Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

COWBOY CANADIAN

COUNTRY

30+ Canadian

Summer Adventure Ideas ALBERTA'S GRASSY BUTTE RANCH

INDIGENOUS TOURISM EXPERIENCES

JUNE/JULY 2024 • $6.95

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CONTENTS JUNE/JULY 2024 | VOLUME 28, NO.1

FEATURES

25

17 MOVIE ROAD TRIPS!

Visit the places where the (Hollywood) shooting took place

20 BORN A HIGH RIDER

Outfitter Dewy Matthews, six mountain ranges and 1,200 miles of wilderness

25 INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Cultural, historical, learning and adventures with First Nations

30 THE WINTER THAT CHANGED THE WEST-PART 1 OF 2

The start of the deadly winter of 1906–’07, written by a man who lived through it

34 TRAILBLAZERS

Winston Bruce, World Champion and Canada's greatest rodeo man

39 WHAT WORKS FOR US

Grassy Butte Ranch has one of the oldest registered cattle brands in Alberta

43 WESTERN EVENTS

Events and happenings coming up

47 ART PROFILE

Jennifer Mack's Wild at Heart art

STOCK.ADOBE.COM/LAUGHINGMANGOVIDEO

DEPARTMENTS

ON THE COVER: PG 20 A string of Anchor D Outfitting horses having a drink in the Little Elbow River Photo by Katie Matthews

@cowboycountrymag cowboycountrymagazine.com

@CowboyCntryMag

5 MY POINT OF VIEW 7 IN THE CORRAL 12 SPIRIT OF THE WEST 13 RANCH RAMBLINGS 14 WHEEL TO WHEEL 52 ROAD TO THE CFR 53 CLOWNIN’ AROUND 54 COMMON THREADS 60 COWBOY COOKING 62 COWBOY POETRY @cowboycountrymagazine 3

June/July 2024 Vol. 28, No. 1

Proud Member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Publisher Rob Tanner rob@cowboycountrymagazine.com Editor Terri Mason terri@cowboycountrymagazine.com Art Director Shannon Swanson shannon@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sales Manager Kristine Wickheim kristine@cowboycountrymagazine.com Subscription/Circulation Marie Tanner circ@cowboycountrymagazine.com Accounting/Administrator Marie Tanner admin@tanneryoung.com Columnists Brittney Chomistek, Tim Ellis, Niki Flundra, Jackie Rae Greening, Hugh McLennan, Billy Melville, Greg Shannon, Bryn Thiessen Contributors CrAsh Cooper, Tim Lasiuta, Tom Reardon Tanner Young Publishing Group Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 Tel: 780-465-3362 | Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336 Website: cowboycountrymagazine.com E-mail: askus @cowboycountrymagazine.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call Marie at 1-800-943-7336 Make all cheques payable to Tanner Young Marketing Ltd 1 Year: $29 incl. tax | 2 Years: $46 incl. tax | $Single Copy: $6.95 + 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 c/o Tanner Young Publishing Group Administration Office Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 FREELANCE POLICY Canadian Cowboy Country welcomes freelance contributions but will not be held responsible for unsolicited text or photographs.

Direct all freelance enquiries to: editor@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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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

MY POINT OF VIEW

Road Trips

Twenty-five years ago, I hooked Pancho and Lefty on the lead with Beryl and Ross on the wheel for their first road trip in a 4-up. “By cracky, Sis,” said the late Ralph Loosmore. “Always put your broke horses on the wheel. It doesn’t matter if the lead team does handstands; because you’ve got brakes.”

T

he Vance family of Grassy Butte Ranch has been connected to me for 25 years through their generosity. After Darryl passed away in the late 1990s, his widow Judy and son Todd decided to give me his team of grey Percherons—an event that changed my life.

I’m so pleased to present their story!

We’ve entered the time of year for rodeo action, road trips, and all kinds of fun stuff, so we’ve focused on fun things to do with a special emphasis on Indigenous tourism sites. We’ve even asked one of our film buffs to write an article on movie sites we can visit!

On the subject of fun things to do, I had a terrific time interviewing Dewy Matthews, an outfitter in southwest Alberta; he’ll show you some new sights!

Artists always have a backstory, and none is more fascinating than the world travels of Jennifer Mack.

Her adventures have simply been incredible. It was a fun interview and I appreciated it when she shared with me

cowboycountrymagazine.com

(and you) her "aha!" moment that inspired her unique artwork, that has made her a household name for her portrayal of horses.

The devastating winter of 1906–’07 wiped out most of the big ranches and nearly all of the small ones, and we have an account written by a man who lived through it. I figured that you’d be more comfortable reading about this while relaxing in a lawn chair with a refreshing beverage than beside a fireplace with winter winds raging outside.

So pour yourself a cool one and start planning your summer trips wherever the trails lead you—here in Canadian Cowboy Country.

— Terri Mason, Editor

DEAR COWBOY COUNTRY…

MILES KINGDON ISSUE Excellent job. Truly award-worthy design work.

Tim Lasiuta

BRYN THIESSEN TRIBUTE Got the magazine a few days ago. Thanks for remembering; I appreciate it.

Vern Ballantyne, Unity, Sask.

KUDOS TO CORB

IF I HAD TO PICK ONE… Terri, I just wanted to let you know; I just finished reading the Apr/May issue (I always read them cover to cover) but if I had to pick one, I’d have to say this is the best one you’ve ever put out. Boy, I enjoyed it!

Sandy Short, Delisle, Sask

Thank you, Corb Lund, for speaking the truth when it comes to the corruption of Alberta politicians and coal mining.

Albertans and Canadians have said over and over that we want our parks, we want to drink clean water, and we want our wildlife to thrive. All need to be protected from corporate greed and Kenney’s betrayal.

Keep up the good work, Corb! There are more of us with you than there are against you.

Lorri Andrews, Northern Alberta

CORB LUND Excellent article!! I admire Corb's stand, his forthright comments, and his common sense. I sure do not admire the government's reaction, evasion, buck-passing or plain lack of honesty on this issue....

Phyllis Rathwell, Medicine Hat, Alta.

BEN TYNER I spent a few days with Ben Tyner’s family in Wyoming. I did a concert at the college in Cheyenne, as part of a fundraiser for the scholarship in Ben’s name. I brought his family a copy of Canadian Cowboy, and the writer [Daryl Drew] had already sent them copies. (nice.) I had written a song (“Ben Tyner”— available to download on ryanfritz.net, YouTube, Spotify, etc.), and Ben’s mom asked if I would sing it for the last song. Very tough and touching to do with the three Tyner’s front row and center. The Tyner family asked me to pass along to you their thanks and appreciation for keeping Ben’s story alive.

Ryan Fritz, Longview, Alta.

DROP US A LINE! We love hearing from our readers!

Email: editor@cowboycountrymagazine.com Sign up for our monthly newsletter: Email: marie@tanneryoung.com

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

IN THE CORRAL //// NEWS & HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE WEST ////

PHOTO COURTESY CALGARY STAMPEDE

WELL-EARNED HALL OF FAME CONGRATULATIONS TO CHUCKWAGON driver Ray Mitsuing, the first chuckwagon driver to be inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

A lifelong resident of Loon Lake, Sask, Ray Mitsuing competed on the Half Mile of Hell and beyond as a driver for 36 years, only retiring due to a Stampede rule that forced retirement at 65.

In 1992, he won the Aggregate Championship at the Calgary Stampede, which goes to the racer with the fastest combined time over the 10 nights of races. Ray also had the fastest times at the 2012, 2015 and 2019 Stampede events.

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For 36 years, Mitsuing qualified for the Stampede (1984-2019). He also won the CPCA championship on several occasions.

When asked about his reaction, Ray replied, “It surprised me, I never expected it.”

Ray was always a crowd favourite, and he always raced wearing a strapped-down helmet.

“I wore a helmet because I got tired of losing my cowboy hats,” he laughed. “I wasn’t the first; I think Orville Strandquist was. But every time you lose a hat, you don’t get it back.”

Along with being an engaging ambassador

of the sport, Mitsuing also served as Chief of his home community, the Makwa Sahgaiehcan (‘Loon Lake’ in Cree) First Nation, for 16 years.

He was appointed to the Senate of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in 2017.

Ray and his wife, Josephine, still make their home in Loon Lake.

— On April 25, 2024, a ranch accident claimed Ray Mitsuing’s life. All of us in Canadian Cowboy Country send our sincere condolences to Josephine and family.

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IN THE CORRAL

CARL OLSON CARL OLSON IS also being inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.

Carl was born in 1914 near Fir Mountain, Sask. During the Depression, Carl worked for ranchers in the area, and while breaking broncs, he decided to pursue a rodeo career.

Carl moved to Alberta in the late 1930s and soon earned a rep as a top saddle bronc rider and steer wrestler on both sides of the Medicine Line.

Carl competed and won money at every major rodeo. Carl was the first Canadian-born cowboy recognized by the (now) CPRA and the PRCA as a Canadian and World Champion Bronc Rider.

Carl was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1982. He died in 1983.

Carl is the third rodeo cowboy to be inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, joining 1975 and 1976 Canadian Champion Bull Rider Brian Claypool, and five-time All-Around and seven-time Canadian Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Mel Coleman.

OLSON’S CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS • Cowboys' Protective Ass’n All Around—1945 • Saddle Bronc—1945, 1946, 1948 • Steer Wrestling—1948

Carl Olson on Red Bluff, Winnemucca, NV, 1948

Listen to

OLSON’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS • Rodeo Cowboys' Ass’n Saddle Bronc—1947 • International Rodeo Ass’n Saddle Bronc—1948

THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST “Radio Program” Ride through the Rangeland of the West every week

Celebrating over 30 YEARS

of Stories Great Western Music Horse Training Advice And much more

Hear it on your favourite radio station or on demand at Hugh-McLennan.com Check out the new Spirit of the West Facebook page too!

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTO COURTESY LORRAINE LAVERDIERE

with Hugh McLennan

IN THE CORRAL

STILL REVERED THE SASKATCHEWAN HORSE Federation, whose mission is to honour the people and horses who contributed to Saskatchewan’s culture, agriculture and sport, recently announced its inductees into its Hall of Fame, which includes the great bareback horse, High Chaparral.

Raised by working cowboy Mike Shapley in the Sand Hills of Saskatchewan, the big grey started his career as a cowhorse-in-training. However, since he was a little too keen to “try you” often on the ride out or at other inopportune times, Mike decided to see if he’d make it as a bucking horse—and did he ever!

He soon joined Don and Brenda Peterson’s Bar T string and, the next year, earned a spot in the National Finals Rodeo. He was eventually sold to Cervi’s for a then-record price of $25,000.

In all, High Chaparral won nine Champion Bareback Horse titles, including two World titles (1989 and ’92). In 1997, the Maple Creek rodeo arena was rechristened the High Chaparral Arena.

In 2003, High Chaparral was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

The big grey was a lifelong bareback horse because Mike Shapley had halter-broke him so well that he’d immediately yield to any pressure on a lead rope—or a bronc rein. Yet being so easy to handle turned out to be a blessing, as the great bareback horse spent his final years in a wellstocked paddock (with another horse companion) as a very friendly and pet-able addition to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame grounds in Colorado Springs.

EMPTY SADDLES

Mike Shapley

Harold Webber SUNDRE, ALBERTA 1934–2024

AWARDS • 1987 Canadian Cowboys Ass’n Bareback Champion • 1988 runner-up Bareback Horse of the NFR • 1989 Bareback Horse of the CFR • 1989 runner-up Bareback Horse of the NFR • 1989 Bareback Horse of the World • 1991 Bareback Horse of the Calgary Stampede • 1991 Bareback Horse of the NFR • 1992 Bareback Horse of the CFR • 1992 Bareback Horse of the NFR • 1992 Bareback Horse of the World • 1994 Bareback Horse of Canada

Well-regarded rancher, brand inspector and cowboy poet, Harold was also a good man with heavy equipment, building and maintaining roads and driving cattle liners.

Harold and his family ranched in the Drayton Valley area for over a quartercentury, raising some fine commercial cattle and always riding a nice horse. They eventually sold and retired to the Sundre area. He spent many years riding the backcountry out West, and it was also during his retirement that Harold turned his skills to cowboy poetry and songwriting, sharing his gifts at gatherings across the West.

Specializing in Rodeo, Ranch & Humourous Fine Artworks!

PHOTO BY MARCUS DAY

“

It is not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.”

