March 30, 2009

Wyoming photographer Chanda Snook shared the photos below. She told us, "The little girl is my niece Shyanne and the lamb's name is "Pixy":
 

Chanda Snook shared a photo previously in Picture the West:

 from the funeral of South Dakota rancher Jack Loughlin

and

  her photo "Learning the Ropes" was featured as the 2008 National Day of the Cowboy Art Spur

Chanda Snook's friend, writer and poet Rhonda Stearns, shared information about her:

Chanda grew up with cutting horses near Rapid City, South Dakota.  She enjoyed 4-H Rodeo and now lives on a Wyoming ranch with her husband Clint and sons Austin and Taylor (Bug).  She's always loved photography and says newer, better cameras enhance her enjoyment and encourage her pursuit of the craft.

In addition to rodeo photography, Chanda is in demand to record graduations, weddings, family gatherings and other special events in her region.  She does commercial photography for Fidler Isburg Funeral Directors and Snook & Sons Realty.

 

Chanda Snook
979 New Haven Rd.
Hulett, WY 82720
307-290-0400
csnook@wbaccess.net
 

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   Share your photos for Picture the West.

Send your views of the West.

We're looking for images that give a glimpse of the ranching, cowboy, and rural and working life of the West of today and yesterday. We welcome vintage and contemporary photos:  family photos, images of where you live and work, and the area around you. 

If you have a photo and story to share, email us.

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March 23, 2009

 

Sharon Brown shared a poem and photos about her mother, a 1940s rodeo queen.  She told us about her mother and about herself:

I wrote "Night of the Rodeo Queen" in memory of my mother, Betty Jean Tippett, who was a rodeo queen at the 1940 Lewiston Roundup in Idaho. She was also a rodeo princess at the Pendleton Roundup in Oregon.

I still have a satin shirt and corduroy gauchos from her rodeo queen wardrobe. She was very petite as a young woman, and later in life, after childbearing years were well behind her, my mother regained her girlish figure and was able to fit once more into her rodeo queen costume and wear it in the annual parade at the Lewiston Roundup on the float for past royalty.

Knowing that my mother had moments of glory and stars in her eyes as a young woman warms my heart. I think the poem says it all as to why I felt inspired to write it.

Night of The Rodeo Queen

Well, my mother was a rodeo queen
When she was just nineteen
Before she met and married Dad
And had to cook and clean

Before she had five children
To sew for, bathe, and feed
Yes, my mother was a rodeo queen
When she was a mere nineteen

She danced one night with Bing Crosby
Back in those carefree, happy days
And led her courtly procession
‘Round the arena in a rodeo parade

And as bulls and bucking broncos
Queued up in the wooden chutes
Cowboys prepared to mount and ride
With rodeo clowns in hot pursuit

My mother presided over all of this
With dust kicked up everywhere
And bloodied lips and knuckles
Of cowboys who hoped to snare

The coveted silver buckle
Of a rough and ready ride
It was over in a matter of minutes
But thrashing hooves could decide

Whether a cowboy got up
And quickly walked away
Or swallowed heaps o' sawdust
While trampled in the melee

Now, those bull-riding contests
Were reserved strictly for the men
But Mom could rope and ride
And barrel race with the best

You see, my mother was a rodeo queen
And to royalty she was born and bred
Born to a cattle ranching baron
How could she have ever guessed

That one day she would put away
Her fancy saddle and spurs
And take on all the responsibilities
That marriage heaped on her

Years later while standing
At the kitchen window
With her hands soaking
In a sudsy bath

A stack of breakfast dishes
Towered before her
As she gazed out
At the garden path

And the world stopped
For a moment
As she remembered
That magical night

The night when the crowd roared
Just for her, and she only nineteen

The night my mother rode into the arena
And was crowned a Rodeo Queen

© 2008, Sharon Brown
This poem may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.

Pendleton 1939

I spent my early childhood on a cattle ranch located at the mouth of the winding Grande Ronde River where it flows into the mighty Snake River, near The Gateway to Hells Canyon,
in the southeastern corner of Washington State. Across the Snake River from our ranch was Idaho.

The Nez Perce tribe once camped on that same river bank, where our ranch house was built, during their seasonal migrations, and we often came across their artifacts. So as a child, it seemed like such wild country in which to run wild and free, the stuff of which city kids could only read and daydream about. And indeed we had the run of the hills, could saddle up a horse anytime we pleased, and were taught at an early age to be careful around swift flowing water. I loved it!

I have fond memories of those early days of ranch life, which I have since felt inspired to share in poetic musings. I have written poetry here and there throughout my life, since childhood, but more so within the last two years. I felt inspired to try my hand at cowboy/cowgirl poetry after watching my brother, Smoke Wade, perform at various cowboy poetry festivals. Some know me as his Sister Sue. Others know me as Born2Roam.
 

Find Sharon Brown's page of poetry here.

You can email Sharon Brown.

 

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   Share your photos for Picture the West.

Send your views of the West.

We're looking for images that give a glimpse of the ranching, cowboy, and rural and working life of the West of today and yesterday. We welcome vintage and contemporary photos:  family photos, images of where you live and work, and the area around you. 

If you have a photo and story to share, email us.

March 16, 2009

Peggy Rivera shares photos from the Rivera Ranch in Tehachapi, California, with captions and comments:

This photo was taken from our ranch in Tehachapi, California, on Feb 13, 2009. My husband, Mondo Rivera, is moving Buster out to the east pasture so he can stretch his legs and frolic in the powder.
 

Sonny, our Mustang, and Buster, our Draft

New snow  

The front door view

My husband Armando and I love the outdoors which is one of the reasons why we moved to T-Hatch. We spend the majority of our time tending to the ranch. Yard work, home repairs, and animal care is never ending but we manage to sneak in some riding and have recently started back country packing. Mondo occasionally helps out with the stock at the Loop Ranch. We also have 2 dogs, a Queensland and an Akita, Ranger and Sally, respectively.

We work in Taft and Bakersfield and on weekends we rarely venture indoors...mostly horseback riding around T-Hatch and back country packing in The Golden Trout Wilderness. This year I intend on constructing a major garden that will include lots of chili, green & red peppers, tomatoes, onions & cilantro—all the fixins' for a "wake up your tastebuds" salsa. We fire up the grill for the majority or our meals and we're always trying a new Dutch oven recipe —and—we LOVE music.  Mondo strums the guitar and I tinker with the banjo. I've been married to this wonderful man for 17 years— we've lived in this piece of heaven for 3+ years. We are truly blessed.
 

Peggy and Armando Rivera,
Stallion Springs Poker Run, June, 2008