Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club

April Horse Health Day

2011-04-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

We had our annual Horse Health Day yesterday with Dr. Stuart McCall, DVM.

Thanks Doc for taking the time to tell us all about worming, vaccinating and how to administer them. Our 4-H members had an opportunity to try their hand at vaccinating, not so hard was it? Great job! Dr. McCall also gave us an in depth lesson of why and when to float teeth as well as answering questions on other general horse health care issues.

Here are some shots, no pun intended, from the day!

With Stuart Mc Call, DVM

Round House Feed

2011-03-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

For the third year in a row the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club has answered the community service call of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and collaborating with Santa Fe County Wide Horizons and Five Star 4-H Clubs have been an integral part of the annual Round House Legislative Feed.

Thanks to all our hard working 4-Hers and parents for once again being part of an annual community service event.

Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Ranch Rodeo

2011-02-16T22:51:00.000-08:00

October 10th, 2010 was our 2nd Annual Chad Winters Memorial Ranch Rodeo

Preparation started the day before the rodeo...

Setting up the chuckwagon under the direction of Chuckwagon Master Mr. Carl Hawkins, and Bonanza Creek Ranch Manager, Steve Price some of our 4-H kids learned how to set up the fly by swinging a sledge hammer to set the stakes - good job boys!

Mr. Hawkins teaches all about some useful knots.

The big day, after several practice dates the kids were ready. We began with the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer for the safety of all, some rules of the road, and the teams with their team captains were off.

Our Horses for Heroes - Cowboy Up! veterans assisted in all the activities and most importantly cheered the kids on!

First event was the trail course

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

The second event was Goat Tying where teams split the duties of roping, flanking and tying their goat. The goat had to remain tied for 6 seconds.

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Third event was Branding. Riders tracked and hazed cattle into the stripping chute where the teammates waited to place a brand (of paint) on the steers side all under the watchful eyes of Mr. Henry McKinley, 81 years young.

Fourth event was Ranch Sorting where the entire mounted team took turns quietly entering the cattle herd and sorting one out at a time, move them across a line while the rest of the team held the herd. This was repeated until every team member had completed their sort.

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Photo by: Connie Jo Mitchell

Awards...! Through the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. Winters, Chad's parents, beautiful award ribbons were presented to each participant.

Chow Time - the kids learn the cowboy's cardinal rule, "Never argue with a mule, a skunk or the cook!"

Kyle Mascarenas brought his brand of magic to our Ranch Rodeo - Thanks Kyle!

Group Photo - Fun had by all!!!

September 19th, 2010

2011-02-16T22:45:00.000-08:00

Our 4-H Wranglers had another visit from some of our Horses For Heroes - NM, Inc. Cowboy Up! participants.
A couple of our veterans came out to help our kids with their last practice day before their Ranch Rodeo, but even the veterans learned a few ranch skills themselves with the help of our kids, have a look...

August & September Practice Days

2010-09-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Turquoise Trail Wranglers have been busy practicing during our August and September club meetings for our 2nd Annual Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Ranch Rodeo scheduled for Sunday October 10th at 10:00 AM right here at the Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Arena . Their hard work is paying off as you can see in the photos. Thanks once again to NM Ranch Horse Versatility Champion Ms. Diane Clare who organized and led us in events like cattle sorting and penning, roping, branding, maneuvering your horse through trail obstacles and crossing a bridge, trailer loading and unloading, hanging a rain slicker while horseback and flag relay are several of the events that the Wranglers and several other Santa Fe County 4-H'ers will be doing as a team. An added bonus this year will be a delicious chuckwagon meal served up by our good friend Mr. Carl Hawkins of Hawkins Chuckwagon fame. We have one more practice and fun day scheduled for 10 AM Sunday September 19th. So saddle up and we will see you there.

September 5th

Our Wranglers even taught a couple of our veterans how to load a horse - Good job Wranglers!

August 22nd

Roping Clinic

2010-06-30T07:57:00.001-07:00

For the second year in a row our Wranglers got to rope with the best! Our thanks go out to Mr. Clint Mortenson along with Mr. Henry McKinley, Mr. Wayne Winters, Mr. Mark Hermeling and Mr. Grant Mitchell who spent the day sharpening our roping skills. Beginning the day with "ground school" and roping the 'dummies" and moving up to roping horseback with the skid steer and the Heel-O-Matic the Wranglers were set for our August and September practice sessions for our 4-H Kids Ranch Rodeo scheduled for October 10th 2010.

Sunset from the Crossed Arrows Ranch

2010-06-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

How blessed we are to see such beauty!

Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Bull Riding Clinic Huge Success!

2010-06-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

The first annual Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Bull Riding Clinic was a huge success. Congratulations to all our Santa Fe County 4-H'rs who displayed courage,athletic ability, sportsmanship. camaraderie and leadership! We are proud of each and every one of you.

Special thanks to our sponsors whose support made this event possible: Governor Richardson's New Mexico Rodeo Council and Ms Debbie Romero, The Santa Fe County Rodeo Council, The San Marcos Feed Store and Mortenson Silver and Saddles.

We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to our top notch instructors: John Vigil, Steve Tanuz and Billy Jackson who not only instructed but worked side by side with the never tiring Mr. Wayne Winters prior to this clinic welding and putting the finishing touches on the bucking chutes and gates. Also many thanks to Cisco - you rock!

A special thanks to EMT Mr. Marco Gonzalez and US Army Special Forces Medic Neal Reilly (on loan from the Horses for Heroes, NM Cowboy UP! Program) for providing excellent medical coverage for this event.
We would also like to thank Ms. Nancy De Santis, Cris Iannucci and Mr. Kenny Tomlinson for work on the chute gates and for his great work bullfighting! Mr. Carl Hawkins and Hawkins Chuckwagon always a welcome addition to our events, Mr. Richard Beal and the Trevizo family for remembering how hot it was with a cooler full of cold drinks for our kids. And always thanks to our County leader Mrs. Christina Turner and our extension agent Mr. Pat Torres whose help was invaluable.

Enjoy the photos of our great kids as they learn from the best about the greatest sport on dirt!

From Our May Clinic

2010-05-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

We had World Class Horsemanship Trainers Janel and Dale Brookshire in from Oklahoma to conduct the 2nd Annual Stay in the Saddle Clinic here at our Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Arena.