Check our Facebook page to see where Ash will be next: Follow Ash Cooper Art and Ranch Gallery

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9

IN THE CORRAL

– June/Ju

Kaylee Shantz, Miss Rodeo Canada 2024

02 4 –

24

2 ly

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Kaylee in the Dawson Creek arena before showtime.

The horse, Quattro, was loaned to her by Steph and Clay Moore, no strangers to rodeo fans!

I HAVE BEEN on the most incredible journey so far as Miss Rodeo Canada. I have met some incredible people and made some memories that will last forever.

I had the pleasure of travelling internationally at the beginning of my year, including San Diego, Denver, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, and Kissimmee, Florida.

As our Canadian Professional Rodeo season has begun, my travels have been closer to home.

Kicking off the season with the West of the 5th Rodeo in Rimbey, Alta, as well as the Dawson Creek Spring Rodeo!

I am so excited about my upcoming events and experiencing the year with a full heart. One of my favourite moments so far has been the school visits in Dawson Creek.

I felt so fulfilled hearing their stories and teaching them more about our Western lifestyle and the sport of rodeo.

In June, I will be attending Lea Park, Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo in Innisfail, High River, Sundre Pro Rodeo, and the Ponoka Stampede.

In July, I will be at the Calgary Stampede, Tee Pee Creek, Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming and Medicine Hat Stampede.

See you down the rodeo trail!

STOCKING THE HERD

STOCKING THE HERD

MAEVE MICHELE VINE

CHET MELVIN MASTAD

Congratulations to Megan and Kynan Vine on the birth of their daughter, Maeve Michele Vine.

Meave was born on March 15, 2024, and she weighed 7 lbs 12 oz.

Maeve is the new baby sister of big sisters Isla and Ophelia. Meave’s mom is a nurse, and her dad is a well-regarded international rodeo producer and, lately, a saddle bronc match producer as well. The young family makes their home near Okotoks, Alta.

Congratulations to rancher, vet tech, teamster and smokin’ roper Myla Mastad on the birth of her son, Chet Melvin Mastad. Chet was born on January 6, 2024, and weighed 9 lbs, 13 oz.

Chet is a welcome addition and joins his brother Clyde as a future California dally roper and shortgrass rancher. Myla and her boys raise cattle in the rugged grasslands deep in southern Saskatchewan

20

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CANADIAN COWBOY?

Bob Pridmore is dwarfed by the 26-foot-tall sculpture Forever Marilyn

PALM SPRINGS IS a desert resort city within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. Besides the desert hot springs, what sets the metropolis apart is that more than 10 percent of the city is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation lands.

The famous, including Barack Obama, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Munroe, lived here. It’s here that Marilyn was discovered, and the city still loves Marilyn.

Currently located on Museum Way, Forever Marilyn is a giant statue designed by Seward Johnson as an homage to her famous scene from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. Created in 2011, the statue has been displayed in various locations in the United States and Australia and is currently in Palm Springs.

The art installation and the famous city attracts many visitors, including Bob and Shirley Pridemore from Maple Creek, Saskatchewan.

10

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTO BY SHIRLEY PRIDMORE

Palm Springs, California

J.R.’S RAMBLING MIND

CURLING VS. RODEO DRIFTING WITH THE HERD THE COWBOY’S LIFE WITH THE HORSE

BY MILES KINGDON

Drifting With the Herd is Miles’ second book recounting his life in the saddle. You will greatly enjoy his true tales of the trails, cattle, cowboys, ranches and ranges he has cowboyed over his remarkable career.

A consummate storyteller, Miles’ descriptions of everything—from weather to terrain to the working cowboy’s sense of humour (which horrifies mere mortals)— rings absolutely true.

You don’t really read this book; you are riding alongside this vaquero, and by the last page, you will have a greater understanding of what makes a man choose this life: these hardships, these dangers, but also these incomparable experiences that two centuries later attract the men and women of the saddle to this tougher-than-leather career. It’s more than mere tales; if you pay attention you can glean a lot of cowboying skills from each page.

And trust me, by the end of these terrific tales, you will love his range horse, Ben, just a little bit more. If you’ve been really blessed, you’ll relate and become sentimental, and you’ll thank God that there is a special place in heaven for horses like him.

Drifting With the Herd is a terrific book and a great companion to his first, Beyond the Next Ridge, A Cowboy’s Story.

Drifting With the Herd; The Cowboy’s Life With the Horse Author Miles Kingdon | Softcover | 121 pages mileskingdonhorsemanship.com

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Everyone in the rodeo world knows how hugely supportive Lyle Kurtz of CVS Controls is of the sport. I met Lyle many moons ago when he and a group helped form “The Friends of Pro Rodeo” in Edmonton. I may have led him astray one night in Vegas at the NFR, and ever since then, he has lovingly referred to me as “Loud Mouth.”

Last fall, after I decided to get back into more competitive curling, this time for curlers over 50, I phoned Lyle for some sponsorship. The conversation went something like this: Me: “Loud Mouth here. I think it’s time you sponsor a real sport where the athletes are tough as leather (at least our faces). I see your logo everywhere in rodeo, but it’s time for you to branch out. I’m giving you the opportunity of a lifetime to sponsor my senior's curling team.”

Lyle: “I’ll sponsor you, but don’t put my logo anywhere on you, I want to keep my reputation intact.”

In all seriousness, CVS did sponsor our curling team, and we went on to win Silver at the Canadian Masters Curling Championships in Chicoutimi/ Saguenay. When I think about the number of rodeo athletes and actual rodeos Lyle and CVS have sponsored over the years, it’s mind-boggling.

He is one of the most generous sponsors in the world of rodeo, and he needs to be recognized for it. So, Lyle, if you’re reading this, I salute you with a glass of wine in one hand and my curling broom in the other. Thank you from all the athletes and organizations you have supported and continue to support. I’m proud to call you my friend.

Curlers and rodeo athletes are pretty similar. We pay entry fees to entertain a crowd at our own expense and hope to bring home a little money to cover our costs. Crazy? Yes, but we wouldn’t do it any other way! Loud Mouth thanks you, Lyle, luv ya!

Jackie Rae Greening 840 CFCW Program Director & Mid-Days Honourary Doctorate MacEwan University CCMA & Country Music Alberta Hall of Fame Hear Jackie Rae weekdays on 840 CFCW! Email Jackie Rae with column suggestions: jrgreening@stingray.com

11

SPIRIT OF THE WEST

The Word of the West on YouTube

Rob Word, producer, writer, director and host of A Word on Westerns

W

hen The Spirit of the West radio show hit the airwaves in June 1992, we didn’t own a computer, and no one else did either. The show was recorded on 10-inch reel-to-reel tape and shipped to the radio stations by Greyhound Courier. And E-Mail? What’s that?

Fast-forward to 2024, and it’s a different universe. The YouTube version of the show with video is developing a huge following, and we spend a lot of evenings watching the endless variety of Western movies, documentaries, cattle drives, and anything else we like.

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A while ago, we discovered a documentary called A Word on Westerns, written, produced, and directed by Rob Word. A legend in movies and television, Rob’s resume would fill several books. He’s the founder of the prestigious Golden Boot Award, and after enjoying many of his episodes, when I called him, it seemed like we were kindred spirits, and he agreed to be a guest on The Spirit of the West.

His show is recorded every week in front of a live audience at the Autry Museum of the American West in California, and his guests are some of the living legends from the Western movie and TV world.

I loved watching Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford in The Rifleman and wondered what happened to Johnny when the series was over. Rob told me that he’d been friends with Johnny Crawford for many years. He had a successful recording career and a band that Rob hired to play at his wedding. He told me Johnny Crawford was a great horseman and rode bulls in rodeo.

Rob was competing in a celebrity team roping that Johnny Crawford was entered in. He was running late, having just flown in from New York, and got to the arena wearing a suit, tie, and street shoes. He grabbed a rope, jumped on a horse, and won the firstplace buckle. Sadly, Johnny was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2019 and died in a care home in 2020 at the age of 75.

Rob loves to be horseback, and two of his regular riding partners are Alex Cord and Bruce Boxleitner. His team roping mentor and sometimes partner was Ben Johnson, and Rob told me proudly: “I’ve still got both my thumbs, too.”

During the interview, Rob told me he was going on a week-long trail ride in Arizona with a group called “Los Vaqueros,” he was looking forward to it, along with the high-profile musicians and some famous Westerners around the campfire.

Here’s what he said in an email when he got back: “Howdy, Hugh, I just returned from two weeks camping and riding in Arizona. Got caught in rain, hail and even a bit of snow.

Not every day, but enough to be glad I was always prepared. My tent only leaked when it rained.”

Like The Spirit of the West is for me, A Word on Westerns is a labour of love for Rob Word. The easiest way to find them is to search YouTube for A Word on Westerns.

You can find The Spirit of the West YouTube version at hugh-mclennan.com. c

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTO COURTESY HUGH MCLENNAN

BY HUGH MCLENNAN

RANCH RAMBLINGS

For the Love of Horses

BY NIKI FLUNDRA

Catching the breeze in the high country

PHOTO: ROD SINCLAIR

F

or me, it's always been horses. As far back as I can remember, I have been mesmerized by them.

My grandma and grandpa lived across the road from us and always had a few horses at their place. I remember going over, playing with them for hours, and jumping on to ride them bareback.

That love for horses never left me as I grew up; if anything, it has grown with me over the years.

I became a proud horse owner at 12 when I purchased my first mare, Diamond.

I paid $100 a month for her for a whole year, and she was everything to me. We did 4-H together and went on to learn all the rodeo events. Then, I trained her to become my first trick-riding horse.

I remember being a young girl peeking through the fence at the Calgary Stampede and falling in love with the trick riders and

cowboycountrymagazine.com

their fast horses. The bright colours, the daring stunts, the energy in the air—it was love at first sight for me. Lo and behold (and a whole lot of bumps, bruises, and practice later), at 17 years old, my dreams came true as I found myself performing as a trick rider at the Calgary Stampede.

My horse dreams continued to grow as I went on to perform all over North America on different horses throughout the years.

The height of my dreams was reached as one very special horse, a Palomino named Rebel, carried me many times around the Thomas & Mack at the National Finals Rodeo.

It’s fun to think back on the horses I have had and how each of them has taught me so much and helped shape the horsewoman I am today. As my career transitioned to more liberty work and performances, I bought and trained a new team of horses led by another great one named

Zyada (Zee). After a whole lot of challenges and learning, the liberty work opened doors for me into not just performing at rodeos and providing stunts in the movies but also into providing specialty horses for them as well.

I have been blessed with horses that have become like family and given me their whole hearts. I have raised my babies on these horses, ranched with our family on these horses, and learned to teach clinics because of these horses. The amount of heart and try within them has truly been a gift to me. Almost all of the best things in my life have happened one way or another because of horses.

So, cheers to the horse for teaching, helping, and humbling us. I owe so much to the horses that have shaped me. They have made me who I am, and for that, I am forever grateful. c

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WHEEL TO WHEEL

Layne MacGillivray Making it Count

BY BILLY MELVILLE

I

t was back in medieval times when the English proverb “Make hay while the sun shines” originated with the farmers of the day. It refers to taking advantage of a favourable situation while they have the chance. Hundreds of years later, many have used this expression, not just farmers.

In sports, the window of opportunity is often quite small. Countless individual athletes or teams have the same story—we had a chance to win it all but didn’t, and the opportunity never presented itself again.

Missed opportunities are what generally wins and loses every game or championship.

Nobody can ever accuse chuckwagon driver Layne MacGillivray of missing out on opportunities, especially over the past three seasons. The first 20 years of his career, like most chuckwagon drivers, MacGillivray had some good and bad years. But even the good years were measured more by getting

14

an invitation to the Calgary Stampede than by show wins and day money runs.

After having the worst season of his career in 2016, something changed for Layne MacGillivray. “It lit a fire in my belly,” he explained. “I didn’t want that to happen again.”

Nearly on the verge of quitting, MacGillivray decided to stay focused, not let the little things around him bother or distract him, stay grounded, and take it one step at a time. This new attitude, combined with some increased horsepower, gave him a favourable opportunity to change his fortunes, but time would tell whether or not he could take advantage of it — and he did.

Over the past two seasons, MacGillivray has transformed from a solid journeyman into a hall-of-famer. He has accomplished things that very few chuckwagon drivers in the past 100 years have been able to accomplish.

