Horse Tales Blog

April 28 – 30, 2023 Genoa, Nevada

GENOA, Nev. – For one weekend each April, Genoa, Nevada honors its place in the history of the state and the west by presenting the Genoa Western Heritage Days Celebration. This year’s event will be April 28-30, 2023. The three-day festival is brought to you by Friends of Genoa and sponsored by 1862 David Walley’s Hot Springs & Resort, Daniel’s Restaurant, Ranch One, Heritage Bank, Carson Tahoe Health System, Carson Valley Medical Center, Carson Valley Visitors Authority, Gillmor Coons Real Estate, Dorothy Gardner, Betsy Cooksey and many individual Heritage Sponsors.

The Friday April, 28 concert starts the event at 7:30 p.m. with a Town Hall performance by Ryan Fritz and Kristyn Harris. Tickets are $45.

Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees can amble throughout Genoa and enjoy Western Music, Cowboy Poetry, Chautauqua actors portraying historic characters, children’s activities, Ag in the Classroom with the Douglas County Farm Bureau, Native American demonstrations, a Civil War Camp and the Truckee Meadows Pioneers for heritage living, crafts and demonstrations. All events, activities and performances are free and family friendly.

Saturday daytime performances include:
– Music by Sierra Sweethearts, Jon & Betsy Elliott, Jakota Wass Band, Krista Jenkins, Ten Dollar Pony, Those Windburn Brothers, Lost Reverends of the High Sierra and Carson Chandler.
– Cowboy poetry by Tony Argento.
– Chautauqua actors: Mark Twain performed by McAvoy Lane, Eilley Bowers portrayed by Kim Harris and Snowshoe Thompson performed by Steve Hale. These afternoon presentations are in the Town Hall.

Also on Saturday, there will be an Artist Gallery in the Mason’s Hall, Artists, Vendors and Makers in the Trimmer Lot across from the Town Hall and art and collectibles at the Genoa Gallery and Home in the Country Inn building and lawn area.

Food and drinks are available throughout town for purchase. Many local restaurants have specials and will be the outdoor performance venues.
Returning this year is the Progressive Dinner. If you’d like to sample the fares of 5 eating establishments, the dinner will be from 4:00 – 6:30pm. You’ll have a passport and a colored wristband and will rotate in groups in a timed fashion between Sierra Chef, The Pink House, the Country Store, Genoa Station Bar & Grill and the Hungry Hearts Food Truck. You’ll get a Nosh & Libation at each stop. Tickets are $40 per person.

Saturday, April 29, at 7:30pm a Town Hall concert will feature cowboy poet Floyd Beard and the western band The Cowboy Way. Tickets are $45.
Sunday, April 30, at 9 am is Cowboy Church in the Town Hall, featuring Doug Figgs of The Cowboy Way with Pastor Patrick Jolly.

Tickets for the Concerts, the Progressive Dinner and a Heritage Sponsorship can be obtained on EventBrite.com, by going to www.genoanevada.org and downloading a mail-in ticket form or by calling – 775-782-8696 – or going to the Genoa Town Office at 2289 Main St., Genoa. For more information, visit Genoa Western Heritage on Facebook.

About Genoa Western Heritage Days: While the event’s name has changed over the years, the passionate volunteers behind this annual spring celebration have not. Genoa Western Heritage Days (GWHD) showcases our area’s rich western heritage from Native Americans to the early settlers who built up the town as we know it today. Historic Genoa, Nevada, is nestled at the base of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Range, just 25 minutes east of beautiful Lake Tahoe, and one hour south of Reno. It is home to Mormon Station State Historic Park which commemorates the settlement of Nevada in 1851, when the first permanent trading post was established by a group of Mormon traders from Salt Lake City. Genoa’s natural beauty and historic charm still beckons travelers and local wildlife. It is not unusual to spot mule deer as they come down from the forested area on the west side of Genoa and cross local roads to graze on vegetation or fields along the Carson River Valley to the east of Genoa.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dan Aynesworth 714-474-1362 FriendsOfGenoaNV@gmail.com

