a roundup! Unique ideas by folks we’re familiar with from the ranching and rodeo world have made this a perennial favourite.

Ranching, they say, is a four-season sport and when you throw in the guest ranch component, some seasons are busier than others.

Unfortunately, thanks to the drought and wildfires in their area, Jim and Carol Hern and family from the Bar Diamond had a lot more to contend with this year, but in spring a new season will start again.

Any time is the right season for good music, and retro or not, you can still hear the lyrics of Wilf Carter music nearly every day on the radio. You’ll enjoy Cat Nantel’s delightful Trailblazer on Wilf, and it might surprise you just how many contemporary artists look to this old cowboy for inspiration.

Whether working as a Park Warden or as travelling musicians, The Wardens bring a truth and insight into the job, a sense of humour about the tourists and of course, their respect for the wildlife they swore to protect. Accompanied by a fascinating slideshow of their adventures in Canada’s National Parks, The Wardens have launched some more new music. You’ll enjoy the story of this unique trio.

I want to thank so many of you folks for the story suggestions this past year. Have yourselves a merry Christmas and enjoy the holiday season — here in Canadian Cowboy Country.

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Canadian Cowboy Country is seeking a dynamic, motivated self-starter in our advertising department. Western Lifestyle background an asset. Please forward your resume to Kristine Wickheim, Sales Manager at: kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com

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PHOTO COURTESY TERRI MASON

— Terri Mason, Editor

December 2017/january 2018 Vol. 21, No. 4 Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Copy Editor Matthew Stepanic matthew@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director Adam Still adam@cowboycountrymagazine.com Graphic Designers Zuzana Benesova, zuzana@cowboycountrymagazine.com Gina Tsang, ads@cowboycountrymagazine.com Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Traffic Coordinator Cheryl Lindquist traffic@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner frontdesk@tanneryoung.com Accounting Administrator Catherine Staszkiewicz admin@tanneryoung.com Customer Relations Manager Marie Tanner marie@tanneryoung.com Columnists Tim Ellis, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Bryn Thiessen Contributors J.P. Forget, Lee Gunderson, Ken Hoff, Cat Nantel Contributing Artists/Photographers Mike Copeman, Lee Gunderson, Tara McKenzie Weddings Photography: Carmen Freemark/Freemark Photography Creative Button Photography/Stephanie Warner Nancy Critchley/Nancy Critchley Photography Robin/ Robin K Photography Tanner Young Publishing Group #1, 9301–50 Street, Edmonton AB T6B 2L5 Tel: 780-465-3362 Fax 780-448-0424 Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @ cowboycountrymagazine.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 1 Year: $21.43 + tax | 2 Years: $35.71 + tax | 3 Years: $46.45 + tax Canadian Cowboy Country magazine is published six times per year by Tanner Young Publishing Group PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40070720 ISSN 1701-1132 Please return undeliverable addresses to: Canadian Cowboy Country magazine #1, 9301–50 Street, Edmonton AB T6B 2L5 FREELANCE POLICY Canadian Cowboy Country welcomes freelance contributions, but will not be held responsible for unsolicited text or photographs.

Direct all freelance enquiries to: freelance@cowboycountrymagazine.com PRIVACY POLICY At Tanner Young Publishing Group, we value your privacy.

For our complete privacy policy go to tanneryoung.com/ privacy.html or call us at 1-800-943-7336 Canadian Cowboy Country makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions.

This magazine is a proud member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, and Magazines Canada, abiding by the standards of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors.

Visit albertamagazines.com

“This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.”

«Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.»

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CONTRIBUTORS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Minburn Rules!

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1 J.P. Forget Starting Your Next Great Horse, page 28 J.P. Forget of Sundre, Alta., is an internationally accomplished trainer, showman and an award-winning professional instructor and coach.

He is the author of four books on horsemanship and starting young horses. jpforget.com

Minburn, Alberta is home to Curtis Anderson, founder of Courage Canada Trail Ride and speaker on brain injury awareness and recovery, Calgary Stampede’s world famous bull, C71 Outlaw (raised by my brother Clark Jackson at Minburn), the birthplace of the late Jerry Ambler, champion cowboy turned actor, another great cowboy, my late uncle, World Champion bronc rider Clark Jackson, as well as many other great rodeo athletes.

The photo I’ve enclosed shows the Canada 150 display I put together in Minburn.

I featured Canadian Cowboy Country magazine quite a bit.

Thanks for a great magazine!

— Charlotte Jackson Minburn, Alta.

Beechy Buckle Thanks to Rob and Marie Tanner, and you Terri Mason, for the exposure of our limited edition Beechy Western Days buckle. To use your line, "Where in the World....", they are in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Germany,

Sweden and Australia!! I talked to a fellow in B.C. that purchased one. He had no connections to Beechy or our Brian Claypool logo; he just saw the photo and wanted the “nice buckle”.

I dare say had it not been for the great magazine,

Canadian Cowboy Country, he never would have seen it.

Thanks again, — Verna Allinson, Beechy Rodeo

2 Lee Gunderson Land of Good Medicine, page 24 Lee is a writer, photographer and publisher known for co-founding Alberta Beef Magazine, Saskatchewan Beef, Beef Illustrated and Spirit of the West calendar.

His images and writing are born from his passion for Western Canada’s range, where he grew up.

3 Cat Nantel The Wardens, page 20 Trailblazer Wilf Carter, page 22 Cat Nantel is a freelance writer, marketing and public relations specialist based out of Calgary, Alberta. Follow her adventures on Facebook and Instagram @CatNantelPR.

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Dr. Bob Church Just finished reading my Oct/Nov Cowboy Country from the shores of Lake Muskoka and felt compelled to comment on the great article on Dr. Bob Church. Indeed, he has been on the cutting edge of excellence in the cattle industry. Already the rare perfect carcasses that show up at slaughter are being examined and genetic materials withdrawn to help create the ability to produce perfect beef animals are all based on hard work coming from him and his colleagues. We will see those animals mass

bred in our lifetime. But honestly, if Dr. Bob was fifty years younger I would have begged him to go into politics. There is a very good chance that not only the beef industry but also Alberta would be achieving excellence, but it is NEVER too late, Dr. Bob. Keep up the good work.

— Lynn Randall Foster

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

IN THE CORRAL NEWS, VIEWS & HAPPENINGS FROM ACROSS THE CANADIAN WEST

Bringing in the Sheaves

PHOTO BY NORBERT STOLL

The third weekend in September saw the B.C. threshing crew up in the Fort St. John area harness up and head out to bring in the crop.

“We squeaked this one out as the forecast changed,” said photographer Norbert Stoll.

“We hoped they were wrong and they were for the most part. The operation finished up with an hour to spare before the heavens started to spit.”

This evolving crew of teamsters pride themselves on the whole harvest, from seeding to threshing — and even the annual hay crop — is done with original horsepower.

Once a common sight on the prairies, today threshing crews are as rare as folks that know how to run a separator. However, these days it seems that wherever two or more teamsters gather, someone will suggest a horse-drawn harvest.

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IN THE CORRAL EMPTY SADDLES

From left, artist Paul Van Ginkel, chuckwagon driver Gary Gorst and Painted Pony Energy President & CEO Pat Ward at the barns in Calgary

Tarp Keeps on Rolling The striking tarp on Gary Gorst’s chuckwagon at the 2017 Calgary Stampede was the talk of the range.

Co-sponsored by Chairman David Cornhill and CEO David Harris of AltaGas and Pat Ward of Painted Pony Energy, the tarp was created by Calgary artist Paul Van Ginkel from his original oil, Painted Pony Power.

“It was a 50-50 partnership between the energy companies on both sponsoring Gary and the donations to charity,” explains Pat Ward, a major collector of Van Ginkel’s original art.

The benefits of the beautiful tarp just keep on rolling. Early in September, the two energy companies hosted their planned

charity, auctioning off the original 48"x72" oil on canvas and donating over $29,000 to Foothills Therapeutic Riding, Will For Riding Foundation and Ronald McDonald House.

Since 1912 when iconic artist Charlie Russell sold his original art from the shade of the old grandstand, the Calgary Stampede and Western artists have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship.

With the success and widespread attention the beautiful tarp generated, perhaps AltaGas and Painted Pony Energy have spearheaded a trend that will benefit all — drivers, artists, charities and fans of Western art.

Trey William Purdie 1997–2017

Steer wrestler, team roper and tie-down roper Trey Purdie of Delburne, Alta., passed away after a single vehicle accident.

Trey was an apprentice electrician who also worked on the family ranch near Delburne. Purdie competed in the High School Rodeo Finals a number of times in the U.S., and was a multi-time Canadian high school champion. He had qualified to compete in the 2017 FCA Finals in Red Deer.

2017 Foothills Cowboy Association Champions, back row, from left: Bareback Champion Brandon Dillman, Ladies Barrel Racing Champion Sandra Carter, Team Roping (Heeler) Champion Jim Cooper, Tie-Down Roping Champion Chad Gulick, Steer Wrestling Champion Walker Guthrie, Rookie of the Year Jason Smith, Saddle Bronc Champion Kole Ashbacher, All-Around Champion Chance Behmer.

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Front row, from left: Team Roping (Header) Champion Beau Cooper, Junior Barrels Champion Jenna Urasaki, Novice Horse Riding Champion Colton McKinney and Bull Riding Champion Armando Davila. Missing from the photo is Junior Steer Riding Champion Brandon Tetz and Junior Bull Riding Champion Blake Smith.

Congratulations to the 2017 Foothills Cowboy Association Champions! Additional honours handed out include the Stock of the Year Awards.

