Past weekend we were at this deal:
http://www.californiobridlehorseassociation.com/code-7/code-20/index.html
Held at the historic Tejon Ranch (El Rancho El Tejons to be more correct). This is the largest ranch in California history and is still a huge place. Originally 5 different Spanish land grants bought up by Gen Beale back in the day, its been an ongoing operation since 1843. Both my wife, our neighbors from across the way, and our young friend Emma competed and all did EXTREMELY well. Our end of the hood can stand tall! It was pushing triple digits all three days and as ya might expect ya saw a lot of hats at this outfit. Also quite a few knives. Here's a few pics.
Nichole, my wife, brushing down Josie her mare getting ready to do some warm up riding even though they didn't compete till about 7:30 that night.
Here's Josie's hat. She doesn't have any opposable digits so she's not huge on blades.
Emma. This was the first time we'd seen her horseback wearing her new Charmitas (leggings) that we'd helped her make. I showed her how to adjust the pattern and cut the leg fringe, Nichole did the sewing and Emma did everything else.
Wait there's a Horsewright knife:
Both girls in the JR Ranch Horse class where wearing their Horsewright knives at the judges meeting>
Nichole going to her judges meeting later that night:
You are assigned a specific number (and all three numbers have a letter so you might be assigned: 8 B) and that is the steer you must rope. Nailed it first shot! Then her partner, who is not being judged, only Nichole and how she ropes and handles her horse afterwards is being judged, will come in and heel it. Time is not a factor at all. Its how its being done, as long as it is done within 6 minutes.
Our friend Dwight Hill was Nichole's partner. Dwight is probably the most successful competitive ranch roper there is. While ya can't see his knife here in this pic, he told me an interesting story. He'd just returned from Italy where he was teaching a roping clinic. The clinic sponsor was into knives and Dwight gave him one of mine as a thank-you present for sponsoring the clinic. Kinda a cool story. Dwight is big on my Sonoran Belt knife and has 5 or 6. Any of you that have tossed a rope check out his loop. Dwight is facing the rear of steer on its right side. He is swinging that loop with a backhand swing. He changes direction in mid swing, releases, the loop turns over 180 degrees on its axis in mid air and comes down over the hip of the steer with the bottom strand coming down in front of the steers hind legs from the left side. Not only can I not throw this loop (and I'm a pretty darn good ranch roper), I don't even know what it is called!
Our friend Tyler was in the same class and he's carrying his folder in his belt sheath:
He did great too. Nichole took second in this class and Tyler took third.
Course these deals ya catch up with old friends too. Elena is wearing her Horsewright Gordo with mammoth tooth handle.
My friend Vince Donnely is probably one of the finest rawhide braiders on the planet, bar none. His hat is a custom by Weather Hat Co. Vince does a lot of fly fishing so he carries a Horsewright Sonoran Belt knife a great bird and trout.
His wife Judy has a Horsewright Coyote. She made this lamp shade from rawhide and the rawhide panels are all laced together with fancy braiding. First time I met them was a t a show some years back where we were vendors too. It was kinda funny. She snuck over and got him a knife a later he snuck over and got her a knife with out the other knowing. We traded both times as Vince's work is legendary and we already had a large collection long before ever meeting him. Look at Judy's belt he made her!
Nichole is talking with our friend Kevin Murphy. Kevin makes custom hats of exquisite quality.
KJ Murphy's Custom Hats,is the name of his business and we both have one.
This Open Road style was made famous by LBJ. I don't think I ever saw my grandfather out of the house with out an Open Road on.
Ya get the choose the colors:
He said mine was a little dusty, which it was after three days of standing next to the arena.
I have had many custom hats in my lifetime and still do. The others feel like cardboard compared to this one. Good thing Kevin likes to trade too, I probably couldn't afford this guy. I traded three Bowies and sheaths for this hat.
Anyhoo some of the knives and blades I saw this weekend.
