Bar U Historical Ranch Archives - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

October 30, 2017October 31, 2017

Bar U Historical Ranch

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Located just off of Highway 22 south of Longview, Alberta the Bar U Historical Ranch serves to display the history of ranches in the Foot Hills of the Canadian Rockies. It is quite impossible to miss this towering cowboy on the corner where you turn west.

My 2016 Alberta visit found me purchasing two books co-written by Hank Pallister. He was raised in Turner Valley on the Lineham Ranch and spent 42 years in service to the Providence of Alberta duties which I will sum up as a brand inspector. Smoke from the Branding Fire and Bulls, Brands and B.S. are full of stories painting a picture of life in the early ranch life of Western Canada.

Early life at the Bar U ranch is described in Hank Pallister’s book Smoke from the Branding Fire.

The buildings that make up the ranch site display what life used to be like for the Western Canadian Cowboy.

I visited the Bar U when attending the Historical Ranch Rodeo. We entered through a museum complete with a gift shop and concessions. The gravel road leads down into a valley. This bridge ….

takes you over this creek.

The dirt road leads to other barns and the rodeo arena.

A well constructed wooden alley guides stock into a chute.

A closer look at the chute used to doctor cattle, horses or perhaps brand? Any thoughts on this? Please share in the comments if you have insights. I was fascinated with the pulley system.

Another place to add to my bucket list cause I did not get to explore the stud barn or the foaling shed the day of the rodeo.

Guess I am going to have to start making plans to visit Alberta again!!

As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites check out these books on the history of Alberta Ranches available from Amazon

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October 11, 2017February 28, 2020

Bar U Historical Ranch Rodeo – Part 2

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During the intermission I enjoyed the display of talent by local Canadian artists. The air had a bit of a chill in it. No sun to warm us with an overcast sky. The distinct smell of horse and cow manure mixed with dirt floated on the breezes as the arena was worked for the next events. To some that may be distasteful, but to me I took a deep breath soaking it all in!

Hand braided cinches, photography, bosels, hand crafted leather, and stunning one of a kind bits and spurs were some of the wares on display. I met Kim Taylor, of Sliding U Photography. Her mission: Promote and educate others of a dying breed. I am proud to be using her 2018 planner featuring Canadian artists and stunning photographs of Alberta ranch life.

The first half began with group B of Team Sorting. I will be honest. I skipped out to enjoy a wonderful conversation with a local Canadian who was assisting at Kim Taylors table. I enjoyed hearing her story. We share common ground in our love of adventure.

Wild Cow Milking

Do I need to say more? The cows were of the true wild variety!!!

Cows were turned loose.

Teams were again given a specific cow to rope and milk.

Milk went into a bottle and was transported to the west end of the arena to be dumped. ‘Must be enough to dump out’ was the rule.

Broke Horse Race

Members from 4 different ranch teams entered the arena riding or leading horses that were saddled and bridled. One rider from each team removed the saddle and bridle from their horse and handed it off to be led to the opposite end of the arena. Here a team member held the horse loosely with no halter or bridle.

Back with the saddle and bridle on the ground, the jockey(s) stand waiting. Here another mounted member waits for the horse to be released. This riders job is to rope the horse and return it to the jockey to be saddled and bridled.

Horses are turned loose on the opposite end of the arena from the ‘jockey’.

The horse is roped by another member of the team and delivered to the ‘jockey’.

The rider bridles….

and saddles the horse before racing it back to the other end of the arena.

One’s definition of broke often varies…Some of these horses found themselves as excited as the humans…

Expressed by bucking en route to the finish line….

These are broke horses! What could possible go wrong?

?????? Broke Horse Race ??????

That, readers, completes the competition section of the Bar U Historical Ranch Rodeo.

Steel’s Scouts

Next was a reenactment display of Steel’s Scouts (late 1880’s).

This army troup sometimes called the Buckskin Calvary, Ranch Calvary, Cowboy Calvary and Steel Calvary formed to fight against Indians in the Northwest Canada. They were a tough lot made up of ranchers and cowboys.

While researching online, I came across a great book on Steel’s Scouts telling the story of how they shaped a part of Canadian History.

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Have you enjoyed the rodeo? Comment with your favorite event. I have enjoyed it twice and then some. Once in person and multiple times as I have created this post. I am going to leave you with a personal favorite picture of mine from the rodeo. Puts a smile on my face every time. Might be cause these little feet belong to my niece.

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October 9, 2017October 15, 2017

Bar U Historical Ranch Rodeo – Part 1

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Bar U Historical Ranch, located near Longview, Alberta (Canada), put on an old time ranch rodeo August 20, 2017. Ranch Rodeos differ from other rodeos as points are awarded to teams representing specific ranches instead of individuals. While the events vary, the common thread provides representation of action that would take place on a working cattle ranch. When my sister explained the event, months earlier, I realized I was not completely new to this type of rodeo. We are blessed in my hometown to have a ranch rodeo put on by a local family. Here teams, made up of friends give a rare glimpse into a competition most commonly found in the western states of the USA.

Arriving, we were given the option for a horse drawn wagon ride to the rodeo arena which sat down in a little valley. I was excited for the opportunity to attend and see the action Canadian style. Five classes or events allowed teams to accumulate points for the winning title. Other awards went to the one voted top hand of the day and top horse.

Note: Be sure to click the pictures for an enlarged view

It was not stop action and the comradery between teams was evident. They sat on horseback and cheered, laughed and hung out around the arena. Much the same as one would find at any rodeo, a sport all its own.

Team Branding

A group of numbered cattle were turned into the area. As the team of 4 representing a Canadian ranch entered the arena, they were given a number specifying which was theirs to ‘brand’. One roped the head, another the heels and one dismounted to ‘brand’.

In this case it was mark on the hip instead of an actual branding iron. They had the option to carry more than one rope and any one of their team could attempt to rope.

Team Sorting

Teams were given a number determining the first cow to sort from the ‘herd’. Once that cow was across the predetermined line it needed to stay there as the team members worked to sort the next highest number cow. The cow or steer, of course, desired to rejoin the group of cattle on the other end of the arena.

The challenge was to sort as many cows as possible in the correct numbered order, while keeping the sorted cattle across the line within the allotted time frame. These four membered teams stayed busy and we all enjoyed the action.

Team Doctoring

This event represents how cowboys might go about caring for sick or injured cattle out on pasture when no head gate, corral or barn are available to restrain for treatment.

Rules: 1. Rope the cow’s head and heel(s) if need be 2. Mark the forehead with the marking stick 3) turn the cow loose. Fastest time wins.

As I stood along the arena fence I was privileged to enjoy some cowboy humor.

Announcer:  "Teams remember to mark the forehead for the doctoring mark."

Cowboy competitor:  "Is that where we usually administer the drugs?"  (back over his shoulder)

(For the record:It is not.)

Have you enjoyed the first half of the rodeo? (Common question from the announcer) We are going to break for an intermission. Come back by clicking here for the second half including my favorite events: the wild cow milking and the broke horse race.

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