Paniolo for a day

[Kahunascott]

WOW, what a day. My good friend owns a 300-acre ranch in up county Waimea.
It is drop dead beautiful up there.
Jayne and I were invited to the ranch for the calf round up. (Hummmmmm)[:0]
First they round up the heard and drive them in to the corral then separate the calves from the cows.
Once in the corral the calves are roped by their back legs on horseback and brought out to us.
My job was to get the calf on its left side as its being dragged. It’s much harder then is sounds.
Then, my left knee on the neck, right knee on the rib cage behind the right front leg, next is to grab the front leg, bend it at the knee, pin the hoof back, pull it in to my chest, lean back and HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE. Most calves were around 350lbs and full of steam.
The calf is given 3 injections; branded, two clips of the ear and if it is a baby bull it’s changed in to a steer.
(You do know what I mean?)
At the count of three you let the calf up and run for the fence.
We branded about 50 head.
This was done in old tradition of 1800’s Paniolo. The only modern equipment used was a propane torch to heat up the irons. I would have loved a wood fire with the aroma of burning wood in the air.
Afterwards, we went back to Teddy’s house and had a big Hawaiian bash with all the fixin’s’.
BTW I was born and raised about 20 miles north of NYC.

Ya’ gotta love it[]


"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin

[pslamont]

Awww, Scott, it sounds like you had a GRAND ADVENTURE. Life here is good!

I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says

"Oh Crap, She's up!"

[JerryCarr]

Scott, I did the same thing on a regular basis in Texas for the first 18 years of my life and again during summers in college. It is romantic and rustic only when done on the odd occasion. Doing it for a living is another matter entirely! LOL. Having said that, I still enjoy a turn at it when I visit the old ranch.

And on an interesting note, last November I visited the Chamber of Commerce in Stephenville, Texas with my uncle who still runs the family ranch. He told the folks there that I now live in Hawaii. They became excited and told me to wait while they got some picture albums from the back. In the album for the championship calf roping competition they have every year, the winners a few years ago were Paniolos from Waimea. They still recalled how remarkable those fellows were.

And finally on an even more personal note, a good chunk of my college education was paid for by Mrs. Anthony of the Hualalai Ranch here on the Big Island. When I was fourteen, we had a flash flood on the ranch, and there was an orphaned purebred Santa Gertrudis heiffer which nearly died along with her mother. She was shivering and hadn't nursed in nearly two days when we found her. My dad told me that if I could bottle feed her and raise her, she was mine. We named her Soggy, and she grew up to be a beauty. I showed her at the State Fair, and Mrs. Anthony bought her and shipped her to Hawaii. The money from Soggy paid for about two years at the University of Texas, and whenever I pass by the Hualalai ranch, I think about some of those big red cattle being her descendants.

Cheers,
Jerry

[Kahunascott]

Jerry,
The complications of roping and branding is that I’m 54, fat and out of shape.
But I shot my mouth off about wanting to participate so I had to walk the walk.
Next time we get together let’s talk about it and maybe you can give me a few tips, eh?


"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin

[JerryCarr]

Scott, I'm almost 58 and have tendonitis in one elbow. Trust me, I only do token cowpoking at this stage of life. I usually end up tending the propane system and stirring the chili, LOL. By the way, REAL Texans never put beans in their chili. It's blasphemy.

Cheers,
Jerry

[Carey]

Scott, seems like that rodeo experience you had is gonna get you a whole new career! Gotta love it! (though I think you're not ready to trade in your day job, just yet.)

[David M]

So Scott, will you also be singing Paniolo tunes for us at future Punaweb events? Sounds like you had a great day.

David

Ninole Resident

[Royall]

quote:

---

Originally posted by David M

So Scott, will you also be singing Paniolo tunes for us at future Punaweb events? Sounds like you had a great day.

David

Ninole Resident

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Hmmmmmmm, Scott sing Paniolo songs with a Jersey accent???? Sorry David, I'll pass[][][] Sorry Scott[]

Royall

What goes around comes around!

[StillHope]

Scott,as your sister would say "Oh,that poor calf!"[]

[janet]

Stillhope -

I was trying to be a good girl and not knock him down again (in public!). But my heart does go out to all those poor calves: branding, injections, ear clips, (some) castrations - and Scott!