Mrs. Janel started out the morning with horsemanship from the ground on up - working on riding skills that improved our balance and riding capabilities.

We then broke for lunch which was generously provided by one of our 4-H moms Ms. Diane Clare - thank you for the scrumptious fried chicken, home-made potato salad and fruit platter! Additional snacks and drinks were provided by the Trevizo family - thanks all for filling our bellies! After lunch Mr. Dale instructed us on the basics of working cattle on horseback - a fun day had by all!

Upcoming May Meeting - Mark Your Calendars!

2010-04-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Click box for larger view...

2nd Annual Horse Health Day

2010-04-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

On April 11th we held our second annual horse health day. Our 4-H club members worked alongside and under the direction of Drs. Billy Brainerd and Stuart McCall drawing blood for Coggins tests, vaccinating and inoculating their horses as well performing top to bottom examinations. Their love of horses and their responsibility to their health and welfare are the highest precepts of 4-H leadership and we are very proud of them. Below are photos of our great 4-H kids in action.

Special thanks to Mr. Mark and Cade Hermeling and Ms. Nancy De Santis for being our VET TECHS extraordinaire for this clinic.

Up Coming Bull Riding Clinic - June 5th & 6th

2010-04-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

Click Boxes For Larger View

Attention Out of Towners...

Hi All,
We just wanted to let any of our 4-H members attending this clinic from outside of the Santa Fe area that the La Quinta Inn 4298 Cerrillos Road ( Intersection of Cerrillos and Rodeo Roads) will serve as our host hotel this year. Rates for our members are only $59.00 per night. The rooms are really nice and they have a free breakfast with waffles and all in the morning. There is an Applebees and a local favorite called the Flying Tortilla just next door that serves a great dinner special. Please contact them early though at 505 471 1142. The name they are holding the rooms under is Santa Fe County 4-H. The manager there is Mr. Jeffrey Adkins.

Ya gotta meet Molly...

2010-04-01T11:42:00.001-07:00

Meet Molly. She's a grey speckled pony who was abandoned by her owners when Hurricane Katrina hit southern Louisiana . She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled..
while there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected, and her vet went to LSU for help, but LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.

But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her. She protected her injured leg. She
constantly shifted her weight and didn't overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee, and a temporary artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

'This was the right horse and the right owner,' Moore insists. Molly happened to be a
one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood that she was in trouble. The other important factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly's story turns into a parable for life in Post-Katrina Louisiana ....
The little pony gained weight, and her mane finally felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports.

And she asks for it. She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too. And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. 'It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,' she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers. Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly went, she showed people
her pluck. She inspired people, and she had a good time doing it.

'It's obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life, Moore said. She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.'

Barca concluded, 'She's not back to normal, but she's going to be better...To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.'

This is Molly's most recent prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it.. Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind.

God's creatures often reflect the character we aspire to.

February Leadership & Service

2010-03-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

On Leadership...
A big thank you to all of our kids who took the time to bring in their saddles, chaps, spurs, hay bales and bull riding equipment, and most of all thank you for your time, leadership, and enthusiasm! Our Wranglers set up and participated in the first ever Project Fair on February 12th. With the help of Brandon, Ali, Justin, Tyler, Shania, Matthew, Dylan, Cris and Cade we had our Horse & Rodeo booth set up in no time! A special thanks to Justin, Tyler and Cade for sharing their skills on roping, to Matthew our bull rider who shared his experience in the chute and ran some wee ones through what it could feel like in all that bull riding equipment - because of these fine boys we may just have some future ropers and bull riders out there!

Click on boxes to enlarge.

On Service...
February 16th our Wranglers were joined by Wide Horizons 4-H club members and leaders who generously donated their time for a 2nd year in a row in support of the The New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association, at what is known as the Round House Feed. All volunteers pitched in to pack, serve and deliver dinners to legislators who were working in session. This is a community service so make note for your record books!

Horses: Inside Out!

2010-01-09T08:55:00.001-08:00

Painted horses are ‘mane’ attraction for anatomy students...

With 205 bones and 700 muscles the horse is a challenging animal for anatomy students to study.

That was until champion rider Gillian Higgins came up with the novel idea of showing people how it all works.

Rather than bog them down with dusty diagrams and skeletal sketches, she hit upon the idea of painting the inner workings of the horse on the beast itself.

Gillian Higgins shows-off her anatomical study on thirteen-year- old Kiitos ahead of a lecture on equine anatomy

Now veterinary students, race horse trainers, eventers, pony club members and dressage judges are flocking to her lectures to see the horse painting in action.

Ms Higgins uses water-based hypoallergenic paints which are easy to wash off afterwards. She takes four hours to apply the equine make-up - painting the skeletal structure on one side and the multi-coloured musculature on the other.

'Painting the skeleton and musculature on the side of the horse really helps to bring the subject to life,' she says.

'You can discover how to get the best out of your horse by seeing exactly what happens as it moves.'

The champion rider Gillian Higgins paints the flexor muscle chain on one side of the horse

Gillian, 27, a sports remedial therapist, from Nottingham, first hit on the idea three years ago after completing a degree in equine business management at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

She said: 'I realized that many riders and trainers could benefit from a better understanding of how the horse works. With all those bones and muscles with incredibly long names, it can be a bit much to take it all in.

'I'm trying to show the anatomy and how the horse works in an interesting and easy to understand way.

'I started gradually with a bit of paint but then became more and more in demand. Now I go all over the country from Cornwall to Inverness and I'm soon flying off to South Africa to give a demonstration there.'

A horse has 205 bones and 700 muscles. Painting a steed helps students remember which one is where

Normally her models are her 12 year old eventer Freddie Fox or six year old Henry - although if she travels further afield from home she relies on schools and colleges to provide a steed for her. Greys are best because the colours show up more clearly.

Gillian, who won a gold medal at the student riders nations cup in 2006, said: 'Freddie Fox is the best model because he has just the right temperament and loves to be the centre of attention at the demonstrations. Being painted isn't much different for them as being groomed or handled. They don't mind at all.

