Spilyqy Tyrooo, Wrro Springs, Oi-ejon Mrch
Smith wins second
World
Championship in
Wild Horse Racing
Winning national titles and the
silver belt buckles that come with
them has become routine for Warm
Springs wild horse racing champion
Jason Smith. The trophy displays in
his home along the Deschutes River
arc teetering on museum status and
his list of rodeo victories is approach
ing legendary proportions.
This past year Smith won his sec
ond world championship in wild
horse racing, capping a record set
ting season that also included his
eighth national title and 15th Co
lumbia River regional champion
ship. "It was a good year," said Smith.
"We won a lot of rodeos and finished
the season with a record number of
points."
Smith is the shank man on a wild
horse racing team that also features
mugger C.J. VanSickle of Madras
and rider Tony Cortazar of
Pendleton. The trio, competing to
The Clover
Speaks
Arlene Boitau and Minnie
Tulalakus
We have a new 4-H Club at
the Community Wellness Cen
ter. The name of the new 4-H
Club is Scrap-A-Doodlc. The 4
H Leader is Oria Made Welcome
Oria.
Oregon 4-H Leaders Forum,
April 6-7, 2001 Redmond, Or
egon at the Deschutes County
FairgroundExpo Center. This
will be a fun filled weekend for
the entire family. Registrations
fee includes: recognition lunch,
two breaks, conference program
and speakers, and the Friday
night program the cost is $35 by
March 26, 2001 and after that
date the cost will be $40. If you
are interested in attend the Lead
ers Forum come to the Warm
Springs Extension office to pick
up application.
Know Your State Govern
ment April 1821, 2001
Great Opportunities.
4-H Camp Leadership Educa
tion Weekend Dates are May 18
20 at Oregon 4-H Center in Sa
lem, Or. Cost $ 35.00.
4-H Camp Information: High
Desert 4-H Camp located at
Round Lake Dates are June 25
to June 29,h 2001, Round Lake is
located in the Sisters area the cost
will be $95.00, with limited
scholarships available. The 4,h -6th
graders may apply for slots
with own transportation.
Warm Springs 4-H Culture
Enrichment Camp at Peters Pas
ture: Dates are: Session I
July 29 - Aug 4. Session II
Aug 5-11, 2001. Remember State
4-H Summer Conference for
une 27-30 at the OSU Campus
(this was formerly OSU Summer
Days.)
"Food & Fitness: Build a
Healthy Lifestyle" is the slogan for
National Nutrition Month spon
sored by the American Dietetic As
sociation. The Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, 2000 is a great tool
and offers the ABC's (Aim for fit
ness, Build a healthy base, Choose
sensibly) to build a healthy lifestyle
for you and your family. These
guidelines are intended for healthy
children (ages 2 and older) and adults
of any age.Earlier, I offered sugges
tions to Aim for Fitness. The next
step is to:
Build a healthy base
Let the Food Pyramid guide your
food choices.
Choose a variety of grains daily,
especially whole grains.
Choose a variety of fruits and
vegetables daily.
Keep food safe to eat
Let the Food Guide Pyramid
guide your food choices. Make
grains, including whole grains, fruits
and vegetables the base of your
gether for only the second season,
rang up 36,000 points last year, shat
tering Smith's old standard of 26,000
points set in 1997.
The national championship won
in Denver, Colorado recently was
Smith's fifth in a row, He won his
first title in 1985 and has been a pe
rennial contender ever since.
No one was really thinking about
national acclaim when Smith en
tered his first wild horse race at I lehe
during the Huckleberry l east of
1980. The upstart cowboy teamed
up with his brother Troy and Uncle
Chief to take the top prize. He also
won the wild colt race that day.
Although he wasn't part of the
team back in 1980, Smith's father,
Buck, was the one who encouraged
Jason to compete.
"I really thank my dad for sup
porting me through all these years
of rodeoing," said Smith. "I Ic got mc
going. He was my mentor."
The wild horse racing circuit has
changed considerably over the past
20 years. Smith now competes on a
regular basis from April through
October, and inevitably he competes
at the National Finals in January.
Planning for drought
Robert Pawelek
What are you going to do when
you find yourself faced with another
year of drought, when the stock
ponds don't fill and when there isn't
enough feed in your pastures to get
through the dry season?
