Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/664411
CowboyCoffeeinthe Red Bluff Round-Up Mu- seum was the kick-off for the 11 Days of Round- Up hosted by the Direc- tors of the Round-Up, John Trede president. Mu- sic by Loosely Strung en- tertained as the attendees mingled. Tickets for the differ- ent events were for sale, and spokespersons for the organizations told what would be happening dur- ing each of the 11 days. Linda Durrer of Sunrise Rotary warned everyone to wear western clothing, or they would go to jail if they didn't have a get out of jail card, and before she left the lectern a couple of men in uniform had "ar- rested" her. Durrer was put in the jail on the back of the Growney Motors pickup parked outside the museum. A friend posted her bail. Kathy Sibert was ser- enaded with the group singing Happy Birth- day before "Wolfie" Clint Selvester, the barrel man and one of the directors challenged James Miller, the Round-Up manager, to jump into the bar- rel for $100. When Miller emerged from the bar- rel, nearly twice as much was donated to the Tough Enough to Wear Pink cam- paign. President Chad Amen of Tehama County Cat- tlemen's Association with Joyce Bundy, representing the CattleWomen who will be making tri tip fajitas, and mixer host Paul Reyn- olds of Reynolds Ranch and Farm Supply, along with Dave Gowan of the Chamber of Commerce invited everyone to the Mixer on Thursday 5:30- 10 p.m. There will be dancing to the music of Chad Bush- nell and his band. Bar tenders will be cat- tlemen and members of the chamber of commerce. Admission is $10, and badges are available at the Palomino Room, The Loft and the chamber. Red Bluff Mayor Clay Parker announced that three vans will be avail- able to take those that need a ride after attend- ing the Round-Up events, such as the mixer. Over the years they have given many rides. Banner Bank is sponsor of the Cowboys & Kids Ro- deo program that will be presented in several of the elementary school classes. This is an educational pro- gram explaining the ro- deo events by using math, spelling and reading. Wildhorseson memory lane Among my parents' historical collection is "Down Memory Lane with Les" by Lester Hart. Not dated, but in the book- let is Wild Horse Race, by Collin Davies, as seen in "American Horseman," Oct. 1974. "If a man wants to see how really good he is around horseflesh there's no stiffer competition than that provided by the wild horse race usually fea- tured in the California ro- deo. "According to veterans of the event it is the tough- est test of horsesense, quick reflexes, stamina and guts to be found any- where on the rodeo circuit. "Certainly it has to be the most dangerous of horse events, present- ing the greatest threat to the largest number of en- trants at one time. This is the probable reason that most top rodeo hands stay away from the wild horse section and stick with the more disciplined bronco, bull and bare- back riding. "Most participants in the wild horse races are good horsemen who have spent most of their life around the animals and see the contest as a defin- itive test of man, or men, against beast. "Big Lester Hart is one of these people and has missed few wild horse races at the popular Red Bluff Round-Up over the past 35-year period. "During this time he has taken a fair share of the prize money and has now brought his 18-year- old son Vern on to his team along with his long- time race partner Dick Graham. "In a recent conversa- tion, Lester discussed the wild horse race and the special magic it seems to hold for the crowd. "'I suppose it's partly the idea of seeing local boys out there giving their best effort,' Lester sug- gests. "'Take any other ma- jor sports event where big crowds gather in one place. Half-hour before the finale, they are head- ing toward their cars, determined to beat the heavy outgoing traffic. But when the wild horse race finishes the pro- gram, it usually does, everybody seems stuck to their seats. Nobody wants to miss the fun and they sure get their money's worth,' Lester says, rubbing a few ach- ing joints, a legacy of the races. "Certainly few people leave the Red Bluff Round- Up before the races roar to an end. "By around 5:30 p.m. the sun is dipping behind the grandstand, shadows begin to stretch over the arena and somehow the handlers seem to take ages getting the wild horses ready for action. "But the people stick around. Before the race begins, the rail around the track is obliterated by spectators, most of them youngsters and all yelling for their favorites. "Rules for the races are practically non-exis- tent and the few that are laid down are usually bro- ken within minutes of the starter's pistol anyway. "For those unfamiliar with wild horse races the procedure goes something like this. "Competitors are given a number corresponding with that already worn by one of the horses waiting in a nearby holding corral. "The basic object is to throw a saddle over it, mount on the word 'go' and go like hell for the fin- ishing line about three- quarters of a mile down the line. "Most of the horses brought in are fresh off the range and have never even been