'The worst thing that has ever happened was when a horse that had not minded being painted in the slightest, then had to go into an arena in front of 150 people. He got a bit spooked up by the crowd and was jumping around and became a little bit too much.'

For more information and details of Gillian's book and DVD,
How Your Horse Moves visit: www.horsesinsideout.com

November's Meeting

2009-12-08T02:43:00.000-08:00

It wasn't cold at all, Really!!!

Our Wranglers came out regardless of the winter day we that last Sunday in November - yes they are troopers and this just shows you what it means to be a horseman - you ride as long as the skies permit because you are dedicated to your horses, your riding and to your learning! Well done!

Wrangler Trey started us off as he lead us in our Pledge Allegiance followed by his mom, Miss Connie who lead us in our 4-H Pledge - this is the header to our blog, so get familiar with it as we may call on you next to lead us next time! We all brought each other up to date with what we have been working on since last we met and we even welcomed three new members, Isabell, Trevor and Justin!

We wanted to express our thanks to the Cummings boys who helped set up all the poles for the Trail course, you boys were great help! Big thanks goes to our rock'in 4-H parents Miss Connie, Mr. Grant and Mr. Richard who came out and helped not only set up the trail course, but instructed and helped the wranglers through the obstacles - we had pole crossing, gate opening/closing, backing between poles, bridge crossing, and even log pulling. This gives the horses good mind exercise and coordination. A special thanks to Mr. Henry for coming out and being part of the day as he tirelessly guided our kids and their horses over the bridge obstacle, and gave some professional safety advice on how to tie a rope to ones saddle. And last but not least To Miss Susan and her son Dillon for bringing hot refreshments and snacks for our hard working wranglers!

My partner in camera crime - Thank you Miss Mary!

Memorial Arena Dedication & 4-H Ranch Rodeo

2009-10-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

On Sunday October 18th under a brilliant blue sky we dedicated our arena at the Crossed Arrows Ranch the "Chad Winters Memorial Arena”. The crisp autumn day was perfect for family, friends and fun and what we plan to be our first annual Chad Winters Memorial 4-H Ranch Rodeo. With our very own Santa Fe County Sheriffs Posse under the command of Col. Jim Adams greeting and directing arrivals at the front gate the trailers were unloaded and a festive mood filled the air.
With 4-H kids and their families from all over the county and even a 4-H friend who came down from Colfax County we tacked up and stood quietly while one of our young cowboys Trey Mitchell led us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by Santa Fe County Fair Queen and senior Wrangler member Erica Garcia who led us in the 4-H pledge. Bonanza Creek Ranch Manager Steve Price then led us all in a moment of reflection and quiet prayer asking for safe passage for all who traveled here today and for blessings and safety for the contestants. Wrangler leaders Rick Iannucci and Miss Nancy De Santis then spoke briefly about our journey with the club and the arena and the impact that Chad had on all of our lives. Chads sister Brandy then spoke beautifully for the Winters family thanking everyone for being part of such a wonderful event and keeping Chad's memory alive.
Mr. Clint Mortenson of the famous Mortenson’s Silver and Saddles and proud Wrangler parent then joined Rick and Nancy and presented a commemorative buckle and bracelet he designed and made especially for Chad's parents Wayne and Elena Winters respectively. Miss Elena spoke briefly thanking all of us for remembering Chad and for this special day.
With the presentations completed Chef Michael Easton of La Lucciola Supper Club who volunteered his services for the day summoned the dinner bell and several hundred of us feasted on home made enchiladas courtesy of Dean, Cynthia and Emily Alexis of Tortilla Flats fame, as well as Peggy Schnapp’s home made green chile chicken stew, mountains of pastries and cookies from Laura Moore and Chocolate Maven, donuts galore from Kip’s and Angela Flores and all washed down with soft drinks and Dasani water courtesy of Coca Cola of Santa Fe and kept cold with ice courtesy of the Lone Butte General Store.
Too wound up to eat much, National Versatility Ranch Horse Association 2009 Champion and another proud Wrangler mom Miss Diane Clare and Mr. Clint Mortenson along with Senior 4-H’r Mr. Clayton Runner pushed Mr. Henry McKinley and Mr.Steve Price’s cows into the sorting pens assembled by construction wiz Mr. Bobby Borrego. With the assistance of Wrangler parents Mr. Mark Hermeling, Mr. Grant Mitchell, Mr. Richard Stump and Mr. Joseph Salazar we began our Ranch Rodeo with the Ranch Sorting. This and ALL of our events were done in teams in keeping with the Working Ranch Rodeo events traditions. In order for our Cloverbuds and others 4-H ‘rs who were not mounted our events were designed with a “ground crew” component. The ground crew’s worked in harmony with their mounted team mates and proved their worth during the branding and sorting chute event! Other events were the simultaneous team pole bending and flag in a bucket races where 4-H’rs had a chance to show their horsemanship and their athleticism in simulated ranch tasks.
From her perch atop Mr. Rick’s pickup truck Miss Diane signaled to Mr. Clint on horseback at the end of the arena that the last team had completed their event and now were ready to present some well deserved prizes courtesy of San Marcos Feed Store and Mr. Greg Gillespie‘s Feed Bin signaling the successful completion of our 2009 CHAD WINTERS MEMORIAL 4-H RANCH RODEO!
Congratulations to all our contestants who truly exemplified team work, leadership, and camaraderie in the finest tradition of Ranch Rodeo and 4-H. You all are champions!!!
Special thanks goes to Mrs. Susan Murphy who donated the EZ Up tent so we could all eat food without dirt in it. Yeah Mrs. Murphy. Thanks also to our good friend and Eaves Movie Ranch Manager Mr. Thomas Wingate for the loan of tables and chairs. To Ralph and Sally Greenwood for loaning us their EZ Up as well. To Mr. Dick Kimberly for the loan of our flags and PA system and more! Thanks also to our County 4-H agents Miss Jackie Baca and Miss Christina Turner for loaning us stopwatches and making the contestant numbers, and to Frank and Linda Romero at L & L for taking care of our powder rooms. Finally a very special thanks to Manny Mauri and our good friends at the Denver Police Department for their tremendous job of laser cutting, welding and fabrication of the metal sign that hangs proudly above our gate way arena entrance, and to Greg Gillespie and the gang at Ranchway in Fort Collins, CO for transporting it down from Denver with tender loving care. Thank you all, we could not have done it all without you!!!
Happy Trails!

