Sara's Blog
This time, I'm featuring a blog entry written by Bill's granddaughter Sara Fox. She spent the day at the sale and wrote a wonderful story about it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to share your thoughts with me. Enjoy!
What a Fabulous weekend! Yet again, a great turnout, fabulous weather and Hot Angus on the grill! Over 70 head were sold, mostly Spring and Fall Pure Angus Bulls. It is such a beautiful drive down K-4 heading towards the 'gates' of the Flint Hills. I remember not long ago being able to stand on top of Rattlesnake Mound and look out to the North or West and not see a home for miles. Mission Creek running swiftly by at the base, faint gobbles of wild turkey towards the South, the horses running wild amidst the orange and yellow setting sun, the old rusty jeep stale under the cottonwood draw, black dots of angus on the horizon, and periodically, after a good hard rain the hope of finding yet another historic arrowhead on the rocky hillside or in the creek bed. Today, numerous new homes follow the highway thru, built on those rocky bluffs between the corrals and periodic pastureland. But on Sunday, the straight roll of the Auctioneers tongue, the YEPS of the Arena Assistants. The bleachers are full, standing room only. The muddy ranch hands methodically pushing thru the head - lot by lot, living the cowboy dream! One future cowboy, just 3, stands stubbornly in his black hat. As he stands hollering at grandma "I want to ride those bulls Grandma!" Not realizing his little 30 to 1000 pound ratio would not be a welcome outcome - innocence! Grandpa sitting atop the arena stand, always looking so handsome with his hat cocked a bit over his brow. I regularly think of all the special faces and people who have been involved out at the ranch. As they have either lent a hand for registration, cooking the burgers, chasing loose cattle that have slipped by the Ranch Hands or the wonderful guests and visitors who have shown their support over the 50 years. Some of my earliest memories of sale day are of playing in the gravel, hay or grain barns watching all of the old 1970's and 1980's trailers and pick-up trucks roll-in. Over the years earning myself a bit more of a responsibility first running food, then sale bills or supplies back and forth and now to managing the sale day office. Oh, the year we tried the sale at St Marys Sale Barn and when the boys let the heifer out what a memory. She was heading home! Boy Grandpa was not happy with that incident! I believe the calf nearly took out some children running thru an alley, checked out a few police cars and was finally captured 35 minutes later in the St Mary's high school football field by a present day cowboy medium - standing in the back of a pick up truck with a lasso in hand...well, you can't have it all today. We slowly drove it back to the barn with cow following by rope :) Or the year my dad seemed to upset a bull - and it just pounded and pounded and pounded the plate over and over trying to get to dad with this bulls massive - thick head! We couldn't get that thing out of the arena soon enough! Dad always had an interesting way of working with cattle :) We'll chuck this sale up for yet another fabulous memory in our minds. And if you were present - thank you for being part of a special day. To me, it goes beyond that of a business - but the country lifestyle that is just worth holding on to!
-Sara Fox