Steer Wrestling Horse — Wyzy, owned by The Guthries; Hazing Horse — Joe, owned by Gord Sandercock; Tie-Down Horse — Jo-Jo, owned by Jason Smith; Barrel Racing Horse — Ticket, owned by Susan Gulick; Junior Barrel Racing Horse — Pepper, owned

by Jewel Pollock; Heading Horse — Maximus, owned

by Grady Quam; Heeling Horse — Shotgun, owned

by Jeff Quam; Saddle Bronc — Special Smoke, owned by Wilson/Yule; Bareback Horse — Sunday Stepper, owned

by Richards Rodeo and Bull of the Year — Millers Cave, owned by Pengelly Rodeo.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS COURTESY PAUL VAN GINKEL; RYAN MCLEOD/COCHRANE EAGLE; DDD PHOTOGRAPHY/DALLAS DUFFY

FCA Finals

STOCKING THE HERD

Jay, Dawson and Abbey Stokke

Dawson James Stokke Ranch Country High selling saddle horse CD Diamond Jay consigned

by Seth Abrahamson (in the saddle). From left: Ken Perrin, Tyler Cronkite (Lane Palichuk representative) and Amos Abrahamson.

Congratulations to Jay and Abbey Stokke on the birth of their first child, Dawson James Stokke, born August 11, 2017.

Ranch Country Horse Sale

PHOTOS BY SHELLEY DREVER; DESIREA WENINGER OF EMCLAIRE; GREENWAY PHOTOGRAPHY/MARY GREENWAY

The 13th annual Ranch Country Horse Sale was held September 9 in the High Chaparral Arena in Maple Creek, Sask., with quality weanlings, prospects, and broke ranch and rope horses on offer.

The 27 broke horses averaged $6,411, with the top five broke horses bringing $10,750. The high seller this year was CD Diamond Jay, a 2012 dun AQHA gelding consigned by Seth Abrahamson. CD Diamond Jay was purchased by Lane Palichuk of CW Livestock for $12,500.

The average of the 27 weanlings was $1,031, with the high seller being a black stud colt sired by Just Plain Rockin, offered by Ken and Marg Perrin, selling for $1,900 to Calvin and Susan Siegle.

Mark your calendars; the 14th annual Ranch Country Horse Sale goes September 8, 2018.

Jay and Abbey, who ranch in southern Saskatchewan, were featured in our 2016 Wedding issue.

STOCKING THE HERD

Westin Wayne Lucas

Westin Wayne Lucas Congratulations to Rusty and Aaron (Courchesne) Lucas on the birth of their third son, Westin Wayne Lucas, born August 31, 2017, in Lethbridge, Alta. Westin is a new brother for Conner Riley and Colson Jhett.

Rusty is from the Lucasia Ranch family in southern Alberta, and Aaron reigned as 2009 Miss Rodeo Canada.

Ranch Country high selling colt sired by Just Plain Rockin, from left: Marg Perrin, Calvin Siegle, Ken Perrin on the halter.

cowboycountrymagazine.com

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IN THE CORRAL at Gre Wal

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20

is Canadian Cowboy?

f China lo

Where in the World

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EMPTY SADDLES

Retrospective: Celebrating 20 years

Great Wall of China

Joe Carbury 1926–2017

Joe Carbury, whose gravelly voice thrilled chuckwagon racing fans for 45 years with his “And they’rrrre off …” passed away at the age of 88.

The legendary Stampede chuckwagon announcer was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, and later, his life story was recorded for the Calgary Stampede Archives.

The Great Wall stretches from Dandong in the east to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the edge of Inner Mongolia. A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 8,850 km (5,500 mi). This is made up of 6,259 km (3,889 mi) sections of actual wall, 359 km (223 mi) of trenches and 2,232 km (1,387 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers. Another archaeological survey found that the entire wall with all of its branches measures out to be 21,196 km (13,171 mi). Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history and receives literally millions of visitors a year, including 2012 Calgary Stampede Indian Princess Amelia Crowshoe, who visited China twice during her reign.

Congratulations to multi-award-winning B.C. singer/songwriter, Gary Fjellgaard, on his recent induction into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame “Star Walk.”

The Hall’s current membership honours over 300 remarkable talents, including such notables as Michael Buble, Bryan Adams, Randy Bachman, Chief Dan George, Diana Krall and Valdy.

Starwalk members are featured on the Granville Street sidewalk in downtown Vancouver and in the Starwalk photo gallery in the Orpheum lobby.

An icon of the Canadian music scene, some of Fjellgaard’s popular songs include "Ten Years Old & Barefoot," "Dance with This Old Cowboy" and "Somewhere on the Island."

For more info, visit fjellgaard.bc.ca.

LEFT: Gary Fjellgaard surrounded by his great-grandchildren at the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame “Star Walk” induction ceremony RIGHT: From left, B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame board member, Tom Carter, Gary Fjellgaard and BCEHOF president, Rob Haynes

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS COURTESY CARBURY FAMILY; AMELIA CROWSHOE; CHRISTINA POTTER

Fjellgaard’s Official Star

WESTERN ART REVIEW | MATTHEW STEPANIC PORCH READS

Words of Comfort

Periculum – Alberta (Permutation #2) by Jennifer Wanner, 2017, Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Second Nature Through January 14 Featuring both incredibly detailed collages and stop-motion animation in her exhibition, Calgary artist Jennifer Wanner splices together scientific botanical diagrams to create hybrid plants that connect each province and territory of Canada. Her eye-catching work not only questions the disappearance of species, but also the implications of genetic engineering.

Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB. glenbow.org

View over 110 historical Northwest Coast artworks in the exhibition, In a Different Light, which reflects on the importance of rebuilding Indigenous pasts. moa.ubc.ca

Searching for more guidance in your life? Or looking to take more time to reflect on some fine Western photography? Linda Finstad put together Bible Verses for Cowboys ‘n Girls for people like her: those who don’t fit into a conventional lifestyle with a Bible study, but who would still enjoy spending more time with the good book. The first book in this series, Bible Verses for Horse Lovers, was originally created for Finstad’s mother-in-law, and its acclaim soon spread to many other readers.

Each page of this collection pairs together an inspirational Bible verse with one of Finstad’s many high-quality and creative photos—all of which were shot this summer at events and ranches across Alberta. The purpose of each pairing is to help direct you in your life, allowing you to take the time to relax and meditate on the message that’s passed on in each connection. A highly giftable read, Finstad’s collection will likely be cherished and repeatedly thumbed through by any special person in your life.

UPCOMING GALLERY SHOWS Stone and Sky

Higher States

The Next 150

Through February 26 Audain Art Museum Whistler, B.C.

Through January 7 Glenbow Museum Calgary, Alta.

This transcontinental journey of art explores the richness and diversity of Canada’s alpine landscapes through the perspectives of some of its best artists. audainartmuseum.com

Lawren Harris’ paintings will be presented alongside his American counterparts in this exhibition that showcases the iconic scale of his work. glenbow.org

Through January 5 Wanuskewin Heritage Park Galleries Saskatoon, Sask.

cowboycountrymagazine.com

Lead artist Kevin McKenzie’s work will be displayed with other artists to posit what Indigenous and settler relations will be like in the next 150 years. wanuskewin.com

Bible Verses for Cowboys ‘n Girls by Linda Finstad, Paperback, 54 pages, $23. To order a copy of this book, please visit thehorsewatcher.com.

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SPIRIT OF THE WEST | HUGH MCLENNAN

Smoke ’n Good Horses Colt Starting Challenges

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itting on a good horse in the Alberta sunshine doing the commentary as top hands start challenging colts is one of my favourite places to be. said Denver. “If they do I’ll do my best to ride them, and I guess for some folks that keeps our western heritage alive.”

Tommy Durocher settled on the fieriest of the two he started and after a lot of careful preparation the black colt was trembling when Tommy stepped on for the first ride.

Tommy told me why he chose the livelier of the two. “I might have misread the black because he had a lot of power and energy, but what surprised me was how sensitive he was. It was like sittin’ on dynamite.

Denver agreed that I picked the right one because I still had lots of horse at the end.”

Denver downplayed his working cowboy experience but I could tell that he’s a good hand. “I have cows of my own now and I’ll rope and doctor them whenever they need it,” said Denver. “I did some team roping in

Cattle rancher and horse trainer Hugh McLennan and his wife, Billie, run their cattle in the beautiful rangeland outside of Kamloops, B.C. Hugh is the host of the multi-award-winning weekly radio program, Spirit of the West, heard across Canada and the U.S.

PHOTO BY BILLIE MCLENNAN

At the 41st annual Ivan Daines Country Music Pick-nic, horse training challenge organizer Kade Mills said, “Don’t worry about bringing one of your horses, we’ve got one I know you’ll like.” He was right. Smoke, a 10-year-old dusty palomino gelding was a horse I wanted to take home at nearly any price, but understandably his owner wouldn’t part with him.

The format saw each of the trainers start two colts on the first day. Denver Daines had a couple of broncy ones and the palomino he picked managed to unload the savvy young trainer. In the Finals though, they aced every obstacle and it was a proud moment for Ivan when he presented the beautiful buckle to his son.

“Even though I’ve ridden a lot of rank broncs, as a trainer I don’t want ‘em to buck,”

high school rodeo and I wasn’t great, but I’ve done a lot of ranch roping and when it’s time to catch a cow that’s what I love to do.”

Tommy has spent 22 years riding a community pasture and in the heavy bush he prefers a 30-foot rope. “You don’t have much room and your first swing better count. When you’re doctoring cattle sometimes you forget what you’re riding till you dally up and I’ve had some pretty interesting rides.” ”People don’t realize how long it takes to make a good horse,” said Denver. “We can put 30 to 90 days on a nice colt, but if he’s turned out for a couple of months you’re right back to square one. It takes years to make a good horse.” c

Denver Daines in the round pen on the nice palomino youngster he chose to start. When he's not recording music Denver starts many young horses for clients.

