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CapitalPress.com
April 29, 2016
People & Places
Cowboy practices what he teaches
Jim Keyes uses a
horse to handle
cattle using low-
stress techniques
Capital Press Managers
Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager
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EO Media Group
dba Capital Press
An independent newspaper
published every Friday.
Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is
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Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press
Jim Keyes, a range and animal scientist with Utah State University Extension, answers questions after his cattle handling clinic at the
Idaho Range Livestock Symposium in Twin Falls on April 20.
ropers and horsemen, “being
able to teach it is different,”
he said.
Handling cattle in a less
stressful environment for the
animal is his primary goal,
but his first message is safety
— of the person, the horse and
the cow, he said.
He told cattlemen at a clin-
ic in Twin Falls, Idaho, last
week that he wasn’t going to
tell them anything they didn’t
already know, but he hoped to
have them step back and con-
sider what they do in a differ-
ent light.
Then he proceeded to
work cattle in a calm, unhur-
ried manner, pointing out how
different techniques produce
different results.
Low stress cattle handling
is good for the animal, the
beef the animal produces, the
Western Innovator
Jim Keyes
Profession: Utah State University
Extension range and animal scientist
Age: 57
Business: Keyes Cattle Co.
Home: Monticello, Utah
Family: Wife, Linda; six children; six grandchildren
Education: Master’s and bachelor’s degrees in animal science
with a minor in range management, Utah State University; post
graduate work in agricultural economics, University of Arizona
Affiliations: Member and past vice president, Utah Cattlemen’s
Association; committee for private property and public lands rights,
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
industry’s image and building
consumer confidence, he said.
In addition to promoting
good stockmanship, Keyes
wants to help people realize
the importance of ranch hors-
es. All of the new research
agrees range management and
animal handling is best done
by a man on a horse, he said.
“I’m helping them be
better horsemen, stockmen.
That’s where it’s at for me,”
he said.
While a lot of people are
using four-wheelers to tend
their herds, the man on horse-
back taking care of cattle on
the range will never be re-
placed. There are just some
places you can’t get to any
other way, he said.
Keyes said his work brings
a lot of satisfaction.
“It’s nice to be able to help
people with their problems
and solve that issue,” he said.
He also wants to help the
next generation of cattle pro-
ducers and developed a curric-
ulum for young 4-H members
titled, “4-H Working Ranch
Horse: A Practical Guide to
Livestock Handling.”
The book is in its third edi-
tion and is being used in many
states and Canada.
Annual horseback ride becomes ‘gentlemanly’ tradition
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
SPOKANE
VALLEY,
Wash. — What began nearly
60 years ago when a rancher
and his son rode their hors-
es from Spokane to Colfax,
Wash., has become an annu-
al tradition called the Gen-
tlemen on Horseback.
Founded in 1948, the
group is gearing up for its
annual ride, this year set to
be May 16-20 in Hay, Wash.
The group has 110 mem-
bers. Roughly 45 to 50 riders
go on 10- to 20-mile rides
per day each year, on horses
ranging from quarterhorses
to draft horses.
“The purpose is for our
Calendar
Saturday, April 30
Chelan High School Agriculture
Education Department Spring Plant
Sale, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Chelan High
School, 215 W Webster Ave., Chel-
an, Wash. Students have raised
over 11,000 plants since late Jan-
uary and have bedding plants and
vegetable starts.
Sammamish Valley, Wash.,
Spring Celebration, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Visit sammamishvalley.org for
more information, a map, and links
to each farm and business.
Incredible Edibles Plant Sale,
10 a.m.-4 p.m., Westminster Pres-
byterian Church, Portland. Mult-
nomah County master gardeners.
From seedlings to supper, grow
your own. Cost: Free.
Sunday, May 1
Sammamish Valley, Wash.,
Spring Celebration, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Visit sammamishvalley.org for
more information, a map, and links
to each farm and business.
Thursday, May 5
Online
http://gentlemenonhorseback.
com/
group to get together, pal
around together, meet their
friends,
companionship,”
said Scott Wiggins, who is
trail boss. “Most of them are
cowboys at heart.”
