The Outside Circle: Open riding, breakaway and tie down roping, clinics, horse sale

    I hope by the time this gets read that the deep freeze on the northern plains has let up significantly. You know it’s really cold when I felt kind of guilty for having -14 degrees and not -32 like friends had further north. I saw a post that all the alleged cow flatulence in Montana sure hadn’t warmed anything up at all. I don’t think it did in N.D. or S.D. either.

     Sheridan College AgriPark is offering open riding at their nice indoor facility in Sheridan, Wyo. Tuesday evenings are reserved for youth 14 and under, from 7-9 p.m., and is FREE thanks to the generosity of several sponsors. Fridays, 7-9, will have open riding for everyone, $10/horse. This is riding time only and no event practice.

      Starting Feb. 18 the James Kjerstad Event Center will be offering open riding times at the Rapid City, S.D. facility. To get dates and times, go to THM Productions Facebook page.

     The Riata Ranch Event Center in Cheyenne, Wyo., is holding Tie Down and Breakaway Roping on Feb. 22. Entries open at 11, the roping starts at noon. There is open and novice breakaway and open and amateur tie down divisions. They are doing a 70% payback. For more information contact Joel at 307-414-0368.

      In case you’re wondering why I include so many clinics and schools here, it’s because I believe that they are an excellent investment. Paying someone to teach the right methods and learn the proper details is so much better than trying to figure it out on your own or having your equally unknowing buddies telling you what to do. It doesn’t take many entry fees with no payoff in sight to make up the investment in a good clinic, whether it’s horsemanship, rodeo or whatever. So, that said, I will be liberally sprinkling schools and clinics in this column for the foreseeable future.

     There will be a Colt Starting Clinic with Mitch Shelhamer at the Big Horn Co. Fairgrounds, Basin, Wyo., on Mar. 1. It’s $250/rider and $25 to audit. Call 307-272-8497 to get signed up.

     The Outside The Turn Barrel Clinic with Jenn Zeller will be Mar. 8-9 at the All Seasons Arena in Bowman, N.D. You can ride one day or both. One day is $325, both days $550. To sign up contact Jamie Binstock at 605-210-2370. To learn more about Jenn’s clinics go to http://www.outsidetheturn.com.

       Here’s one for your roughies who like the barebacks and saddle broncs! Gillette College Rodeo is hosting a High School Rough Stock Clinic with Marvin Garrett coaching barebacks and Shorty Garrett coaching saddle broncs. Not only great instructors but it’s FREE to students! It will be Mar. 22-23 at the Gillette College Indoor, Gillette, Wyo. It’s limited to 15 riders per event, so you need to get signed up sooner than later, as the deadline is Mar. 15. To sign up, contact Marvin at 605-320-0964 or Casey Sellers at 307-299-0969.

     The Sheridan Livestock Auction’s next horse sale at Rushville, Neb., is March 19, 2 p.m.

     There will be breakaway and calf roping clinics with Jason Schaffer at the Fair Barn, Broadus, Mont. Apr. 4 is the breakaway for $300/roper; Apr. 5 is calf roping for $650/roper. Half of that is required for the non-refundable deposit to hold your spot. There are limited spots this year, so don’t put off making the call. Also, the calves will be for sale after the clinic. To sign up or to learn more, call Jason or Sharena at 406-853-4626 or 701-260-2717.

    You might want to get these dates written down as they’ll be here quickly. Tom Reeves will be having his Eagle Butte, S.D. Introduction to Saddle Broncs schools. Dates are Apr. 19, May 6, June 3, July 8, and Aug. 12 with more details and possibly more dates to be announced. You can learn more from Tom at 605-218-1954.

     Well, that’s my chilly circle for this week. I’m sure enthused about the possibility of our nation becoming closer to solvent! It’s just amazing what has been accomplished in the past month with the adults in charge again. Please pray for the safety of those who are making the difference, protect our first responders, border agents, and all those who are trying so hard to get our nation back on it’s feet. May God bless America!