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Ranch rodeo tests real cattle farming skills

Cowboys try their skills at the Ponoka Ag Society Ranch Rodeo last weekend.
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Flewelling Livestock team comprising Brent Flewelling

Thirteen teams of four riders competed at the “Doing it in the dirt” ranch rodeo organized as part of the Ponoka Agricultural Fair activities on Saturday, Aug. 29, with competitors being required to demonstrate their skills in real life cattle farming practices from branding animals to saddling horses.

The teams raced against time in the following competition categories:

-Cattle doctoring, similar to team roping with the difference being the cattle has to be penned from among the herd before being roped;

-Cattle sorting: Starting from an announced number, the herd should be sorted in sequential order;

-Cattle branding: A team has to brand three calves after heeling them in a given amount of time;

-Cattle loading: Each team has to load to a trailer two calves in sequential numbers, one of which is to be announced, in addition to two of their horses and close the latch with all riders getting into the vehicle within three minutes;

-Wild saddle horse race: Two team members have to saddle a horse once it’s been roped by another team member.

The competition took place with very strict judging and points were awarded only after all of the requirements of the competition rules were fulfilled.

In cattle loading, for instance, out of the 13 teams only four could have official times as several teams were disallowed points for minor errors such as improperly closing the trailer’s latch.

The top three teams at the end of a full day of competition were as follows:

1stFlewelling Livestock – Brent Flewelling, Dan Dixon, Cody McBride and Geoff Hoar

2ndR Bar Ranch – Will Mackinaw, Travis Jordon, Frank Gillard Gary Toews

 

3rdS O Ranch – Doug Cox, Rita Cox, Cody Cox and Megan Wills