Last Updated: Friday, August 24, 2007 3:57 PM CDT
Saddle up for family fun at the Western Connection Ranch
by Michael Skubal - Daily News Staff - mskubal@rhinelanderdailynews.com
Dig out your cowboy boots and that shirt with the pearl buttons, it's time for the 4th annual Little Britches Rodeo. The Youth Rodeo Club at the Western Connection Ranch is hosting the Little Britches of Wisconsin rodeo on their spread at 6899 Highway K.
Richelle Beene and Norb Renn run the ranch together. Beene, a 1987 graduate of Rhinelander High School, is the manager and trainer. Western Connection Ranch, LLC, has been around for five years. “We're a full service horse facility,” said Beene. “We offer boarding, training, riding lessons, trail rides, sleigh and wagon rides. Basically, we train a lot of people and horses. We have kids here all the time learning the care and feeding of the animals.”
Western Connection offers a number of unique opportunities for kids and adults alike. Beene explains, “We have game shows, pleasure shows and clinics. Game shows include barrel racing, poles and speed events. All these are part of the Little Britches Rodeo. At pleasure shows they show horses in confirmation and they ride both English and western saddles. And we have clinics where we teach people how to work horses on cattle.”
The Youth Rodeo Club, a non-profit 501(c)3, is based at the Western Connection Ranch and is the host for the Little Britches Rodeo. This year the Rodeo will be held this Saturday and Sunday and is open to kids ages 6-19. Competitions are held in a number of events including barrel racing, pole bending, bull riding, calf roping, goat tying, breakaway roping, bronc riding, steer wrestling and team roping. Participants earn points for year-end awards and national qualifying points to compete at the national level.
It's the cowgirl and her horse versus the clock in barrel racing. Six poles set up in a straight line mark the polebending course. Riders weave their way through the poles and back to the starting line. Points are taken off for each pole knocked down. Bull riding, calf roping, goat tying, bronc riding and steer wrestling are rodeo events most are familiar with. Breakaway roping is an event for the girls. The rider chases a calf given a head start out of the chute and throws a loop over its head. When the rider pulls up her horse, the calf breaks a string connecting the rope to the saddle horn.
There will be a grand entrance at 12:30 p.m. and performances at 1 p.m. Ticket prices are $5 per person per day. Children under five years of age are free. All proceeds go to the Youth Rodeo Club. Special sponsors include the Circle K Saloon and Grill, Hedberg Well Drilling and the Horsin' Around Club. Event sponsors are Friendship House, Sears of Minocqua, Energy Wise Builders and Vandergeest Dairy Cattle.
“Last year we had kids from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, over 400 entrants,” said Beene. “Saturday night is the team roping jackpot. Visitors are welcome. All participants run for points and have a chance to win awards. They are riding for belt buckles.”
If you can't get out to the Little Britches Rodeo, visit Western Connection Ranch for a trail ride. It's for those six and older and costs $20 per person. It's a nice ride on a pretty trail through the pines. They're gentle horses and there are pony rides for the youngsters. You can contact the Western Connection Ranch at 715-282-5619 or e-mail them at wconnect@dwave.net. Head 'em up, ride 'em out for fun this weekend.
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