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

wherever you go with

1. Download the Radio Player Canada app on your mobile phone or tablet 2. Open the app and search for “CFCW” 3. Click on 840 CFCW to start listening!

4. Click the heart icon to make CFCW appear in your “favourites”

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WHEEL TO WHEEL | BILLY MELVILLE

Jim Shield The Greatest Reward

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“I was on the board when they put this award in and we used to give it to either dead people or people on their last legs,” Shield said jokingly during his acceptance speech, “I thank you — unless you know something I don’t.”

Joking aside, this award has always been greatly appreciated by those who received it in person or by the families of those who received it posthumously. The same held true for Jim Shield. The honour was unexpected (after all, these types of awards are not reserved for just outriders) and very much appreciated. In the 30 years the Past Member Tribute Award has been given out, never before had it been given to an outrider, and who better than Jim Shield to be the first.

Jim’s chuckwagon resume is remarkable. He was the first man to win the World Outriding Championship five times, and has over 50 major awards and victories, 16

including multiple wins in chuckwagon racing’s most prestigious events. Track announcer Les McIntyre described Jim in an emotional introduction, “He had more focus of any kid I’ve ever seen. Jim Shield set goals, he put his life in a place to attain them, and that’s why he’s here.” McIntyre would know — Shield started his career going down the road with drivers Ward Willard, Ross Nelson, and Les McIntyre in the late 1970s.

After accomplishing all of his goals in chuckwagon racing, and at the peak of his career, Jim Shield retired following the 1997 season. He relocated to Vancouver to pursue a career in acting, appearing in a number of Canadian and Hollywood television and motion picture productions.

His 20-year career in chuckwagon racing ended two decades ago, and although he hasn’t had much involvement since he left, the 2017 WPCA Awards Gala was a pleasant

homecoming for Shield. The admiration and respect of his peers — both past and present — is as evident today as it was when he was a competitor.

“I’m just a very, very lucky man,” said Shield, “I think I hit the golden years of wagons.”

Throughout his career, Shield was not only a champion outrider but a friend, mentor and role model to many a young outrider who went on to have outstanding careers of their own. If the greatest reward in life is to be remembered, then Jim Shield has received life’s greatest reward. c Billy Melville is an author, noted historian and chuckwagon colour commentator on Rural Radio (SiriusXM Ch 147) and CBC Sports. He is the grandson of Orville Strandquist.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTO BY PAUL & CAROL EASTON WAGON PHOTOGRAPHY

orld Golf Hall of Fame member Ken Venturi once said: “the greatest reward in life is to be remembered.” Each year at the World Professional Chuckwagon Association awards gala, the WPCA remembers a past member of the WPCA or its predecessor’s in recognition of their outstanding achievements, dedication or contributions related to the WPCA and chuckwagon racing. This year the honour was bestowed upon former outrider Jim Shield.

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Celebrating 25 Years

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1 Year $22.50 Visit cowboycountrymagazine.com call 1.800.943.7336 TODAY 2 Year $37.50 orUS subscribers add $14 per year subscribers add $24 per year See subscription card for provincial taxes 3 Year $48.75 International +TAX +TAX +TAX

Outrider Jim Shield Life’s Greatest Reward

Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Inducted

The Wardens: Now THIS is Mountain Music

NEW 6-PART SERIES

Starting Your Next Great Horse with Trainer J.P. Forget

Ranch Romance

Wedding Stylings in Leather & Lace

Alberta’s Bar Diamond Ranch Land of Good Medicine

PM # 40070720

DEC 2017/JAN 2018 • $5.95

cowboycountrymagazine.com

Official Pro Rodeo Canada Insider

www.Hugh-McLennan.com

250-573-5731 17

PHOTO COURTESY BERGRING FOTO/ADOBE STOCK

REFLECTIONS | BRYN THIESSEN

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

Grizzlies, Sheep and Shepherds I have summered in the tropics, with the yellow fever chill I’ve come down with the scurvy, suffered every ache and ill I’ve crawled across the desert, on nothing but hands and knees I’ve slept in jungle beds, with ticks and horse-sized fleas I’ve walked across the Arctic, frostbitten to the bone I’ve been in a foreign dungeon, where I spent a year alone I’ve been stranded on a whaler; I’ve been shanghaied on the deep But I never knew what misery was, ’til I bought my wife some sheep…

The words above, with the exception of the last misery, are from Curly Fletcher’s poem, "Misery." The original words were “until I took to herding sheep.”

Therein lies my problem, I don’t herd the sheep.

Let me take you back to my affiliation with the ovine obstacle known as the sheep. In my youth my mother thought sheep would be something she could handle. My father — being wise — agreed.

What they didn’t realize was they were about to be in the fur business (the coyote population grew quicker than the Liberals popularity with the legalization of cannabis). As a result, after three years of having the wool pulled over their eyes, the sheep left. About 20 years later I traded for some cull ewes to train dogs.

These sheep were a little tougher. Over time they scattered into the brush causing a few bronc rides when they appeared unexpectedly, but in the end the predators won.

Jump ahead another 10 years; I have a wife and a family. I got Bonny four cull ewes to work her dog, and then a neighbour offered her a ram. Not just any ram but a Jacobs — a traditional multi-horned Biblical

breed. This ram had poor growth potential, but enough attitude to survive.

In the ensuing years the flock grew, so I gave them to a neighbour. They left there and ended up above the rock cut west of town. By now they had three years’ worth of wool and slowed down enough that my dogs could catch them. So we were back into raising sheep.

Only now I’d learned a little; such as movable electric fence and predator control dogs. The flock outgrew the fence but with the dogs they seemed to hold their own.

We still had losses but saw that as the price we paid to live west of the rest.

This year losses were up. I’m thinking it’s a Grizzly who needed to floss, so I’m thinking I’ll need to add some fences, getting more control on where they can graze. But I still don’t intend to herd the sheep.

Jump back a little over 2,000 years and we find some folks herding their sheep on a hillside outside of Bethlehem. They get a visit from an angelic host telling them of the greatest gift ever given. They head into town and after seeing the promise, they let everyone know of what they’d seen. (Luke 2:8-18 condensed.)

This gift was Jesus, the flock (people) had some fences (the Mosaic Law) and some predator control (prophets and leaders), but they still needed more. In John 10:1-19 Jesus speaks of why He came — to shepherd the flock. He doesn’t just send out the flock but goes with them. He herds His sheep.

I hope this season and the coming New Year finds you well, and you find the one that goes out with you and calls you by name. c

Bryn Thiessen is a rancher, poet, cowboy and preacher at Cowboy Trail Church in Cochrane. Bryn and his wife Bonny market grassfattened beef from their Helmer Creek Ranch southwest of Sundre, Alta.

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THE WESTERNERS The Wardens, from left: Ray Schmidt, Scott Ward and Bradley Bischoff

The Wardens

Canada’s Wilderness Storytellers

“I

t was my first year on the job. I was working with a senior warden to tranquilize a grizzly bear so that we could remove it from a campground it had wandered into,” explains Scott Ward, retired park warden with Parks Canada.

“I had a dart gun pointed at the grizzly bear. The senior warden was behind me with a high-powered rifle. I got about 30 feet from our truck when the bear charged. Before we knew what was happening we were both sitting back in the truck with eyes as big as saucers and a big dent in the driver’s side of our truck where the bear had just hit it. The bear walked away indignantly and we changed our shorts.”

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Over the course of 30 years as a park warden, Ward has accumulated many harrowing and hilarious tales. Ray Schmidt, active park warden and Scott Bischoff, retired park warden, also have their share of close calls and funny anecdotes. Together, they embody over 60 years of experience preserving Canada’s national parks, often in the Alberta backcountry with only the company of their horses.

Schmidt, Ward and Bischoff are reminiscent of the quintessential cowboy, albeit a government cowboy. Like a seasoned, old-time horseman, any one of these men could regale an audience around the campfire with tales of runaway horses, blistering wildfires, rogue wildlife and opportunistic poachers.

But Schmidt, Ward and Bischoff have opted for something other than fireside storytelling; instead, they decided to start a band.

The Wardens blend folk and western genres. Ray Schmidt, who has been working

for Parks Canada since 2001, founded The Wardens in 2009 after performing at the centennial celebration of the national parks warden service in Banff.

First established in Rocky Mountains Park (now Banff National Park) in 1909, park wardens were originally named fire and game guardians. Over the course of a century, their duties have expanded to include resource management, law enforcement, search and rescue, and public relations.

“I was truly inspired by the stories that I heard,” explains Schmidt. “I felt that a band based on the experiences of Canada’s park wardens would be a great way to relay amazing stories and share a unique part of Canadian history and culture.”

Schmidt, who plays the upright bass and mandolin, adds a true western feel to The Wardens. He is also the lead vocalist on Lantern Heart, Across the River and Sleeping Buffalo. His songwriting is poetic and melodic.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTO COURTESY THE WARDENS/RAY SCHMIDT; THE WARDENS

By CAT NANTEL

The Wardens in concert at the Rolston Recital Hall in the Banff Centre; from left (front), Ray, Scott and Bradley with guests (from left, back) on fiddle, Scott Duncan, on dobro, Jack Loree and on mandolin, Bob Remington

Sleeping Buffalo, their second full-length album’s namesake track, is inspired by the reintroduction of bison (buffalo) to Banff National Park. Free-roaming bison have been absent from the landscape for over a century and Sleeping Buffalo explores the return of this keystone species to Alberta’s wilderness.

The musical trio is made up of Ray Schmidt, Scott Ward, vocalist, fingerstyle guitarist and retired park warden with 35 years experience and Bradley Bischoff, vocalist, lead and rhythm guitar and retired park warden with 30 years of experience.

