We have come to the realization that this year TJ Sheppard’s song, “I Love them Everyone,” refers to our foals, Big, Little, short or tall, I wish I coulda kept them all. Every time we halter break a new one we have said, “I am glad this one is sold, I want to keep it.” But we are like that most years. It is really a positive that we like our foals that much, but it makes it hard to sell them.
Monday Toni had court first thing, then her and Jeannie took King and Tank to Jordan’s, King for a riding refresher and Tank to be started. They picked up Jeanie and Josslin’s mares and brought them back. FYI, Tank had never left the ranch before and only been in a trailer one time to go to Toni’s house. So he was doing great, even though Rick and John were messing with the irrigation circle when Toni was trying to load him by herself without any grain. Kaine, Kade and Jaxsen had football practice, so Toni ran Jaxsen back in, Kaine and Kade’s was after their Jr High practice. Toni, Anna and I worked on the foals. We tied Spark to Tulip, Toni and Anna worked on Ivy and Gunz, I led Roger for a bit and then tied her up. I led Peter Pan for a bit, and then Toni loaded him in the trailer along with Gunz to get them ready to leave this week. Then I went and picked the boys up and ran a check out to Grandmas for Joe to take to James Bright when he picks up the steers.
Toni had to go to court again on Tuesday, this is a crazy court week for her. She had to actually go in person. Peter Pan was supposed to leave at noon, so Toni should have had enough time to go home and change out of her court attire before loading Peter Pan, but the people were early. Toni loaded Peter Pan, with the help of his new owner Sandra, in her suit. He loaded great and she only got a tiny bit dirty. The boys had a game in Mattawa, and it was moved up to 4. I went home and got Toni and we went to Mattawa for the game. Toni ran Jaxsen’s gear to mom and dads first so that Kicker could take him into practice. Anna and Jaxsen did chores, and then Anna went to do some stuff around our house and she made dinner. The game in Mattawa was good, we tied 6 to 6. Neither team had enough kids for 7 and 8 grade games, so we had mixed 7th and 8th grade teams.
Wednesday started out with Toni taking Spark in to get her travel papers, and she took Tulip as a chaperone. The gals at the vet clinic were pretty impressed with Tulip. They couldn’t believe we bought a “long ears.” She said both did great. We continued halter breaking foals. Ben got done with harvest so will actually be home for his birthday for once. Yeah.
Thursday was Ben’s birthday, Happy Birthday Ben, he was the big 45. Brita and Austin came to get Ivy. They had just gotten married on Tuesday so we gave them a basket of goodies along with their horse. We have known Brita and Austin for a few years now and have enjoyed getting to know them. Ivy loaded like a champ out in the middle of the driveway, so she was sent on her way. Toni then moved Rog over with Gunz. I brought home dinner for Ben’s birthday. Jaxsen had a football game, they played well, it was in Connell. Jaxsen had a fumble recovery that Mom and Toni got to see. I hear it was really cold at the game.
Friday Toni, Anna, Kaine, Kade and I went to Ellensburg for the Evergreen Angus Sale. We went on Friday because I am on the Angus board and I had a meeting at 2:30, but I told Toni 2 so we would get there on time. We were three minutes early, and Toni did find out that the meeting was at 2:30 and called me a liar. She confiscated my sunglasses for the day as payment. I went to the meeting while Toni and the kids checked into the hotel, got fuel, and looked at all the heifers. We had quite a few marked in the catalog to look at. We need 2 more show heifers for the 2022 show season. Then we had the banquet on Friday night. We had a good time, sat with our Lyyski cousins, and we bought an apple pie made by Randy Kessler for dessert. We took lemon bars for the auction that mom made, but they sold too high for us to buy them for our dessert. Mom was worried they wouldn’t sell well but they sold too well so she needs to do a better job of making them look bad so we can afford them. The big drama was that we were supposed to bring 150 potatoes for the potato bar for lunch on Saturday that Toni left in her car. So if anyone in the Connell area needs potatoes, we have a bunch. Our good friend Cara came to the rescue and asked Tim’s Cascade Potato Chips for the potatoes which they so graciously donated to the Jr. Angus Association. So Cara and Tim’s Cascade saved the day.
Saturday was the sale, we got up and went to breakfast with Lyyskis. The kids don’t know what to do without animals to take care of. So we hung out with Bobbette, Parker, Jill and Ryan until the sale. Our friend Sarah came over to visit us, which was really nice. The kids picked out some heifers to buy. We got two of them, and tried to get one more. And we got two for Adrian and Emmett. Ryan Cotton called us on the way home and we found out we also got two heifers at the Seldom Rest sale, so the kids are pretty excited. Now we just have to get them here from Michigan. We got home, unloaded the heifers and then went and did chores. Jaxsen had a game in Ephrata on Saturday, he played well.
Sunday we loaded out Gunz in the morning in the windiest windstorm we have had in 2021. Luckily Gunz is a great filly and didn’t let that bother her too bad. After we loaded her out we then had Ben’s birthday party. We had to get our dry mares in, get one mare out of there to send to CA, so a lot of work for one mare since you have to get the whole pen in and sort them. We tried to just walk out and catch the mare we needed, but with the weather and their knowledge of our ways, none of the mares were going to let us catch them. We moved Spark over with Roger and put Nevada in with Dual Again. We tied Nevada to the donkey for 20 min or so. We got the six mares in at mom and dad’s and moved them down to the dry mare pen since their foals have been weaned a week. Then uncle Joe got home from Texas with the steers, so we ran over to Connell to get them and took him some cookies and a piece of Ben’s birthday cake. He gave the birthday cake to grandma since it had coconut on it. The TX steers are a little on the small side, but once we get them on feed they should grow into their potential.
It has been a super busy, but exciting week at the ranch as we ship foals out to their new homes. It is sad to see them go, but so rewarding to see them with their new owners. This year was very interesting because we sold quite a few foals to new customers that bought the foals sight unseen off of the internet. It is nerve wracking to sell foals this way. Luckily everything has worked out so far, and we hope it continues. These are great foals and we love them, everyone!
KT Ranch 
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