Years of Experience
This veteran cowboy has obviously gotten off his horse plenty of times to pick up his hat, that he doesn't mind the ribbing for wearing a stampede string to keep it on. Fashion-conscious cowboys (and cowgirls), who won't use one, end up having to dismount and chase their hats when they get blown off.
|
Bad Catch
There is no way to control a heifer when the head catch slips to her mid-section. The rope has to be removed and the throw redone.
|
Dally
When the heifer is roped, the cowboy dallies by wrapping his rope around the saddle horn to allow his horse to hold the heifer.
|
Turning the Heifer
Once the header has roped the heifer and dallied his rope, he stops his horse to turn the heifer to help the heeler for his throw.
|
Tough Pull
Robby and his horse brace as the heifer hits the end of the rope at a run.
|
Heeler
The cowboy leans out of his saddle to get a better shot at the heels.
|
Determined Heeler
Robby provided much entertainment with his 'no hold back' attitude to getting the job done.
|
Heeling
The header turns the heifer, and the heeler throws his rope just in front of the back feet to try to catch both hooves.
|
Rearing
The header's horse rears as the rope is pulled tight around the heifer to turn her for the heeler's throw. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Ready to run
The two ground crew cowboys must wait in the corner until their teammates on horses rope the heifer.
|
Ground cowboys run out
Once the heifer is roped, the ground cowboys run out with the branding iron. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Running with the iron
The cowboys grab the paint-coated branding iron and run out to the roped calf to do their part.
|
Bringing the heifer down
Heifers do not go down as easily with just one back foot caught by the rope. The ground crew has to help bring her down.
|
Taking a fall
This cowboy is pushed to the ground as he tries to roll the heifer over onto the ground to position her on the correct side for the branding. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Bringing the heifer down
The ground cowboys have to throw the heifer on her side. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Securing Front Feet
The front of the heifer is secured by taking the rope off of her neck and wrapping it around both front feet.
|
Securing Back Feet
If only a single back foot is roped by the heeler, the ground crew finishes the job by adjusting the rope to hold both back feet. It is important that both the front and rear feet are secured before the branding is done.
|
Could be disaster
Once the mounted cowboys have roped the heifer, the ground team must finish securing the ropes. Normally, one rope is taken off and retied at a time, keeping the heifer secured. In the rush against the clock, the cowboys here have taken the ropes off both the front and hind legs at same time, leaving an instant where the heifer isn't secured. The header cowboy pushes the cow's head up and holds her nose while the heeler secures the hind legs. Had the heifer broken free, the entire roping process would have had to be done all over again.
|
Everyone watches
There is good-natured ribbing and comraderie as all the cowboys watch the teams take their turns to try and beat the clock and best each other.
|
Family of cowboys
Cowboying is a family affair, with kids seeing all the action and learning the life from a very young age.
|
Roll Over
This brand has to go on the left side of the animal. After securing the heifer, this one must be rolled over to be in the proper position for placement of the brand.
|
Tight Rope
With his hands full and slack in his reins, Charlie has to stretch to pull his horse back and keep the rope tight.
|
Branding
The header and heeler keep ropes tight to secure the heifer while the ground cowboys apply the brand.
|
Branding
The header's horse rears back while holding the front rope tight as the cowboys on the ground brand the secured heifer.
|
Getting ready to brand
Typically the animals being branded at real brandings are small, young calves, which wouldn't require so much man-handling.
|
Planting the brand
Once the heifer is secure and on the correct side, the branding is done. In a real branding, this would be done with a red hot iron which must stay on the animal for several seconds to burn in the brand. The animal doesn't like this one bit which is why the legs must all be tightly tied to prevent undue injury to the animal and people working nearby to get the job done.
|
Releasing the ropes
Once the branding is done, the cowboys take the ropes off the heifer's legs and let her go.
|
Branded Heifer
|
Keeping Time
The teams have eight minutes to try to rope and brand all four heifers.
|
Rope and saddle
Cowboy's saddle. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Cowboy Boots
Some cowboys wear their jeans inside their boots, some on the outside. Photo by Tara Bolgiano, Blushing Crow Photography.
|
Gettin er done
This team works with precision to get the heifer branded.
|
Winner Congratulations
The winning team congratulates each other.
|