Songs performed by Ward and Bischoff are more playful and humorous. Case in point, consider these lyrics from Wheels on the Wildlife Trap: Ron Leblanc is a wildlife man, Runnin’ through the woods hockey stick in hand,

Who Stole Your Keys?

One time a tourist came into the Banff Warden office inquiring about the location of a ground squirrel colony. I directed him to the area. He came back quite indignant indicating that he saw holes but no ground squirrels. I told him to be patient; they usually pop up on a nice sunny day like today. He went back but lost his patience.

He decided to jingle his car keys over one of the squirrel holes. A squirrel came up, grabbed his keys and disappeared down the hole!

He was hopping mad when he came back to the office. I issued him a shovel and he proceeded to dig his keys out.

Those squirrels were a little habituated to tourists feeding them and I guess they thought the keys were edible!

— Scott Ward

Chasin’ those elk and bear out of Banff town, He smells like bait and that ain’t nice, He’s settin’ his traps, checkin’ them twice, The wheels on the wildlife trap go round and round.

During a live performance, photos from their years of work flicker above the band’s heads. Audible laughter comes from the audience gathered around them as the trio recalls stories of a drunken moose, black bears on house roofs or elk calves being born on the steps of Banff Centre.

With these stories, funny and charming as they are, concert-goers gain an appreciation for these guardians of the wild and are reminded of the delicate balance that remains between wildlife and civilization.

The life of a park warden is adventurous, comical, enchanting and lonesome… and so too is Sleeping Buffalo. c

The Wardens Discography ➼ The Wardens’ latest release, Sleeping Buffalo, is now available for streaming on Spotify or for purchase on iTunes.

Visit banffwardens.com for details.

The Wardens (EP) (2013)

cowboycountrymagazine.com

Bear 66 (2014)

Sleeping Buffalo (2017)

21

TRAILBLAZERS

PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST

Wilf Carter The Father of Canadian Country Music

By CAT NANTEL

W

///

ilf Carter is commonly recognized as Canada’s first country music star. Also known as the Yodelling Cowboy and, in the United States as Montana Slim, Carter had a profound impact on Canadian country music from the 1930s until the end of the 1950s.

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Indeed, Carter wrote songs about the Calgary Stampede, the Yoho Valley and the cowboys he had grown to know over his years of bronc riding. Carter also had a unique yodelling style, a passion he had picked up after seeing The Yodelling Fool perform in Nova Scotia.

According to Tinkham, Carter’s approachable and grassroots nature went beyond his songwriting.

“When he toured, Wilf would pick up a copy of the local newspaper as soon as he arrived in town so that he could brush up on local events and be able to connect with his audience. That really resonated with people.”

Amidst the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, Carter’s music continued to gain in popularity. In 1933, he recorded two songs My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby and The Capture of Albert Johnson with RCA Victor. By 1934, his record had become the first hit record ever by a Canadian country performer.

Carter’s music struck a particular cord with western Canadians who for many decades had

A photograph of young Wilfred “Wilf” Arthur Charles Carter.

This photo was taken at Brewer Studios in Calgary, Alta.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Wilf Carter, also known as Montana Slim, was honoured by the Calgary Stampede as their Parade Marshall in 1979. Wilf Carter died in 1996 in Scottsdale, Arizona, 13 days before his 92nd birthday.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CALGARY STAMPEDE ARCHIVES

Born in 1904 in Nova Scotia, Carter moved from the east coast to Alberta in the early 1920s where he worked on ranches and joined the Canadian rodeo circuit. Throughout the 1920s he mixed competing with singing and guitar playing.

However, according to Don Cusic, author of The Cowboy in Country Music, the advent of radio and the recording industry in the 1920s and 1930s had a profound impact on performers: “Professional entertainers emerged and, as rural music became more commercial, rural performers had careers instead of an avocation.”

By 1929, Carter had retired from bronc riding and landed a job with a Calgary radio station, CFCN, singing one night each week.

Unlike some performers who presented a western image but did not embrace the western lifestyle, Wilf was an authentic cowboy.

“Wilf loved being a cowboy,” explains singer, songwriter and guitarist Nathan Tinkham. “The material he wrote and sang about sprung from his life. As a rule he wrote songs about his experiences and about the things he loved.”

searched for a separate identity from central Canada.

“In the 1920s and 30s, the prairie provinces felt alienated from central Canada,” explains Doug Francis, retired history professor at the University of Calgary and co-editor of The Prairie West as a Promised Land. “They felt their needs were being ignored. Contextually speaking, western Canadians were likely drawn to the cowboy and country music because he fit well into the prairie identity. He was a man of his own destiny. He was independent. He was self-made.”

In the United States, where country music had originated, Carter’s popularity was also growing. In 1935, Carter became the host of two U.S. radio country music shows on CBS and NBC. Carter continued to write and perform throughout the 1930s. In 1940, he was severely injured in a car accident. Plagued by injuries, he occasionally released new recordings, returning to live performances only in 1949.

Tinkham, a Wilf Carter fan, played guitar with Wilf at the Calgary Folk Festival in 1989. He would later profile Carter in a CBC radio special in 1995. The retrospective, which he put together with Carter’s blessing, was produced following hours of interviews with Carter and some of his closest friends.

“Wilf was incredibly humble and authentic,” states Tinkham. “When I sent him the radio program profiling his career, he told me he couldn’t believe anyone would go through all that trouble to do a story about him.”

Carter was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association Hall of Fame in 1971, the Juno Awards Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

True to his humble self, he performed his last show in the small town of Trochu, Alta., in 1992. He died in 1996. Carter is reported to have composed over 500 songs, including the popular There’s a Love-Knot in my Lariat and Bluebird on Your Windowsill. c

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RANCHING IN THE WEST

Land of Good Medicine Bar Diamond Ranch J

im and Carol Hern are no strangers to adversity and Jim, at 72, has lived long enough to know that just about anything can happen at any time.

Jay Davis of Acme, Alta., sells bulls to Jim and in the spring sells Jim’s heifers at his bull sale. I rode shotgun with Jay down to the Bar Diamond Ranch at Bindloss, Alta., for the Hern’s branding.

What a day — what a spread.

Jay and I see eye-to-eye and we agreed the ranch is one of the finest in North 24

America sitting on a big oxbow on the Red Deer River. The views, flowing water, green grass (at least for June anyway) and ranch improvements done by Jim and Carol make this one of the most attractive ranches in the land. The Bar Diamond spread north of Bindloss along with Hern’s X—4 Ranch south of Bindloss comprise 35,000 acres

upon which they run 700 cows. They have no irrigation and Jim maintains that they don’t overgraze and are “spartan” when it comes to grass management.

The ranch was founded by Billy Martin in 1896, and since then, it has changed hands a handful of times. Fred Mannix once owned this fabled place (1958–1970), and then Perry and Kay Minor had it for two decades until they retired in 1990. Then Carol Hern’s father, Jim Schneider and her brother, Brian, helped Jim and Carol buy the spread from the Minor family.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS BY LEE GUNDERSON

By LEE GUNDERSON

The Red Deer River’s U-shaped oxbow on the Bar Diamond Ranch BELOW: Carol and Jim Hern at their 2017 branding

It’s difficult in short grass ranching to make a go of it with drought, BSE, tough winters and rising costs. Perry Minor said it best: “It’s a remote and beautiful ranch, but you have to have more than just cattle cash flow to make it possible to sustain yourself through the decades.”

Carol used to teach school in Bindloss.

Jim, being from the land (see sidebar) knew he had to have diverse income streams to sustain his and Carol’s vision of where they wanted to take the ranch because predictably, the oil and gas revenue dwindled. It was a help for some time, but nothing lasts forever. Then in 2002, Jim and Carol were forced to move many cow/calf pairs to Manitoba pastures during the epic drought that summer and the time to diversify was now. That was the year they launched their jet boat tour business on the South Saskatchewan River. Son Jay cowboycountrymagazine.com

is helping out with this part of the business as guide and river pilot. He is also a skilled renovation expert.

In 2003, Jim and Carol launched their guided bird hunting business, Alberta Western Uplands. They stock the ranch annually with about 1,000 pheasants and attract an international clientele. The bird hunting lasts all fall right through to January. But the Hern’s next biggest venture was rooted deep in the past.

The lands of the Bar Diamond still bear the marks of the area’s history. From the original wagon wheel tracks still etched in the prairie soil to the ancient and historically significant Indigenous encampments, the Bar Diamond is home to the largest documented Indigenous ceremonial site

GOOD TRADE Ben Hern, Sr., was a railroad engineer and he wanted a place where his three boys could grow up outside of the city. In 1961 he traded his Calgary home, lock, stock and barrel, including furniture, for Red Jacobson’s X—4 ranch south of Bindloss, on a handshake. Jim, Ben Jr., and Allan Hern were raised on the Jacobson ranch.

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RANCHING IN THE WEST GUESTS & GUIDING 1/ This century-old log cabin was built by early pioneers. Updated yet unassuming, it maintains its original charm, including the flower beds plainted by the Minors.

2/ Billy Martin’s cabin was built as a tribute to Billy Martin, the original homesteader on the land in 1896, on the very spot where his original cabin stood.

3/ A mounted ring necked pheasant on the mantle next to the Hern’s Calgary Stampede Farm Family Award.

4/ Log and leather is the design aesthetic at the Bar Diamond. The Hern’s also offer accommodation in a Blackfoot teepee.

Also on site is a “party barn” situated close enough guests can walk to their cabin, but far enough away that others can enjoy their sleep uninterrupted.

For more, visit albertawesternuplands.com and bardiamondguestranch.ca

1

Peggy (Campbell) Herman grew up with Jim and his brothers; a lifelong neighbouring rancher, she ropes at Hern’s branding.

in North America. In 1976, anthropologists from the University of Alberta documented two Medicine Wheels, a Death Lodge and a Vision Quest site. It is estimated that at various times as many as 10,000 people would congregate at the sites. Great Basin Wild Rye grass still grows on the ranch and is believed to have been brought to the site by the Gros Ventre tribe, people who knew this region long before the Blackfoot laid claim.