About a third of the cur-
rent members are involved
in agriculture, and the rest
have 5 to 50 acres where
they keep their horses, Wig-
gins said.
The last generation of
members was roughly 60
percent ag, and moreso be-
fore that, he said.
The group is one of the
Sponsored by:
To submit an event go to the
Community Events calendar on the
home page of our website at www.
capitalpress.com and click on “Sub-
mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400
Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301.
2016 Animal Agriculture Alli-
ance Stakeholders Summit, 7 a.m.-
6 p.m. Westin Arlington Gateway,
Arlington, Va. www.animalagalli-
ance.org/summit
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester ..........................President
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Sid Freeman .................. Outside director
Mike Omeg .................... Outside director
Corporate officer
John Perry
Chief operating officer
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Growing up the son of a
working cowboy, Jim Keyes
thought he’d be a cowboy all
his life, and he did a little
of it when he was first mar-
ried — until he realized “you
can’t make any money,” he
said.
But years of watching his
dad practice low-stress cat-
tle handling, long before the
concept came into vogue, has
influenced his choices ever
since.
It’s been the backbone of
his teaching career at Utah
State University, his work
with ranchers and 4-H youths
and his own cattle operation,
where he raises red Angus on
rangeland in the Four Corners
area.
Keyes spends half of his
time working with ranchers,
and much of that involves
working one-on-one to solve
problems — usually in regard
to public lands ranching, he
said.
He also gives as many as
12 clinics a year on roping
and handling cattle to live-
stock groups, private interests
and feedlots. His goal is to
help people with their horse-
back skills to enable them to
better handle cattle, he said.
“Dad was a working cow-
boy; that’s where I started this
way of handling cattle. It was
very important to him,” he
said.
He didn’t learn the low-
stress techniques from sitting
in college classrooms. And
while there are a lot better
Capital Press
Friday, May 6
longest continuously active
men’s riding groups in the
country, as far as Wiggins
knows.
The group started when a
rancher and his son wanted
to ride from Spokane to Col-
fax, Wash., for the Washing-
ton Cattlemen’s Association
annual meeting, Wiggins
said.
“The next year, about 25
guys wanted to do it,” Wig-
gins said. “It caught on and
they did it every year.”
After four years, it be-
came a yearly ride from Spo-
kane to such locations as El-
lensburg, Wash.; Missoula,
Mont.; and Aberdeen, Wash.
“It’s not possible to do
that anymore, with the high-
20 Northwest Locations
Sunday, May 22
Oregon Cattlemen’s Associa-
tion’s Midyear 2016, 1-9 p.m., Sun-
river Resort, 17600 Center Drive,
Sunriver, Ore. The event will host
Ethan Lane, executive director of
the Public Lands Council. www.or-
cattle.com
2016 Animal Agriculture Alliance
Stakeholders Summit, 7 a.m.-noon.
Westin Arlington Gateway, Arling-
ton, Va. www.animalagalliance.org/
summit
Oregon Cattlemen’s Associa-
tion’s Midyear 2016, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.,
Sunriver Resort, 17600 Center
Drive, Sunriver, Ore. The event will
host Ethan Lane, executive director
of the Public Lands Council. www.
orcattle.com
Reducing Fire Risk in the Wild-
land-Urban Interface, 8 a.m.-1:30
p.m., University of Idaho Extension
office, Orofino, Idaho
Monday, May 23
Tuesday, May 24
Washington FFA Convention,
Washington State University, Pull-
man
Oregon Cattlemen’s Associa-
tion’s Midyear 2016, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.,
Sunriver Resort, 17600 Center
Drive, Sunriver, Ore. The event will
also host Ethan Lane, executive di-
rector of the Public Lands Council.
www.orcattle.com
Friday, May 13
Wednesday, May 25
Thursday, May 12
Washington FFA Convention,
Washington State University, Pull-
man
Saturday, May 14
Washington FFA Convention,
Washington State University, Pull-
man Washington FFA Convention
Saturday, May 21
2016 Goat Academy, 8 a.m.-5
p.m. A full day of classes followed
by an auction on May 22. Camping
available. Half Creek Farm, Gold-
endale, Wash. www.columbiabasin-
goatguild.org
al banquet earlier this year
in Spokane Valley, Wash.