Below are images from our Dedication Event courtesy of Miss Nancy De Santis and our great friend Mr. Bill Manns.

- Click on Images For Larger View...

Upcoming Arena Dedication & 4-H Ranch Rodeo

2009-09-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

CHAD WINTERS MEMORIAL ARENA DEDICATION & 4-H KIDs Mini RANCH RODEO & FUN DAY

WHEN: SUNDAY OCTOBER 18TH

TIME: 12 o'clock SHARP!

WHERE: Crossed Arrows Ranch, 3774 Hwy 14, Santa Fe, NM

Join the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H club as we dedicate our arena & have some fun with a Mini Ranch Rodeo & Fun Day.
We will have food and Prizes too!

This event is free to CURRENT 4-H Members of all ages with OR without a horse. We can use everyone to make up the teams. All you need to bring is a MEDICAL WAIVER available from your Club Leader. You MUST have your forms with you as we will not have forms that day.

CONTACT US AND LET US KNOW YOUR COMING...

EMAIL: turquoisetrail4h@aim.com

Or Call us for more info: 505-474-5425

Hooves & Dust Photo Workshop

2009-09-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful workshop with leading photographer and instructor Ms. Jennifer Davidson, along with Mr. Alan Myers as her trusty assistant. Ms. Jennifer was kind enough to fill in for Mr. Tony Bonanno who was delayed on an overseas assignment. After our Pledge of Allegiance led by Trey and our 4-H Pledge led by our Santa Fe County Queen and 4-H County Council Leader Miss Erica Garcia, we got caught up on all our members and families current rodeo activities and happenings. We then covered upcoming club activities like our arena dedication and mini ranch rodeo in October and then we got down to the business of photography. Miss Jennifer opened our eyes to new perspectives and ways to see differently the things we see everyday. After finishing in our outdoor hay bale classroom we split into groups. Some rode, ran and roped while others took the photos and then we switched. The photos you see are the work of our Wranglers, parents, leaders, and our instructors. We will post more as we receive them. Until then a job well done!

Ciprianna's

Cade's

Erica's

Trey's

Mom Connie's

Ms. Nancy's

Ms. Jennifer Davidson's

Mr. Alan Myers'

Wrangler Rodeo Report

2009-08-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

The Turquoise Trail Wrangler 4-H Club was well represented at New Mexico Junior Rodeo Association (NMJRA), 4-H Rodeo and even a few open rodeo's this season. Congratulations to Casey Clark, Shania Borrego and Cade Hermeling who all had outstanding seasons and Matt Flores who is in his first season of Bull Riding. Fellow 4-H Wrangler Cris Iannucci helps prepare Matthew for his first ride at the Pecos Church Rodeo. Matt will be heading to Wagonmound for the Bean Town Labor Day Rodeo, Shania and Casey are just getting back from an outstanding weekend at Mountainair and Cade is practicing in the roping arena for next season. Good luck to our young athletes. We will keep you posted. Below are some photos of our 4-H'rs in action.

Santa Fe County Fair

2009-08-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

Well, yes it was pretty early in the morning but our Wranglers turned out for day 2 of our county fair and did a great job providing breakfast for hungry 4-H 'rs and their families. Thanks to Miss. Nancy D. our kitchen manager, Mr. Rick Iannucci along with Mr. Jim Vidamour and son Wyatt on the grill, Miss Angela Flores , Miss Debbie Romero and Miss Connie Mitchell our Breakfast Burrito Queens, Cris Iannucci making cents and sense out of the cash register, Shania Borrego and Matt Flores keeping the coffee and juice flowing,Miss Diane Clare along with Miss Kathy Mueller and Danielle, keeping the pots and pans sparkling, Miss Lorri Bradford and Mariah, (filling in for big sister Jessica away at finals) providing window service with a smile, Miss Mary Sexton along with the Marmon gang led by Miss Judith and Mr. Dave, N'jemena, David, Livingston and Torah keeping up the prep work and our great runners and servers, Brandon Clare and the Mitchell brothers Trey and Sterlin . You all were an awesome team. Uh, I guess we need to open up a restaurant now???

Our very own Turquoise Trail Wrangler with his eyes on the judge, showing us what "Showing" is all about during Goat Showmanship on Thursday. Looks like you learned a lot at Livestock school this year. Good job Brandon!

August Club Meeting

2009-08-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendar for our next Club Meeting on Sunday, August 30th.

This meeting will be with our good friend and internationally renowned photographer Tony Bonanno. The workshop is for any experience level and you can use any kind of camera, including your old trusty point and shoot! Moms and Dads, you are welcome to bring your camera too!

Tony is famous for his Hooves and Dust series of photos and will show us how to take photos of our horses and horse activities. We will be working cows, running barrels and poles, and other fun stuff with our horses while we are taking turns behind the camera. Of course this will be free to our club courtesy of Mr. Bonanno. Check out his website and see his wonderful work! www.hoovesanddust.com or www.bonannophoto.com.

Please RSVP and let us know if you'll be joining us.

Date: Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Place: Our Turquoise Trail Wranglers Arena

Santa Fe Conty Fair 4-H Horse Show

2009-08-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

We have another announcement to share! Our very own TTWrangler Cris Iannucci took First place in the Junior Trail Class on her horse Hollywood, and placed Third in Junior Western Pleasure on her 4-H Futurity colt Stiltz. Congratulations to Cris and to all who worked and trained hard for this show!!!

Congratulations Matthew!

2009-08-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hearty congratulations to our very own 4-Her Matthew Flores for taking home 4 awards from this years Spanish Market! Here are his awards:
BEST IN AGE 11-14
STRAW APPLIQUÉ
ST. FRANCIS BASILICA AWARD the excellence in religious award, which the Archbishop chooses that award himself!
COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE AWARDS which is given by museum.

Matthew is not the only talent in his family either, his brother Nicolas Flores won the WINTER MARKET POSTER AWARD!!!

Congratulations you two and keep up the great work!

July Summer Fun!

2009-07-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

We had a fun filled morning with the Arts Alive folks at the Museum of International Folk Art on Tuesday the 28th - we made Batik!