He was the World Champion Chuckwagon Driver, the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion Driver, and the Richard Cosgrave Memorial Award winner. Add to that additional wins at the Dewberry World Chuckwagon races and Battle of the North and cap it all off with victories at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, taking both the "WINNER'S ZONE" and Aggregate Championships, and you have a recipe for what legends are made of. And through it all, MacGillivray maintains that he has just been “very fortunate.”

The sun has been shining on Layne MacGillivray for the past couple of years, and it will be interesting to see what 2024 has in store for him. But make no mistake, it’s more than just good fortune that is the reason for his success and making it count.

The sun might shine, but hay doesn’t stack itself. c

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTO BY PAUL EASTON

Layne MacGillivray at the 2023 Cowboys Rangeland Derby, Day 5, Heat 8

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WESTERN MOVIE ROADTRIPS

CINEMATIC TOURISM in the CANADIAN WEST Reimagined in Celluloid

STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ BUCH&BEE; PHOTOS COURTESY TIM LASUITA (X5); PICTORIAL PRESS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

BY TIM LASIUTA

Western Canada offers gorgeous scenery and unique communities that filmmakers have capitalized on for decades.

The sheer diversity of the land, from the flat as-far-as-you-can-see prairies to the glorious valleys and peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the timber troves of British Columbia and Northern Alberta, the West is rife with award-winning possibilities.

Top; left to right: Crossfire, Unforgiven, Open Range. Above; left to right: Hell on Wheels, Legends of the Fall, Billy the Kid

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WESTERN MOVIE ROADTRIPS

Above; left to right: Klondike Fever, When Call's the Heart, Heartland Below; left to right: Calgary Stampede, Canadian Pacific, The Assasination of Jesse James VI RKER LLE, BC

Meanwhile, Vancouver and the area are home to film-TV franchises like The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson (Maple Ridge), and multiple TV series.

Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart, now in its 11th season, is filmed in Langley, south of Vancouver at the Macinnes Farms.

BRITISH COLUMBIA While hundreds of television series, documentaries and movies have been lensed in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, a handful of our communities stand out with iconic imagery and productions that travellers can experience with in-person visits.

Barkerville, in the Quesnel area, has been used for many films over the years.

Films shot in the heritage community include Jack London’s Klondike Fever (1980) and The Last of the Wild Bunch (1982).

For the 1949 production of Canadian Pacific, Randolph Scott and Jane Wyatt were filmed in Yoho National Park as well as the Banff area for this ‘railroad is a comin’ ‘ saga.

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ALBERTA Across the mountains in Alberta, cameras have been coming since Hoot Gibson first brought his crew to the 1924 Calgary Stampede, where local rodeo legends like Tom Lauder were captured mid-action in this Universal 1925 classic silent release.

In 1954, Banff and the area were home to Raoul Walsh’s Saskatchewan. Alan Ladd and Shelley Winters thrilled locals, and their pictures can still be seen in the Banff Springs mini museum.

Clint Eastwood rode in Unforgiven in 1992 near Longview, whose western town became Big Whiskey, Wyoming. The blockbuster won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood, Best Supporting Actor for Hackman, and Best Film Editing for Joel Cox.

More recently, Open Range, starring Kevin Costner, was filmed primarily at the Stoney Reserve in 2003 and at John Scott’s Ranch, while the CL Western Ranch hosted Tom Selleck in Crossfire Trail in the same year. Brad Pitt visited Alberta twice; once for the Assassination of Jesse James (2005), which was filmed at Heritage Park, and Fort Edmonton and in 1993 for Legends of the Fall, which was filmed around the Ghost River Wilderness Area and Bow River. Leonardo DiCaprio dropped by in 2016 for the Oscar-winning The Revenant featuring

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

UNITED ARCHIVES GMBH / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; COURTESY TIM LASUITA (X4); STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ MICHAEL MAMOON

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PICTORIAL PRESS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; COURTESY TIM LASUITA (X4); STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ KERRY SNELSON STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ PICTUREGUY32

WESTERN MOVIE ROADTRIPS

Canmore area and Kananaskis scenes and heart-stopping real-time photography

by Academy Award winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

On the small screen, Heartland continues to film in and around Alberta, with several small villages being featured in individual episodes. Primary photography is in the High River vicinity.

AMCs Hell on Wheels was filmed from 2011 to 2016 in the Calgary region, the Bow River, CL Western Ranch, Kananaskis country and the Tsuut'ina Nation in southern Alberta, a popular shooting location for its vast areas of undisturbed prairie.

Wyonna Earp, the supernatural western series, has been filmed in Calgary, Springbank, Didsbury, and Heritage Park since 2015. Sharp-eyed fans of the franchise can spot specific locations. Based on the IDW comic book, it is very successful and has a cult following.

Amazon’s hit series Billy the Kid has filmed in Drumheller, Longview, and most recently, at the CL Western Ranch for the end of the second season.

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SASKATCHEWAN Amidst the Cypress Hills in Saskatchewan, legendary director Burt Kennedy shot The Canadians in 1961. His first film tells the story of the massacre of a Sioux village, presumably in search of a captured woman, and the Mounties' efforts to keep peace. Locals as young as two, earned screen time and credits on the film.

Corner Gas, the iconic Canadian smalltown comedy, was filmed in Roleau for its TV run from 2004 to 2009 and its 2014 big-screen adaptation. Ten years later, the community boasts a Corner Gas tour of all sites “Dog River.”

The story of Grey Owl, starring Pierce Brosnan, was partially filmed in Prince Albert National Park in the late 1990s and tells the story of Archie Grey Owl and his journey from Brit to trapper to conservationist.

While not a traditional western, Maple Creek was used as a backdrop for Hallmark's Cowboy Christmas in 2023. Legendary Reesor Ranch was featured in the seasonal romance film, along with the main character bearing the Reesor moniker!

The unspoiled vistas, wild country, and trained film crews all suggest that cinematic tourism across the prairies will continue to thrive in the future.

Roll ’em! c

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Above; left to right: Wyonna Earp, The Revenant, Saskatchewan Below; left to right: Cowboy Christmas, Corner Gas, The Canadians

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THE WESTERNERS

BORN A H I G H R I DER Dewy Matthews

PHOTOS: KATIE MATTHEWS (X4)

BY TERRI MASON

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

THE WESTERNERS

D

ewy Matthews is a pure outdoorsman through and through.

The man holding the reins of Anchor D Guiding & Outfitting always wanted to be an outfitter.

Through grit and some oilfield jobs, he and his wife at the time, Jan, got the land and the horses, and for the past 40+ years, this longrider has been living his dream.

It hasn’t always been easy, no more than anyone else’s life, but when a man’s having fun with his horses, meeting interesting people and having his pick of good help from all over the world, it’s hard to find a thorn in this bouquet. But there’s always something.

At the time of our interview, Dewy’s biggest problem was keeping his horses off the few sprigs of fresh grass valiantly poking through a skiff of fresh snow.

“We just ran probably half a mile of electric fence to keep the horses off,” he explained. “I'm still feeding. Down here, there's no grass coming in; won't be for another month.”

Contrary to weather alarmists, winter has been hanging on longer and longer in the Rocky Mountain foothills west of Turner Valley for quite a while now. For Dewy, everything is getting bigger except his stackyards. He has an arm-length-long list of people wanting his still-sound older horses as his young colts come up, and yes, business is booming.

There’s never been a school to learn to be an outfitter; you learn by hanging around those who know. With Dewy, there was a bit of “trial and error” (he laughs) but he had the good fortune to be taught by a bunch of top packers, including men like Matt Eberle. Better known in ranch cowboy circles as a saddle maker, Matt rode some double-rugged tough trails in the Nordegg country, packing seismic and geological survey crews.

“They'd be packing 30–40 horses in the morning,” said Dewy. “He spent a bit of time showing me a bunch of stuff, and it was always fun to see different diamonds and how you want to throw them.”

Dewy doesn’t pack as much these days, but he keeps his hand in, which comes in handy when a PR firm from New York shoots him and his string of pack mules for a major US cowboy boot chain. He

cowboycountrymagazine.com

From top: Guides Tom, Franzi and Pablo; Overlooking the home place; Afternoon trail ride Opposite page: Dewy riding on Baldy Ridge

still enjoys it, but he is increasingly using teams—big teams of Percheron and Belgians with stout Shiloh passenger and gear-carrying wagons.

“With two wagons, you can equal 24 to 30 pack horses,” he said. Thanks to mineral exploration at the turn of the last century, Dewy’s 1,200 square miles of mountain territory are ribboned with old exploration trails wide enough for a wagon.

Because no one is getting younger, having wagons is a double bonus; they allow a wider range of folks hampered by age or fitness to see what’s left of some wild country, and he can pack in more gear with less impact. Then there’s the bonus that’s sometimes thrown in; he’s also been known to hand certain folks the lines, coach ‘em a bit, and there they are, driving the rig in the rugged Rocky Mountains.

“Come out with us on our North Rim to Ranch ride,” he offered. “We cover six different mountain ranges, and it is one of the prettiest wagon drives in the whole world.”

Anchor D has three mountain camps and a big pyramid tent for cooking. As I contemplated the invitation and my soonto-be-replaced hip, Dewy spoke about the adventure.

“The group spends three nights in one camp and two nights in another. Then, on the last night, we truck to the ranch. They spend the last camping night at the ranch, where everybody gets to shower, have another great meal, hear music, exchange email addresses, etc. The next day, we truck back up to the mountains, and we ride right from there back to the ranch, so it's quite a day,” he said.

Another popular trip was created for some long-time clients. “It’s called Meanwhile Back at the Ranch,” he said. “We truck the folks and horses from the ranch into some of the best parts of the mountains, have a great day, and then truck back to the ranch—so it’s day trips into some incredibly rugged country. Then we're back at the ranch that night; everybody's got a comfy bed, shower and time for a good visit. It's quite a nice trip, and as we get older, we appreciate that comfort.”

Besides the obvious good time, two external influences have caused his outfit to boom. One is the popularity of the show Yellowstone, which has brought Western life onto the phone screens of a new generation, and the other was, believe it or not, that damned COVID. Anchor D was one of those rare businesses that did well during COVID, and Dewy recounts what happened.

“I was in Edmonton at the Sportsman’s Show. On that day, the Voice of Doom came over loudspeakers, saying that the building was closed,” he remembered. “We just shut down, and I headed home. When they closed the borders, I lost 80 percent of

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THE WESTERNERS

my big seven-day mountain trips because most of those clients were out of the States and Europe.”

And, as we all remember, the situation got worse.

“Because of the COVID rules, you couldn't go to BC because BC didn't want anybody who wasn't from BC. You couldn't go to Manitoba because you were shut down for 14 days in lockup; Ontario was the same way, and the whole East Coast was just flat.”

But not everyone was satisfied to just sit at home.

“People in Alberta had to find something to do, and it turns out I was one of

22

those “to do” things—I had saddle horses.

Once you get people mounted, you automatically have social distancing. Once you're on the horses, it's just like the ski hill, you could take as many people as you want,” he said. “We got so busy; we’d had 50 horses saddled, and we were sending them out in groups eight and 10, so we had more control. In the afternoon, we would have another 40 or 50 riders.”

“Then, in the winter, people came out to ride. It was Boxing Day when the dark heart of Covid was at its worst. I had a couple of sleigh rides and 26 people out for saddle horse rides. It was crazy. So, as much

as Covid put a real bend in many people's lives, it was probably one of the better advertising things we ever had.”

He’s also branched out into some highfalutin’ territory—providing steady mounts for Calgary Stampede royalty alumni, the Stampede President’s Ride on the OH Ranch, and the Ladies ride in June, each gig involving around 50 head of good horses. He also has many oil company rides, especially around Stampede time, and then he and his crew are back in the mountains.

The Anchor D crew is quite substantial, with 12–15 hands that are teamsters,

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTOS: KATIE MATTHEWS (X5)

Hailey Ashton and Panda; Winter sleigh ride; Heading to camp along the Little Elbow River; Horses at pasture; Jeffrey Evans

THE WESTERNERS

Dewy Matthews

has a satellite phone for emergencies, so the ranch (and park wardens) always know what’s happening.

The bright sparks in his life are his daughter, Katie, a medic, and his sons, Chad, a working musician and trucker on the West Coast, and Cale, his special needs son. “This is his home,” said Dewy. “He wouldn't be anywhere else. I wouldn't be happy and nor would Cale.” And now more bright sparks are descending—his kids are ante’ing up with grandchildren, a huge joy for the outfitter.

