Real Cowboys

I am fortunate to have grown up with my grandfather as a cattle rancher in Florida.  Granddaddy ran about 2000 head on the rolling hills and grassland near Ocala, Florida.  We went to Florida every year for Christmas with Grandmother and Granddaddy.  Granddaddy's branding was always the day after Christmas, when he had plenty of sons-in-law to help.

At our Winchester Ranch Branding and almost every day, we see real cowboys.  It has been fun for us to get to know them and see them in action.  Western cowboys work hard, as grass doesn't grow as quickly as rocks in southeast Arizona!  We really appreciate all the cowboys and girls that help us each year at our Branding.  This year was particularly special, as Colter was able to "be in charge," just 10 weeks after breaking his leg.

Watching all these guys and girls round up the cows, rope in the corral, throw the calves down, brand, give shots, and be mindful of all the children participating in the Branding, was like watching an intricate dance.  Beautiful!

 

 

The Branding

Our Winchester Ranch Branding was one week ago today!  It was a beautiful day, with cloudy skies that became clear by mid morning.  Everyone came to enjoy the day!  There were smiles and hugs and everyone had a good time!  Some of the most memorable events of the day took place during the Branding, as the cowboys were so attentive to the children.  The cowboys were ready with a helping hand at all times.  They were anticipating every move of the calves and the children.  Jacob, Colter Lee, and Madilyn roped.  Traven, Rio, Sadie, Remington, Carson, Grace, Ethan, and Gabriel had a great time!  It was controlled chaos! 

Cutting the Herd

Once in the corral, the cowboys separate the calves from the mother cows.  The process of "cutting" is necessary and takes a bit of time.  The cowboys and their horses do this regularly and are beautiful to watch.  Everyone else finds a good spot along the sides of the corral.  

Once cutting is over, Colter lets the first group of calves into the small corral, and the kids get their turn to chase the calves.  This part of the day is fun for everyone! 

 

At the Corral

The cows were driven down the last hill and into the corral.  It was a long morning for the cowboys and girls, and everyone was happy to get drinks and snacks, and to relive the morning's ride.  The real work was soon to begin!

Moving Cattle Down the Mountain

Once most of the cows were gathered, the cowboys moved them slowly down the mountain, in three groups.  There was lots of bawling going on, so it was noisy, but it was a smooth operation.