Creating batik fabrics is truly an art form and has been practiced in Indonesia for thousands of years. Batik is a method of patterning fabric by using a wax resist method. Where there is wax on the fabric, dye cannot penetrate.

Traditionally the application of the wax to the fabric is done with a fine-tipped tool called a "tjanting tool" that allows the artist to draw an image free-hand in melted wax or a design can be applied by using a "tjap" (pronounced "chop"), which is a stamp made of formed metal (or sometimes from wood). The stamp is dipped into melted wax and repeatedly pressed onto pre-dyed or raw fabric.

The Arts Alive Team provided all the traditional tools as well as ones from Africa and thankfully even the simple paintbrush for those of us who were "tjanting tool" challenged. They also provided all the materials, the fun colors and even the fabric to make our very own handmade batik.

Thank you to Rachel and her team of helpers for all the instruction and a special thank you to Patricia Sigala, the Folk Art Muesum's Outreach Educator for putting together such a well organized and fascinating event.

Museum of International Folk Art:
www.internationalfolkart.org
505-476-1212

Rodeo Parade in Santa Fe

2009-06-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you all know that our Wranglers and the Horses for Heroes Draft horse drawn wagon won the Mayors First place award at Saturdays Rodeo de Santa Fe parade. Our club dressed their western best and rode as outriders with the wagon which carried Veterans from the therapeutic riding program as well as some of our younger club members. Despite the steady drizzle all morning spirits were high and a good time was had by all. The trophy and the cash award will be dedicated to the Horses for Heroes program as part of our communty service outreach.

Photo courtesy of Angela Ortiz Flores

Photo courtesy of Joy Russell Czmyrid

Photo courtesy of Joy Russell Czmyrid

Photo courtesy of Joy Russell Czmyrid

Photo courtesy of Joy Russell Czmyrid

Photo courtesy of Joy Russell Czmyrid

Stay In The Saddle Clinic

2009-05-22T16:41:00.001-07:00

For our May meeting we were fortunate to have working Oklahoma rancher, trainer and clinician Janel Brookshire and her husband Dale conduct one of their renowned "Stay in the Saddle" Horsemanship clinics. Dale and Janel worked with Wrangler club leaders Rick Iannucci and Nancy De Santis last year during spring branding and over the next year planned what turned out to be a fantastic day on horseback for our club. Topics covered everything from saddling, mounting to walking, trotting and loping your horse and all with proper cues, alignment and "seat". Our wranglers were horseback for many hours and by the end of the session everyones hard work was evident in the way they were riding.
Miss Janel and Mr. Dale will be back in mid June and we are hoping we can get them back for a follow up clinic.
Great job Wranglers! See you in June!

Our clinic opens with "ground school".

Miss Janel explains proper alignment with Danielle.

Wranglers working in the arena on their "seat".

Mr. Dale on Prince showing alignment on the stop and in the turns.

Wranglers Wyatt. Cris and Matt together in the turns.

Miss Janel providing encouragement and motivation.

Wranglers loping out and looking good.

After kicking up the dust all afternoon a final review and question and comment time.

Upcoming...
We are putting the finishing touches on our bucking chutes and are making plans now for a bull riding clinic that will be open to all SF County 4-Hers - Please let us know if you will be interested in this so that we can keep you posted, our e-mail is: turquoisetrail4h@aim.com.

Our April Meeting

2009-05-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

We continue at our April meeting exploring our western heritage and keeping the west alive and wow, it was a really busy day. We actually started off the day before moving and setting up Mr. Carl Hawkins antique 1800's era chuck wagon to it's home away from home here at our Crossed Arrows Ranch. We began Sunday morning finishing up the set up. After the Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-H pledge we started with a lecture from Mr. Carl about the mother ship for trail drives that carried virtually everything a crew working cattle might need for an entire seasons cattle drive. We learned about the different parts of the chuck wagon and what those things were used for like the chuck box and boot the tool box and the wagon bed. We learned about chuck wagon protocol and yes, the very important chuck wagon etiquette and the role of the cook. We then broke down into small crews with one crew cutting the fresh buffalo meat, potatoes, carrots, onions and celery another crew turned to making the biscuits while our clover buds fashioned a pie crust peach cobbler and all this from scratch! By this time the coals were ready we all got to see dutch oven cookery first hand. Even our 4-H Home Economist Jacqueline Baca was impressed with our clubs ability to prepare such a great meal under such windy conditions. With everything on the fire we took our turns with our good friend Dr Bill Brainerd, DVM who came to instruct us in how to vaccinate our horses. We vaccinated almost 2 dozen of our horses and also drew blood for Coggins tests. Many of us can now do vaccinations and can give our own IM (intramuscular) injections and a few of us can draw blood when necessary. With all the horses taken care of we returned to the chuck wagon with Mr. Carl ringing us in for dinner. The dutch ovens were set out under the "fly" and the aroma of stew, biscuits and peach cobbler filled the air. When everyone had enjoyed even seconds we saddled up and headed into the arena where Miss Kathy Mueller was waiting to lead the fun with games on horseback. Everyone had the opportunity to run some pretty good patterns and show their horsemanship. We even got a chance to do some work in the arena with our cows, lessons learned from our March Working Cow Horse meeting. The day finished around the coals with some Cowboy coffee and with the wind finally dying down and the chuck wagon packed up. Another great meeting and great adventure for the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club.
PS See you in May for our Stay in the Saddle Spring Tune up Horsemanship Clinic with working Oklahoma cowgirl, trainer, and clinician Janel Brookshire.

Western Horseman Magazine Visits the Turquoise Trial Wranglers 4-H Club

2009-03-20T18:10:00.001-07:00

On March 11th 2009 the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club was honored to have Mr. Kyle Partain from Western Horseman Magazine visit our club. Mr. Partain was doing an article on our club for his monthly " Young Horseman" column. Miss Diane Clare conducted a Working Cow Horse Clinic for our club and was assisted by Mr. Henry McKinley and our own Miss Nancy De Santis. We were also honored to have Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Winter who helped us get the arena ready and then helped with our kids in the arena. Following Miss Diane Clare our club had a chance to do some breakaway roping with Mr. Mark Hermeling. It was good to see everyone getting better and better.
Mr. Partain stayed here at our home and we also had some fun taking him and showing him the sights in Santa Fe. He told us he was very impressed with our kids, our club and what we are doing in 4-H to preserve our western heritage. He told us he would like to come back for spring branding and enjoy our hospitality once again. We will let you know when the article comes out. Congratulations Wranglers and well done!
Rick and Nancy

Rick introducing Kyle to some of our Wrangler club families.