In all, Dewy Matthews is a happy man.

He loves his family and his life, and by God, he even came up with something positive about getting older.

“It's great. I do all the shoeing of my heavy horses. And the best part about shoeing big horses is big shoes and big nails. So you don't even need glasses!”

Now that’s living a dream life.

To see the wide variety of fun to be had at Anchor D, visit anchord.com. c

PHOTO: TOM VALENTINE

wranglers, and cooks ranging in age from 18 to 71. Yup, 71, and highly capable. A former cop from Australia who can do anything.

“The more skills you have, the more valuable you are to me and yourself,” Dewy said. Then he laughed. “I’ve had to pick up more automatic trucks. They say that a standard transmission is the “millennial anti-theft” device,” he said, laughing, “and they’re right! But I get some of the most interesting and cool young people working here from all over the world.”

Winter means sleigh rides and schooling young horses, so Dewy keeps two or three hands for the winter work. “If the weather's decent, snubbing young horses, saddling them, and putting miles on them up in the hills, that's one of the simplest, nicest ways to start a young horse.”

There have also been some bumps on the trail. On a few occasions, Dewy and guests couldn’t get out of the mountains for a few days because of floods. But he always

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INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Indigenous Tourism

PHOTOS: GAWAIN JONES; INDIGENOUS TOURISM CANADA; ROTH AND RAMBERG; INDIGENOUS TOURISM ALBERTA (X2); DESTINATION BC/HUBERT KANG; ROCK LAKE EARTH LODGE; JASON DIAL OF SUITE 1491; MATT SCOBEL

CAN'T-MISS INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES IN CANADA

Indigenous-owned tourism businesses provide a gateway to cultural understanding, friendship and community empowerment.

Special thanks to Destination Indigenous for providing information on the variety of businesses and cultural experiences to enjoy! cowboycountrymagazine.com

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INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Métis Crossing

Smoky Lake, Alberta Métis Crossing, located on over 500 acres along the North Saskatchewan River, features its Cultural Gathering Centre, where visitors can gather, learn, and share the distinct Métis story. Stay at the new Lodge or enjoy skywatching in the new Domes.

There is also an on-site gift shop. metiscrossing.com

Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre

DESTINATION BC/HUBERT KANG (X2); INDIGENOUS TOURISM CANADA (X2); INDIGENOUS TOURISM ALBERTA; ROTH AND RAMBERG

Osoyoos, BC The stunning Desert Cultural Centre is where visitors will discover the stories, people, art and history of our area. Explore indoor and outdoor cultural and nature exhibits. Discover the desert ecology and wildlife in “Critter Corner” and “Living Land” displays. nkmipdesert.com

Nemiah Valley Lodge Nemaiah Valley, BC The Lodge offers meals designed by an award-winning Indigenous chef, modern accommodation in newly renovated facilities, and immersive cultural sharing with Xeni Gwet’in Elders and Knowledge Keepers. nemiahvalleylodge.com

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Warrior Women

Jasper, Alberta Matricia Brown-Asani and her daughter, Mackenzie Brown-Kamamak are First Nations Cree who share their Culture through their art, stories and songs.

They offer performance shows, workshops, tour shows, guided experiences, training and much more. warriorwomen.ca

Wildhorse Ranch

Rocky Mountain House, Alberta Experience a slower pace of life, stay in rustic pine cabins, trapper tents or small tipis and enjoy ‘digital distancing.’ Be entertained by our Master Storyteller and Wisdom Keeper from the Bear Clan and view our Indigenous artifact collection.

Learn about the ‘Power of the Herd’ from our horses and absorb new knowledge as you stand among our big herd. wildhorsecamp.com

INDIGENOUS TOURISM ALBERTA (X4); ROCK LAKE EARTH LODGE (X2)

Rock Lake Earth Lodge North West of Hinton, Alberta Nestled amidst the majestic Alberta Rockies, Rock Lake Earth Lodge beckons with untamed beauty and rustic charm. Surrounded by pristine wilderness and wildlife, our location offers a sanctuary for those seeking solace and adventure. A hidden gem where you can disconnect to reconnect.

Immerse yourself in the stunning natural surroundings, from towering peaks to crystal-clear lakes. Whether you're drawn to the thrill of mountain exploration or the serenity of lakeside relaxation, our lodge and cabins promise an unforgettable escape into nature's embrace for all life's milestones.

Book now and embark on an unforgettable journey into the beauty of Alberta's backcountry. rocklakeearthlodge.com

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INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Aurora Village Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Experience the Aurora Borealis at Aurora Village in Yellowknife. Join new friends around the fire in a teepee, feast on bison and Bannock, enjoy dog sled rides and try traditional wooden snowshoes while exploring the forest trails next to the Teepee Village. auroravillage.com

Winnipeg, Manitoba May 17-20, 2024 The Manito Ahbee Festival celebrates Indigenous arts, culture, and music. The 19th annual festival will feature their Pow Wow, Marketplace & Food, Ignite Our Spirit Stage, Spirit Visions, Jig N’ Jam, Manito Ahbee Sports, Indian Horse Relay, and more. manitoahbee.com

Wanuskewin Heritage Park Saskatoon, Saskatchewan A traditional gathering site for over 6,400 years, the Wanuskewin Heritage Site offers cultural learning, honouring the history and artwork of First Nations people a Museum, exhibits & events, Bison preservation, and an on-site gift shop. wanuskewin.com

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ LEESENSEI; JASON DIAL OF SUITE 1491; INDIGENOUS TOURISM CANADA (X2);TRAVEL MANITOBA; TOURISM SASKATCHEWAN

Manito Ahbee Festival

INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Powwows

CULTURAL SITES

By far, the powwow dancers’ colourful regalia, precise footwork, singers, and powerful, pounding drumbeats make your blood stir. If you’ve never attended a powwow, here is a site that explains powwow etiquette: canadianpowwows.ca/ dos-and-donts

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site Fort McLeod, Alberta Multi-award-winning cultural centre explores this traditional hunting site, archeological sites, museum, educational tours and programs, walking trails, and viewing terrace. Stunning site. headsmashedin.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA 43rd Annual Kamloopa Powwow June 28–30, 2024 Kamloops Little Ravens Powwow August 2–4, 2024 Cowichan Exhibition Grounds, Duncan

Kainai Pow Wow & Celebration 2024 Jul 19–21, 2024 Standoff

Squamish Nation Youth Powwow 2024 July 5–7, 2024 Xwmelch’stn Village, Capilano Field

Beaver Lake Pow Wow Aug 4–6, 2024 Lac La Biche

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Lead by Example Pow Wow 2024 Jun 7–9, 2024 Strathmore & District AG Grounds 122 Brent Boulevard, Strathmore

National Indigenous People’s Day Traditional Powwow Jun 19, 2024 North Battleford

Calgary Stampede Elbow River Camp July 5–14, 2024 Calgary

Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation Competition Pow Wow July 25–27, 2024 Beardy’s & Okemasis’ Cree Nation c

Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park Siksika, Alberta Enter their stunning facility and embark upon an unforgettable journey. Beautifully appointed museum and exhibits and performances to enjoy an authentic, Blackfoot cultural experience. Also, tipi camping, drumming, dancing, Knowledge Keeper storytellers. blackfootcrossing.ca Writing-On-Stone World Heritage Site Located 32 km East of Milk River, Alberta Join a park interpreter for a guided tour into the Archaeological Preserve at Writingon-Stone/ Áísínai’pi. The cultural site integrates the natural environment, cultural features, human experiences and spiritual perceptions into one. albertaparks.ca

Lodge & Cabin Rentals

Horse Backing, Hiking, Fishing, Canoeing & Wildlife Watching

PHOTO: TRAVEL ALBERTA

Special Events

825-600-5161 rock lake - alberta - canada info@rocklakeearthlodge.com www.rocklakeearthlodge.com

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KEEPER OF THE WEST

THE WINTER THAT CHANGED THE WEST

BY HARRY OTTERSON | CONDENSED AND EDITED FOR CLARITY BY TOM REARDON

Last summer, Canadian Cowboy Country ran a two-part article about a roundup of Montana cattle in Canada. Harry Otterson oversaw that massive undertaking. A year and a half later, he returned to Canada. In his own words, this is his story, published in Brave Heritage / Shepherd (1967) and Range Riders and Sodbusters (1984).

THE FATEFUL JOURNEY TO THE T-DOWN BAR

“In the early dawn on the morning of November 15th, 1906, my wife Ella and I left Malta, Montana, to drive northward to the Bloom Cattle Company’s Canadian holdings known as the T-Down Bar Ranch. It was located on the Whitemud

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River [local slang for Frenchman River] about five miles [8 km] downstream from the present-day town of Eastend, Saskatchewan. The distance was 125 miles [200 km], and as the country was unsettled, we had to gauge each day’s travel to ensure that we had a ranch to stop at overnight.

We were driving a real pair of broncho horses and a buckboard, and we were also leading a saddle horse tied to the side of the team. This was a gentle and lovely horse of great endurance. The extra horse was a kind of insurance in case of getting lost on the trail and to scout around when uncertainty arose. By 11 o’clock, we had

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

GONE IN A FLASH, OIL ON LINEN, BY GREG BEECHAM, WITH PERMISSION. GBEECHAM.WORK

PART 1 OF A 2PART SERIES

KEEPER OF THE WEST

reached some unoccupied ranch buildings, and we fed our horses [oats in nosebags] and ate a good lunch.

Starting north again, we made good progress until four o’clock, when it began to rain. We were headed for Chris Maloney’s ranch, but the rain soon turned to snow, and we could not see 50 feet [16 meters] into the storm. The trail was completely obliterated so I decided I would take the saddle horse and hunt for the coulee near which I knew the ranch must be.

My wife did not relish the idea of being left alone in the storm with a restive team of broncs, but I assured her that I could find my way back to her.

After I had located the coulee, I returned to where my wife had the team and buckboard backed up to the storm. She declared that I had been away three hours, but she must have been a little out somewhere as I had only ridden three or four miles, but I could appreciate her feelings. There was no trail, but we drove up to the coulee, and after what seemed hours, we saw a light and

“After an hour or so, the mirage disappeared, and there was no landmark to guide us.” heard dogs barking. The light through the window was the most agreeable sight, as you can imagine.

We stayed overnight, and the next morning the rain had ceased but a dense fog hung over the land and we hesitated to leave as there was no trail headed to the Brockaway ranch which was to be our next stop. At noon, the fog still held, but as we were anxious to be on our way, we started off. I was satisfied that I could find my way on the saddle horse. My wife followed, driving the team and buckboard. At three o’clock, the fog lifted. I found my bearings, tied my horse to the team and relieved my

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SWIFT CURRENT

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wife of the driving. She said she had a few panicky moments coming through the hills when she lost sight of me and was pretty proud of her feat. We made the Brockaway ranch and were warmly received.

The next morning, November 18th, a real blizzard was going on and heavy snow was falling — snow which was not to go away until April. As it continued to storm, we stayed two days at Brockaway’s when I decided to ride on by saddle horse to the T-Down Bar where I was to be in charge for the winter. The ranch was 65 miles [105 km] away with no houses between and few landmarks. I thought this was the best thing to do and leave my wife with the Brockaways. But she was no quitter, and no amount of argument could persuade her to stay. She was flatly determined to see it through. So, the next morning at four o’clock, we sat down to a hearty breakfast. All of us were trying to discourage Mrs Otterson from starting out. We met with no success.

The weather was clear, cold and still. It was about 12 below zero [-25 C]. We said goodbye to our kind friends and rattled through the rocky hills. At sunrise, we crossed the Canadian line that was marked by a pile of boulders.

The air was crystal clear, and I could see the height of land near the Eastend Royal North-West Mounted Police barracks, which marked the southernmost point of the Cypress Hills, and our route to the ranch lay a few points to the right. After an hour or so, the mirage disappeared, and there was no landmark to guide us. The prairie was a white blanket of snow, but after a two-day rest, I made the team step out, for I was uneasy about the weather and the responsibility of having my wife along. Occasionally, we saw bands of range horses and we were never out of sight of antelope at any time that day; we were on one of the largest antelope ranges in the West.

