Howdy Folks!

Before we left for Medicine Hat on Monday,  we loaded our grain bin on our truck full of oats to keep us going for another couple of weeks.  When Rick bought the Peterbilt, he added on another sleeper from the scrap yard and made it into an oat bin.  It works slick as a whistle as we have 2 RV discharge spouts on the bottom on each side of the container.

The journey to High River, AB was uneventful.  For me in the Frieghtliner, I drive in silence most of the time.   I rarely turn on the radio.  I normally just drive along and think to myself.  Or I make a few phone calls to catch up with the kids, relatives and friends.

While the crew set up camp, the horses enjoyed a nice warm relaxing rest in the bright warm sunshine.  Our liner/barn, has hydraulic sides that are operated with a generator to fold them in and out when at each destination.  Back in 2005 was the first year we had this, and I tell you, we sure have appreciated using it.  It just makes this go a little bit quicker.

And once we were finished, camp Dorchester and “Team 23” enjoyed a few beverages, pizza and stories to boot.

As we had a few days off before the show started, many wagons utilize the morning track times to run an outfit.  Cousin Troy Dorchester had a team needing a blow, so Rick jumped in to lend a hand.

When in this southern part of the province, we always enjoy heading out west to the Longview country.  It is so beautiful out there with the rolling lush green hills and the big blue and white mountains in the distance.  We ventured out to our friends, John Scott to show our barn hands around.  It is such a unique Ranch, as they have filmed many fun and exciting movies on the place.

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I was pretty happy with the photos I had taken.  The place just had so much to offer in the way of landscape, movie sets, animals, buildings and so much more.

Did you ever know there were white buffalos?  I sure did not.  Well there were a few out in the pasture out on the Ranch.  They were pretty unique looking.

The regular hairy brown buffalo’s were there too!  Rick was pretty worried I was getting just a little bit to close to them while taking their photo.  He had his hand on the wheel and his foot on the gas just in case they made a move.

 

 

While I was out early this morning on my bike for my “Me” time, I came across this lovely rock.  I thought that this love sign was pretty cool.  It was meant for me.

As race time neared, last-minute things had to get done. With little time to spare, we worked together and scrubbed the sponsor tarp shiny, bright and clean.  Nothing a little bit of elbow grease can’t fix.

Our outriders tonight, were Quiad Tournier on Stadium, holding the leaders and Chanse Vigen throwing the stove on Ice.  It was so good to have Chanse back for just one more time before we retire, as he very seldom rides anymore, because he has his own team of horses to drive.

Coming off the four barrel, carrying the John Scott Motion Picture Animals Tarp, Rick had Louie on the Left Lead, Nickle on the Right Lead.  Spin on the Left Wheel, and Sporty on the Right Wheel.  The team had a great start at the horn.  The barrels were left standing and they hunted the track and gained some amazing speed.  They were pretty fast and posted a 1:18.43 on the day, which was good enough for a day money run.

We were all pretty excited as we knew Rick had driven very well, and the horses performed to the best of their ability.

However, nothing is official until the a few hours after the last race is finished.  The judges need to review each and every heat, to be sure that all things went accordingly.  And sometimes, things have been seen, and a penalty will be assessed.  Apparently, our heat was reviewed, and the judges felt it was tight on the first turn between chuckwagons.  “Team 23” was assessed with 2 seconds inference penalty, and our time had changed which brought us down to 11th on the day.  Despite that decision, we couldn’t be happier with how fast the horses ran, 2 to 3 wide around the track.  Amazing!

The chores aren’t quite done until the Chukwagon gets washed, and Rick’s little buddy, Dace sure did a pretty good job getting his clean.  What a great little helper she is.

This year I have been out and about a whole lot more with my camera.  I have been averaging around 400 – 600 photos on any given race day.  They say you can take a 1000 photos, and maybe 10 or so may turn out to be amazing.  I’ve got a long way to go.

From the Travelin Trailer

Sue, with Rick and “Team 23”

 

P.S.  Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and the wrong.  Sometime in your life you will have been all of these.  Dr. Robert H. Goddard