Western Horseman Magazine Assoc. Editor Kyle Partain and Turquoise Trail Wrangler 4-H Club leader Rick Iannucci.

Miss Diane and Mr. Henry oversee Wyatt moving his cow.

Cris really working well with her colt "Hollywood".

Mr. Kyle snapping photos for his article while Mr. Henry looks on.

Miss Diane talking to 4-H parents and kids.

Shania going for the horns while Mr. Mark assists.

N' DJamena on "Roper" in good form.

4-H Leaders in Iraq

2009-03-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

Outstanding example of 4-H leadership!
Enjoy,
Rick and Nancy

(reprinted with permission from the editor- Livestock Weekly Feb.26, 2009 Page 22)
A&M Grads Help Build 4-H Style
Ag Clubs To Aid Iraq In Future

COLLEGE STATION — At a time when most young adults are thinking of far less serious stuff, two Texas A&M University graduates spent six months in Iraq helping that country build a better future.

Jonathon Glueck, 22, and Blaze Currie, 23, recently returned from Iraq, where they led an effort to a develop several youth agriculture clubs patterned after American 4-H clubs.

The pair went as part of Team Borlaug, a group of Texas A&M System faculty and staff working with the U.S. military, provincial reconstruction teams and local sheiks to assist with agriculture and agribusiness development.

Team Borlaug is part of the Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations-Iraq, sponsored by the Department of Defense Business Transformation Agency through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We chose Blaze and Jonathon because they were both accomplished student leaders at the university and because of their previous experiences with 4-H and FFA,” said John Riggs, program coordinator at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture. “They are also good with technology, and we knew the team would benefit from that, too.”

The institute placed them with the Central Team component of Team Borlaug, which focuses its efforts on Iraq’s central provinces. To involve and engage Iraqi youth in that area, Currie and Glueck traveled with a military escort into many rural communities, working with farmers and local leaders to establish youth agriculture clubs.

“More than half of the population of Iraq is under 18 years old,” said Glueck, who graduated from Texas A&M last year with a double major in agricultural leadership and development, and agricultural economics. “And more than half of Iraq’s entire workforce is involved in some sort of agriculture or agribusiness. Young people in rural sectors are a major source of labor.”

Team Borlaug recognized that youth programs focusing on leadership, entrepreneurship and self-development would provide long-term hope for Iraq, said Riggs.

“Apart from a few extension programs and agricultural vocational schools, youth in Iraq rely almost solely on their parents for agriculture-related education,” he said. “And young Iraqis lack an understanding of future professions and opportunities in agriculture.”

Riggs said Team Borlaug, named after the institute and Dr. Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize winner regarded as the “Father of the Green Revolution,” determined that sharing expertise and technical assistance through a program with elements of both 4-H and FFA would help Iraq develop its agriculture and build its future.

“The young people involved in agriculture and agribusiness in Iraq could join the clubs and learn about how to improve their country through a broader knowledge of agriculture, a better understanding of entrepreneurship and learning how technology can be used to bring a positive change,” he said.

“A lot of the work we did was in the Sunni death triangle,” said Currie, who graduated from Texas A&M last May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural leadership and development. “We visited several rural farms, working with the farmers and local sheiks to get their approval and support for starting these clubs.”

The pair encountered some initial suspicion and skepticism, but eventually were accepted and allowed to develop local clubs and programs.

“The 4-H model worked really well within the Iraqi tribal system,” said Glueck, who was a member of Texas 4-H for 11 years while growing up in the small town of Canyon. “It’s a well-structured program, and there’s a lot of interaction and mutual learning between adults and young people.”

4-H materials were translated into Arabic, and the pair worked with the military, Iraqi non-governmental groups and local sheiks to facilitate community participation and deliver the information.

During their six months in Iraq, Currie and Glueck developed seven clubs serving more than 350 Iraqi youth ranging in age from seven to 18 years old.

“Our first club project was a poultry project,” said Glueck. “Poultry is everywhere in Iraq, and a poultry project is a quick and simple project to implement. We set up a kind of entrepreneurial situation where we showed young people how they could hatch and grow chicks, then market and sell their product.”

Along with modern agricultural techniques, the club projects incorporated some essential business skills such as recordkeeping and marketing. The pair also taught young Iraqis how to take soil samples from farmland for analysis by scientists associated with the project, as well as how to use other modern agricultural methods and technology.

Though Currie and Glueck have returned to the U.S., the clubs they began are “still going strong,” according to Riggs. “We also currently have Team Borlaug youth development experts working in the northern and western provinces of Iraq and have the North Babil 4-H horticulture program in place,” he said.

Additionally, agriculture provincial reconstruction team members in Iraq are employing the 4-H model and there are opportunities for other state or federal agriculture programs or agencies to develop curriculum and provide educational support if they wish, Riggs said.

“Blaze and I still keep in touch with the club leaders and others involved in the effort by e-mail,” Glueck said. “And we keep in touch with the Team Borlaug members in the western and northern parts of Iraq to make sure they continue to promote and expand youth development there.”

“Young people are a very important part of Iraqi society," Currie said. “They are the ones who will shape that country’s future, and we’re glad we were given the opportunity to help make a difference there.”

The pair expressed gratitude to Texas A&M, the Borlaug Institute, the Department of Defense and USDA for supporting their youth development efforts in Iraq.

“We feel that by bringing this program to Iraq we’re helping empower the Iraqis to build a better future for themselves,” Glueck said.

February 15th Wrangler Club Meeting

2009-02-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

We had a great February meeting and really learned a lot.

Thanks to our host and 4-H Mom Miss Diane Clare, our horsemanship instructor and good friend of 4-H, Mr. Clayton Stambaugh, and 4-H Dad and veterinarian Dr. Andy Cameron. We know all our members and their horses now have a good start on spring. Thanks to Dr. Cameron we will follow up ensuring that our horses are healthy and ready for a season of fun.

