Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Most folks don’t get to see the daily workings of ranch life. Depending on the time of year, those duties can include penning steers and roping and branding calves.

Those looking to get a glimpse of the ranching lifestyle are in for a treat when the Mountain Valley Bank Ranch Ro­deo returns to Steamboat Springs tonight. The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena in downtown Steam­­boat.

Admission is free.

“It’s a lot of fun and people really seem to enjoy it,” said Dean Vogelaar, the unofficial chairman of Cowboys’ Roundup Days. “We don’t have the roughstock events, but it moves quickly and people catch on quickly.”

There will be about 20 teams of four cowboys competing in the ranch rodeo. All four of a team’s cowboys compete at the same time. One cowboy ropes and pretends to brand a calf while one ropes and milks a cow. One of the steers in the arena has to be roped and tied down, and the other steer has to be penned.

There is a maximum time limit of five minutes, with the winning time usually coming in at less than three minutes. The winning team walks away with a $1,500 prize.

“They’re certainly tasks and work ranchers do on a regular basis,” Vogelaar said.

Teams from all across the region attend an event that has become very competitive. There are teams from Laramie, Wyo., Kremmling, Meeker, Walden and Yampa in addition to multiple local teams.

Ranch rodeos like this one have become increasingly popular across ranching communities throughout the country, Vogelaar said.

Vogelaar said events like this are important for getting ranchers together and keeping the ranching heritage alive.

“It’s a fun team event,” competitor Lee Meyring said. “A lot of the rodeo events, it’s just you or one other. This is a team of four. It’s a fun team event that’s grown into a nice competitive event with 20 or 25 teams.”

Vogelaar said most locals will recognize the names of the competitors, and for those who have never seen a ranch rodeo, it’s easy to catch on.

“I think it’s a tradition that we’re interested in keeping that tradition in our community,” Vogelaar said. “No. 2, it’s a big week in Steamboat, and it’s important to provide that entertainment.”

— To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229 or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com