My Life As A Cattle Rancher's Daughter

At the annual Arizona Cowpunchers Rodeo. This year, my partner and I won in the ribbon roping! So fun! We won a buckle :). The ribbon roping is when the roper ropes the calf and the runner (me), runs as fast as she can to grab the ribbon off of the calfs tail. Once the ribbon has been grabbed, you must run to the finish line (which is the header's box). 

Here is a cowboy eating his lunch during a branding. My job usually during a branding is to feed all of the hungry cowboys. Some may think that this is a easy job. Well I can answer any questioning about that by telling you that that is a very hard job! Well after my mom and I make breakfast for everyone at 3 in the morning, we usually start making the lunch. It is hard because it has to be food that doesn't have to be eaten with a plate or fork or stuff like that....yet it has to be hardy, to give them some "Umph" to finish there long day. My mom and I usually make sandwiches (a classic), watermelon, rice krispies, granola bars, cookies, the works. Then after you make it we have to drive on an eternal dirt road to meet them for their break. 

This is my dad in the background roping a calf. You must rope all the calves to brand them, ear mark them, vaccinate, and castrate them (if the calf is a steer of course).  

The long, dusty, lonely road we must travel for hours and hours and years of my life...okay not years. But it sure feels like it! 

These are some of the many photographs I have taken at ropings, brandings, or simply just out my back door. I am the daughter of a 5th generation cattle rancher. I loved how I grew up...it's hard work, but I would never change anything about my family's lifestyle. I remember as a little girl getting up at 4 in the morning to start early and then riding twelve hours days in the heat. Some people think, "Oh! Riding all day must be fun!" haha oh boy. While it is fun at times, you really love it when you are done with the day.