Understanding visitor’s interest in the “authentic West” and with stewardship paramount, Jim and Carol launched Bar Diamond Guest Ranch. Today the couple welcomes guests from around the globe to not only enjoy the solitude of the ranch but to visit the ancient sites under their care.

As you can imagine, the Herns lead a full life managing two ranches. Their son Craig and daughter Leanne are planning on returning to the ranch one day to live and work there with their families. Their son Jay is presently fully engaged with his work at the two ranches. Between ranching, tourism, bird hunting and jet boat tours the Herns have diversified their income streams, but challenges remain and challenges persist.

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“Carol is my best anchor, we have each other’s backs and we have hope,” says Jim. “We love this land and I hope we can keep these ranches going so another generation can take the reins. That will be my greatest moment,” said Jim. “I must say that if it weren’t for our two hired men, Bob Riehl and Lahav Shefer, the Bar Diamond would not exist as it does today.”

“And our cook, Joanne Robinson,” says Carol. “Without her I could never run the hunting and tourism business.”

As we toured and talked, I realized that Jim and Carol prove that with a little imagination and a lot of hard work, everything works out. Today, the ranch is a fusion of past and present worlds. The history and traditions of Canadian ranching were built alongside the remnants of an ancient civilization, demonstrating that cowboys and Indigenous peoples instinctively recognize the land of good medicine, and now, the Herns are sharing it with the world. c

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

S P E CIAL ADVE RTO RIAL

Relax & Recharge in Drayton Valley Only 90 minutes from downtown Edmonton, Drayton Valley is an inspiring destination. With much of the natural beauty of its bigger brothers Jasper and the Rockies to the west, as well as affordable accommodations and services, Drayton Valley and Brazeau County are a beautiful area for that fast weekend getaway or much-needed break from the hustle and pressure of the city.

Take a short leisurely drive to Drayton along Market Garden Road and Secondary Highway 627. The scenic route will introduce you (and your family) to the rolling hills and valleys that lead to Brazeau County and the major centre, Drayton Valley.

During your stay, hike along the trails of Eagle Point and Blue Rapids Provincial Park. The area features many

cowboycountrymagazine.com

kilometres of well-maintained trails that allow you to walk through Mother Nature’s beautiful backyard, filled with the trees, plants, and wildlife of this natural setting.

Then enjoy a meal at any of the great eateries of Drayton Valley, which include budget-minded, family-friendly, and fine-dining options.

After dinner, a five-minute drive into the countryside will, on a clear night, present you with a cascade of stars that are hidden by the bright lights of the major metro centres. At the end of your fulfilling day, return and relax in your hotel — all of the DVHTA.ca member hotels offer outstanding accommodations and services. It’s a different world in the Valley; it will give you the chance to slow down, recharge, and enjoy the sights and sounds that surround you.

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COWBOY WAY

PART 1 OF SIX

HORSE TRAINING

Starting Your Next Great Horse Part 1: Building Trust

By J.P. FORGET

It’s easy to overlook the importance of the first few weeks of training on a young horse.

After all, the spectacular performances which take place at the spring branding, or the rodeo or show arena, do not happen for several months or perhaps even years after the colt was started. Yet, those first few weeks of training the young horse can delay his ability to perform to his very best by several months, and maybe even keep him from ever being the best he can be.

In this series of six articles I will discuss the steps necessary to start a young horse and provide her with all the necessary foundation so that she can go on to be the best that she can be.

This approach will save you hours if not months of re-training on your horses by relaxing the horse and building trust in you as a partner to the horse. It will build your horse’s confidence by the fact that any change in behaviour, however small, will be rewarded with a relief from pressure.

Throughout this process you will show your horse that the desired response is more comfortable than all the other 28

undesirable responses. The horse will learn that the more she seeks to respond to your cues of “Let’s do this please,” the sooner the pressure goes away and the sooner she finds solace.

The result is a horse that trusts you, has no fear, is relaxed through the body, willingly and readily moves away from your aids, and is able to perform any task to the very best of her ability.

In this first instalment of the series I will address the topic of desensitizing.

Desensitizing

Desensitizing is the process by which a green horse becomes accustomed to the

sight and feel of strange objects about her and on her.

The goal in desensitizing the young horse is to let it become her idea to stand and accept the saddle and various other foreign objects about her and on her.

This is accomplished by allowing her to move when an object frightens her and by removing the pressure from the frightening object when the filly makes an attempt at dealing with it by diminishing her fright response, lowering the head, showing an interest in the object, and eventually relaxing.

Since she is allowed to flee the frightening object, the filly is not trapped and has

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS BY TARA MCKENZIE

Introduction

PREVIOUS PAGE: Approaching the young filly, Hawks Sancie Pine, with the flag THIS PAGE LEFT: Building trust by removing pressure from the flag and rubbing her between the eyes RIGHT TOP: Rubbing down the croup RIGHT BOTTOM: She is showing resistance in the area of the lower limb. Keep the flag in place until the filly accepts the touch.

a choice in her response. By removing the frightening object immediately as the filly makes an attempt at relaxing and accepting it, she learns that if she choose to accept the object, it will not hurt her and in fact becomes a non-threatening item. Through this process, a horse learns to accept all manners of objects with no fear because they have the choice to accept or flee, and make the decision to trust and stand.

The key to the success with this approach is the timing at which one removes the pressure from the frightening object. You must take the object away from the young horse just as soon as she demonstrates a small change in behaviour. cowboycountrymagazine.com

The process works this way: Holding the filly in one hand, I slowly bring the flag to her. As I bring the flag to her she

“I have heard it said that one should not desensitize a young horse because it makes them dull. I disagree. I want my horses trustful and responsive by moving away from pressure rather than tense and fearful and running into pressure.”

— J.P. Forget

becomes tense and prepares to flee. Before she flees, I take the flag away and reward her by rubbing her between the eyes.

Taking the flag away from her takes away the pressure and rewards her for accepting the flag as it travelled towards her — even when the flag travelled towards her only a very short distance. Rubbing her between the eyes builds trust.

Repeat the process by bringing the flag towards her again and taking it away before she flees, rubbing her between the eyes or perhaps on her neck or shoulder. In time she will allow the flag to come closer to her and eventually touch her.

Once she accepts the touch of the flag, begin to rub her body with it. Your goal is to rub her entire body, from the withers, over her back towards the croup, down the 29

COWBOY WAY TOP: Desensitizing around the ears MIDDLE: Using the larger flag BOTTOM: The filly is loose in the round pen and while she is still mindful of the flag, she has dropped her head and has accepted the foreign object with trust and relaxation

The two-year-old filly J.P. is training in this series is Hawks Sancie Pine, from Forever Pine Performance Horses of Bluffton, Alta. Photographed by Tara McKenzie on location at Spur West Event Center, Alhambra, Alta.

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS BY TARA MCKENZIE

hind leg all the way to the ground, up the front of the hind leg to the flank. Continue following her underline, all the way to her elbow, down the back of front leg and up the front of it, under her neck and jaw, around her nose and up her forehead to her ears. If at any time, you reach a spot on her body where she is “touchy� and gets tight, remove the flag and start over again at the withers, approaching the spot as many times as you need for her to accept the touch.

Continue this process until the filly accepts you touching her all over her body with the flag. Once the filly accepts the touch of the flag all over her body, I like to repeat all the moves with a larger flag. I feel this better prepares the filly for larger objects such as a saddle or even a rider on her back.

If I have rewarded the filly by taking away the object at her smallest effort at accepting the source of her fears, it will become her idea to trust, relax, and accept.

At this point she will be ready for the next step in the colt starting process. Next time: Suppleness and moving the limbs. c

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e c n a m o R

RANCH

By TERRI MASON

Thoughtful touches, personal mementos and of course, the horses, were all a part of the wedding plans of these young couples, and in most cases, the horse played a major part in how they met.

Special thanks to the brides and grooms that shared their special day with us.

Congratulations to you all, and may you enjoy a lifetime of blessings.

Kirsten Braumandl & Tyler Johnson Photography by CREATIVE BUTTON PHOTOGRAPHY/ STEPHANIE WARNER

The wedding altar, bedecked with lariats, flowers and a horned skull.

The bride’s colourful boots.

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When Kirsten and Tyler planned their 2016 wedding, the first thing they checked was the pro rodeo schedule.

Tyler is a tie-down roper and his groomsmen included many champions, including Alwin Bouchard, Dean Edge, Shay Keller, Aaron Perry, Tyler Leischner and Aaron Miller.

Kirsten, 2011 Miss Rodeo Canada Princess, is still involved in rodeo. Her attendants included Samantha Callioux, Randelle Johnson, Eliza Begg, Samantha Spencer and 2015 Miss Rodeo Canada Katy Lucas.

The couple chose the beautiful Botanic Garden of Olds College for the ceremony. The barn, built in 1911, provided a fitting backdrop and is one of the town’s most famous heritage features.

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

TOP TO BOTTOM The head table at the reception at the Pomeroy Inn & Suites, Olds.

By the end of the evening the Wish Jar was filled with thoughtful notes from well-wishers.

The wedding rings, centred in the dramatic bouquet.

The 1911 heritage barn at Olds College provides a striking backdrop.

Beautiful Western Lifestyle Photography.

Nancy Critchley Photography

Specializing in weddings and family portraiture across Alberta & British Columbia.

780-222-7690 | nancycritchleyphoto.com cowboycountrymagazine.com

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Marlee Branden &Â Taylor Heck Photography by ROBIN K PHOTOGRAPHY

Marlee Branden of Barrhead, Alta., and Taylor Heck from Sceptre, Sask., met at Lakeland College in Vermilion.