We welcomed our newest Wranglers, Sierra Knox, and Jessica Sexton to our club. We also all observed a moment of silence in honor of Turquoise Trail Wrangler Club Leader, Chad Winters. We announced that we will be dedicating our arena to Chad this spring and requested ideas for the dedication ceremony.

Please make sure you bring your filled out horse certificates to our March meeting (which will be announced later).

Our "hostess with the mostess".

Mr. Clayton Stambaugh instructs how to put his horse in reverse.

Wranglers and parents listen to Dr. Andy Cameron explain vaccinations, worming, travel documents and first aid kits for our horses.

Dr. Andy Cameron

Cheers,
Rick & Nancy
TTW Leaders

February 15th Club Meeting Update

2009-02-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Hi wranglers,
Hope all is well and you are keeping warm with this hopefully last blast of winter weather. Just to update you, due to an unexpected scheduling update, our guest clinician Mr. Rex Petersen will be unable to conduct our planned clinic this Sunday. HOWEVER will will still have our meeting at Diane's arena and will now have Dr. Andy Cameron DVM, coming to show us how to do wellness checks, how to and what to vaccinate for and generally getting our horses ready for spring from a VETS point of view.
Diane Clare, Clayton Strambaugh, Nancy and I will also work on Ground manners (is your horse running over you??) and some other back to basics issues including evaluating you and your horsemanship. We will also take a look at your tack for servicabiility and answer any questions we can.
Please call us if you have any questions.
See you on Sunday!
Rick and Nancy

Turquoise Trail Wranglers Lose a Club Leader

2009-01-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that I tell you that one of our club leaders, Mr Chad Winters, lost his life in a car accident on County road 44 off of State road 14 Friday evening.

Chad was an outstanding young man and having worked side by side with him for many months building our arena was both a pleasure and an honor. Our arena will stand as a constant reminder to us of Chad's dedication to our club, 4-H, and the young people of our county.

Please remember him and his family in your prayers.

Rick & Nancy
TTW

Post Script: Visitation for friends & family will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at McGee Memorial Chapel, with remembrance service to follow. He will be buried at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Manassa, Colo. .

Photos courtesy of photographer Rob Shields

TTW Club Meeting February 15th, 2009

2009-01-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

Howdy TT Wranglers,

Our next Turquoise Trail Wranglers Club meeting will be a free clinic held on Sunday February 15th, at 1 p.m.

The clinic is with world renowned horse trainer Rex Peterson (see his website: http://www.rexpetersonhorsetraining.com/). Rex has trained horses for movies such as Appaloosa, Flicka, Black Beauty, Dreamer among many others. He will be demonstrating how he works with his movie horses, as well as how to teach your horse ground manners and respect while grooming, tacking and mounting. Tips that we can all use for a lifetime of safe horse handling.

Although we have room for all our Wranglers and family, we only have room for so many horses so please let us know as soon as possible if you are attending and want to bring your horse or not.

Club members please check your e-mail for more information.

Looking forward to a great 2009!

Rick and Nancy
Turquoise Trail Wrangler Leaders

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

Just checking in to wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season! We are preparing for a Fun Filled New Year so we will be in touch in January to let you know when the first meeting will be!
Cheers,
From Rick, Nancy & Cris
Turquoise Trail Wranglers

December 7th Holiday Meeting...

2008-11-18T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hey Wranglers,
I hope you all had as much fun as I did at our November Meeting/Train Ride. For our December/ Holiday meeting we are going to the movies for FREE! "Christmas Miracle At Sage Creek" starring David Carradine, Wes Studi, Irene Behdard and Turquoise Trail Elementary student Wyatt Turner, will be playing as part of the Santa Fe Film Festival and I've received complimentary tickets for all our club members!! This 95 minute family friendly Western was produced by a friend of mine and he will be meeting with us after the show to discuss the making of this Western Spur Award winning film.
The movie will be shown at the historic Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta. The film begins at 1:00 PM, but I need you Wranglers to be there by 12:30 PM so I can give you your tickets and get us all to our reserved seating section. Parents and adult tickets can also be purchased for $10 bucks. I also have a limited number of the adult tickets for sale on a first come basis or you can purchase them in advance from the Film Festival Box Office, 519 Cerrillos Road, 505 989 1495 or at the door the day of the show.
Please let us know either way if you will be attending by Monday, December 1, so we can be sure to hold your tickets or pass them on to someone on the wait list.
Thanks,
Rick

All Aboard the Santa Fe Southern Train Ride

2008-11-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

A photo-journal of our trip to the Galisteo Basin...

Kenny Tomlinson serves Diane Clare's yummy homemade pumpkin bread. Thanks for sharing!

Our resident journaling artist and her thousand watt smile!

Wranglers present a big thanks to Kowboyz with a handmade thank you card signed by all for sponsoring our trip!

All Aboard!

2008-10-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

4-H Fall Fun Days continue with a train ride on the Santa Fe Southern Railway Sunday November 9th, departing 2p.m. sharp - 4-Hers must be there by 1:30 p.m. The Hot Shot Train leaves from the Historic Depot in the heart of Santa Fe and travels down to the rim of the Galisteo Basin for a wide view from this interesting geologic uplift. After a brief stop to soak up the scenery, the train returns to Santa Fe. Snacks, hot and cold drinks are available onboard - or you can even pack your own brown bag lunch! Train Arrives back to Santa Fe depot approximately 4:30 p.m.

This trip is being hosted by the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H club and sponsored by Suzanne Grais & Brad Hammond owners of Kowboyz Western Wear on 345 W. Manhattan at Guadalupe, diagonally across from the Train Depot.

Due to Kowboyz generous donation tickets for us 4-Hers, family & friends are only $5 for kids & $10 for adults (by the way tickets are normally $14 for children & $28 for adults - thank you KOWBOYZ!).

This is a great deal! Seats will go fast! Right now we are scheduled to have our own rail car, and can take up to 48 passengers. So please mark your calendar and RSVP ASAP. We have to give a final count & money to book our train by Tuesday, November 4th.

So don't delay, reserve your seats today!

