Friday - We pretty much took the day off.
Saturday - Kathy stayed at the campground. She worked on puzzles, did laundry, cooked, etc. I went to the church event area and watched kids learning how to sort cattle.
What is ranch sorting - https://americancowboy.com/lifestyle/ranch-sorting-101-25811/
Also, as the competitors are ready to break the plane between the two pens a the number of the first cow to be "sorted" is called out. If its number 4 then the sorter needs to move cow #4 between the pens first, then #5, then #6, etc. They have 60 seconds to move as many cows as possible between the pens. It is amazing how some of these beginning sorter teams moved as many as 6 cows between pens in only 60 seconds.
The "competitors.
The cattle with their numbers. There were actually two full groups of cattle. After about 20 "sorts" they moved the tired ones out and brought in fresh ones.
Some of the competitors had obviously ridden a lot and had some level of experience.
Some were just beginning.
Some needed some help. Pastor Chris is mounted in the back. His older daughter is leading the young girls horse around to sort the cattle.
This young man did not compete in the sorting but I think he was out back practicing roping. I left after a couple of hours, maybe half way through the program. As I was leaving I noticed several fiberglass "cows" out in the back. I think kids were back there practicing roping. I wished I had turned around and seen some of that.
Before they started Pastor Chris moved the cattle back an forth between the pens. The red you see is padding on the edges of the opening between the pens. Some of the cattle were spooked by it. Watching this dog was a hoot. He constantly ran around the perimeter of the pen as the cattle were moved back and forth between the pens. You could see that he could hardly keep from getting in the pen to help, but he never did. He wasn't around when the kids started practicing. I bet he was penned/tied up back at the house. He is one of the multiple dogs that greets people as they arrive for church Sunday morning and as they arrive for Bible Study on Wednesday evening.
One surprise was the size of the horses. They were the same size as the saddle horses I was around as a kid. I expected to see a bunch of quarter horses, which were significantly larger that the ones we had.
It was a fun day. The weather was good for the event. Last nights low was 45 and today's high was a mostly cloudy, 72, with a light breeze.
God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. He has sure blessed me.
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