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KEEPER OF THE WEST

As we drove along, my wife and I discussed many things. While gazing at the great open country, we wondered if it would ever be settled by families and if it would be possible to live out on these bleak open plains in the wintertime. To the east, as we crossed the Line, there was not a building nor a homestead until one reached Wood Mountain 100 miles away [160 km]. To the west, there was nothing to the Willow Creek port of entry and only a few isolated ranches north to the CPR main line, so, there was ample room for us to get lost, freeze or starve to death. I was inclined to doubt that the country would be settled or railroads built in our time. At the moment, we were travelling where the town of Frontier is now located. I argued that the big cattle outfits would lease the whole country under the 21-year terms the Dominion government offered, and it would remain a vast cattle and horse range. Mrs Otterson did not agree. She thought that in the near future,

people would migrate into this district.

There was good grass six to eight inches [15 to 20 cm] tall on the plains, the many lakes were glistening with ice and people would have hay for the taking. Hardy grains and some vegetables would undoubtedly grow here but she doubted we would live to see a railroad built. We were both wrong on that score.

About 12 o’clock, we stopped and fed the horses, and I broke the ice in a lake to let them drink. Seated in the buckboard, we ate a generous lunch that Mrs Broadaway had provided. The afternoon was uneventful. Antelope were everywhere.

We saw several of the grey wolves known in the south as ‘Lobo.’ They were quite numerous on the Whitemud and killed a great many cattle during the winter months. At sunset, the Cypress Hills began to show up and at six o’clock, we drove up to the ranch buildings pleased with ourselves after 12 hours of travel in

below zero [-18 C] temperatures. The ranch hands were happy to see us as we were two weeks overdue.

At the ranch, we had a large woven wire corral built at the head of Horse Camp Coulee and the day after we arrived, the cowboys herded about 1,000 head of cows with their calves into this corral. In a surprisingly short time, we had the cows all

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ILLUSTRATIONS: ROB DINWOODIE

“… we had to gauge each day’s travel to ensure that we had a ranch to stop at overnight.”

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

KEEPER OF THE WEST

Harry and Ella Otterson, ca 1950s

“The ranch hands were happy to see us as we were two weeks overdue.”

below at night; it was not very pleasant. We had another 500 cows to gather, and we had to wean their calves. When we had gathered most of these cattle, a bad blizzard came along and stray cattle from all over drifted into our bunch and they all scattered. We eventually got back to the ranch with 300 calves. The men with me at the time were Ira Triplett, Jim Spurlock, Emmit Smith and Jack Brown. These were of the real dedicated cowboy breed.

Mrs Otterson quickly settled in on the T-Down Bar, and as she was an extremely good cook, she became exceedingly popular with the cowboys whose diet had previously been limited to sourdough and beef.” c In the upcoming Aug/Sep 2024 issue, read about the toughest five months of Harry Otterson’s life and The Winter That Changed the West — Part 2

IMAGE SCANNED FROM BRAVE HERITAGE BY SHEPHERD

out and when they had been herded away, we drove 800 bawling calves to a winter camp and secured them in a large pole corral. About midnight, I heard a clatter of hoofs from a running horse. It was Emmit Smith, and he yelled that all hell had broke loose and the calves had crashed through the corral and were out.

Every cowboy was awakened, and in no time, the night herder [Each evening the horses were turned out to graze. With no fences, a night herder was required so the horses could be corralled in the morning.] had the horses in and we had to go out in the dark and gather up small bunches of calves, which we could hear bawling in the darkness. By daylight, we had most of them back in the repaired corral. This happened about 30 miles [48 km] south of presentday Shaunavon.

The weather continued to be unsettled; the snow was deepening and we were camping in a tent most of the time. It was 10 to 20

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33

TRAILBLAZERS

Winston Bruce Rodeo Man

BY TERRI MASON

Lawrence Bruce and his son, Winston, 1959 Calgary Stampede

Winston Theodore Bruce was born and raised on a farm in the Gadsby-Donalda, Alberta, area.

This was the same land his grandparents had settled in the early 1900s. His early education was at a one-room schoolhouse called Willow Park.

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Winston’s father, Laurence Bruce, was a local rodeo stock contractor and saddle bronc rider who played a pivotal role in organizing the early central Alberta rodeos.

His influence would shape Winston's future.

Following in his father’s footsteps, at 14, Winston entered his first rodeo and, in his words, “cut his eye-teeth on rodeo in Stettler.”

The stage was set.

By the 1950s, Winston was well on his way to becoming a sporting legend, winning the Canadian Novice Saddle Bronc title in 1954 and ’55 and the Canadian Saddle Bronc Championship in 1957 and ‘58.

The next year, he won the two most coveted rodeos at the time, Calgary and Cheyenne,

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PEOPLE WHO SHAPED THE WEST

and then in 1961, he topped Winston’s career also off his year by earning the included bucking horses. DurWorld title. Winston qualified ing his tenure, the Stampede’s for the first ten National Finals rodeo stock program, Born Rodeos ever held. to Buck, gained prominence He also blazed a trail in throughout the rodeo world. the world of rodeo schools.

Perhaps the most famous of all Many graduates of his bronc the pairings happened because riding schools went on to of a conversation between championships, and it was Harvey Northcott and Winston. here that Winston coined the Harvey had a stud named phrase, “The money’s in the Wyatt Earp, and Winston mane, boys.” wanted those bloodlines in the In 1969, Winston was made herd. The result was the 1997 an offer he couldn’t refuse: to be stud colt Grated Coconut — the the Rodeo Manager and Arena stallion that turned a nice herd Director of the world-famous of broncs into the most awardCalgary Stampede. It turns winning, record-setting pen out that the mild-mannered of broncs and bares (bareback cowboy had a hidden side—a horses) the rodeo world has natural flair for the dramatic. ever seen—and they are still He chose to ride a distinctive setting records.

Appaloosa horse as the arena’s In 2002, Winston quietly director; he brought in special retired from the Stampede. In acts like trick riding and ropall, Winston had also served ing, clowns, music, and wild on the board of the Pro Rodeo pyrotechnics that launched the Cowboys Ass’n and was DirecStampede into the entertaintor for the Ass’n of Rodeo ment stratosphere.

Committees in Pendleton, He also had an unerring Oregon. He was inducted into eye for talented stockmen, and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in it didn’t matter from which Colorado Springs, the Canadian side of the border they hailed, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, the be it provincial or Medicine Appaloosa Hall of Fame, and Top: Winston Bruce on Red Wing, 1966 Line, he’d bring them in, many the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Above: Winston on one of his many Appaloosa’s that he’s ridden over to work on the ground crews He was named the Canadian the years. Notice the breast collar on his horse; it included some behind the chutes and picking Pro Rodeo Ass’n Cowboy of the of his most cherished buckles he’d won over the years. up in the arena for decades.

Year in 2005 and was inducted His accomplishments into the National Cowboy and and exploits were laudatory, but most introductions, Winston casually asked Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma. impressive of all was Winston’s eidetic (pho- him, “Are you a bronc rider?” There was It was the middle of the Calgary Stamtographic) memory for people and horses. an embarrassed shuffling of the Aussie’s pede in 2017 when two events collided.

If he met you once, he remembered you for boots, and he stammered out, “I used to ride Almost prophetically, the skies darkened, life, no matter how many years, pounds or torrential rains fell, and lightning flashed hair colour changes occurred between visits. hard and deadly over the Stampede The same was true for people he met. grounds. The power went out, the chuckThe soft-spoken legend could have been wagon races had to be cancelled, and the a snob with all he'd accomplished, but he Stampede was shut down. At the same time, wasn’t—he was inclusive. the news flashed behind the chutes—WinI recall visiting with Winston outside ston was dead. of the Westin Hotel in Edmonton when it broncs.” World Champion Winston calmly That fall, his family held an invitational was “rodeo central” during CFR when rodeo replied, “We’re all still bronc riders; we just bronc riding to honour him. There was no judge Tim Thompson joined us, and he had don’t enter as often as we used to.” more fitting way to celebrate the ultimate an Australian in tow. The Aussie was short, Later as we went our separate ways, rodeo man than with a band of whooplong past his prime and probably hadn’t that Aussie walked so tall you could ing, hollering bronc riders reaching for the seen his belt buckle in years, but after the read his buckle. ”money in the mane” once more. c

“Almost prophetically, the skies darkened...”

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50 TH ANNIVERSARY

A Half-Century of Strength HI-HOG FARM & RANCH EQUIPMENT

BY TERRI MASON

Myron and Andy are both in sales and work closely with the customer to design what works and fits in the available space.

The design work begins with the rancher’s sketch. A precise plan is designed with Auto-CAD, a computer-aided drafting program. Then, the livestock handling design is created and installed using interchangeable standard components; each powder-coated with their weather-resistant, signature HiHog Green. The designer (generally Myron or Andy) always factor in the “immovables,” such as water bowls, power poles, and barns, avoiding one-of-a-kind elements because “they’re expensive,” said Myron.

HORSES & RODEO

One of rural Alberta’s favourite success stories is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2024.

Founded in Calgary, Alberta, Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment has always been a beacon of excellence because of the staff’s commitment to craftsmanship, safety, and practicality. The brand of Hi-Hog has made it the “go-to” choice for farmers, ranchers, horse owners, and rodeo enthusiasts alike.

The company began as a family operation with the simple goal of building better hog penning and farrowing crates. As the demand grew, so did their product line and reputation.

BISON HANDLING Myron, a sales associate at Hi-Hog, brings hard-earned expertise to the job as he’s also a successful bison rancher near Admiral, Sask. His firsthand experience with bison makes him an invaluable resource when designing equipment that works.

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“On our ranch, we’ve been in bison for 28 years, and all of our neighbours thought we were nuts,” said Myron during a recent interview. “They asked, ‘What are you going to do during calving time?’ And we always responded, ‘Well, if you’re a fisherman, you go fishing. If you’re a golfer, you go golfing, and then you come back and count your calves,” he chuckled.

“To answer your question, yes—the equipment for bison does have to be very heavy duty as they’re still a wild animal, but they’re very trainable,” he explained.

“Equipment-wise, their needs are similar to cattle, but their flight zones are way bigger, so you have to design things a little bit roomier,” he said.

“For example, on our ranch, our holding pens are roomy, but when the bison are funnelled into the higher-pressure areas, the panels are heavier and taller. We also sheet in the sides, as a bison calf thinks if they can see through it, they can go through it, so we do that for their own protection.”

Hi-Hog also builds reliable, specialized rodeo equipment, including bucking chutes and roping chutes, along with their sturdy and smooth line of horse stalls and round pens.

“Our rodeo chutes are made in individual boxes,” explained Myron. “We start with one bucking chute and then add on however many chutes are required—every arena is different. We've had arenas that only put in one chute for a practice pen, and then we've outfitted arenas with up to 10 bucking chutes.”

Hi-Hog also has a “rodeo guy.”

“Andy (sales & logistics) is also a rodeo judge. So, he's got the best experience in designing rodeo arenas,” said Myron. “We have rodeo setups pretty well all over North America. We’re not going to be the lowest cost, but we have repeat customers from all over, and that’s always a good sign,” he said.

“Our portable panels are really popular with barrel racers and breakaway ropers,” continued Myron. “They fit sideways in most stock trailers and are light enough that even small barrel racers can lug them around. They can make a freestanding pen or a half circle and tether the panels to the trailer. They’re very versatile,” he said.

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

50 TH ANNIVERSARY

CATTLE HANDLING Hi-Hog’s cattle handling equipment is a game-changer for ranchers. Their hydraulic and manual cattle squeeze chutes, head gates, palpation cages, working alleys, crowding tubs, and livestock loading chutes ensure smooth handling and reduced stress for both animals and handlers. There are endless configurations to fit most situations, using standard products in most cases.

“Our calving/trimming chute is very versatile,” explained Myron. “It's multipurpose; both sides will swing wide open, so you have full access to both sides of the cow.

They’re built super heavy duty, and they're also very popular in vet clinics.”

After 50 years in the livestock handling business, Hi-Hog has earned its reputation.

“One thing I would like to say is that we’ve always done a few things very right,” said Myron. “We've got three weights of

cowboycountrymagazine.com

cattle panels and the heavy-duty bison panel. They’re designed to be versatile; you can take the lightest cattle panel, and it'll hook directly to a bison chute. That might not be the best idea ever, but the point is that you don't have to have adapters to go from light to medium to heavy to bison,” he said. “Because the adapters are always going to be under the snow when you need them.”

Spoken like a true rancher.

WHERE TO BUY HI-HOG “We encourage customers to go through our dealers,” said Myron. “It took us 50 years to get our dealer network, and our biggest distributor is Federated Co-op. Very few people on the Canadian prairies are more than a half hour from a Hi-Hog dealer.”

