Rodear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Bhx3uz6Pk

Above is a You tube video of an earlier Rodear that took place at Crooked Creek Ranch. It was done in years past, but the video is well worth watching, and will explain a lot about what it is and is intended to do. It is very well done.

Cattle Terms Glossary

Jun 14, 2010 ... Also with reference to riding a bronc or bull in a rodeo, if the animal ... Rodear: To gather and work cattle out of a herd held by riders, ...


The above is the Google definition of the word Rodear. 

 Our neighbors are the Stoddarts featured in the YouTube video. They run cattle on the surrounding BLM land. The area is vast and the Rodear is the best way for them to brand the young stock, since the cattle are scattered over many miles of rough terrain with few roads. This is country that requires many acres of ground to feed just one cow. The neighbors get together and help each other. The visitors mainly supply riders to rope and contain the cattle. The host ranch supplies the grunt and dirty work. There were riders from the Dowell Ranches, Thompson, and Mann Lake. They ranged in age from late 60's to 1 year old.

  Harry Stoddart is the second generation to work the ranch, He has turned much of the current work over to his children, Dave, Rosie and Sam. He's still there when there is work to be done however.

Ranch life by definition is tough work and there are no baby sitters handy, so the kids naturally have to go along. They are there for all the work,  Riding with mom until they are able to sit their own horse. Elsie is just 5, but she rode all morning gathering cattle, spent the day while the hands, branded, vaccinated and castrated the bull calves without a complaint, then got on her horse and rode the 10 or 15 miles back to Cow Camp, a line shack that they use when branding. 

 Dave is the oldest son working the ranch, Rosie, his sister, and Sam, the youngest. These are the third generation working the ranch. Of course Dave's wife Tami, puts in a full day and probably more. The children, Isabel, Grace, Reuben, also work along with their parents. Elsie, and Thayen are a bit young yet, but it won't be long for Elsie. 

Rosie and her Dogs, Desi, and Lucy make a formidable team when it comes to moving cows. Its pretty handy to be able to send your dog out to retrieve a cranky cow that wants to quit the herd. 

Sam, sitting on a cooler to catch his breath, helped mug every calf brought into the fire. Nasty hard work at the best, dodging hoofs and sometimes mothers determined to rescue their bawling calf.

The picture above is of three generations of Stoddart's. Reuben is heeling, Dave and Sam are mugging and Harry has the head. Tami is in the back ground bringing another calf to the fire.

The work area for the day was in the Rye Grass area, and would be the last branding of the year for the ranch. They have been at it now for about a month. The cows were gathered from the surrounding hills and driven to the stock pond for the actual work. The equipment is a bit different. Now a generator supplies power for an electric branding iron.

When they are bunched, the riders form around them with their horses and quietly hold them while the headers slowly work their way into the herd. They rope one of the unbranded calves and pull him out to the open area, where a heeler will rope his heels. The muggers will then tip the calf to the ground, where they will make sure both heels are in the rope, take the rope off the calf's neck and put it on his front feet.

  At that time the calf is branded, vaccinated, ear marked, and castrated if it is a bull calf. Every body helps. Above is Eli Malley. He may not be very old, but he can help and doesn't hesitate to pitch in. His mother, Alexa and younger brother are helping hold the herd while John, his dad is roping the calves.

 The interesting part to me is the way that the children fit into all of this work. Of course ranching isn't just something that you can read about and jump right in and expect to do well. It takes time and the great part to me is the way that these families encourage and teach their children the things necessary to work a ranch. I suppose that one could find whiny, spoiled children somewhere, but they are in short supply here.

After the work was done, and the 71 calves were branded, a fire was built and the food prepared by Rosie's and Dave's mother, Sharon, the night before. It was warmed over the camp fire and served to every one.