By Kim Chappell

Want to have a life where you actually set goals and reach them?  Want to make things happen which allow you to keep moving forward in your life as you achieve one goal after the other. Want to open doors that you never knew were available to you? Want to build a life of your choosing? If so, the key to your success is by developing a GREAT WORK ETHIC. Not just a good one, but a GREAT ONE.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to work. I always have. Ever since I was a kid, I always sought out new opportunities by way of working for someone. Thus, I was very busy taking care of horses; painting fences; babysitting every weekend; working after school; and taking on new opportunities as they arose. I had drive, ambition and a desire to learn new things. When I was in college, I was always in the employment office looking at the job board. As a result I had some very interesting jobs that not only offered income but more importantly allowed me to build new skills, create contacts, and grow. Some jobs were fun, some jobs were boring, some jobs were monotonous, and some jobs were incredibly creative and rewarding.  And one job was particularly disconcerting when I took care of a disabled woman’s horses and donkeys, only to see her out dancing one night! (But that’s a story for another time). The point is that every job I had, taught me something – something I would ultimately use when I became a business owner.

Fast forward to my current business where I teach kids leadership skills, life-skills, and the work ethic by way of working with horses and working on the ranch, and you will find Grace Pinto, a young 14 year old with a resume! Yup, you heard me right. A resume.

Grace showed up at the ranch as a 4 year old and has never looked back. She was a shy kid who had a cute habit of scrunching up her nose whenever she was nervous. Initially she had the tendency to let other kids go before her when we were doing our ranch chores BUT that changed as her confidence grew. Even at that young age, Grace had a desire to learn, and do, and learn some more. A trait I easily recognized. As Grace found her footing through the years, she also found her self and her calling.  She embraced each task I set before her. And she did it with good cheer; was willing to learn and ask questions; she has perseverance and will not give up; she knows the importance of accountability and responsibility; and she completes her tasks with dedication and integrity. All of these life-skills are key factors to developing a GREAT WORK ETHIC (GWE).  I could fill a book on what this kid has done in the years I’ve worked with her but her resume speaks for itself.

To date, Grace has worked with a local ranch who bring her on whenever they need an extra hand. She has been involved in branding and vaccination; helps with general ranch chores to include cleaning stalls, waters, bucking hay, feeding livestock, and most recently taking care of an orphaned calf. This one is a big deal in my book, because not only will she tend to the bottle feeding of this calf in these early weeks, but she will also need to let go when it is time for him to go back to the herd. The emotional component of all this ranch work is a real part of this life and it is something she and I have talked about through the years. It can sometimes be the hardest part! But, it is all part and parcel to this work we do.

Outside of ranch work she pet/house sits; does yard work; and learned how to demo and do a remodel with her dad, who said he would only hire her over anyone else because she sticks to her work.

Give this kid a job and she will not let you down. Her work ethic is stellar and because she sees work in the same vein that I do, she will be successful in life. Why? Because she’s willing to do the hard stuff; she’s willing to learn; she’s willing to make mistakes and use them as lessons for personal growth; she’s willing to listen; she knows how to be a team player; she approaches life with a strong attitude and good cheer; and she wants to direct her own ship and choose her own lifestyle. Mark my words when I say, Gracie will have her own ranch and run her own show one day. And I will be rooting for her all along the way!

From my interview with Grace:

How did Ranch School help you develop your work ethic?  “Ranch School helped me develop my work ethic by helping me find my confidence.  I learned how to take instruction and follow through with the job given.  I was able to think through problems and solve them. And I was taught to never quit. Keep working until the job is done well. “

How did Ranch School help you get a job?  “Ranch school helped me get jobs as neighbors and friends could see my confidence and ability to do the work.”

What life-skills do you use on your jobs?  “I need to communicate well with the clients and to speak up if I have a question.  Like one time I misplaced a key and had to let them know. Luckily I found it the next day. I have to remember to show up to care for the animals without my mom telling me.”

Would they rehire you?  “Yes, everyone I have worked for has rehired me and some jobs have also opened doors for new opportunities.  Ranches tend to help each other out, so the ranch I work for told another ranch about me, and that may lead to a new opportunity”.

