The ranch rodeo that was a hit last summer is coming up again on June 12 at 5 p.m. at the Kimball-Banner County Fairgrounds.
Eleven teams are entered to compete in five events in a ranch competition format. Four contestants make up each team. One team at a time will compete against the clock as the cowpokes scramble to complete the task at hand.
There will be ranch style saddle bronc riding. Ranch style means using a ranch saddle where the stirrups are lower and set back further than on a competitive bronc riders saddle. The idea is to stay on the horse’s back for eight seconds, riding as ride can. That means holding on to anything helpful is allowed.
A team tying event will involve roping a steer by head and heel, then tying its four legs together.
The teams will compete in a trailer loading challenge. Here each team is to rope a steer, load it into a stock trailer and then load a horse into that same trailer as well.
In the “brand and doctor” event, each team will rope a calf, drag it to a simulated branding pit, brand it with a paint brand and then mark the calf’s ear, to simulate ranch doctoring.
Wild cow milking is always an audience favorite. Each team is to milk a range cow, getting a clearly visible amount of milk to pour from the milk bucket. Good luck, cowboys.
Team entries have been received from Kimball and Dix, Banner County, Minatare, two from Bayard, one each from Sidney and Brule, as well as Brush and Iliff, Colorado and as far away as Prairie View, Kansas.
Local people putting all of this together include Alex and Lars Engstrom, Shane Dickerson, Cody Wolf, Justin Perry, Troy Haas and Sharon Baker.
The action starts at 5 p.m. on June 12. Admission charge is $6 for adults, ages 10 though 15 is $3 and kids under 10 years of age get in free.
The proceeds of the evening’s admissions will go to the Tami Mohr Memorial Fund. Tami Mohr taught math at Kimball High School and was a horse enthusiast. She is survived by her husband Gene, who teaches Industrial Arts at KHS, and two sons, Justin and Jaden.
A concession stand at the rodeo grounds will be operated by a local 4-H Club. Dave Klinkhammer will be on location barbecuing beef tri-tips.