Both Marlee and Taylor were farmraised and their romance culminated in a fall wedding.

Strong, vibrant colours in the bridal bouquet, the bridesmaids’ dresses and of course the natural beauty of the fall foliage made for stunning images.

Transforming the reception hall into a beautiful setting was accomplished with the help of a woodworking neighbour, who crafted a barn as a backdrop for the head table, plus barnwood backdrops for each corner and a great barn-wood bar.

TOP TO BOTTOM Marlee and Taylor getting ready for the ceremony.

The couple's wedding rings.

The cake was created by journeyman baker Elien De Herdt of Elieneke's Bake Shop in Barrhead.

The flower girl having a bit of fun with the groom's last name.

The bridal party with the groomsmen in the tree.

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

Erin Geary & Shawn Chomik Photography by NANCY CRITCHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

When Erin Geary and Shawn Chomik and their wee daughters, Keely (five) and Sawyer (1.5 years) made the decision to ‘get the paperwork done,’ they chose to make their 2017 wedding a down-home country event.

The menu included burgers and hotdogs, cooked by friends and family on outdoor grills, and the dance floor was set up in the decorated machine shop.

The festivities took place on the Chomik’s century-old family farm near Bruce, Alta., and the pews, tables and chairs were on loan from the local rodeo committee. In fact, the joke of the day was, “This wedding is proudly supported by the Bruce Stampede Association.”

TOP TO BOTTOM The bridal party are rodeo folk, competing in LRA, WRA and pro rodeo in barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down and team roping.

Décor, gleaned from the century-old farm, highlights the guestbook table.

The proximity of the horses kept the young guests entranced.

Formal photos were taken all over the farm and included the long-retired 1951 Ford grain truck.

cowboycountrymagazine.com

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Kaylee Jo Henkelman & Kenton Fawcett Photography by CARMEN FREEMARK/FREEMARK PHOTOGRAPHY

“I am unusual so I wanted unique touches to our wedding,” said bride and professional photographer, Kaylee Jo. The families all pitched in to make the dream wedding come true; the arbour was built by her dad on their home place near Ponoka, Alta., while Kaylee and her mom made and decorated the gate. “My dad made the hinges out of Kenton’s old shoeing rasps,” she said. Even the bridesmaid’s shoes were originally a slipper style; the mom and daughter turned them into moccasins.

The unique stem of her bouquet was a horn cap from one of their past roping steers (Kenton qualified for the 2010 CFR in team roping) and the sorrel is her barrel racing Derby contender that she started and trained.

TOP TO BOTTOM The guests’ seating chart were displayed on barn-wood board.

The wedding “cake” were elaborately decorated cupcakes.

Kaylee and Kenton with her Derby horse.

The bride sported a leather flower on her gown.

The wedding and party all took place on her parents’ place near Ponoka.

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

Gifts Ideas for the Western Heart

The longing for home, hearth and family are soundly reflected in the bittersweet words of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” a song written in the waning years of the Second World War and made famous by Judy Garland.

It was as true then as it is now — home is where the heart yearns to be during the season. We all want to be surrounded by family and friends and others who love us, sharing gifts and memories, meals and the promise of another Christmas.

So share the joy, share the love, and have yourself a merry little Christmas …

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

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39

Do You Live in Western Paradise ?

Welcome to some of the most creative homes and yards ever designed!

Not surprisingly, often you can find such treasures in the most unlikely of spots: downtown in a major city, tucked away in a small village, and often, on an acreage close enough to commute to work.

We are always on the lookout for fabulous western homes and yards well worth showcasing. If you have a fascinating paradise, let us know, and your welcoming style just might be featured in an upcoming issue of Canadian Cowboy Country!

Terri Mason Editor | terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com

40

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

Pro Rodeo

PHOTO BY MIKE COPEMAN

CANADA

INSIDER

HE’S KING OF THE WORLD F13 Virgil, C5 Rodeo’s bareback superstar, has been voted the 2017 World Champion Bareback Horse. Virgil is shown here just touching down in the third perf of 2016 CFR with Jake Vold onboard winning the round. For more on the amazing grey, see page 46.

RODEOCANADA.COM cowboycountrymagazine.com

CANADIAN COWBOY COUNTRY DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 41

M AT T S H I O Z AW A

2016 CFR TIE-DOWN ROPING CHAMPION

C I N C H J E A N S . C O M 42

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

C.P.R.A.

TENTATIVE CPRA 2018 SCHEDULEÂ

*

NOVEMBER 2017 (1ST EVENT OF 2018)

JULY

Regina, SK

Coronation, AB Benalto, AB Taber, AB - Pending Teepee Creek, AB Oyen, AB Morris, MB

Edmonton, AB Kennedy, SK Medicine Hat, AB

Bonnyville, AB Pollockville, AB Bowden, AB Bruce, AB High Prairie, AB

Nov 22-25, 2017

FEBRUARY Red Deer, AB Claresholm, AB

Feb 16-17 Feb 24

APRIL Medicine Hat, AB Tofield, AB Camrose, AB Coleman, AB

April 6-8 April 14 April 27-29 April 27-29

MAY Drayton Valley, AB Stavely, AB Falkland, BC Grande Prairie, AB Leduc, AB

May 4-6 May 10-12 May 19-21 May 30-June 3 May 31-June 3

JUNE Wildwood, AB Hand Hills, AB Rocky Mountain House, AB Brooks, AB Lea Park, AB Okotoks, AB Innisfail, AB Wainwright, AB

High River, AB Sundre, AB Ponoka, AB

Airdrie, AB Williams Lake, BC

June 2-3 June 2-3 June 7-10 June 8-9 June 8-10 June 16 June 15-17 June 21-24 June 22-24 June 22-24 June 26-July 2 June 27-July 1 June 28-July 1

July 6-7 July 6-8 July 6-8 July 13-15 July 16 July 19-22 July 20-22 July 21-22 July 26-28 July 27-28 July 28 July 28 July 29 July 31-Aug 1

AUGUST Camrose, AB Strathmore, AB

Grimshaw, AB La Crete, AB Jasper, AB - date change Dawson Creek, BC

Cranbrook, BC Pincher Creek, AB Okotoks, AB Armstrong, BC

Aug 2-5 Aug 3-6 Aug 4-5 Aug 7-8 Aug 8-11 Aug 10-12 Aug 17-19 Aug 17-19 Aug 24-26 Aug 29-Sept 2

SEPTEMBER Merritt, BC Medicine Lodge, AB Olds, AB Brooks, AB Hanna, AB Grass Roots Finals

Sept 1-2 Sept 8 Sept 14-15 Sept 21-22 Sept 21-23 Sept 28-29

NOVEMBER Canadian Finals Rodeo

Nov 7-11

*All dates are subject to change. Please visit rodeocanada.com for up-to-date information.

Denotes Canadian Pro Tour rodeos

cowboycountrymagazine.com

43

Pro Rodeo Canada Insider

The Short Round

In a sensitive and touching move, the organizers of the 2017 Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER have announced that out of the 121 back numbers worn by the competitors, only one — number 58 — will not be issued.

EMPTY SADDLES

BLAIR COLIN STROH Oct 21, 1971 – Aug 24, 2017 Blair Stroh of Elkwater, Alta., the 1996 CPRA Rookie of the Year who went on to qualify nine times for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in tie-down roping and team roping, passed suddenly in a single-vehicle accident.

He leaves behind his wife, Brandi, and their three children, Abbi, Jake and Nate.

44

WNFR. To help you cheer them on, here’s a list of the Canadians competing for the World: 7 42 46 48 50 84 85 106 111

Zeke Thurston, Saddle Bronc Jake Vold, Bareback Layton Green, Saddle Bronc Scott Guenthner, Steer Wrestling Orin Larsen, Bareback Clay Elliott, Saddle Bronc Tanner Milan, Steer Wrestling Jordan Hansen, Bull Riding Jeremy Buhler, Team Roping, Heeler

TRAYLIN CHARLIE PEARL REAY Congratulations to Travis and Jacqueline (Stojan) Reay on the birth of their daughter, Traylin Charlie Pearl Reay on July 6, 2017.

The couple had struggled to have a child and used in Traylin Charlie Pearl Reay, vitro fertilization, Travis sporting her mom’s 1998 LRA related. “She is our miracle Season Leader buckle baby,” he said.

At one week old, Traylin hit the rodeo trail and to date she has already experienced over 30 rodeos with her multi-time CFR contender steer wrestling dad, and mom Jacqueline, herself a CFR qualifier (1998) and multiaward-winning barrel racer.

“She is such an amazing baby; super happy all the time,” says Travis. “We are beyond blessed to have this little girl.”

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS COURTEY PRCA; BY CPRA/ANDREW CZINK; COURTESY REAY FAMILY

VEGAS STRONG

The number will remain absent as a tribute to the 58 men and women killed in the shooting October 1 at an outdoor Las Vegas concert.

“In coordination with Las Vegas Events, we have decided not to issue the number 58 as a way to pay our respects to the victims of this tragedy,” said PRCA Chief Operating Officer Aaron Enget.

Yet the World Championship will go on. This year, there are nine Canadians competing at the WNFR; most will be accompanied by family and a contingent of Canadian fans.

For those that aren’t able to get a seat in the perennially sold-out arena, the PRCA recently announced the launch of ProRodeoTV for the 2017

By TERRI MASON

C.P.R.A.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

PHOTOS COURTESY CANADIAN PRO RODEO HALL OF FAME

Congratulations to the 2017 inductees to the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. The inductees will each receive a beautiful bronze created by the award-winning artist Shay Keller of Rockglen, Sask.