close to humans except during roundup, herding and trucking. "Riders are not allowed to touch their prospective mount until the signal is given. "The horses are wearing halters and the team is re- quired to throw on a rope prior to the taking-off. "For a little while there's a holdup as each handler attempts to placate his an- gry horse. "'It's at this point that a cowboy is able to use a lit- tle experience like check- ing the animal's cinch size. We use a snap-on type that gives us a timing edge and saves lacing leather through saddles. Some rid- ers, ourselves included, fa- vor the six-foot regulation bucking rein for lightness over the normal rope that sometimes weighs a cow- boy down with 10 pounds of awkwardness,' Lester explains. "With the mugger hold- ing the horse's head, the rider hot to trot and the shankman or skipper keeping everything to- gether, the race is about ready to begin. "And when it does —-all hell breaks loose and the track is a mass of flailing hoofs, spread-eagled cow- boys and dust. "Anything goes and one of the tricks is to get saddled-up at an ex- treme end of the mount- ing area; then, when rea- sonably secure in the sad- dle, whip straight into the mess of horses, cow- boys, and trailing leather, scattering the opposition for yards. "Since it's no holds barred, the rider's troubles are far from over and with the competitions cohorts running across the track to head him off the race is still far from won. "Lester, like other cow- boys, takes this sort of thing in his stride, seeing it as part of the wild horse race tradition. "'There's not much a feller is able to do at this point anyway,' he says. "He's too busy hanging in there. With a bit of luck his own boys are out back there messing up some- body else. No good getting mad — after all it's no pic- nic for the horse either. "How right he is, but if it's any consolation to the wild horse, by the time the races are over he's just about broke and that's a great stride for- ward. The Red Bluff fans agree." The 2016 Red Bluff Round-Up Wild Horse Races will be sponsored by Tehama Rock Products and Lepage Company, Inc. JeanBartonhasbeen writing her column in the Daily News since the early 1990s. She can be reached by e-mail at jbarton2013@ gmail.com. JEANBARTON CowboyCoffeeandWildHorseRaces Thankyou! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Tractor Supply Co. in partnership with the Na- tional FFA Foundation is ex- cited to announce that 24 California FFA chapters, in- cluding Red Bluff and Los Molinos in Tehama County, have been selected to re- ceive grant funding as a part of the Grants for Grow- ing program. California FFA chapters were primarily selected to receive the grants based on the merit of their applica- tions that explained how each applying chapter pro- posed to use the grant fund- ing to aid their communi- ties. While the minimum grant amount was for $500, there was no cap on the amount of funding a chapter could request for its project. "The response to our first national Grants for Grow- ing has been very positive and is a meaningful way to provide critical funding to FFA members who want to make a difference in their communities," said Christi Korzekwa, senior vice pres- ident of marketing. "Trac- tor Supply's commitment to giving back to the com- munities that we serve is very important, and this program demonstrates our desire to support our cur- rent and future customers as well as our future team members." The chapters awarded grant funding can use the funds in a number of ways to benefit their community, including buying vegeta- tion, trees, seed, chickens, feed, mulch or tools to help start or expand an FFA proj- ect that will continue for years to come. In addition to funds do- nated by Tractor Supply, an in-store event was held Feb. 19-28, during which shop- pers were offered the op- portunity to donate $1 at checkout in support of the program. All in-store event funds raised at California locations remained within the state. After positive feedback from pre-selected com- munities in 2015, this was the first year the program was offered on a national level. In total, the pro- gram raised $706,987 dur- ing the 10-day national in-store fundraiser this year, funding 374 grants and impacting 39,038 stu- dents. DONATION RedBluff,LosMolinosFFAreceivegrantfunding CONTRIBUTEDPHOTO The Cowboy Coffee was standing room only Thursday morning at the Red Bluff Round-Up Museum. RUNNINGS ROOFING and CONSTRUCTION SheetMetalRoofing ResidentialCommercial • Composition • Shingle • Single Ply Membrane ServingTehamaCounty 530-527-5789 530-209-5367 No Money Down! "NoJobTooSteep" " No Job Too Flat" FREE ESTIMATES CA.Lic#829089B&C39 STOVEJUNCTION The TheNorthState'spremiersupplierofstoves 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Over 25 years of experience Tues-Sat9am-5pm• ClosedSun&Mon Now Carrying! GreenMountainGrills & Accessories Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate Shop Equipped With 4SmogMachines For Fast Service No appointment Needed FARM » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, April 9, 2016 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A8