The cowboy life

The cowboy life is what identifies living in the West. It is not an easy life. The cowboy needs to know how to rope a calf, brand the calf without inflicting too much pain and learn water laws.

Water rights in Wyoming can be confusing. Saturday, Mike Condict, along with his cousin, Reggie Thornburg will talk about water rights of the past, present and future, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Saratoga Museum Pavilion.

The two have been studying water law and work with 16 ranchers in the Platte Valley, the University of Wyoming and the State Engineers office to make fighting at the head gates a thing of the past.

Condict and Thornburg will discuss the history of Wyoming water rights, why they are so unique and what is being done today to help ranchers know how much water they will have to irrigate on one particular day. After the discussion, they will have a question and answer session.

Micayla Crimmins, a college rodeo competitor, will be on hand to teach children and adults alike how to use a lasso and rope a calf. Crimmins grew up on Kelley Land and Cattle where her father is a ranch manager. She will have lassos for children and use a dummy in place of a real calf.

At noon, Daron Little will perform while the Saratoga Museum volunteers serve up cowboy lunch. There is a fee for lunch, but the rest of the events are free and open to the public.

If time runs out on questions about water rights before noon, Condict and Thornburg have volunteered to stick around after lunch.

This is the first in a series of Custom & Culture Days that will explore the history of ranching. If anyone would like to have their ranch and its history, contact the Saratoga Museum at 307-326-5511.