At a time when ranchers are battling calving in the frigid temperatures, one young man by the name of Sterling Drake is tending to calves …
Singing of Tradition: Sterling Drake
Ranch
Keeping a Passion Alive
In the cow horse world, there are different types of people. There are folks who thrive off the adrenaline of the crowd, and there are folks who need no encouragement other than the love of the game. The latter are the ones who have the most heart and grit, and know a buckle is no substitute for a job well done under tough conditions. While a mixture of both is healthy and the lines certainly blur, it is the purest appreciation of the sport that will keep it alive and thriving for future generations. As a young woman with a love for the game and an ongoing desire to learn, I was especially encouraged to get to know Oklahoma calf roper Tony Graves, who exhibits the finest characteristics of the industry.
On His Own Two Feet
We all find hope in different places throughout life. I once heard a preacher say that we find moments of beauty and joy scattered throughout the world like Easter eggs God has planted. At a time when the world is in desperate need of hope, it is extra special to meet people who remind you there are still a lot of things worth believing in.
Ryder Carothers is a young man who does just that. His character makes me hopeful that there will still be good neighbors, good men, good Christians, and good cowboys in the years to come. The son of clinician and master horseman Tim Carothers (see the feature entitled “A Kentucky Cowboy”), Ryder comes from a long line of horsemen, stretching back at least ten generations.
