Nothing is more impressive to watch than the combination of handler, dog and horse during the two horseback classes out of five at the 2016 Meeker Classic National Cattledog Association Finals held in Meeker beginning June 15 and running through Sunday. More than 2,000 people were estimated to have visited Ute Park during the trials to watch 140 of the best cattledogs from Colorado, the United States and Canada.
Several fine works of art were on display, including these at the art exhibit.
Andy and Susie Goettel returned to Meeker to show their pottery, other artisan items
Some of the metal works on display in the crafts tent.
One of the many dog/cattle related paintings in the art exhibit.
On a roll, the border collie urges the cows to enter the chute.
The old-fashioned chuckwagon dinner on Saturday evening was provided by Giovanni’s of Rangely and consisted of pulled pork, potatoes, beans, other goodies and cobbler for desert.
Ellene Meece, left, looks on as Jenn Barr played young Kitty Fairfield and her father, Jarrod Barr, played Kenneth Sanderson, aka. Buddy Roosevelt.
On Sunday most certainly there was a good lineup of spectators.
Abbie and Kylen Seely of Ogden, Utah, entertained at the Cultural Heritage Center fundraiser event.
Nothing like the cowboy and his dog working together.
‘Hunker Down’ drew rave reviews from those attending the Meeker Classic National Cattledog Association Finals in Meeker from Wednesday through Sunday, when roughly 2,000 folks visited the inaugural five-day trials.
In the midst of the dinner and music on Saturday evening, there was a well-attended event copying the TV reality show “Chopped” with our own competition cowboy style, involving three local “chefs,” facing a primitive open fire cooking challenge and two local judges determining who gets chopped on each round. From right, Tania and Arturo Rodriguez, Reno Roybal and Rene Barr, brought their own skills and personalities to the contest. Judges Kathy Sizemore and Lynn Lockwood, with their own expertise, watched as each contestant was given a basket of food mandatory to use and only unveiled when the clock started. In the end, Arturo Rodriguez of Meeker Café and The Mexican House was declared the winner along with his lovely wife and sous chef, Tania.
One of the vendors at the Meeker Classic Cattledog Finals was Farm Girl Goat Milk Soap & Lotion, owned by Shawna Sturgeon Eubanks of Meeker. Nubian and Alpine goats supply their wonderful milk for these products—soaps in various shapes, sizes and fragrances. They also sell notecards with photos of animals and Critters Candles in various fragrances.
Braving high temperatures and intense heat from eight Dutch ovens early Saturday, Rio Blanco Commissioner candidate Jeff Rector, left, and Meeker School Board member Bud Ridings, right, were busy in the outdoor kitchen at the Meeker Classic Cattledog Trails baking raspberry, peach, apple and cherry cobbler for those at the Heritage Culture Center fundraiser at the Wilbur Barn in Ute Park. The fundraiser for a state-of-the-art theater at the center is expected to cost roughly $25,000.
There was only a small breeze and some tough heat on Sunday afternoon as a good number of spectators braved 93-degree temperatures at Ute Park during the last round of the Meeker Classic National Cattledog Association Finals. The five days of trials began June 15 and ran through Sunday with roughly 2,000 people in attendance
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg - 2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