Wiggins said the group just
hopes to continue to ride and
maintain its numbers.
Wiggins said the group
is always looking for new
members. There are no
membership fees. Rides cost
$250 and include food and
entertainment.
The group leads to friend-
ships and die-hard involve-
ment, Wiggins said, recall-
ing a member who broke his
ankle during one ride.
“He spent the rest of the
four days sitting in a lawn
chair drinking beer, because
he wouldn’t leave,” Wiggins
said. “He wasn’t going to
miss being with the guys.”
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
18th Annual Cinco de Mayo Golf
Classic. 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Silverado
Resort & Spa, 1600 Atlas Peak
Road, Napa, Calif. This is the only
fundraising event in Napa Valley
exclusively dedicated to the needs
of migrant farmworkers. 707-227-
2641
Saturday, May 7
ways and fences,” Wiggins
said.
Members come from Ida-
ho, Montana, Oregon and
Washington. Riders average
65 to 70 years old. The old-
est is 87.
Hay, Wash., resident and
fire chief Dennis Moore has
been a member for three
years.
The town of roughly 12
residents invited the group
to ride across several ranch-
es to the Snake River.
Moore said his neighbors
welcomed the group on their
land.
“A lot of them seem to be
misplaced farm boys, like
myself,” he said.
The group held its annu-
Noxious Weed Control Work-
shop, 6-8 p.m., OSU Extension Au-
ditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central
Point, Ore. (541) 776-7371, Rachel.
werling@oregonstate.edu
Saturday, May 28
Alpaca Shearing Day & Sale,
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas of Oregon,
21345 SW Aebischer Road, Sher-
wood, Ore. Visitors can chat with
four long-time livestock breeders
who’ve raised llamas, horses,
sheep, and goats. 503-348-6954
Western States Dorper Associ-
ation Show and Sale, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Chico State University Farm, 311
Nicholas C. Schoute Lane, Chico,
Calif. Cost: Free http://wsdorpers.
com/2016_wsda_show_and_sale_
info
Sunday, May 29
Alpaca Shearing Day & Sale,
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas of Oregon,
21345 SW Aebischer Road, Sher-
wood, Ore. Visitors can chat with
four long-time livestock breeders
who’ve raised llamas, horses,
sheep, and goats. 503-348-6954
Western States Dorper Associ-
ation Show and Sale, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Chico State University Farm, 311
Nicholas C. Schoute Lane, Chico,
Calif. Cost: Free http://wsdorpers.
com/2016_wsda_show_and_sale_
info
Friday, June 3
Citizen Fire Academy Meet and
Greet, 5-8 p.m., OSU Extension Au-
ditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central
Point, Ore. The Citizen Fire Acade-
my statewide program is for pro-ac-
tive forest landowners, concerned
residents in fire-prone communities
and the public. Learn how to cre-
ate safe, more fire-resilient homes
through online sessions, field trips
and by working on a personalized
wildfire preparedness plan. Regis-
tration is due May 20. http://exten-
sion.oregonstate.edu/sorec/cfa
Saturday, June 4
AOSA SCST Joint Annual
Meeting, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Embas-
sy Suites, Airport Way, Portland.
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Sunday, June 5
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seedtechnology.net/
Monday, June 6
California Poultry Federation
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AOSA SCST Joint Annual Meet-
ing, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Embassy Suites,
Airport Way, Portland. http://www.
seedtechnology.net/
Tuesday, June 7
California Poultry Federation
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Cliffs Resort, 2757 Shell Beach
Road, Pismo Beach, Calif. http://
cpif.org/2016-summer-meeting
AOSA SCST Joint Annual Meet-
ing, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Embassy Suites,
Airport Way, Portland. http://www.
seedtechnology.net/
Saturday, June 18
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
Sunday, June 19
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
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Index
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
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