Do you plan to feed your way out
of the drought, sell some animals,
or do other options exist? If you
destock when will you do it and
which animals will you sell? The
answers to these questions can be the
difference between staying in busi
ness or going belly-up.
If you are in the livestock busi
ness just about the only thing you
can be sure of is that sooner or later
there will be another year of
drought. (It will probably be sooner.)
Are you prepared?
Most of us are not.
Unfortunately, we only plan for
drought when we suddenly find our
selves out of feed or water.
Ironically, this is precisely
whenour planning is least effective
and our options are most limited.
Markets are flooded and stock prices
are lowest, feed prices are highest,
and pasture leases are most expen
sive and scarce. It's easy to avoid
planning for drought when the rain
is falling and the grass is growing,
but this is precisely when our plan
ning is most effective. This article
will help you develop a drought
policy.
Flexible Stocking Rate
Production varies drastically
from year to year. If you stock your
ranch based on the average forage
production you will probably be
understocked half of the time and
overstocked the other half of the
time.
To bring this to the real world,
the average peak standing forage crop
at the Burns Research and Extension
Center is 2,800 lbsac. If your stock
ing rate was set to that average, you
would have been overstocked for
Home Sweet Home
meals. Keep an eye on the servings.
Since foods within the same food
group differ, choosing a variety helps
you get all the nutrients, energy and
fiber you need. It can also keep your
meals interesting from day to day.
Choose a variety of grains daily,
especially whole grains. Eat six or
more servings of grains (rice, cereal,
hardtack cracker, bread, lukameen)
every day. Grains provide fiber as
well as other nutrients. If your calo
rie needs are low, limit yourself to
only six servings. Include whole
grains (whole oats, whole wheat,
popcorn, oatmeal) daily. Combine
whole grains with other foods in
mixed dishes. Prepare or choose
grains without added salt or fat (Le.
popcorn without salt or butter).
Choose a variety of fruits and
vegetables daily. Enjoy five a day -at
least 2 servings of fruits (huckle
berries, chokecherries, apple juice,
etc) and at least 3 servings of veg
etables (mushrooms, wild celery,
roots, potatoes, dark leafy greens,
22, 2001
The competition has always been
tough, but like other sports, achieve
ments arc always being challenged
and athletes arc always striving to
reach a higher plane.
"People used to get beat up and
it was a wild event, but now the
competitors arc starting to perfect
their sport," said Smith. "When I
started out a minute was a good time
and now if you're over 30 seconds
you're out of the money."
The Western states arc noted for
producing wild horse racing stars.
Many of the top teams come out of
the Columbia River Region and
some of the best arc located in cen
tral Oregon. Jason's team has had the
most success, but his father has also
done well. Buck's team has placed
in the Top 10 several times and in
1994 they won the National Finals
Rodeo.
Another local team with Top 10
credentials features Spud and
Rodney Smith of Warm Springs, and
Ricky Lyons of Pendleton. The
group has yet to win a national title,
but they have come close and they
are always considered one of the
teams in the running.
seven years, about right for four
years, and understocked for five
years).
Ranchers should be prepared to
fluctuate their stocking rate to match
feed conditions. Flexible stocking
means ranchers should be prepared
to wean calves early or cull heavily
when the feed outlook is grim. They
should be ready to retain calves as
stockers, cull lightly or purchase
additional stock in good feed years.
Destock Early
If it looks like it will be neces
sary to destock due to the lack of
feed, make the decision to do so
early. Selling early will leave more
feed for the rest of the herd. The ear
lier you destock, the fewer animals
you'll have to sell. Ranchers who
wait for prices to improve before
they sell may find the market
flooded and prices even lower.
Sell the least productive animals
first. Preg check cows and heifers and
sell all open animals. Sell late calv
ing cows and heifers since these will
require a higher plane of nutrition
to rebreed on time.
Lengthen Rest Period
Plants grow slowly during
droughts and require more rest than
they do in normal years.
The rest period can be lengthened
by increasing the number of pad
docks, increasing the graze period,
or combining herds.
Increase the Graze Period
Increasing the graze period in
each paddock will increase the rest
period. For example, grazing a half
day longer in each paddock in a 15
paddock cell will result in an extra
week of rest for each paddock)
However, you must exercise cau
tion if you lengthen the graze period.
