Let's keep the Dem's on the run!
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Posted on 07/14/2003 7:46:06 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Cattle drive kicks off Frontier Days
By Juliette Rule Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
CHEYENNE – In her pink hat and pink cowgirl boots, 7-year-old Kari Webb fit the part of a Cheyenne Frontier Days spectator to a T.
The rising mercury, a grumbling tummy nor the 90-minute wait deterred her excitement at spotting the black-hatted Dandies crest the hill near her perch at Vandehei Avenue.
But when the 500 or so corriente steers made their way by, Webb’s eyes grew large, and she hopped around excitedly as she translated the braying.
The steers, she said, were saying “Get outta the way” and explained that the “brown cows are the ones that make chocolate milk.”
The annual cattle drive brought out droves of people, natives and tourists alike, to kick off the 107th “Daddy of ’em All,” which begins with rodeo slack on Wednesday and closes with the rodeo finals July 27.
The cattle drive is part of the fun of Frontier Days, said Judy Schreiner, who’s lived in Cheyenne for years, but seldom had the chance to see the clopping cattle move from Horse Creek Road to Frontier Park, where they are penned.
The event used to be on a Monday, and that prevented most who work 9-5 from getting out to see it. This was the second year the cattle drive has been hosted on a Sunday, and like last year, that decision was supported by the crowd. According to one estimate, the number of people who turned out tripled last year.
“I’d say we have the same number as last year, so it’s up from years past,” said Bob Moeller. He serves as an assistant on the CFD Concessions Committee and is celebrating 18 years as CFD volunteer.
Moeller was directing traffic and skirting an obvious path for the herd as it made its way west on Kennedy Road to Carey Avenue, where a crowd of about 50 set up folding canvas chairs, sipped cold drinks and watched a swarm of children chase each other.
As the cattle, cowboys and dust approached, many moved closer to the curb with cameras to memorialize the event.
From his grandpa’s arms, 4-year-old Tyler Tirevold looked on with his hand on his hips and a pensive expression.
“Look Grandpa, there’s a little boy standing up in a wagon all by himself,” he exclaimed as a procession of wagons rounded the corner about 10:15 a.m. Behind them, the steers followed.
That, Tyler, decided was where he wanted to ride one day. He wouldn’t likely be atop a horse, he said, shaking his head.
The Tirevolds were out Sunday morning at Lions Park to catch just a sliver of the CFD excitement.
“Dad won’t be in town for Frontier Days, so at least we’ll see this part of it,” said Tyler’s dad, Todd Tirevold.
The steers left the intersection of Horse Creek Road and Interstate 25 for the four- or five-mile walk to Frontier Park about 8:30 a.m. Sunday. From there, they traveled down the frontage road, south to Central Avenue and onto Kennedy Road and into the park via Carey Avenue.
The Dandies, Cheyenne police, Laramie County Sheriff’s deputies and the Wyoming Highway Patrol were on hand to help out with crowd control.
The fun part for cityslickers is not only in seeing a herd move through the streets, but hearing the sound of clopping hooves on asphalt.
“It’s like one lady said,” Cheyenne’s Ana Barnett said, “I just love the sound of it.”
Let's keep the Dem's on the run!
Click the Pic!
Frontier Days used to be a pretty hellacious time for Cheyenne, but it's probably too PC to even be entertaining nowadays.
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