DENNY HAY

RAYEL LITTLE

Denny Hay of Mayerthorpe, Alta., 1987 Canadian Novice Saddle Bronc Champion, 1989 Rookie of the Year, 1998 Calgary Stampede $50,000 winner, three-time Canadian Champion Saddle Bronc Rider (’95, ’96 and ‘98).

He qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) 15 times, plus four times for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas. Hay also won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT.

Rayel Little is a four-time Canadian Barrel Racing Champion. For two decades she qualified for the CFR and qualified for the NFR twice. A horse trainer by trade, Rayel trained five horses that qualified for the CFR in a single year. For three consecutive years from 2005 to 2007 she won the Ponoka Stampede.

GLEN KEELEY

BILL PIMM

Glen Keeley was the 1989 Canadian Champion Bull Rider, who passed suddenly in 2000 at the Ty Murray Invitational PBR. Keeley qualified for numerous CFR, NFR and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals and was inside the top five in the PBR World Standings when he died. To honour his legacy, in 2004 friends and family launched the Glen Keeley Memorial PBR in Stavely, Alta. The proceeds from the non-profit event are donated to the Glen Keeley Benevolent & Scholarship Fund.

Inducted as a Builder of Rodeo, Bill Pimm was born in Lethbridge, Alta., then in 1954 Pimm moved his family north to Grimshaw where he became involved in plans to bring pro rodeo to the North Peace area. In 1977, Bill became President of the North Peace Stampede, a position he would hold for 20 years. Bill was honoured with the CPRA Committee Person of the Year in 1983.

BILLY LAYE

B6 LITTLE SIX — ANIMAL, BULL, VOLD

Billy Laye of Bashaw, Alta., is the 1991 Canadian Bareback Champion, won the $50,000 at the 1991 Calgary Stampede and qualified for the NFR three times. He set the 1995 NFR arena record of 90 points on a Butler and Cervi horse called Brown Bomber.

cowboycountrymagazine.com

Little Six was small, only about 1,400 lbs, but he bucked every time. In 1997 he was declared Bull of the Year in Canadian pro rodeo.

A dark brown-and-black bananahorned bull, Little Six was ridden by Joe Dodds to a Calgary Stampede Championship.

45

Pro Rodeo Canada Insider

By TERRI MASON

BAREBACK HORSE OF THE YEAR

BULL OF THE YEAR

F13 Virgil

105 Johnny Ringo

Owned by Vern McDonald, C5 Rodeo

Owned by Vold Rodeo/Rafter G

Few horses draw as much attention as Virgil. The big grey is a photographer’s dream, with more “hang time” than a basketball star.

Now coming nine, Virgil was raised by North Dakotan Dale Kling out of a Verne Franklin mare. Vern McDonald was looking for a superstar, and he knew Virgil fit the bill.

“He’s the best investment I’ve made in a long time,” says McDonald. “Virgil and Make Up Face (another C5 superstar) put C5 Rodeo on the map,” said McDonald.

In late October, it was announced that Virgil has also been chosen as the PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year.

In a world where “bad” means “good” Johnny Ringo is one bad bull.

“He came from Nate and Jackie Gardner at Arrowwood,” said Nansen Vold. “He’s six years old.

He’s very tiny for a bull.”

It’s not his 1,250-lb size that prompted his award; he is a challenge to the bull riders who make money on his back.

“He bucked at 25–30 rodeos this year,” said Vold.

In fact, $12,500 was won

by Jared Parsonage when he covered Johnny Ringo at 2017 Glen Keeley Memorial Bull Riding, only the second time that the bull had been ridden.

Johnny Ringo was also named PBR Canada Bull of the Year.

BARREL HORSE WITH THE MOST HEART

SADDLE BRONC OF THE YEAR

Ripn Lady (Ripp)

242 Get Smart

Owned by Carman Pozzobon

Owned by Ward Macza, Northcott-Macza Rodeo

What a blazing start for the seven-year-old mare, Ripn Lady, known as Ripp by her owner and pilot, Carman Pozzobon.

“Last year was her first year running pro,” she explained. “The year before she was just started.” In two short years Ripp went pro, earned a berth at the ’16 CFR, earned season leader of 2017, earned another berth at the ’17 CFR and was voted in for this award.

“She gives me 110 per cent every time,” she said. “When it’s time to make the run she’s ready to go like a missile.”

“She tries, with all of her heart, every single run.”

He has roared out of the chutes at 10 CFRs, a half dozen times at the NFR and now for the fourth time, Get Smart is once again named Saddle Bronc of the Year.

“He’s one of those horses who gets better with age,” says Macza.

At 2016 WNFR, Macza made the change to right-hand delivery for the 2002 son of Northcott’s great stud, Wyatt Earp.

“This is the way I look at it,” says Macza. “A good bucking horse is like a good woman. They’re very few and far between. And on both accounts if you find one, you’d better look after them.”

46

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS BY MIKE COPEMAN

CPRA STOCK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

C.P.R.A.

STEER WRESTLING HORSE OF THE YEAR

TIE-DOWN ROPING HORSE OF THE YEAR

Smoke

Clyde

Owned by The Milan family

Owned by Erik Dublanko

At 14 hands, Smoke is low to the ground and on his back rides some of Canada’s top steer wrestlers.

The Milan family bought the 18-yearold grade gelding in 2015 from Eldon Day in Oklahoma. “Ever since I got him he’s been a blessing,” says Tanner Milan.

“He’s quite the little character.”

Tanner isn’t the only winner on the horse’s back. “Scott Guenthner rode him all year and we ended up first and second in the standings. Straws (Milan) rode him too; he’s seventh in the standings. Both Scott and I made the National Finals this year on him too. It’s been a very good year for him.”

“It’s not an easy thing to win,” says TDR roper Erik Dublanko.

“There are some good horses out there.”

At 14.2hh Clyde isn’t the biggest horse in the arena, but for sure he is one of the most consistent, earning him the prestigious honour voted on by the other tie-down ropers.

He’s 13 years old, and the grade bay gelding is in his prime.

Dublanko bought Clyde from his friend, Randall Carlyle in Texas.

“I bought him in January 2016 and brought him home in March.”

“He tries all the time, and he’s got quite the personality,” laughs Dublanko. “I’m proud that he won this — he’s a good horse.”

HEADING HORSE OF THE YEAR

HEELING HORSE OF THE YEAR

CM Beckwith Wrangler (Wrangler)

GLH Frostbite Olena (Rick James)

Owned by Roland McFadden

Owned by Jeremy Buhler

“It’s such an honour,” says Roland McFadden. “There are always great horses in rodeo but right now, especially in the team roping, there are so many great ones that to have him voted in is a pretty cool thing.”

McFadden has had his eye on the 2004 gelding for a while.

“I bought Wrangler off Clint Weston last fall after the CFR,” says McFadden. “He hadn’t been ridden since Bruce (Stampede) and I took him to Regina and ever since it’s been great,” he said.

Keep an eye out for the big blue bay roan. “He’s definitely the prettiest one of the two of us,” laughs McFadden.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Jeremy Buhler upon hearing that Rick James, his heeling horse since 2009, has won the coveted award two years running.

Perhaps the gelding’s biggest show was at the 2016 WNFR when Buhler rode him to a World Team Roping Heeler Championship. “I rode him in all 10 rounds,” he said. Buhler has also ridden Rick James in every CFR he qualified: five — and counting.

The 14.2 hand dun is fit and well looked after. “He’s got really good bone and for a small horse he wears a size-one shoe,” said Buhler. “He’s built to last.”

cowboycountrymagazine.com

47

Pro Rodeo Canada Insider ROAD TO THE NFR

Layton Green on Calgary Stampede’s W-16 Wild Cherry, round 6, 2016 CFR

I

T WILL BE THE LARGEST CONTINGENT OF CANADIANS COMPETING AT THE WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO IN 20 YEARS. NINE QUALIFIED FOR THE

YEAR-END FINALE IN LAS VEGAS, THE MOST SINCE 10 FROM THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER MADE THE CUT IN 1997. AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IS DEFENDING WORLD SADDLE BRONC CHAMPION, ZEKE THURSTON.

48

By TIM ELLIS

“Until you’ve been there, you don’t know how much pressure is put on you,” says the 23-year-old, Big Valley, Alta., cowboy. “There’s a saying: ‘Expect the best, prepare for the worst and take what comes.’ That’s the best way to describe a game plan for the finals.”

Like Thurston, Manitoba bareback rider Orin Larsen also qualified for the third consecutive year.

“This year there was a tough, tough group of bareback riders all the way from first to thirty,” suggests the 26-year-old. “It was a real fight to get inside the top 15 with a lot of young, hungry, up-and-coming kids.”

Among those who have qualified for the first time is reigning Canadian Bull Riding Champion, Jordan Hansen.

“Last year, my season was cut really short so that was the biggest

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTOS BY MIKE COPEMAN

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

C.P.R.A.

difference this year,” concludes Hansen, who broke his ankle in late July 2016 at Cheyenne, Wyo. “I think I made about $10,000–$15,000 during Cowboy Christmas which put me in the top 15 and luckily I stayed there.”

Joining Hansen as an NFR rookie is steer wrestler, Scott Guenthner, who rode a small stable of borrowed horses throughout the season because of an injury to his 2014 Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, Itzy.

“I really hope my own horse would come back,” offers Guenthner, who finished 31st in the world standings last season. “I knew I could ride other horses and I don’t really think about it. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Saddle bronc rider Layton Green is also a first-time qualifier and has himself in immediate contention for a world title after finishing fifth in the World standings.

“That lit a fire inside my stomach and I told myself I wasn’t going to miss it again,” confides the 23-yearold, who narrowly missed the NFR cut last season by finishing 19th. “My mental game got stronger, too. I’ve trained my mind to treat every situation the same and don’t let anything get in the way of winning.”

Three-time Canadian champion bareback rider, Jake Vold is back in Vegas for a third time after finishing runner-up to the world title last year.