Grazing paddocks too severely will
negate the value of the additional rest
because it will increase the time it
takes for the paddock to recover if
all the leaf area is removed.
Combine Herds
etc.). Choose any form: fresh, fro
zen, canned, dried or juice and a va
riety of colors and kinds. Try serv
ing raw vegetables with a low or re
duced fat dip, stir fry vegetables in a
small amount of oil or mix with
other foods in salad, soups or casse
roles. Buy wisely and store foods
properly to maintain quality. Keep
a day's supply of fresh or dried fruit
on the table or counter. Serve fruits
as dessert instead of other sweets.
Keep food safe to eat. Foods that
are safe from harmful bacteria, vi
ruses, parasites, and chemical con
taminants are vital for healthful eat
ing. Wash hands and surfaces often.
Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat
foods while shopping, preparing
or storing. Read the labels and fol
low the safety instructions on the
package such as " KEEP REFRIG
ERATED". Cook to proper temperatures.
The best way is to use a thermom
eter. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to
"The Northwest has historically
been the best area for wild horse rac
ers," said Smith.
Besides the bumps, bruises and
occasional serious injury (Smith has
suffered one serious concussion),
one of the sport's more difficult as
pects is the travel. To contend for a
national title, competitors have to
tally points over the course of the
year, because national champion
ships arc determined by season-long
accumulations.
For Smith, the jet set rodeo cir
cuit includes approximately 30 ro
deos each season, only five or six of
which arc in Oregon.
"In order to win the nation you
have to travel, said Smith.
All that time away from home
requires support that can't be mea
sured in point totals or belt buck
les. Smith credits his wife Snuffy,
mother Susie, and daughters Jacoba,
(12), and Joella, (8) for making the
whole thing possible. They're not
only the core of this fan club, but
his top hands around the home place
when he's out on the rodeo trail.
"They've helped mc a lot with
ranching and allowed me to free up
Combining herds will increase
the number of paddocks resting and
increase stock density which im
proves uniformity of utilization, It
will also lengthen the rest period.
This is one of the most powerful and
simple drought management tools
available if you run multiple herds.
Drought Reserve
Some ranchers leave one or two
paddocks ungrazed during the
spring and summer as a drought re
serve. If feed runs out in their other
paddocks stock are turned into the
drought reserve paddocks at the end
pf the season.
' Graze half of the time - Rest half
of the time.
Graze one quarter of the time
Rest three quarters of the time.
Feeding: Supplement or Substi
v tute?
It is important to recognize the
difference between a supplement and
a substitute. Supplements are used
when feed is available but the qual
ity is insufficient to meet animal re
quirements. Supplements improve the quality
of the diet. A substitute is fed to of
feed available. NEVER TRY
TO FEED YOUR WAY OUT
OF A DROUGHT. YOU WILL
GO BROKE TRYING!
Other Thoughts
Hopefully in the next few weeks,
we will have had more rain and the
danger of drought will be lessened.
No matter what, you should de
velop a drought plan that features
critical dates that provide an early
caution and warning to let you know
when to implement your drought
plan. From there you should specify
what strategies are to be used for the
level of drought that is
occurring. you will probably en
counter hungry cows imploring you
to move them to the next paddock
ahead of when they are scheduled
to be there. Are there consequences
to such action?
at least 165 F. If using a microwave
oven, cover the container and turn
or stir the food to heat it evenly.
Cook eggs until whites and yolks are
firm. Serve foods safely. Keep hot
foods hot (140 F or above) and cold
foods cold (40 F or below). Be sure
to chill leftovers as soon as you are
finished eating.
Refrigerate perishable foods
prompdy to below 40 F or freeze
to below 0 F. Use refrigerated left
overs within 3 to 4 days. Never thaw
meat, seafood or poultry at room
temperature. Instead thaw in the re
frigerator, microwave or cold water
changed every 30 minutes. When in
doubt, throw it out.
Hope you are on your way to
Building a Healthy Lifestyle! Tips
to help you Choose sensibly will be
offered in the next issue. In the
meantime, if you want more infor
mation on the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, 2000 or for your own
copy, contact OSU Extension (a
553-3238.
some time," said Smith. "They're all
pretty good cowgirls."
