Round ‘em up

Beth Slovic

Friday, Aug. 27, 2004 | 3:44 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

August 28 - 29, 2004

Life as a cowboy or cowgirl can be lonesome.

But those in search of company will find plenty at the Boulder City Horsemen's Association arena, where riders and spectators from all over Southern Nevada gather weekly for horse penning competitions, in which teams of three riders attempt to herd select cows into a small pen at one end of the ring.

And they have to do it in less than 90 seconds, the faster the better.

Each Saturday starting about 7 p.m., riders and spectators gather to Boulder City for an evening of competition at the arena, which is owned and operated by the Horsemen's Association, a membership organization open to dues-paying riders.

Perhaps appropriately, it's located at the end of a street called Corral, just off San Felipe Drive.

Spectators get to watch for free and there are no prizes for the fastest team, but that doesn't deter the riders.

On one recent Saturday evening, as the sun dipped under the horizon and the temperature cooled, people just arriving in their vehicles -- mostly pickup trucks with horse trailers in tow -- parked in rows, forming what amounted to a huge stable on wheels. Riders threw Western-style saddles on their horses outside their trailers, donned their gear and moseyed over to the concession stand.

Children too young to compete but old enough to get into trouble ran through the bleachers, down the stairs leading to the ring and around the picnic benches at the concession stand, where others gathered to eat and chat.

Inside the ring, 30-odd brown cows stood calmly with heads lowered.

Miles from the Strip, the weekly competition offers a version of Southern Nevada glitz and glamour all its own. It comes in the form of sparkling spurs, decorative bridles, bravado and bragging rights. And the fun is suitable for all ages, participants said.

It's also suitable for riders of different skill levels. Though most team members are experienced horsemen and women, beginners are also welcome, said Rick Muyres, one of the competition's organizers.

"Just bring a horse," he said of the requirements.

A self-declared old-fashioned cowboy of the buckaroo variety, Muyres said the weekly horse penning event is a favorite among locals and riders from as far away as Pahrump.

Looking out from under his hat with its 5-inch brim all around, Muyres greeted participants as he sold them handfuls of tickets for $2 apiece. (One ticket earns riders one go-round in the ring. The money collected is used to pay for the cows' feed.)

As he waxed poetic on the cowboy's experience, amused spectators munched on hamburgers served up with the works from the arena's kitchen.

Down at the ring, where a sign announced "No glass, no dogs, no foul language," teams of three lined up at the entrance, eager for their shot at the cows.

After the teams enter the ring, an announcer called out a number over a loudspeaker. The team then had 90 seconds to find the three cows out of 30 bearing that number and drive them into the pen.

Afterward, three more riders, often the very young ones, drove the cows back in one massive huddle toward the other end of the ring.

For several hours, until everyone ran out of steam or money, the scene repeated itself.

Julie Carl and Sherry Morgan watched the activity as they sat near their pickup truck, outside the arena. Carl's 11-year-old daughter and Morgan's husband were competing that night.

"We're here because the Strip was boring," Carl said with a laugh. "If we're not at a barrel race or a rodeo, we're here."

Her friend chimed in.

"Besides that, the concession stand has the best hamburgers in town," Morgan said.

Soon Carl's daughter Bailey, an accomplished rider, entered the ring with her team. As she set off in a canter across the ring, her long blond ponytail flew through the air, matching the motion of her Palomino's yellow tail.

Driving the team's first cow into the ring, Bailey let out a few cowgirl-style yelps.

"Swing, Bailey, swing," her mother cheered.

In under 40 seconds, the fastest time at that point in the evening, Bailey's team accomplished its task.

Later, Bailey explained the appeal.

"It gives my horse a chance to do something different," Bailey said, adding that she gets to practice different kinds of hand and leg work with her horse at the penning competitions than she does at rodeos or barrel racing. "And people teach you things."

Muyres echoed Bailey's words.

"If your horse does the same thing every day, it can sour," he said.

The competition can be immensely challenging for riders.

"You have to think for the horse, think for yourself and think for the cows," Muyres said.