Bucking horse drive pulls attendees back in time

CHEYENNE — In the back of an SUV with a license plate frame proudly stating “I wasn’t born in Wyoming, I got here as fast I could,” a mother and daughter waited patiently Sunday for the unofficial kickoff to Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Debbie Harvey told her mother, Cynthia Newby, to be ready early in the morning to head out, but gave little indication what the surprise would be.They drove from Harvey’s home in Cheyenne to the intersection of Interstate 25 and Vandehei Avenue, and were joined by families lining up to sit and keep their eyes focused north along Hynds Boulevard.

It wasn’t until 8:45 a.m. that the surprise truly revealed itself to first-time Frontier Days attendee Newby, as wagoners, rodeo royalty and even Gov. Mark Gordon himself rode past on their steeds.The cowboys and cowgirls waved and greeted onlookers before the stars of the show arrived.

Dozens of wild and bucking horses were herded by CFD volunteers on horseback, bringing them down from the pasture north of town and through the city streets into Frontier Park. They were met with grinning faces and unbridled excitement as people gave every drop of attention they had to the horses, and some of the latter stopped to whinny or shake their manes just a few feet away from the crowds.

“It was phenomenal,” said Harvey. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, and so it’s worth seeing.”

Harvey moved to Cheyenne in 2018, and has loved all of the events that go along with Frontier Days every year. She couldn’t wait to introduce her mother, who traveled from Georgia, to the rodeo celebration.

It’s been years since 85-year-old Newby has been around horses, but her attraction began as she grew up on a farm in Oregon.They had a horse when she was very young, and she laughed as she remembered when it got stung by a bee while her grandmother was riding it, and took off with her on it.

“They’re beautiful animals,” she said. “The way they gallop, and, gosh, their muscles — just gorgeous.”

The mother-daughter duo said seeing the horses up close and personal was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and they loved it, along with Cheyenne Frontier Days as a whole.They said it keeps Western heritage alive, and displays some of the greatest community members in the country.

“I love living in Cheyenne, Wyoming, because I feel like the people are genuine,” said Harvey. “They’re wholesome individuals. I feel like they’d give you the shirt off their back, if needed, and I love that about being out West.”

Fresh faces in the capital city weren’t the only ones packed on the side of the road. For others, it was a deep-rooted family tradition to come out on the Sunday before the official start of CFD to see animals herded into town. Prior to this year, it has been steers.

The Schaffer family arrived well before the horses made their appearance, and sat snuggled up in the back of their truck bed. They’ve lived in the community for 17 years and taken part in Cheyenne Frontier Days every year. One of the highlights for them is spending Sunday morning taking in the fellowship of the drive.

Twenty-one-year-old Meghan Schaffer said there’s a great sense of community when you show up, and it’s important to bring out the support, or else they won’t keep doing it. She said she loves sitting on the roadside on an early Sunday morning and watching as the animals go by.

The 10-day rodeo and Western celebration, as a whole, upholds important values for the family, not just in the tradition, but the dedication it takes.

“It’s a good reminder of work ethic,” added Meghan. “Because I feel like the later in years we get away from actually being in the West, people get a little slack on work ethic. And I think this helps a lot.”

Tambra Schaffer was surrounded by her family, including her husband, Rick Schaffer, and she spoke of the skill it takes to care for the animals, to have the competition and to keep it friendly. She said it keeps those attitudes alive and well, and ties people back to their roots.

But it also was a moment to bask in good weather, spend quality time together and enjoy something simple.

“Today, our lives are so busy,” Tamara said. “And we just have a truck, and even if we didn’t have a truck — people just bring out their lawn chairs and then you strike up conversations with the people next to you. It’s kind of a nice camaraderie and community building.”

By Jasmine Hall

Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Via Wyoming News Exchange