After 20 plus years in the busi-
ncss, some wild horse racers arc
thinking about retirement, The
grinding schedule, aches and pains
make a weekend on the couch watch-
1 1 1 i.i
K .1 ,
From left to right, Tony Cortazar, C.J. Van Sickle, and Jason.
The Stockman's Roundup
Ul TiSTOCK I IPA121 lAIJiRT
Foot and Month Disease
Worldwide Spread
During the past year there have
been numerous outbreaks of Loot
and Mouth Disease all over the
world - Asia, Africa, South America,
and now the United Kingdom and
France.
Foot and Mouth Disease has bro
ken out in England and has spread
rapidly in the past two weeks. There
are confirmed cases in Scotland and
Ireland as well. Significant disease
control measures arc being taken and
livestock movement has been greatly
limited to slow the spread. European
nations are taking strong defensive
measures. I lere in the United States
and Oregon, we need to upgrade
our awareness and be alert.
'Susceptible -animals
All cloven-hoofed animals, do
mestic and wild
Pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, elk,
etc.
NOT HORSES.
Symptoms -
Blisters andor open sores with
ragged edges (from ruptured blisters)
in the mouth and on the tongue,
lips, and muzzle.
Blisters andor open sores on
Natural Resource Notables
Oregon's nursing industry
growing fast
Springtime is when the Or
egon Nursery Industry gears up
for its shipping season. Valued
at about $584 million a year, the
greenhouse and nursery indus
try in Oregon is expected to con
tinue "growing" far into the fu
ture. There are good "road
signs" for the industry, as there
has been strong and steady
growth in production, good
prices, and consumer demand
for yard and garden products.
Some leaders are concerned
about "too much too fast."
John Aguirre, Oregon Asso
ciation of Nurserymen, points
out that "there has been a sig
nificant expansion of acreage
dedicated to nursery products,
both here in Oregon and
nationwide. ..if the economy
takes a dip, then our people are
concerned about what the mar
ket might look like." Industry
folks are optimistic that if that
day should come, Oregon would
fare better than other nursery
producing states. Particularly in
the Northern Willamette Valley,
Oregon's unique soil, water
availability, climate, and access
to market should serve to pro
tect the industry in hard times.
"It's hard to find excellent con
ditions anywhere else," says
Aquirre. "But for the next five
years or so, there is concern that
there may be a glut of some
ing TNN sound pretty good. But
those days are still a ways off for
Smith,
"It's hard to say how long you cm
go," he said. "I'll probably continue
until I feel as though I have to quit."
-X (1
Y
teats, between toes, and around the
top of the hoof.
Slobbering and lip smacking (due
to sores in mouth).
Lameness (due to sores on feet).
Fever, depression, abortion.
What to do -
Observe your livestock closely
and carefully.
Biosecurity if the most important
thing for livestock producers - don't
let it on the farm or ranch.
Screen visitors - if someone has
been overseas recently, use sanitation
and do not allow contact with ani
mals. The virus can stay alive and
be transmitted by contaminated
shoes, boots and clothing and can
be carried in the throat, nose, ears
etc of people who have been in con
tact with infected animals Screen
materials - animal origin products of
any sort - foods, souvenirs,and so on,
can carry the virus.
Exercise good general sanitation
- have boot washing equipment and
disinfectant ready and available and
have visitors use it.
If you sec or hear about anything
you think might be Foot and Mouth
Disease -
Call your veterinarian immedi
ately. plant material that could hurt
Oregon producers."
Oregon's greenhouse and
nursery industry owes much of
its success to good marketing.
"There are a lot of good produc
ers out there who can grow good
quality nursery and greenhouse
plant material," says Aquirre.
"But if you don't have a strong
marketing plan, you will have
problems."
This is something I have
thought about for a long time
about potential products here at
Warm Springs. Over the past few
years, Composite Products has
done quite a job of finding spe
cialty markets for their products
- with great success. There are
projects in the works now for es
sential oils and other ideas here
at Warm Springs. The key to suc
cess in these enterprises will be
marketing - making our prod
ucts look better than anyone
else's and for premium prices.
As the nation's third leading
nursery prfnlucing state - behind
California and Florida Oregon
is poised to do even better.
Aguirre predicts the value of the
industry will pass the $600 mil
lion mark after 2(XV) figures are
finalized. The nursery industry
is strongest in the areas around
Portland establishing a strong
bridge between agriculture and
the citv.