Howdy All!
Tonight, the rain gear was sitting on hold, as the evening progressed throughout all the activities of the first night at the 2018 Grande Prairie Stompede. The clouds were continuously threatening to open up for the water to fall upon our parade, but we were lucky enough to elude such moisture.

Focused
Tonight, Cody our son drove an outfit in the Western Chuckwagon Association with a team of our horses. He drove Orchid, Speedy, Club and Bacardi. Coming off the 4 barrel, a line got flipped around over one of the horses heads, which in turn, slowed Cody down in his forward motion turning the barrels. He managed to get around them both cleanly and head down the track. He gained plenty of ground on the wagons ahead of him and finished the race pretty respectfully just the same. He placed 12 on the day out of 19 competitors in total.

Practice on 1
As we were in the last heat, the track seemed to get heavier as the races went on. Rick whistled to his horses when the horn sounded to start the race. He made a clean pattern around the top and bottom barrels, then away they went as fast as they could go. Rick was very happy with how the boys ran. Tonight he had Spirit on the Left Lead, Ranger on the Right. Cowboy was on the Left Wheel and Glory on the Right. Quaid Tournier held the leaders with our horse named Ed. Chance Flad rode Andy throwing the stove and those both rode quite well arriving right close behind Rick when he crossed the finish line. When the times came out, we had posted a 1:17.77 on the day putting us 5th over all.
Over these last 6 or so years, I’ve enjoyed learning about photography, while takeing many, many Chuckwagon action shots along with happenings along on our journey down the trail. I am definitely no professional, and have so much more to learn in this area of photos, lenses, light and settings.
Together, Rick and I have had lots of fun living, learning and loving in our chuckwagon journey. A roller coaster at times, with many highs and sometimes a few lows. But we grew from all that we did and we raised 3 wonderful kids along the way.

Helping
I may not be an expert at harnessing the horses today, but I do get in there and help out where help is needed. Thanks to Rick’s dad, the late Dave Lewis, as he was the one to teach me the ropes many years ago when I was just the new girl on the block.

The Right Connection
For a cowboy who lives, loves and breathes what he does, connecting the lines, crosschecks and snaps together is just another quick job to be done.

Laughter is a Medicine
This guy that I married, always keeps one on their toes. You never know what joke he will come out with next.

Checking things Out
Well, I do have to tell you, this man and I have done a lot of thinking, debating and decision making this past while.

Two become One
And through all this thinking and planning, we came to a decision. A decision that was not easy at all to come out and say. But yet we knew it was time to say it and share it.

Mr. and Mrs.
We have decided that this year will be our “Last Run”. Yes, our “Last Run” on the Chuckwagon Circuit. Grande Prairie, Sasaktoon, Medicine Hat, High River, Ponoka and Calgary too. More stories to come and many more miles to drive. So stay tuned, and enjoy, our “Last Run” of this year.
From the Travelin Trailer
Sue, with Rick and “Team 23”

Sue
P.S. Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. Success is “Team 23”.