This is just a small sample of the wide range of products produced by Hi-Hog! For more, visit hi-hog.com. c

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RANCHING AND CONSERVATION:

A PARTNERSHIP FOR LIFE

When we lose a ranch, we lose nature. With a legacy of over 30 years working alongside Alberta’s ranchers, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is committed to helping you conserve the land you love.

Start Your Conservation Journey Today!

1-403-609-1482 | alberta@natureconservancy.ca

Photo by Leta Pezderic

WHAT WORKS FOR US

Grassy Butte Ranch

BY TERRI MASON

The Grassy Butte Ranch is in the Pincher Creek/Drywood area of southern Alberta, an area famous for its Chinook winds, and sweeping views of the Rocky Mountain foothills. Weathering it all is the fourth generation (and fifth in the wings) Vance family, taking care of the most increasingly endangered plant life on earth—native grass.

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39

WHAT WORKS FOR US

—Interview with Todd Vance, 4th generation rancher “What is the ranch's strength?” repeated Todd Vance. “I guess it's diversity. The location, access to water; the Dry Fork runs through here, and, there have been 43 wells hand-dug or drilled on this place. But overall, I’d say the biggest strength is family ‘cause that’s what started it, and family is what keeps it going.”

“Our other strength is that we're typically self-sufficient and grow all our own feed. We've got 200 acres in hay, 300+ acres in crop [their farming is hired out], and the balance in mainly native grass pasture.”

“With the farmland, we grow either barley or wheat. If we get a really good crop and weather permits, we'll combine some of it and green feed a bunch of it. We've never been a real fan of swath grazing—too much deep snow here; it doesn’t always work.”

“Basically, we put everything up in bales, and we're now processing everything through a twin screw like a TMR mixer.

We get better mileage out of the feed, and the cattle do better. This isn’t new; we've always had like a feedlot or background or own cattle or yearlings. I've just come up with the mobile TMR mixer. Everything gets mixed fresh every day. In the past, they used to use tub grinders and stockpile it, but the problem with that is, it's older, and if it's a little bit wet, it gets mouldy.”

“We've also switched to bunk line feeding for the majority of the winter season.

To control where we want manure, we can

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Above: Combining wheat and barley; Todd and Linda’s daughter Mayz, Chaz and Mckenna, Hailey and Nelz, Linda and Todd, son Daxz; Portable bunk feeders

move bunks around to the frozen hay field, stubble field, or pastures.”

“It helps with overall herd health; we know exactly what they're eating. There’s no waste either from feed getting tramped into the ground. Our feed costs are much lower because of less waste. Mind you, our processing costs went up, but I think it more than offsets. And if you ask my wife about it, she says it's a waste of time because it takes too long,” he laughs. “But yes, it is a bit timeconsuming. But again, I think that the gains and the cattle are not using as much feed, and they’re digesting it easier. So I think they do a lot better.”

Most of the major cattle work on Grassy Butte is still done on horseback, providing near-steady work for their remuda. They rope and use a NordFork at their brandings and trail the cattle with horses.

Their calving season has two full cycles beginning at the end of April, with branding occurring around July 1.

For them, using a Nordfork is fairly new, but “you can't always get a bunch of help. I'll be on the ground with some of the younger

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

WHAT WORKS FOR US help because you’ve got to make sure it's all done right,” said Todd. They also “drench” (pour the liquid into their mouths) the calves with painkillers.

After branding, they return to the creek pasture or to their “hold-up” native grass pasture, then a week later to summer grass, which is also native. In other years (dry years), the cattle are brought closer, and they feed at the bunk line, then to summer pasture.

“The important thing for us is to be selfsufficient and get a job done with what we have. We just sold last year's crop of calves yesterday (May 1, 2024]. We topped the sale with our steer calves. They were all natural—they weren't fed a bunch of silage and grain and pellets. It was all basically stuff we produced here.”

Like many ranchers, Todd’s wife Linda has a job in town, as do their kids, and Todd has some seasonal contracts, such as snow removal and when a certain oil company was working in the area, some land reclamation contracts.

Trailing cattle past the hill that Darryl called "the Church of the Long Grass," where his ashes are scattered

SUSAN REX JUST CHECKING

CALGARY STAMPEDE ART SHOW LOCATED IN THE WESTERN OASIS

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41

WHAT WORKS FOR US

AT A GLANCE

Left: Original homestead; 1898 Right: The late Darryl Vance and wife, Judy. She is now retired.

The other strengths of Grassy Butte are trying to stay on top of new ideas, not running brand new equipment, hiring out their farming [no specialized equipment] and rather than trying to keep up with the Joneses, operating on a cash basis—no operating loan.

“I don't want to say live within your means, but it definitely humbles you at certain times, and we plan ahead for some of the things we want to do,” said Todd.

“I guess it goes back to the way Dad did it. I went away from it for a while, being young and thinking I knew everything and trying new stuff. And, you know, now I'm right back to the way we did it 100 years ago, other than the TMR mixer, we're just trying to be self-sufficient.”

“We can't control the wrecks, but I’m certainly glad that I don't have a bunch of borrowed money on an operating loan— and that’s what works for us.” c

NAME: Grassy Butte Ranch OWNERS: Todd and Linda Vance and family ESTABLISHED: 1898 NEAREST TOWN: Pincher Creek, AB ELEVATION: 1,280M (4,200 feet) PRECIPITATION: 613 mm (24 inches) SIZE: 2 sections deeded + rented pasture BREED: commercial HERD SIZE: 180 cows CATTLE BRAND:

Hairpin 4 Running Bar, LR & RR

-HOG I H

50

YEA RS

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Attractive Box Stalls with Solid, all Welded Construction, made with Hi-Tensile Steel Tubing.

Outstanding Equine Equipment

We are Proud to manufacture our Equine Equipment in Calgary, Alberta, and have since 1974.

1-800-661-7002

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www.hi-hog.com

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

WESTERN EVENTS

Calgary Stampede Indigenous Winner, photographer Samantha Callioux, Surrender

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WESTERN EVENTS

What’s Happening & Where!

BY TERRI MASON

T

SEP 13–15, 2024 CAROLINE COWBOY MUSIC & POETRY GATHERING

ake in something new, plus take in your favourite events because here’s just a brief smattering of what's happening. We are so lucky to live in the West, so go on—treat yourself!

5103 48 Avenue Caroline, Alta Featuring Matt Robertson, Ed & Gail Peekeekoot, Eli Barsi, Ben Crane, Tom Cole, Travelling Mabels. Facebook

AUG 3–4, 2024 HAYING IN THE 30’S CANCER SUPPORT SOCIETY Mallaig, Alta Enjoy a nostalgic weekend filled with (almost) all horse-drawn or horse-powered everything, old-timey ways of doing things, especially haying, plus fabulous baking and music! hayinginthe30s.com

AUG 22–25, 2024 HEART OF THE HORSE Silver Sage Indoor Arena, Brooks, Alta This event has everything—top trainers, beautiful horses and a Night Show that surpasses Las Vegas. Advance tickets are highly recommended! theheartofthehorse.ca

AUG 4–6, 2024 COWBOY FESTIVAL

COWBOY FESTIVALS JULY 19–21, 2024 VILNA COWBOY FEST Vilna, Alta Camping, concessions, and under 17 are free! Sit back and enjoy a wealth of cowboy poetry and cowboy music. vilnaagsociety.com

Historic O'Keefe Ranch 9380 Hwy 97N Vernon, BC Friday, Cowboy Dinner Show and Campfire. Saturday Cowboy Daze.

Sunday Cowboy Church. okeeferanch.ca

SEP 6–8, 2024 ALBERTA COWBOY POETRY ASS’N TRAILS END 2024 Full Gospel Church High River, Alta albertacowboypoetry.com/trails-end

SAVE THE DATE

We are Back with Another Caroline Cowboy Music & Poetry Gathering!!

SEPTEMBER 13TH, 14TH AND COWBOY CHURCH ON SUNDAY THE 15TH 2024

LOCATION Caroline Community Hall 5103 – 48 Avenue, Caroline Alberta Free Dry Camping First come – first park!

Silent Auction and Market

WEEKEND PRICE $100.00 per person AFTERNOON SHOWS FROM NOON TO 5:00PM (Friday OR Saturday) $25.00 per person EVENING SHOWS FROM 6PM (Friday OR Saturday) $40.00 per person SUPPER (Friday and/or Saturday) $25.00 per person There will be a cash bar available from noon to 9:30pm. No Minors!

Tickets will be on Sale beginning May 1st at the Caroline Hotel, or the Rocky Chamber or direct thru anothercarolinegathering@gmail.com or call 403-722-3232

Find us on Facebook

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NOTE: Sunday there will be Cowboy Church with Ben Crane and friends. Everyone welcome.

After church, The Old Hotel will be hosting an open jam.

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

BILL BORGWARDT

Performance Line Up BJ Smith, Tribute to Bryn Thiessen with Ben Crane, Dean Pengelly, Edward Pimm, Mel Brown, Doris Daley, Ole Ugly, Tom Cole, Doc Mehl, Matt Robertson, Ed & Gail Peekeekoot, Eli Barsi, Tate Irving, and The Travelling Mabels.

WESTERN EVENTS CANADIAN PRO RODEO ASSOCIATION 2024 RODEO SCHEDULE JUNE Hand Hills, AB............................................................ June 1–2 Weyburn, SK * (SB) - NEW........................................... June 4 Brooks, AB................................................................. June 7–8 Lea Park, AB - SMS ................................................... June 7–9 Rocky Mountain House, AB....................................... June 7–9 Bonnyville, AB............................................................ June 7–9 Gleichen, AB * (SB).......................................................June 11 Stavely, AB...............................................................June 13-15 Wildwood, AB * (SB)....................................................June 15 Innisfail, AB............................................................. June 15-16 Wainwright, AB - SMS ...........................................June 21-23 Sundre, AB - SMS...................................................June 21-23 High River, AB.........................................................June 21-22 Bassano, AB........................................................... June 22-23 Fort MacLeod, AB - NEW...................................... June 25-26 Ponoka, AB - SMS............................................ June 25-July 1 Williams Lake, BC - SMS.................................. June 28-July 1 Raymond, AB..................................................June 29 & July 1 Airdrie, AB.................................................June 28-29 & July 1

PRESENTS

THE RANCH LIFE PHOTO CONTEST

JULY Benalto, AB..................................................................July 5-7 Teepee Creek, AB - SMS..........................................July 12-14 Bowden, AB..............................................................July 13-14 Morris, MB - SMS......................................................July 19-21 Kennedy, SK.............................................................July 20-21 Medicine Hat, AB - SMS......................................... July 25-27 Rockyford, AB......................................................... July 26-27 Pollockville, AB * (SB)...................................................July 27 Bruce, AB...................................................................... July 28 High Prairie, AB........................................................July 30-31 Stettler, AB * (SB) - NEW.............................................. July 31

SMS = SMS Equipment Pro Tour *SB = Saddle Bronc Dates are tentative; visit rodeocanada.com THE CANADIAN FINALS RODEO WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 2-5, 2024 IN EDMONTON, AB

The good folks at Canadian Cowboy Country magazine are putting together another photo contest!

This time, the contest is all about your Ranch Life – where you live and how you live. For full contest details, rules, regulations and prizing go to cowboycountrymagazine.com PHOTO BY TERRI MASON

cowboycountrymagazine.com

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WESTERN EVENTS

The Canadian Derby A THRILLING TRADITION

BY TERRI MASON

T

he Canadian Derby is one of three celebrated Thoroughbred horse races attracting racing enthusiasts and igniting the spirit of competition. Held at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino near Nisku (south of Edmonton), the competition is a highlight of the summer racing season.

ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION The Canadian Derby traces its lineage back to 1930 when it first thundered down the track at Polo Park Racetrack in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1941, the race donned its current moniker—the Canadian Derby— signifying its national prominence. With great fanfare, the race moved to Edmonton in 1957 after Polo Park closed. Over the following 60+ years, the purse swelled, and its prestige grew; top horses from Toronto and Montreal made the pilgrimage westward to compete in this thrilling contest.

In 2019, the prestigious race moved from Edmonton to the welcoming and expansive home of Century Mile Racetrack and Casino near Edmonton International Airport. The

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(SOME) PREVIOUS WINNERS & TIMES!