Learning to have a GREAT work ethic is the golden ticket. What can you do to help your kids learn this vital life-skill? The time to start is now. As they say, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Kim Chappell, M.Ed., Instructor and Equine-Facilitated Life Coach. For further information on riding programs, Equine-facilitated life coaching, or The Original Horse & Farm Club for Kids, contact Kim at kkc827@aol.com or go to www.chappellranchllc.com.

This year, Kids &Horses put together a calendar highlighting our incredible horses and what we do. Calendars can be purchased for $20 at the ranch or on our website. Enjoy viewing our talented horses and students each month through the year. They are inspiring! If you’re interested in getting a sneak peek or purchasing your calendar now, click HERE. Please note that shipping fees will be included on online purchases.

The Kids & Horses 2023 “Healthy Horse” campaign is alive and well. The goal is to have donors support daily care for the horses we lease. This includes quality feed, medical and dental, farrier services, and anything else they may need to make their place here as our equine partners healthy and happy. A horse at a center has a challenging job with the variety of students riding and the many volunteers and staff involved in the handling.

The winter weather has been a detriment to our ability to work with our students. The cold, along with the rain, snow, ice, and ground conditions, has made it impossible to move horses around the property. Our main concern here at the ranch has always been safety. This includes the safety of our students, clients, volunteers, staff, and horses. Staff and volunteers have come in daily to help with ranch chores. The wet conditions and heavy snow have made it a great workout for all of us.

Thanks to a generous donor, we have leveled our barn aisle, next to the covered arena, and lined it with sturdy rubber mats. This helps with erosion and provides a flat surface for our students, clients, volunteers, and horses to walk on. It’s a great way to keep the area clean and a great place for the farrier to work when the weather is bad. We love it!

Thanks to a generous donor, we have leveled our barn aisle, next to the covered arena, and lined it with sturdy rubber mats. This helps with erosion and provides a flat surface for our students, clients, volunteers, and horses to walk on. It’s a great way to keep the area clean and a great place for the farrier to work when the weather is bad. We love it!

Our dementia workshops, in conjunction with Connected Horse® are scheduled again this spring with a session on April 22, 29, and May 6. A second session will run May 27 and June 3 and 10. The workshops are on three Saturdays from 9:00 until 11:30. Flyers will be out soon and sent out electronically. If you know anyone with an early-stage dementia diagnosis and their care partner who might be interested, please have them give Kids &Horses or Connected Horse® a call. Kids &Horses will be hosting a facilitator training along with the Connected Horse® founders March 31-April 1. A flyer will also go out for this in case you have an interest in working with this population.

We are looking forward to a productive 2023 with our current programs and couple of new programs. We are planning on expanding our services to include work with juveniles this summer and a possible program working with foster youth. I hope you also have a wonderful year in 2023.

 

Thank you to all of you for your donations including:

Gary Broad Foundation
Gerry and Diane Wendel
Weldon and Daunelle Wulstein
Steve and Sue Woskow
Reno Toy Run
The Nara Foundation
Sexton Family Foundation
Marshall Matley Foundation

Don’t Forget!
We have some great content on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Give us a follow! Also, the Kids &Horses 2022 schedule can be found on our website. Links to both social media accountsand our website or down below.

Cotton Rosser was a legend in the rodeo world, who brought new showmanship to the sport as he operated the Flying U Rodeo Ranch.

 Cotton passed away at his home in Marysville, California at the age of 93.

A life in rodeo

Rosser began his life in rodeo as a competitor, and he was a champion saddle bronc rider in the 1950s. After a ranch accident, he ended his competition career but remained an integral part of the rodeo world all his life. In 1956, Rosser bought the Flying U Rodeo Ranch, building it to become one of the most prominent suppliers of rodeo animals and the oldest rodeo livestock company in the U.S. He also worked to raise the profile of rodeo, becoming known for his showmanship in rodeo opening ceremonies. Especially known for his work at the Reno Rodeo, Rosser was honored with a statue outside the arena there. In 1995, Rosser was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and in 2019, he was honored with the Hall of Fame’s annual Legends of ProRodeo award.

