The cowboys and cowgirls were in town Friday and Saturday
That was obvious for anybody driving Main Street in Council Grove. Literally dozens of big horse trailers from throughout the Midwest came for the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo.
More than 100 contestants representing 14 ranch teams brought their family and friends for real-to-life working ranch competition.
Sponsored by the Morris County Youth Rodeo Association, competition was sanctioned by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA), Amarillo, Texas. Lehman Wall, WRCA manager, was in attendance and assisted at the rodeo attracting large spectator crowds locally and from afar.
With points totaled from two evening performances, Whitmire Land & Cattle Company, Nowata, Oklahoma, was the winner.
Team members are Tanner Davis, Wilder Davis, T.J. Mills, Heston Perkins, Kyle Rasberry and Keith Summer. They are qualified for the WRCA 2021 World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, November 11-14.
Working ranch events were ranch bronc riding, calf branding, team penning, stray gathering and wild cow milking.
Completing the top four teams were JLB Ranch, Douglass; Barron-Highsmith/Buford Ranch, Talaha, Oklahoma; and Keith Cattle Company/Morning Star Ranch, Allen.
Riding for the Keith/Morning Star team were Ben Johnsrud, Nate Johnsrud, Brian Keith, Justin Keith, Salvador Torres, and Clay Wilson.
Saturday morning attraction was a WRCA Youth Ranch Rodeo, one of only a handful of such competitions nationwide. While youth ranch rodeos have been hosted locally for years, this is the first time for a WRCA-sanctioned Youth Ranch Rodeo.
Top junior ranch rodeo honors went to the Myers Cattle & C3 Cattle team. Members are Clayton Anderson, Caden Anderson, Chance Anderson, Brookes Myers and Reece Myers. The team is qualified to compete at the first ever WRCA Youth World Championship Rodeo in Amarillo, November 13.
Events for youth contestants were team penning, calf branding, ribbon roping and doctoring.
Ranking second through fifth respectively in youth team competition were Salt Creek Cattle, Sooner Cattle, Rafter T Ranch and 1907 Cattle Company.
Local youth ranch rodeo participants included Macey Bolen, Jayden Patry, Ainsley Tiffany, Ransom Tiffany, Gus Wainwright, Mandy Wainwright and Cole Wilson.
Recipients of the Morris County Youth Rodeo Association Scholarships were introduced. They include Shyanne Allen, Claire Bankes, Chancy Johnson, Michelle Patry and Jacie Swisher.
Eight Kansas youth have received WRCA Foundation Scholarships this year and five of them were represented at the local rodeo. The recipients include Shyanne Allen, Gracie Bricker, Lukas Dierks, Sage Dierks, Makenzie Higgs, Chancy Johnson, Ashton Snyder and Chayde Snyder.
CUTLINES
Six teams competed in the Working Ranch Cowboys Association sanctioned Youth Ranch Rodeo during the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo.
Whitmire Cattle Company, Nowata, Oklahoma, won the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo at Council Grove. The team is qualified for the Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA) World Championship Rodeo, November 11-14, Amarillo, Texas.
Top junior team honors at the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo went to Myers Cattle & C3 Cattle. Members (not pictured as listed) include Clayton Anderson, Caden Anderson, Chance Anderson, Brookes Myers and Reece Myers. The team is qualified be at the first ever WRCA Youth World Championship Rodeo in Amarillo, November 13.
Fourth place in the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo went to the team of Keith Cattle Company/Morning Star Ranch of Allen. Members (not pictured as listed) are Ben Johnsrud, Nate Johnsrud, Brian Keith, Justin Keith, Salvador Torres, and Clay Wilson.
Perfect setting for the Santa Fe Trail Ranch Rodeo at Council Grove with patriotic grand entry flags flying for prayer and national anthem with lush green Flint Hills background. (Michelle Patry photo)