1-mile dirt track now witnesses fierce battles between three-year-old contenders.

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

The 95th Canadian Derby is slated for August 24, 2024. This is the place to strut your new hat and fabulous duds! Enjoy some terrific dining and visiting with Thoroughbred racing fans—and remember to place your bets.

The first post time is 3:45 p.m., and the premiere race, the Running of the 95th Canadian Derby, will run deep into the evening, so do plan on spending the day.

Go on—treat yourself and enjoy the finest racing in Alberta!

Abeliefinthislivin 2:03.00 Great Escape 2:01.35 Uncharacteristic 2:04.16 Real Grace 2:03.77 Explode 2:01.52 Sky Promise 2:20.11 Double Bear 2:17.06 Ready Intaglio 2:19.16 Academic 2:18.49 Edison 2:21.38 Broadway Empire 2:19.60 Toccetive 2:22.80 Freedoms Traveller 2:21.80 No Hesitation 2:23.40 Tommy Danzigger 2:23.00 Matt's Broken Vow 2:19.40 Footprint 2.19.60 Shillelagh Slew 2:19.00 Alabama Rain 2:20.80 Organ Grinder 2:22.60 Raylene 2:21.60 Lady Shari 2:19.40 Fancy As 2:18.00

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

THE WINNERS' ZONE While you’re at the races, join the Winners' Zone for your chance to be a part of Century Mile's exclusive contests and promotions, including vehicle giveaways, cash prizes, and more!

For more, visit cnty.com/centurymile Century Mile Racetrack and Casino — 4711 Airport Perimeter Rd, Edmonton, Alberta c

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

WESTERN EVENTS

Heart of the Horse A VISION UNBRIDLED

BY TERRI MASON

H

eart of the Horse is not merely an event; it’s a symphony composed of Niki Flundra’s love for these majestic creatures.

Created by Alberta’s internationally renowned, multi-award-winning liberty and trick rider, the event celebrates the art of horsemanship and Western culture.

This year, Niki is introducing a first in the colt-starting challenge world. At the 2024 event, she will feature couples in the colt-starting competition, which promises to be a unique and thrilling experience. The well-bred young horses are again being supplied by Bar Double M Ranch of Hillspring, Alta.

“The idea came about because Dustin [Flundra] and I pretty much do everything

“We know their techniques and what they're bringing to the table,” said Niki.

“They're really adding value to the event in

Another first being offered is their inaugural Canada’s Top Ranch Horse competition!

Here’s a glimpse of what Heart of the Horse offers—a wealth of educational and inspiring learning opportunities, and yes, there’s shopping!

• Colt-Starting Competition: The event kicks off with a colt-starting competition, where trainers showcase their prowess in gentling young horses.

• New! Canada's Top Ranch Horse Competition.

• Horse-Training Clinics: Niki invites top-notch trainers to share their wisdom.

• Western Artisans: Amidst the dust and hooves, artisans display crafts that echo the spirit of the West.

PHOTO BY ROD SINCLAIR

“I WANT TO INSPIRE CONNECTION SO THAT WE CAN ALL FURTHER OUR JOURNEY AS STUDENTS OF THE HORSE.” —Niki Flundra together; we work horses together, we ranch together, and it's just better to have help.

So we know people that work like that and decided it'd be neat to feature,” said Niki.

There are many good trainers, but since this is the inaugural event in the world, no one knows how many good training couples there are. So, Niki and Dustin had specific criteria, and the couples chosen were all known to them.

cowboycountrymagazine.com

a way that always puts the horse first. That's first and foremost to the Heart of the Horse.”

These couples are accomplished trainers in a variety of disciplines, and it will be fascinating to watch them! The powerhouse couples are Isaac and Kit Johnson of Purcell, Oklahoma, Jeff Taylor and Keely Durrell of Williams Lake, BC, and Elliot and Caitie Holtzman of Nocona, Texas.

• Entertainment: Liberty acts, trick riding, and the fantastic connections between horse and rider.

Niki Flundra’s Heart of the Horse is more than an event; it’s a heartbeat—a rhythm that echoes across prairies, canyons, and dreams.

Advance tickets are highly recommended!

Heart of the Horse, Aug 22–25, 2024, Silver Sage Indoor Arena, Brooks, Alta theheartofthehorse.ca c

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THE OFFICIAL EXPO OF THE CANADIAN FINALS RODEO THE OFFICIAL EXPO OF THE CANADIAN FINALS RODEO

CCE CCE 2024 2024 is is free free to to attend! attend!

What What to to Expect: Expect: •• Rural Rural Lifestyle Lifestyle Trade Trade Show Show •• Western Western Event Event Showcase Showcase •• Rodeo Rodeo Museum Museum Exhibition Exhibition •• Fashion Fashion && Talk Talk Shows Shows •• Kids Kids Activities Activities •• Western Western Art Art Show Show && Sale Sale

Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta Alberta

October October 22--66,, 2024 2024

COUNTRYEXPO.CA COUNTRYEXPO.CA

WESTERN EVENTS

Calgary Stampede Art Show!

THE INSIDE SCOOP

BY TERRI MASON

S

ince the very start of this worldfamous event, the Calgary Stampede has attracted artists.

While the irresistible pull of fine Western art hasn’t changed, the sheer scope, width, and breadth of artists showing and selling at the Stampede have grown to epic proportions.

This year, visitors will also experience the showcase in the brand-new BMO Centre, home to one of the most sought-after areas of the Stampede grounds. Here, you will find art, music, photography, creative skills, air conditioning, places to sit and even a wine bar.

If you’ve never been, here are the “Cliff Notes” (in Canada, the “Coles Notes”) on the Western Art Show and its many categories to give you an idea of what to expect and trust me, everything here is a “must-see.”

Every square foot of the Western Oasis (and it is an oasis from summer sun and rodeo dust!) offers something to enjoy.

An art collector's first stop is the Artists’ Studios area, which features Canadian and American artists and their stunning art in exclusive settings.

The Art Gallery is also a must-see as you’ll discover new-to-you artists and their original works of art. Featured artists are selected by a jury, and their art pieces range from traditional to contemporary to abstract and in every medium possible.

The Miniature Masterpieces Salon Wall features original smaller art (100 sq in or less) priced at $300 or less. I especially love these small artworks that have a big impact!

The Stampede’s Photography Competition highlights the breadth of talent focused on a predominantly Western theme. The Photo Gallery allows juried images for sale and display—and here, “a picture is worth a thousand words” tells a story.

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Artist Neepin Auger, Rising Sun

Be sure to saunter over to the Window on the West stage, also located in the Western Oasis. This stage features great local singers, songwriters, and musicians.

And then, just like the county fairs, strolling through the Creative Arts & Crafts area is a fun discovery, as here, superb craftspeople have entered everything from dollmaking to exquisite quilting—you name it!

And here’s an inside scoop: As you know, Calgary has long offered scholarships, and the organizers love to get artists involved. In 2024, the committees are presenting various

artists with cowboy hats, and they are given carte blanche to turn them from a Western wardrobe staple into an art piece! Each will be auctioned off in support of the Calgary Stampede Scholarship Fund.

Each part—the rodeo, midway, stages, marching bands, carriage rides, and barn tours—comes together to make the Stampede the greatest show on earth, and for me and about a million others, the Western Showcase is my favourite stop.

For more, calgarystampede.com/stampede/ attractions/western-oasis c

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WESTERN EVENTS

Whoop It Up in Lethbridge!

LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT PRO RODEO AUG 22–24, 2024

BY TERRI MASON

D

eep in southern Alberta, the city of Lethbridge has always had a fabulously checkered past of outlaws and renegades. Today, it’s no different, but now, the outlaws are in the rodeo arena and are some of the top stock of the professional rodeo world.

“When we recommitted to rodeo three years ago, we really wanted to get back at the highest level and be a “Top 10” money rodeo,” said Paul Kingsmith, the director of Community Engagement for the Lethbridge & District Exhibition.

“Rodeo is such a key part of our history,” he continued. “We wanted to be a key stop on the SMS Equipment Pro Tour to get the best competitors, the best livestock and the best rodeo producer in Kynan Vine.

We’re working towards being one of the top rodeos in Canada.”

Lethbridge, founded in the mid-1800s, has a rep for doing things in a big way.

These days, they have the largest trestle bridge in the world and boast the largest airshow in Western Canada. The area is also the traditional home of the vast Blackfoot Confederacy.

Lethbridge and its annual event, Whoop-Up Days (named after the mid1800s Fort Hamilton, nicknamed “Fort Whoop-Up” for various reasons, including its illegal whiskey trade), combine the two predominant cultures of the area—indigenous and immigrant—into a cross-cultural celebration.

“Everything—the powwow and the rodeo—is part of Whoop-Up Days,” explained Paul. “The powwow ends on Thursday, the day the rodeo starts. So, the first night is Blackfoot Confederacy Appreciation Night. We're working with the Confederacy to showcase their culture and

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celebrate the end of the powwow and the start of the rodeo,” he said.

Another exciting addition to the rodeo has also set Lethbridge as the leader in the rodeo world is including Indigenous Relay Races as part of the performance. They bring a fast, colourful and thrilling element to the rodeo each night. “We have teams that are top-level racers and high-profile champions,” said Paul.

Rodeo committees are especially keen on history; most are former competitors who know the rules of the road. This year, with the Canadian Finals Rodeo celebrating its 50th anniversary a full month early, the Lethbridge Pro Rodeo is perfectly positioned to attract the top riders and ropers because late summer is a key time for those who are chasing a berth in the Canadian Finals and National Finals Rodeo.

That’s where the money comes in. The top 12 money-earners in each event earn a berth in the CFR (top 15 for NFR), and Lethbridge pays well.

“We’re making it a rodeo that really does attract the best of the best, making it a key stop on the tour and giving the fans exciting late-season rodeo action because, at that time of year, the competitors have a lot riding on it.”

It’s all in the timing, and they’ve timed it just right so when the rodeo and relay races are over, the gates to the headliner performer act open, and rodeo goers can stroll over and listen to the best of the best. Make plans to head south and experience Lethbridge’s Pro Rodeo and Whoop-Up Days!

For more on Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo presented by Dennis’ Dirtworx / Whoop-Up Days, visit whoopupdays.ca. c

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

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WESTERN EVENTS ROAD TO THE CFR

Lucas Macza BACKYARD TO BIG TIME

Lucas Macza splitting 4-5-6-7th place in the long round after scoring 87 pts on Calgary Stampede’s W-1 Weekend Departure at the Hardgrass Bronc Match in 2023.

I

t’s a long way from test piloting a group of young colts in your own backyard to riding in front of tens of thousands of fans at RodeoHouston. Saddle bronc rider Lucas Macza was able to complete that journey this past winter.

“That was the coolest rodeo I’d been to,” beams the 26-year-old High River, Alta, cowboy. “The whole atmosphere was crazy and to actually do well and progress to the semi-finals proves a guy’s worth.”

Macza definitely proved he belongs among the current group of outstanding bronc riders. He finished the U.S.

52

winter run with over $27,000 in earnings to find his way into the top 20 of the World standings.

“The talent is so incredible,” offers Macza. “You need to draw really well and then use the good ones when you get them.

You can’t afford to waste them.”

Now the focus is on qualifying for CFR 50 in Edmonton.

“We’ll be going back and forth between the Canadian and U.S. rodeos,” confirms Macza, who will travel with Dawson Dahm and Layton Green in 2024. “Getting back to the CFR and finishing in the top five in Canada is the goal.”

Since buying his pro card in the summer of 2021, he has qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo for three straight years.

“I made it that year by going to just six rodeos,” reveals Macza, the son of stock contractor Ward Macza. “Just to be at the CFR with these guys is unreal.”

“Never would I have thought I’d be competing against them at the Finals. My dad used to give me a flank pass so I could watch the CFR, and I thought that was amazing. These other guys started earlier than I did. I just wasn’t ready to donate my entry fees.”

For that reason, you could call Macza a “late bloomer.”

“I played hockey until I was 18,” he says.

“As it got to be more competitive, I had to make a choice between hockey and rodeo.”

“I never got on a bronc until the fall of 2018. I never stayed on one for eight seconds for the first year-and-a-half riding at the amateur rodeos; probably about 30–40 horses. I was too stubborn to quit. The first one I stayed on was at Ralph Bergen’s arena near Nanton. We used to buck our young colts down there and that’s where I made my first ride. Felt like I rode Xplosive Skies that day.”