Notable quote, “I never imagined my rodeo career would be like this. I’m the richest guy in the world with memories and friends. I’ve loved every minute of the rodeo business and I would do it all over again. It has been a great experience.” —from a 2019 interview for ProRodeo Sports.

On July 19 in Marysville, CA, over 2,000 folks came from near and very far to honor Cotton by paying their final respects. This was in addition to the tens of thousands people viewing the real-time complete coverage on RFD TV’s cowboy channel. The first words that were spoken expressed the directive of Karin and the Rosser family that, “Today is not a funeral, it is in fact a celebration of Cotton’s 93-plus years of a truly great life. Time to be only a little sad, gratefully glad, joyful, as well as hand claps, wild applause, oh mys, real laughter, tears and cheers!”

The venue for this extraordinary celebration was the newly completed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at Fire Mountain, located just south of the Flying U headquarters and Cotton’s “born to buck” horse pasture.

From a typical summer sweltering 105-plus degree afternoon, attendees walked into Hard Rock with cool, fresh 75 degree-air into a cutting edge event center where every seat had an unobstructed view of the stage, three huge high definition video and photo screens with a sound system that even those with impaired hearing could hear.

True to Cotton’s traditions, the memorial started with a flag presentation by the military color guard from Beale Air Force Base, and an uplifting National Anthem. To conclude an inspiring three-hour tribute was the playing of “Happy Trails” and the family invited everyone to enjoy fellowship and refreshments served in the huge hospitality room.
Among the many industry recognitions, Cotton was voted the 1997 California Livestock Man Of The Year!

“King of the Cowboys”

Cotton was a multi-event superstar who helped put the storied Cal Poly Rodeo tradition on the map. He was the first of three generations of Rosser family Mustangs, and bled green and gold all his life. It was fitting that Cotton—who was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from his beloved alma mater—lived to see this spring’s dedication of the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

“I owe everything to Cal Poly, and have used the Mustangs motto of ‘Learn by Doing’ all my life,” Cotton always said. “When I got hurt and couldn’t compete anymore, I learned by doing when it came to the rodeo production business.”

While attending college on California’s Central Coast in the late 1940s and early ’50s, Cotton took to the professional rodeo trail. One of his favorite traveling partners was area rancher and ProRodeo Hall of Fame all-around cowboy Gene Rambo, who sometimes entered Cotton for half when he was making due on a college-cowboy budget.

One of Cotton’s proudest cowboy accomplishments was when he won the all-around championship for Cal Poly at the 1951 College National Finals Rodeo at San Francisco’s Cow Palace, where he went on to host crowds comprised largely of city folks for over 60 years at the Grand National Livestock Exposition, Horse Show & Rodeo.

Cotton’s competitive days were cut short in 1955, when at 27 he suffered a catastrophic, career-ending injury from a run-in with a post-hole auger while building an arena on the home ranch in Marysville. He suffered compound fractures to both legs. Both of Cotton’s ankles were crushed, along with his competitive dreams. But Cotton being Cotton, he found a way to turn tragedy into triumph. In 1956, he and a partner bought the Flying U Rodeo Company.

“That accident was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Cotton said of the silver lining. “My competitive cowboy days were over, but not my love of rodeo. I looked at it as a blessing. I would have went on and rodeoed. Instead, I got into management and putting on the shows.”

Cotton Rosser rodeo productions were world renowned, and landed him and his family the job of producing the openings at the first 10 National Finals Rodeos held in Las Vegas, starting in 1985. Whether it was Old Glory rising up out of a super-sized boot, or dropping her down into the arena by parachute from a plane high in the sky, Cotton’s creative flair was one of a kind.
“That’s like winning the all-around for me, and I couldn’t have won it if I’d been a rodeo hand,” Cotton said at the time. “I might have had a gold buckle, but I wouldn’t have lived the life I have and met the people I’ve met. When I look at the men who’ve been honored before me—Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower—it’s the greatest thing. This is tall cotton for me. What a great honor.”>

