This picture was taken Oct 2005 At Vaquero Days, honoring our friend Ray Harmon. Ray passed away in Jan. 2007 and we will miss him, but remember the good times we had. Left to right Shawn, Ray, Bob and Beth Ann.

   Andy removing porcupine quills

   Andy and Bob doctoring cattle Arvada Wyoming

   Steve Willis roping the heels and Bob on the head. This cow had hoof rot and we roped and doctored her in the pasture.

   Wes is putting the bottom front leg in the head loop, this will keep the cow from choking, while we doctor her.

   Ray and Roany

   Bob throwing a long houlihan

   Horses running  in the horse pasture. There has been no color or enhancement of any kind to this picture. I really like the color in this picture.

 My good friend Tom Hone on the heels and I am on the head. Branding 2007 on the Gordon Family Ranch, Nebraska. If you like cowboying on a ranch, it doesn't get much better than this.

  SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ON RANCH ROPING

 Growing up I was raised on a ranch/farm. My Dad ran cattle in the National Forrest land in Utah; we raised hay for winter feed and then Dad was partners in a yearling operation in southern Idaho. I loved riding horses a whole lot more than driving a team, or driving a tractor.  I also love to rope, but there was NOBODY around that would ever help me with my roping. I was self taught and had acquired many of the bad habits, because of not having any one to help me. Probably the only good thing that I had going was desire, and I had lots and lots of desire to learn. Many people tried to convince me to forget about horses and cattle and just get a job in the city. I didn't want a job in the city.

While stationed in Jacksonville, Fla. with the Navy, I was able to do some calf roping and this only added fuel to the fire of wanting to get better. Still, I was unable to hook up with some good ropers who could help me. There wasn't much to read that proved of any value to me on the subject of roping. After I got out of the Navy and we moved to the Uintah Basin country in North Eastern Utah,  I continued to try and calf rope and team rope. On my days off I would day work for several different ranchers and I knew I could do a better job if I could rope better. (the sad thing was I was roping as good or better than most of the ones I worked for). Some team roping schools helped my arena roping but trying to doctor one on the open range left lots to be desired.

In the early to mid 1980"s I attended some Ray Hunt clinics and it changed my whole life with how I work with horses. In the Late 1980's we moved to Southern Arizona and I got acquainted with Buck Brannaman. Buck provided the knowledge of roping and was the mentor that I had not had before. Wow! My roping took off at an accelerated pace. The different swings, backhand, houlihan, scoop loop, the different roll over shots, the many head and heels shots fascinated me. This was what I had been looking for and had not be able to find. I was a happy camper.  

Things evolved and to make a long story short, I quit my other jobs and we went full time with the Cowboy School, Inc. helping other learn the skills of the cowboy.  Not only do you need to know a correct and proper way to handle a rope, but you need the instant feedback on what you are doing. We can't see ourselves, and so much of the time we are not doing what we think we are doing. There are many people out there that will give you advice and their opinion, but opinions are kind of like belly buttons, everybody has one. Too much of the time what they tell you is totally worthless. You might have already experienced this.

If you want to learn to rope I am here ready to help you. As you can see from all the pictures I will teach you how to ranch rope.