Jordan Valley Big Loop

[Dave]

I know it is a long ways from the vast majority here. We went to the Jordan Valley Big Loop yesterday. This isn't your normal rodeo. This isn't professional rodeo cowboys. It is cowboys and ranchers from buckaroo country getting together for a fun weekend. Jordan Valley (population 130) is the one small town in the Owyhee. All the roping events they don't allow rubber wrapped saddle horns. They are all leather wrapped horns. When you dally it is 2 or 3 wraps and at times the smoke is flying. Team roping isn't 450 pound roping steers. It is 650-700 pound wild yearling mulies who have never been roped. They get a bit western on the end of the rope. They have a horse roping with the big loops. The horses are 3 year old future bucking horses who are for all intents and purposes wild horses. There is a 20 foot minimum on the loops. The horses are headed and front foot roped. They don't come tight and trip the horses anymore. There a several acre outdoor trade show of saddle makers, silver smiths, braiders, rawhide weavers, etc. A couple hundred free range ranch kids who all seem to be swinging a rope catching anything that moves. The wife noted that she only saw one girl wearing jeans with holes in them. If you are ever in this part of the world the third week in May on highway 95 about 70 miles south of Boise or 100+ miles north of Winnemucca (it is the only thing between those two)be sure to stop in and see a bunch of by God Real cowboys.

 

[Travlr]

I know it is a long ways from the vast majority here. We went to the Jordan Valley Big Loop yesterday. This isn't your normal rodeo. This isn't professional rodeo cowboys. It is cowboys and ranchers from buckaroo country getting together for a fun weekend. Jordan Valley (population 130) is the one small town in the Owyhee. All the roping events they don't allow rubber wrapped saddle horns. They are all leather wrapped horns. When you dally it is 2 or 3 wraps and at times the smoke is flying. Team roping isn't 450 pound roping steers. It is 650-700 pound wild yearling mulies who have never been roped. They get a bit western on the end of the rope. They have a horse roping with the big loops. The horses are 3 year old future bucking horses who are for all intents and purposes wild horses. There is a 20 foot minimum on the loops. The horses are headed and front foot roped. They don't come tight and trip the horses anymore. There a several acre outdoor trade show of saddle makers, silver smiths, braiders, rawhide weavers, etc. A couple hundred free range ranch kids who all seem to be swinging a rope catching anything that moves. The wife noted that she only saw one girl wearing jeans with holes in them. If you are ever in this part of the world the third week in May on highway 95 about 70 miles south of Boise or 100+ miles north of Winnemucca (it is the only thing between those two)be sure to stop in and see a bunch of by God Real cowboys.

I went to something like this in Reno several years ago. It was more educational than the usual. And the crowd was more rural oriented with a lot of friendly people. And like you said, the vendors were more oriented to useful ranch items instead of glitter for urban people.

 

[farmerjan]

Sounds like a great weekend

 

[Dave]

Things can be a bit western at Jordan Valley. A few years back some protestors showed up. They were told that they couldn't protest on the grounds which are private property. In the middle of the rodeo they leaped the fence and locked arms in the middle of the arena. Jordan Valley solution. They turned the bulls out. No real mean bulls but rodeo looking ones. What do Portland protesters know about bulls. They all scrambled over the fences. End of protest.

 

[Lucky]

Sounds like a good time. I would really enjoy something like that. All we have here are team ropings and a few ranch rodeos.