Vold vaulted into the top 15 after winning the Ponoka Stampede.

“I wasn’t paying much attention to the standings until then,” admits Vold. “That was a huge weekend for me. I needed that big time.”

The rest of the group includes steer wrestler, Tanner Milan, back for the second time in three years, defending world team roping heeling champ, Jeremy Buhler, who will be without partner Levi Simpson this time around and reigning Canadian saddle bronc champ, Clay Elliott, back for a second straight year. c

Jordan Hansen on Duffy’s 441 Pirhana, round 2, 2016 CFR

Scott Guenthner, round 6, 2016 CFR

cowboycountrymagazine.com

49

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Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER

Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery

Caption

cowboycountrymagazine.com

51

WESTERN DIRECTORY

CHRISTMAS MARKETS & EVENTS Once Upon a Christmas

Nov 1-Jan 12 Western Development Museum, Saskatoon, Sask.

High River Santa Claus Parade & Light Up Dec 1 High River, Alta.

22nd Annual Carol Festival

Dec 1 Gem of the West Museum, Coaldale, Alta.

Carlyle’s Dickens Village Festival Dec 1-2 Carlyle, Sask.

Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market Dec 1-3 Calgary, Alta.

32nd Annual Christkindlmarkt

Dec 1-3 Fort Garry Place Mall, Winnipeg, Man.

Ranchlands Community Association Christmas Market Dec 2 Calgary, Alta.

Christmas at Fort Edmonton Park Dec 2 Fort Edmonton Park, Edmonton, Alta.

Christmas at the Fort

Dec 2 Fort Dauphin Museum, Dauphin, Man.

Authentically Indigenous Craft Show Holiday Edition Dec 2 & 9 Calgary, Alta.

Candlelight Christmas

Dec 7-22 John Walter Museum, Edmonton, Alta.

Cochrane Santa Claus Parade Dec 9 Cochrane, Alta.

Artisan Winter Market Dec 9 Calgary, Alta.

Coaldale Handmade Christmas Market Dec 9 Coaldale, Alta.

Northern Spirit Light Show Through Dec 31 Grande Prairie, Alta.

A Prairie Christmas Dec 10-11 Bon Accord, Alta.

COWBOY CHURCHES

Blue Christmas

Dec 10 Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton, Alta.

Nechako Valley Cowboy Church

Zoolights

Through Jan 6 Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alta.

Last Sun. of every month, 7 p.m., Nechako Community Church Building, Hwy 16 E, Vanderhoof, B.C., 250‑567‑4960

Beer Bacon Bands Festival

Open Valley Cowboy Church

Jan 26-27 Conexus Arts Centre, Regina, Sask.

Every Sun., 6:30 p.m., Head of the Lake Hall, past the O’Keefe Ranch on Hwy 97, Vernon, B.C., 250‑503‑0707

Boomtown Trail Cowboy Church

WEDDING FAIRS

2nd and last Wed. of every month, 7 p.m., Elnora Drop‑In Centre, Elnora, Alta., 403‑749‑2047

Bridal Prom & Party Show

Clearwater Cowboy Church

Modern Wedding Show 2018

Community Cowboy Church

Wedding Fair 2018

Cowboy Trail Church

Jan 7 Fort Langley Golf Course, Langley, B.C.

Every Thur., 7 p.m., Dovercourt Hall, Hwy 22, north of Caroline, Alta., 403-844-6641

Jan 7 Victoria, B.C.

Every Tue., 7-8 p.m., Niton Community Hall, Main St., Niton, Alta., 780-795-2326

Jan 13 Westin Bayshore Hotel, Vancouver, B.C.

Every Tue., 7 p.m., Cochrane Ranche House, 101 Ranchehouse Rd., Cochrane, Alta., 403‑638‑4254

Wedding Fair

Heartland Cowboy Church

Jan 13-14 Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, B.C.

Windermere GCC Winter Wedding Show Jan 14 Windermere Golf and Country Club, Edmonton, Alta.

1st and 3rd Tue. of every month, 7 p.m., Stettler Agriplex, 4516‑52 St., Stettler, Alta., 403‑742‑4273

Millarville Cowboy Church

2nd and 4th Thur. of every month, 7:30 p.m., South of Calgary at Hwy 22 and Hwy 549 east near the racetrack turn off, Millarville, Alta., 403‑931‑1618

A Wedding Expo

Jan 21 EVRAZ Place, Regina, Sask.

Pipestone Cowboy — Cowgirl Church

2nd Mon. of every month, 7 p.m., Pipestone Café, Hwy 795, 11 km north from junction Hwy 13 and 795, Pipestone, Alta., 780-312-8653

Wedding Open House

Feb 3 The Glenmore Inn & Convention Centre, Calgary, Alta.

Ranchman’s Cowboy Church

Every Sun., 10 a.m. Ranchman’s Restaurant, 9615 MacLeod Tr. SW, Calgary, Alta., 403‑882‑3239

SW Wedding Expo

Feb 9 Walker Place, Swift Current, Sask

2018 Calgary Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Expo Feb 21 Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary, Alta.

St. Albert Cowboy Church

Every Fri., 7 p.m., 60 Liberton Dr., St. Albert, Alta., 780-459-2222

The Cowboy Church

2018 Edmonton Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Expo

Feb 22 Delta Hotel Edmonton South, Edmonton, Alta.

2018 Vancouver Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Expo Feb 27 Executive Airport Plaza Hotel, Vancouver, B.C.

Spring Wedding and Honeymoon Show

Mar 25 Delta Hotels by Marriott Burnaby Conference Centre, Burnaby, B.C

Every Fri., 7:30 p.m., Centre Park Church, 52 Peacock Dr., Sherwood Park, Alta., 780‑918‑5530

Viking Cowboy Church

Last Fri. of every month, 7:30 p.m., Viking Auction Market, junction of Hwy 26 and 36, Viking, Alta., 780‑384‑2114

Battlefords Cowboy Church

1st and 3rd Thur. of every month, 7 p.m., Legion Hall, 22 St., Battleford, Sask., 306-937-2733

Diamond C Cowboy Church

Every Tue., 7:30 p.m., 208 Sidney St., Maple Creek, Sask., 306‑662‑3431

Cowboy Valley Church

4054 PR 432 Morden, Man., 204-822-9909

52

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

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53

COWBOY POETRY

A Runaway Christmas I was feeding my horses On a Christmas Eve night When I saw in the distance A dim glowing red light

“Cupid’s got problems He just don’t look the same ’Cause he broke off an antler In a rough reindeer game.”

He climbed up on the seat Now his safety he’s gamblin’ ’Cause this was a wreck Just waitin’ to happen

This pale light kept coming ’Til I saw the cause A sick looking reindeer And old Santa Claus

“These gifts must be delivered Within a few hours And there’s poor old Donner He’s got the scours.”

They took off like lightning His choice he’ll regret ’Cause this ride for old Santa He won’t soon forget

He looked so dejected Gone was his Ho! Ho! Ho! If he asked for a favour I wouldn’t say “no”

Blitzen looked listless His hair all frost-coated It was then that I noticed That he must be bloated.

The last thing I saw Was a swift cloud of snow And Santa up shouting “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”

“I’ve got me big troubles,” Said the not jolly old elf “My team here is useless With toys still on the shelf,”

“I wish I could help you,” I quite sadly said “I don’t have any reindeer Just these Thoroughbreds.”

As for the toys I’m not sure where they went But I know they got scattered Broken and bent

“This here is Rudolph He’s down with the flu Dasher has foot-rot And Dancer has too.”

His eyes lit with promise His mind I could read “The faster the better They’re just what I need!”

Some say he passed Steep Rock Flying quite low As he yelled, “Merry Christmas!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”

“Prancer has colic He could even die Vixen — arthritis And Comet — pink eye.”

I said, “They’ve never been harnessed It’s a sure runaway,” He said to me sternly, “Hook them up to the sleigh.”

So that is my story And I’m sticking to it But I’m hoping that next year His reindeer can do it.

Ken Hoff is a rancher who, along with his family, has a big outfit (Tri Bar Ranch) covering Peonan Point on Lake Manitoba. Since the flood of 2011, Ken and his wife moved across the lake to Steep Rock, (“It was either that or raise our house by eight feet,” he said.) But even from there it’s still 20 miles to the nearest post office, and we’re sure glad he made the drive to mail us his poem. Merry Christmas, everyone!

54

Canadian Cowboy Country December 2017/January 2018

PHOTO COURTESY JAG_CZ/ADOBE STOCK

By KEN HOFF

Wishing you the very best of the Holiday Season!

For 20 years, Canadian Cowboy Country magazine has been highlighting the stories of Canadians whose mark on the West is as permanent as a brand. We want to thank you for continuing to make Canadian Cowboy Country the best-selling Western lifestyle magazine in Canada.

In the last two decades, we’ve covered the trends, explored the trails of our shared history, delighted in the successes of the people of the West and now, we’d like to welcome the youngest and cutest cowgirl to the Cowboy team, (that the editor is shamelessly using to promote her grandma’s fabulous turkey stuffing recipe).

PHOTO COURTESY STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ COLOURES-PIC; PHOTO BY GRANDMA MARIE

So keep enjoying the trails, try the stuffing, and on behalf of the whole Cowboy team, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rob Tanner

Terri Mason

publisher

editor

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Ingredients: 4 cups dried bread, cubed 1 chopped onion 2 large carrots, grated 2 tbsp dried sage 2 cups craisins Salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and moisten with chicken broth or water.

3. Fill turkey with stuffing.

4. Roast the turkey.

5. Let turkey stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Note: Recipe is for a 15-lb bird. If making in a crockpot, add more chicken broth or water to keep moist.

Grandp a Rob a nd Ellie

at the family farm

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