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Sod House Sunday at the Bowring Ranch

S

Soapweed

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
16,264
Location
northern Nebraska Sandhills
The annual Sod House Sunday was held yesterday at the Bowring Ranch, which is owned by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. This event always has an outdoor church service, great music most of the day, a team penning contest, goat roping, and other events such as a three-legged race, watermelon seed spitting contest, post hole digging, nail pounding, etc. It is a fun event, with something for everyone.

My boys and I entered the team penning, and then their mother rode the same horse and got in with the boys. The Peach Blossom team did better than the Soapweed team, but this isn't the first time that has happened. :wink: Altogether there were 22 teams entered in the competition. I bought a few too many teams in the calcutta, but did luck out by buying the winners. When the dust settled, I paid a hundred seventy-seven dollars for seven of the teams, plus $30 entry fee each for both my team and Peachie's. Total paid out was $237, but the return check for buying the winning team was $247. All that fun, plus I made $10. :wink: :-)

Cowboysreadytocompete.jpg

Cowboys ready to compete
Payingtheentryfees.jpg

Paying the entry fees
Meadowview.jpg

Meadow view
Lastminuteinstructionsfromthechuteb.jpg

Last minute instructions from the chute boss
MytwoboysandtheirbuddyBailey.jpg

Our two boys and their buddy, Bailey
Killingtimeatthepenning.jpg

Killing time
PennersatSodHouseSunday.jpg

Penners at Sod House Sunday
Pennersinaction.jpg

Penners in action
TheKidlookinforhiskritter.jpg

The Kid looking for his kritter
Slammingthegate.jpg

Slamming the gate
Gettingreadyforthegoatroping.jpg

Getting ready for the goat roping
Oneofthetrophiesmysonmadeforthegoat.jpg

One of the trophies my son made for the goat roping winner
Sandhillsscenery.jpg

Sandhills scenery
TheKidshowingoff.jpg

The Kid showing off
 
Faster horses said:
You guys/ladies really know how to have fun!!!

Beautiful day, beautiful scenery.

Thanks, Soapweed.
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I agree, FH!! Why can't our little community get together and have one of these shindigs!!??? Looks like a blast!!! Those "trophies" your boy made would go for really big money around here....soooo...if ya wanna send me a few (dozen), I will see what I can do!! :wink: :wink: Dang!! There I go "mooching" again!! :lol: :lol:
 
Wonderful pictures Soapweed......Kosmokid must be really stout to "hang" from a pole like that LOL

Is there a sod house anywhere? I didnt see one in any of the pics, wondered since you said it was Sod House Sunday.
 
the_jersey_lilly_2000 said:
Wonderful pictures Soapweed......Kosmokid must be really stout to "hang" from a pole like that LOL

Is there a sod house anywhere? I didnt see one in any of the pics, wondered since you said it was Sod House Sunday.
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Yes, there is a sod house, and it is pretty authentic even though it was only made about fifteen years ago instead of a hundred and fifteen years ago. Guess this is the only picture that I took that had the sod house in it. The young gal on the right is a great granddaughter of Mrs. Bowring, who gave the ranch to the Game and Parks, and the other lady is her mother. This pretty girl lives in Oregon, and was Miss Rodeo Oregon in 2004. She and her dad came to our ranch twelve years ago and helped us move cattle on horseback at that time. Her dad worked for my dad on our ranch in 1966, and was helping calve out cows during the infamous March 3rd and 4th blizzard of 1966. The ladies just happened to be passing through and realized the annual "Sod House Sunday" was happening, so stopped by to join the excitement.

Sodhouse.jpg
 
Thanks for postin that, I was interested because my grandmother lived in a sod house when she was young. There are no pictures of it that we can find. The only one I've ever seen was one at the Heritage Museum in Lubbock at the University. The one grandma lived in was half dug out and half sod house.
 
Soapweed, No kidding, I was at a ranch west and north of Hyannis about a dozen years ago and they lived in a sod house - it had power and everything.


That's a great trophy - very well done.

I see that Soapweed supplied the panels for the event. Community events don't just happen, somebody has to bell the cat. Bravo Soapweed.
 
Brad S said:
Soapweed, No kidding, I was at a ranch west and north of Hyannis about a dozen years ago and they lived in a sod house - it had power and everything.


That's a great trophy - very well done.

I see that Soapweed supplied the panels for the event. Community events don't just happen, somebody has to bell the cat. Bravo Soapweed.
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You figure things out pretty good, Brad S, for living so far away. :wink: Say, did you happen to see Peach Blossom's picture in the recent issue of NEBRASKAland magazine? It was taken at Sod House Sunday last year.
 
Soapeed, I don't get Nebraska land. too bad about your better half besting you at cowboying. If you'd take better care of those boys they'd have thrown a klinker in the works to make sure you didn't have to live this down.

you know of an Armstrong outta Gordon (I think that's the name)? He's starting my basement pour in about 10 days. You know where Todd Raeger lives (1 east and 1 north of US20 & Cherry/Sherridan co line)? the pour is going in the section north and the section west of him. We're several months behind schedule, but I learned to sweat what needs to be sweatted and let the small stuff roll off like water off a duck's back.

Kids will be in Nebraska this fall to start school - even if I rent a room at Jefco (sez my wife). I wanted to have them up there to play ball this summer, but that won't happen.
 
Brad S.-you are sure going to be in the midst of some of the best country in the world :!: Hope all goes well for you and your family.
 
We will be glad to have you for a neighbor, Brad S, even though you will live about forty miles away. Welcome to you and your family, and I think you will all enjoy residing in this area. From the sounds of Clayton Wyatt, he should have what it takes keep things interesting around this neck of the woods. :wink: :-)
 
Brad S said:
Soapweed, No kidding, I was at a ranch west and north of Hyannis about a dozen years ago and they lived in a sod house - it had power and everything.


That's a great trophy - very well done.

I see that Soapweed supplied the panels for the event. Community events don't just happen, somebody has to bell the cat. Bravo Soapweed.[/quote


hmmmmm west and north of Hyannis....................now you have me thinking.........


I wanna know when he's gonna share the goat roping pictures?????
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Soapweed,
Clayton Wyatt has one big impediment to keeping things interesting - his old pops ran wild like a black mouth curr and he ain't having any of it from Clayton Wyatt.


CattleRMe, I used to grass some cows in Sherridan Co, and one time I stopped at a ranch about 10 or 15 west on 2 then about 2 miles north. Gruff older man that was solid gold hearted - I know that describes half the sandhill ranchers.

I think Soapweeds batteries died when his wife started beating himin the penning. So no pics
 
Welding has to be one of the most useful, practical and sometimes fun jobs. Every family should have a welder. Neat award your other son made. I bed HIS muscles could hang him parallel to a pole, too!
 
Yes BradS it does describe about half the Sandhillers, however the sodhouse has me stumped. I grew up in the area that's why I'm so perplexed by it.

The Bowering Ranches Sodhouse Sunday in my opinion had went down in quality from the past seveal years. The team penning was good competition when it finally started. Seemed like a lot of hurry up and waiting to me. However where a lot of volunteers put in their time to make the event I do say hats of to those just maybe the paid help could get things more with it.

However it is a nice way to spend a Sunday with family and neighbors.
 
Sorry i'm behind the curve on this...
Brad, when you get to your new stomping grounds the guy in the really! pink shirt in Soapweed's pictures and the next li'l feller to him will be your neighbors.
Brother Darrell is the feedlot foreman at Shadbolt's; this past winter he fed some bulls for the Spear.
Let's hope you can bring some rain from Kansas!
 

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