Mr. McKinley and our kids... Front Page News!

2008-10-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Captions read: Henry McKinley of Lone Bute helps Ian Czmyrid, 10, of Santa Fe with his roping skills Sunday afternoon at the opening day of a roping clinic in the newly built arena for the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club. The arena was built to give the children of Santa Fe and surrounding counties a place to practice and learn rodeo skills.

Inset photo: Jack Cameron, 7, prepares for a lesson on rodeo roping.

Roping Clinic a Huge Success!

2008-10-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

We could not have asked for a more beautiful day! Under sun-filled skies, forty 4-H kids from clubs throughout Santa Fe County, along with their parents and siblings graced Crossed Arrows Ranch home of the Turquoise Trail Wranglers arena for a day of 4-H fun, friendship, and food. Thank you kids for your enthusiasm - you guys are awesome!

Thank you to everyone who helped us put on this event - we couldn't have done it without you!!! A Very special thank you to Clint Mortenson of Mortenson Silver & Saddles for donating his whole day to teach us all about roping. To Master roper Mr. Henry McKinley - we can't thank you enough for providing the livestock for this event and for lending your mastery of archery too. To Super Looper and wonderful instructors Ronnie and Shelley Milliore. To Carl Hawkins who "put on the hog" cookin' out of his authentic 1890s chuckwagon, and to his helpers of the day, Steve Price, Jacinda Witt and Diane Clare. To our singing cowboy Jasper McCoy - thanks for lending your voice. Thank you to our Turquoise Trail Wrangler parents/leaders: Mark Hermeling, Greg Cummings, Jim Vidamour, and Angela Flores for their all their help. Thank you to San Marcos Feed Store for the buckets, scoopers, roping and ranch books - thanks Tom! A very special thanks to Western Horseman columnist and author Bill Manns and Judy Benson of Zon Publishing who made sure every kid went home with one of their calendars, Cowboy & Cowgirl coffee table books or postcard books. To Frank Romero, Linda and the gang at L&L, Chris Czymarid, Bobby & Debbie Borrego, and Eaves Ranch manager Thomas Wingate - thank you.
As a final note... This event couldn't have been possible without Kenny Tomlinson who not only spearheaded the initial construction of our arena, but to all the other things he made happen and the time it took to do it all. Thank you, you are THE MAN!

All eyes are on Clint Mortenson as he begins the roping class at the Crossed Arrows Ranch, home of the Turquoise Trail Wranglers.

Practice makes perfect.

View from atop the bucking chutes of our kids hard at work and having fun.

Girls Ranch Mustangs impressed all with their new roping skills.

Cloverbuds rule!

While on his lunch break Mr. McKinley taught archery to our Cloverbuds - where does he get his energy?!

Chuckwagon master Carl Hawkins and Bonanza Creek manager Steve Price.

Come and get it!!!

Cowboy crooner Jasper McCoy.

Swinging into the saddle.

Running the chutes for our ropers.

Cochiti Trail Blazer tracking his steer.

One of our cowgirls in action.

Watching the action!

Roping Clinic Tomorrow, Oct. 12 Wind or Shine!

2008-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody its Cris!! Just wanted to let everyone know that WE WILL STILL BE HAVING THE CLINIC TOMORROW OCTOBER 12, NO MATTER THE WIND!!! The only reason we would have a cancelation would be due to rain or flying pigs.

Thanks sunshine and sparkles,
Cris

4-H Council Meeting & Carnival, Friday October 10th

2008-10-07T07:08:00.001-07:00

Good luck to our club's new 4-H County Council Representatives: Cade Hermeling, Blaze Cummings, and Wyatt Vidamour.

Looking forward to seeing you on Friday October 10th at County Extension Building for the council meeting and carnival afterwards.

October 1st Organizational Meeting

2008-10-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

Wranglers, parents, and leaders.

Wranglers club leader and SF County 4-H AG agent guest speaker .

No job is finished until the paperwork is done - way to go Wranglers!

Roping Clinic Sunday, October 12th

2008-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

Our club, the Turquoise Trail Wranglers will be hosting a Roping Clinic by Clint Mortenson on Sunday, October 12th, 1:00 PM here at our arena. All Santa Fe County 4-H'ers from all the clubs have been invited and many will be attending in what is going to be a really fun day. This clinic is being offered to us by Mr. Mortenson FREE of charge and is for all kids with or without horses for kids who can rope a bit or those that have never swung a rope too! We are also lucky to have rancher and roping legend, Mr. Henry McKinley who will be lending his expertise. Mr. Carl Hawkins will also be setting up his authentic 1890 Chuckwagon and will be cooking in his dutch ovens. This will be the first of our 4- H FALL FUN Days. I will fill you in on other upcoming events at the meeting.

Arena Building 101

2008-09-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

On a warm day last November I began clearing a section of land on our ranch that would become the home arena for the Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club. Following stump removal and dirt work by Monty Fasnaught, Tom Faulkner, local contractor, horseman and all around good friend Kenny Tomlinson as well as our welder, roper, and master of disaster our brother Chad Winter and his assistant Danny Saiz jumped in to drill holes and weld three semi loads of steel pipe to create what is now a 150' X 260' regulation PRCA Rodeo Arena complete with bucking chutes, roping chute and boxes along with cattle return and trap. This will now be the only dedicated arena of its kind for the exclusive use of Santa Fe County 4-H clubs.

Following are some photos showing our progress along the way...

Three semi loads of pipe await us on cleared land. March 2008

Kenny, Rick and Chad drilling the holes for the uprights.

First uprights in and ready to go.

Danny and 4-H'er fabricating the bucking chutes.

Danny welding the gateway for the stripping chute and cattle trap.

Backing into the box for a roping chute test run. April 2008

Chad and Kenny assembling our rustic "powder rooms".

Our delux outhouses open for business.

Cattle moooving in - Thanks Mr. Henry McKinley!!!

Hanging out our shingle. Our new sign courtesy of local wrangler Nancy D.

Very special thanks also to: Henry & Peg McKinley, Bonanza Creek Ranch owners Imogene & Richard Hughes, Ranch Manager and my padner' Steve Price, Clint Mortenson of Mortinson Silver & Saddles, and Richard Slaughter.

Thanks all!
Rick