Out-Standing in his field!

I took this picture of my Dad while we where home just a couple weeks ago. We had gone up into the hills to haul a couple cows and calves up and put some salt out for everything in the summer pasture. He is a true rancher and can't just go up and do the few things we had on our agenda....it is so gorgeous up there I can't hardly blame him either. We go the cows unloaded and the salt put out...and he decided to walk over the check the rest of the herd. I snapped this picture of him as he was walking back to the truck...he didn't even know I was taking it.

He is someone who is definitely out-standing in his field. Literally and figuratively!!! He is a true example of "if something is worth doing...it is worth doing well". He exemplifies this in every single thing he does! He has rodeo'd most of his adult life and not just dabbled in it either. He puts his whole heart and soul...most of his time...and sacraficed his body...into this pounding lifestyle! He has calf roped and team roped longer than I have even been around. It doesn't even cross his mind..."if"...he should enter...he just does it! He has trained his own horses all his life...and is such a perfectionist when it comes to training, that people all through Canada and the United States want to buy his horses...or want to ride them at rodeo's and usually end up paying him "mount money" cuz they win while riding his horses! He spends hours and hours training and practicing and I used to loathe it as a child. It could be 20 below zero or colder and we would still have to go out and practice in the indoor arena for hours. Even with the propane heater blasting. you could still see your breath and the snot would freeze to your cheeks! Brrrrrr....and we knew better than to complain!

But all those hours of practice and dedication have definitely paid off! At 62 he is still roping and winning! He just had his bday on 7-7-7 and what better luck could he have than his dream birthday of being at a rodeo and winning on his big day! He won the roping Saturday and Sunday and he and my mom placed in the ribbon roping on Saturday! I am sure in his mind...it was a perfect day!

He has always been such a great example of "striving"....by watching him while growing up and now....it has instilled in me a desire for perfection. It can be a curse sometimes...but I have always known where it came from. Even being adopted...I know it comes from him! I am so glad to have been raised with that kind of example. He is truly someone who is out-standing in his field!!!