May 2023 - Note from the Saddle Bench


Photo Courtesy of Jill Miller

 Hello Everyone!

Hope you're having a good spring. We were looking pretty good here in the Big Bend up until a week or two ago. It has dried up with cracks in the ground starting to appear. The loco and garboncia have pretty much fizzled out without doing too much damage. The cows really did good on the abundance of peavine and some green grass for awhile. That's a shot in the arm we don't always get in the spring here, which is historically our driest time of the year.

Things are looking good for maybe a near normal good old fashioned hopefully 16-18" of rain year. Yes the spanish daggers bloomed when they were supposed to and now the yuccas are getting after it. Its hard to tell because the deer and elk keep the blooms eaten back pretty good. The mesquite put out without being fooled by the frost. The wildflowers put on quite a show with half the country looking like a wild verbena farm. So maybe, just maybe the moon and stars will line up and it will rain when its supposed
to and we can all have a good year. We will hope for the best, but don't forget the bent knee technique seems to work out the best in the long run.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Abilene at the Western Heritage Classic this weekend. Hope you are planning to attend! We have several new products we are taking to spring upon the natives. If you have never been to the WHC you should make an effort to attend. It is a really cool deal for those who are western at heart.

The National Ranching Heritage Association is having their Summer Stampede in Lubbock on June 3rd. Lots of good gear and art for sale plus dining and dancing with lots of good people to visit with.

If you know anyone looking to relocate to Alpine, we are looking for a craftsman and a shipping clerk. 

Our Sul Ross boys keep dominating the PRCA bull riding. Tristan Hutchings won Red Bluff, California and Ky Hamilton won Houston and Tucson making him #1 in the standings now. Hope they make it to the NFR again. They won 5 go rounds between them at the '22 NFR.

See you next month!

Gary Dunshee

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