I was sitting on my porch watching the horses one afternoon. It was muggy, hot, and flies were plentiful in our new Virginia setting. I watched the horses moving around and around in a circle in what initially appeared to be random. As I continued to watch them I realized the movement wasn’t random at all but very intentional with a specific goal in mind. As I watched this deliberate act, I realized Etta was the mastermind of all the movement, i.e. the leader of the group. In that Etta had never taken on a leadership role in the herd, and had always stayed to herself, I was not only fascinated with the circle dance but her rise in power as the new herd leader. As I continued to watch, it became clear that Etta, a Kiger Mustang, who is essentially more wild than domestic, was teaching the group what to do.

Etta is an older mare who I took on many years ago, not fully aware of her wilder side. During her years on the ranch, she was very wary and untrusting. Although I could work with her, she was quite hesitant and kept her distance from people. She was not the kind of horse you could just casually go up to and pet. She would move away before your hand could touch her. Keeping her distance. Bothering no one. And no one bothering her. While at the same time she chose a lower rung on the hierarchy of the herd.

As Etta continued to set the little group up, she did so in a way where they were lined up next to each other with each horse standing in opposite directions. It became clear that she did this so that they could keep the flies off of each other with their tails while providing a slight reprieve from the heat with each swish. Etta placed the horses exactly where she wanted them by continuing to move her body until it was just so. Along with this she positioned herself in the middle allowing her to get 2 swishes of 2 tails to their 1 swish of her tail. An obvious statement with no argument from the other horses.

Another fascinating aspect of this dance was that Jack, the only gelding in the group, who initially was not allowed into the girl-pack, was now accepted as a part of the team. Jack needed this group dynamic and Etta allowed it. Whereas Hope and Mya (both mares) chose to create a duo partnership by themselves, copying Etta’s movements and standing close-by.

There wasn’t any fighting, squealing, or kicking as Etta asked and corrected, asked and corrected, asked and corrected, until the horses were in the exact position she wanted. There was simply a need to solve the problem of utter discomfort and to do it as fast and efficiently as possible. Etta took on this role where she otherwise never had before. And interestingly enough, her role was accepted by Cariad (the previous head mare) who stepped down with cooperation verses argument or drama. A smooth transition to say the least, resulting in  everyone’s needs being met in an effort to create some sort of comfort on a miserably hot, humid, fly-driven day!

The obvious lesson here is that there can only be one head mare, one leader. But the head mare (leader) needs a team that is not only willing but trusting of the leadership. In this case it was Etta, and I believe this change in hierarchy occurred while traveling to Virginia on the 5 day journey with someone other than me. The trip was riddled with problems from the start and had to be rerouted on Day 1 due to unstable horse issues. More problems occurred on route which created stressful situations. Horse hotel stops in unfamiliar territory made for high heads and tense bodies, with Tommy the donkey trying to escape a few times! And yet through all of this, from what the driver told me, Etta proved to be the calm, cool, collective one, completely opposite of what I anticipated.

When the horses finally arrived in Virginia and were being unloaded, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My worry had always been about Etta and her ability to make it across the country. So, imagine my surprise when Etta unloaded without an apparent worry in the world. Quiet, composed, and immediately putting her head down to eat the green Virginia grass. All of this, so unlike the reluctant mare in my old Nevada pasture.

Pondering all of this as I sat on my porch watching the horses, I realized there were definite lessons in here for people.

Teambuilding, cooperation, partnering, conflict resolution, release of ego, just to name a few.

It certainly speaks to leadership and the fact that anyone can learn to be a leader if they so choose. It speaks to teamwork from a trusting group who follow without question. And it speaks to cooperation in an effort to solve immediate problems.

Etta, the mare who I asked nothing of, chose to be a leader to her herd because she had to and in turn because she could.

Never underestimate what you are capable of. Life is a journey of changes and on the journey new opportunities arise that you may never have expected.

Kim Chappell, M.Ed., Instructor and Equine-Facilitated Life Coach. For further information on riding programs and Equine-facilitated life coaching, you can contact Kim at kkc827@aol.com or go to www.chappellranchllc.com