Cutting Show

We went into Ponoka for supper on Friday night and on the way home, it was raining, this we knew was a bad idea since we knew snow was forcasted.  We got home and when we got up Saturday morning it looked not too bad, so we went over to the barn and we werent sure if the show was a go cause in front of the cow guys trailer was a 4 foot drift.  But he made it and the show was a go.  I was warming up one of Vics horses he was gonna use as a turnback horse and after that I got to watch most of the show. 

They do the regular cutting classes first, which is where the horse does all the work and your hand is down on thier neck, its pretty cool, but the horse has to be well trained.  After that is the ranch cutting classes which are where you can still hold on to the reins and direct the horse.  This is where the horse is still learning.  This is where I would have competed.  Also where Jardi competed with Avril in th Open class, and Maddie in the youth class.  I believe they are ACHA shows (alberta cutting horse association)  but not totally sure.  They call it Rimcuts, which used to be held in Rimby but has been moved to Ponoka.

After the show was over, we used thier used cattle to practice on again and I still have trouble getting a cow out of the herd, but I can scoop one off the front.  After that we had a few more awesome turns and we had to quit.  But before we left the arena we stood in the corners while Bill Speight worked a 3 year old, that was pretty cool to watch him work with that colt and he sure improved.

The weather looked bad, so we thought we would stay overnight and go home Sunday afternoon.  I had learned so much, I just wanted to ride more, but I knew our horses were done.

The first two are Matt, a high school rodeo kid I was practicing on, and the second twoa are Jardi and Avril.  I still got to practice my timing cause its not quite right, but I think I will have lots of chances in the next few weeks.

Fun Times on The Rosemary Lease

Today I went down to help CCC and her cowboy move some more cows.

We took the Finnegan Ferry cause its been a long time since shes been on it, and her Dad never has.

It was a little foggy.

First we cleaned out a field they moved yesterday and only me and CCC found any cows.

The grass out there is pretty tall and there were many sandhills for cows to hide in.

After that, we moved all the cows out of that field into the field they will round up out of on Saturday.

It took us about 6 hours or so and it wasn't warm, but I never got cold.

Did I mention it was foggy?

These calves were pretty sure thier mommies were on the other side of the gate.

All in all, no better way to spend a day!

Suprise Party

All week long, we have been planning a suprise 50th birthday party for Jardi. It has been hard to see her everyday and not say something about it. It was on Thursday night and she was told her husband and sons were gonna take her for dinner, so she never even thought about a party. It was awesome when she walked in and was just totally surprised.

We ordered steaks from Riverside Packers

and a cake with her picture on it from Co-op. Everyone was asked to bring a side dish or appetizer. There was a tone of food and I'm sure no one went hungry.

We at the barn, gave her a camera cause she claims always to not have pictures of anything, so now she will. She already has taken a bunch.
From her husband she got flowers and some TV series on DVD called Big Love. They don't have cable or dish, so there all new series to them. She got a couple of bottles of wine from friends and a stone.

Then the next morning, yesterday I think, me and Shelly and Jardi had planned to go out for breakfast because we needed to get together and we couldn't tell Jardi we were gonna see her Thursday night, so we had a awesome breakfast at whiffs pancake house. I had peach and strawberry crepes with whipped cream, wow is that ever good.

I went riding with Lu on Dot, then Shelley phones back and asks if we want to go to the horse sale in Stettler cause her daughter wants to buy a cheap colt and sell it for more next year, so she ended up with a papered bay roan filly, looks pretty nice and for only $225. Then we went out for Chinese food and I was so full, still am, not sure I need to eat for another week.