Ranch heritage weekend at the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show

The reason was two fold. Number one, to handle the increase in stock show entries, especially in the horse classes. This year the show had a record number of horses, nearly 1,500. The second reason was to host the ranch heritage weekend, sponsored by Western Horseman magazine.

The ranch heritage weekend featured a number of events that highlighted the stock show's ranch roots. Saturday morning, January 12, the AQHA ranch versatility horse class debuted with 15 riders entered in five events: obstacles, cutting, ranch pleasure, arena work and confirmation. The rules called for one rider on one horse to complete all five events. It featured combos from some of the biggest cow ranches in Texas to everyday horse men (and women) who thought they had a good, broke horse and were in the arena to prove it.

That night, an invitational ranch rodeo has held, featuring some of the oldest and largest ranches in Texas, such as the Pitchford, the Spade and the Seven S of Oklahoma. Events included cow sorting, calf branding, saddle bronc riding and wild cow milking among others. In the end, the cowboys of the Moorehouse Ranch won the event before a sold-out crowd of 5,500.

The next day, a ranch horse demostration and sale was held for 12 horses. Again, it featured some of the best stock Texas ranches had to offer. After the horses were put through their paces in the arena, doing what a ranch horse would be asked to do in a typical week, the animals were sold, starting with the winner on down to the last horse. The top mount, a 7-year-old gelding, sold for $40,000, while the second place animal went for $22,000.

So popular was the ranch hertiage weekend that the Stock Show manager are making plans for its return next year. It seems only right to honor the ranch horse and ranch cowboy. After all, the ranching industry is where all western horse classes and rodeo came from.

See the slide show!