While Macza may be late to the party when it comes to bronc riding, he’s no stranger to rodeo.

“I helped Dad at the amateur rodeos,” begins Macza. “I’d get on steers or bulls, wherever the entries were short. I was also the guinea pig riding colts in the backyard at home.”

“I never got to get on Dad’s good horses.

My only chance came later when I drew them at a pro rodeo. Guess it goes to show you don’t need to start super young. You just need good fundamentals and good teachers.” c

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

PHOTO BY BILLIE JEAN DUFF.

BY TIM ELLIS

CLOWNIN’ AROUND | CRASH COOPER

ASH COOPER ART AND RANCH GALLERY

“I thought this was a gender reveal party.”

Censored

cowboycountrymagazine.com

53

COMMON THREADS

Festival Fashion

BY BRITTNEY CHOMISTEK

Photography: Zoe Kendall Photography | Hair: The Social by Red Velvet | Makeup: Aria Studios Outfit & Accessories by Lammle’s Western Wear

S

ummer festival fashions are often viewed as a rebellious trend consisting of distressed jeans, shorts, and mini skirts. Even though these styles will continue to be very popular this year, summer fashions for millennials can also have a softer look.

Nothing elevates a casual outfit quite like pairing it up with an investment piece.

Whether it’s a new pair of Lane boots or a piece from Double D Ranch Wear, you will never be disappointed. For one of my favourite styles in this fashion edition, I complimented some denim shorts with a button-up shirt and a fun Double D sweater from Lammle’s to create a unique layered look.

Many of the stylish looks featured here can be easily recreated by adding a Westerninspired accessory, jacket, or vintage piece to your summer wardrobe. I am always excited to see everyone’s fashion, so if you transform your light casual summer wardrobe by pairing it up with unique focal pieces.

Be sure to tag me on Instagram at Canadian Cowgirl Closet so I can share them for others to see. c

Tag us on Instagram @canadiancowgirlcloset @cowboycountrymagazine with your summer looks

Jewelry: Montana Silversmiths Shirt & Skirt: Rock and Roll Denim Boots: Lane Boots

Sweater: Double D Ranch Wear Denim Button Up: Roper Jean Shorts: Wrangler Boots: Lane Boots Hat: Smithbilt Hats Jewelry: Montana Silversmith

Denim Jacket: Double D Ranch Wear Skirt: Rock and Roll Denim Boots: Lane Boots

Hat: Smithbilt Hats

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

COMMON THREADS

After Hours

BY SHELLY CHOMISTEK

Photography: Zoe Kendall Photography Outfits and accessories courtesy of Lammle’s Western Wear

Fringe Leather Duster: Double D Ranch Boots: Lane Boots Hat: Bailey Hats

Shirt, Skirt, Shawl: Tasha Polizzi Hat: Bailey Hats Denim Shirt: Tasha Polizzi Suede Fringe Skirt: Scully Fringe Hide Purse: STS Boots: Lane Boots Concho Belt: Ariat

Hat: Bailey Hats

cowboycountrymagazine.com

R

eaching a certain age doesn’t mean giving up on your sense of style. Instead, it's a time to embrace your unique fashion choices. It's about finding flattering pieces that not only make you feel comfortable but also empower you to express your style with confidence.

Attending a night show after the rodeo is always a great way to end the evening.

However, even at a summer event, the evenings can be cool, so layering your outfit is the best way to transition between the two temperatures.

My generation has worn its share of mini-skirts and cut-off denim, but as we have matured, we tend to lean towards more sophisticated and stylish pieces. Long skirts or dresses can be conservative yet fun when paired with a great pair of boots, giving the perfect western flare for rodeo outfits.

These statement boots or a Western fashion hat can transform staple pieces from your closet, like skirts, dresses, or sundresses, into a timeless Western outfit. Pull out one of your favourite spring dresses and add Western boots and accessories to create a new look.

To accent your boots, don’t be afraid to tuck them in or roll the pant leg to create a stronger focal point and bold look. If you are my age, however, you may find boots a bit too hot in the summer, but this same outfit could be paired with tooled leather sandals for a more conservative and classic Western look.

Lammle’s has a great selection of long skirts and footwear to achieve your desired fashion. c

Concho Belt: Ariat

55

ARTS & CULTURE

PORTRAIT

MEET JENNIFER MACK WILD AT HEART

BY TERRI MASON

Left to right: Carrots VII, 72"x24"; Levi, 72"x24; "Steely, 72"x24"

cowboycountrymagazine.com

57

ARTS & CULTURE

PORTRAIT

Baldur 48"x36"

Sugar 72"x24"

Salty 48"x48"

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J

ennifer Mack was born in the Canadian “big sky” country near the farming community of Acme. Her parents had a mixed farm—grain and livestock—and with children, they also had horses.

“We rode under big, big, open prairie skies,” said Jennifer, speaking of her family. Her siblings were “much older,” and other than keeping up with them on her pony, she spent a lot of her time drawing horses.

What started as a hobby soon became a passion, so she enrolled at Alberta College of Art and Design, an educational marathon that took seven years to complete.

“I majored in textiles and ceramics,” she explained. “I didn’t take any painting classes because the instructor would not let me paint horses—she wanted me to broaden my horizons.”

In between college semesters, she was struck by wanderlust and travelled the world—to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Italy, and India. After one of her sojourns abroad, she came back to Canada, got married, had kids, graduated, and divorced. She packed up her kids and followed the trade winds, this time landing in South Africa, in Namibia.

It was an almost mystical encounter with a herd of feral horses in the Namib Desert off the Skeleton Coast that changed the artist’s life.

“It was just horses and a rocky, white landscape as far as the eyes could see, and not a stitch of grass anywhere. Someone had dug a borehole for them for water, and they just hung out there, just waiting for rain and for the grass to grow,” she explained.

“The stallions were doing their thing, prancing around, fighting with each other and the mares and babies were off on the side. We spent a couple of days there. And I was blown away by the scene—it was just horses. That was it. There was really no other scenery. So, I thought, ‘I got it.’ I’ve got to go back to drawing and painting horses because this is where my heart's at.”

Jennifer took the experience as “a sign,” and after seven months in Namibia, she packed up her two little kids (ages 5 and 7), came back to Calgary, and started painting.

“The best thing I could do was horses, so I carried on with something I know,” she

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

ARTS & CULTURE

PORTRAIT

Cookies and Cream 36"x48"

said. “I painted like my life depended on it.

I worked from home because I had two kids.

I wanted to raise them myself, and I did.”

That was 20 years ago.

Her paintings still harbour that intangible element that reflects her youth and the impressions made by the feral horses on the white earth of Namibia. The horse is more than the focus of the painting; it is the painting. Lately, influenced by her three seasons of a summer job in a fire tower up

by Fort McMurray and also her day-riding adventures in Kananaskis Country, Jennifer is starting to paint some wildlife—but just the ones that can kill you.

“I got to see a lot of bears and wildlife,” she relates. “And that's not nothing to fool around with.” Even through their danger, a deep respect for their nature comes through.

All told, Jennifer’s choices worked out for her and her kids. She remarried and is near DeWinton now, well out of the range of skyscrapers. Her daughter Annika is a tattoo artist on Saltspring Island, and her other daughter Ahami is an airline pilot for Air Canada. So, the wanderlust and artistic talent came down through the blood—and so did the love of the big, big sky.

Jennifer Mack is represented by the Blue Rock Gallery in Black Diamond, Alta, and Bright’s Gallery in Collingwood, Ontario.

Her website is jmackfineart.com. c

cowboycountrymagazine.com

“

“I painted like my life depended on it.”

Spring Rain 60"x36"

Jennifer and Irish Three Amigos 40"x40"

59

COUNTRY COOKING

60

Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

COUNTRY COOKING

Chuckwagon Cooking

BY KENT AND SHANNON ROLLINS

BANANA PUDDING

COWBOY WAGON CHEESESTEAK SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup milk • 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk • 1 5-oz package instant vanilla pudding • 1 ½ cups heavy cream • ½ cup sugar • 6 ripe bananas • 1 11 oz box vanilla wafers

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5–3 lb. Skirt of Flank Steak • Lime juice • Meat tenderizer • Red River Ranch Mesquite • 1 red bell pepper • 1 green pepper • 1 Large yellow onion • 2 Tbsp butter melted • Cheese sauce • About 6 hoagie rolls

DIRECTIONS

1. R ub lime juice all over one side of the steak. Sprinkle on the meat tenderizer and rub in, followed by the Red River Ranch Mesquite (or seasoning of your choice).

Repeat on the opposite side. Cover and place in the icebox for 6 hours or overnight.

2. R emove the steak from the icebox about 30 minutes before grilling.

3. S lice the peppers into large pieces and remove the seeds and veins. Cut the onion into large slices. Place the veggies and steak on a cleaned and oiled grill. Grill until the steak is medium-rare to medium and the vegetables are tender and slightly charred.

4. A llow to cool. Chop the veggies and place in a large cast iron skillet with the butter.

Chop the steak and stir in with the veggies.

Allow to simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. M eanwhile, put together the cheese sauce (below).

6. B utter the inside of the hoagie rolls and place butter-side down on the grill. Grill until toasted.

7. S poon the meat and veggie mixture on top of the hoagies and top with the cheese sauce. Serve warm.

MEXICAN STREET CORN INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp sour cream • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise • 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling • 1 tablespoon lime juice • ½ tsp chili powder • ½ tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp ground cumin • ¼ tsp ancho chile powder • 6 ears sweet corn, shucked • Olive oil • Salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. I n a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and ancho chile powder.

2. R ub the corn with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper 3. C lean, oil and preheat the grill to mediumhigh. Place the corn on the grill, close the lid if using one and cook, turning frequently until lightly charred and softened, about 10 minutes.

4. R emove the corn from the grill and let cool slightly. Generously brush with the sour cream mixture, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and serve immediately.

DIRECTIONS

1. I n a chilled medium bowl, add the cream and sugar and beat with a mixer until stiff.

Cover and set in the ice box.

2. I n a large bowl beat the milk, pudding mix, and condensed milk until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. I n a small bowl, mash 1 very ripe banana with a fork until smooth. Beat the mashed banana into the pudding mixture. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes or until it reaches a thick pudding consistency. Meanwhile, thinly slice the remaining bananas 4. Place half of the vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking pan.

5. F old half of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. Evenly spoon the pudding mixture over the vanilla wafers, then layer the sliced bananas and remaining whipped cream. Crumble the remaining vanilla wafers and spread over the top.

6. C over and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until you are ready to serve.

Kent Rollins began cooking in an outfitter’s camp in New Mexico and later bought a chuckwagon and kept the historic tradition alive.

He was proclaimed the Official Chuck Wagon of Oklahoma in 1996. Kent and his wife, Shannon, have released three cookbooks so far, A Taste of Cowboy, Comfort Food the Cowboy Way and Faith, Family & the Feast. For more, visit kentrollins.com

cowboycountrymagazine.com

61

COWBOY POETRY

Thanks

BY TERRI MASON

Where the wind turns the page And blows through the sage Stirring the grass ‘neath my feet The wind is calmer up there Like a soft hand on a mare When her back and the saddle first meet The grass it is tall and scattered through all The blessings, the tears and the prayers are my heartfelt thanks for the two halter shanks And the ton on each end of it there They’re big, white and sassy And they sure do look classy hauling bundles with flair ‘cross the field There is none to compare with my Percheron pair as they haul in the harvest yield

Or when we ribbon the soil as they dutifully toil Pulling the horse-drawn disc Or mowing the hay on a hot summer’s day Can it get any better than this?

How their personality shines rubbing up against mine And I’ve learned about their quirks Lefty’s a little…afraid but Pancho is brave And together, they’re stronger than ‘Herc Yet it’s at the end of the day in their slow, measured way We are slowly heading for home When the harness is stripped the oat pail is dipped and we’re tired right down to the bone That I give silent thanks For the long halter shanks And the ton attached on each end As you answered my prayer I had cast in the air Thanks, to my Church in Long Grass Friend.

This poem was written in memory of the late Darryl Vance, whose family gave me his team of Percheron geldings, Pancho and Lefty, after his passing.

Darryl’s humour always lived on as Pancho drove on the left, and Lefty drove on the right. – Terri Mason

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Canadian Cowboy Country June/July 2024

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His ashes are there In the Church of the Long Grass North of the Medicine Line Where the Vance’s have ranched since the century turned And their lives entwined with mine

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