HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

and

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU!

Instead of my usual print info and equine event education. I wanted to keep it simple. I hope that 2010 brings us all happiness and joy. Here is lil bit of cowboy poetry written by my someone near and dear to my hear... Mr. Jac Kramer.

"LOOKIN' BACK"

I knew I could never rodeo "hard"

Goin' ten or eleven months outta the year

Weekends were pretty much all the time I had

But still hold those times near and dear.

Fifteen years old 'n on my first bareback bronc

That's a late start compared to most of the greats,

Harry Tompkins was my hero back then

A role champion role model...and he was from New York State.

You could never say that my career wasnt distinguished

Compared to guys like Shoulders and Tibbs, folks probably dont remember my name,

But Lady Luck rode with me and I did win a rodeo or two

But I'd never make it to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Well...time has a way of changin' some things

And dreams can become bigger 'n life,

When this week I applauded as world champions gor gold buckles

Attending a Hall of Fame ceremony, this old cowboy and his wife.

My days of competing are well behind me now

I wear my memories of being a cowboy with pride,

And you'll still see me around the arena now and then

'Cause I've got a hell of a barrel racer standin' right by my side.

Happy Trails to all and to all ENJOY THE RIDE!

Leiann Klein

Chasin a Dream

"Chasin A Dream"

I remember being a kid at a camp where you got your own horse for the summer called Rawhide Ranch. We were all city kids who just loved horses! We had gymkhana days and rodeo days where we go to show off our riding and horses abilities. I loved racing those barrels. So when the opportunity presented itself for me to do a linocut of a barrel racer I was "chomping on the bit."

So here she is! My Rodeo Queen of the Barrels.

I loved doing this print and my collectors seem to love it too! Order yours today at www.moderndaycowgirl.com

History

Barrel Racing originally developed as an event for women. While the men roped or rode bulls and broncos, women barrel raced. The exact dates and details about its developments are currently not officially known. However, it is believed that Barrel Racing first came to light in Texas. In 1948 a group of women from Texas looking for a home for themselves in the sport of rodeo decided to form an organization called the WPRA. It was initially called the GRA- girls rodeo Association. There were only 74 members with only 60 approved tour events. This was the first rodeo association developed exclusively for women. In 1981 the GRA officially became the WPRA.

A Modern Event

Barrel Racing is a timed Rodeo Event. The fastest time is what matters most. Cowgirls compete in an arena against one another as well as the clock. Barrel Racing requires extreme cooperation between horse and rider.

For the event, the arena is cleared and 3 barrels are placed in marked locations at specific distances. The riders enter the arena at full speed to quickly round each barrel in a cloverleaf pattern and exiting where they entered. A 5 second penalty time is added for knocking over a barrel. Ripping through the arena and the course leaving every barrel standing is a Barrel racers goal.

A stopwatch or electronic eye is generally used to time for accuracy and equality to all contestants. The time is registered down to a hundredth of a second. Generally a winning time is 13-14 seconds! But varies on the size of the arena. The riders time depends on several factors. The horses physical and mental condition, the rider's horsemanship abilities, and the quality of the ground/footing of the arena (the depth, content-sand/dirt/stone, evenness etc.).

Thrilling to watch, cheer and participate in!

Thanks for reading

Leiann

"Teamwork"- based on the horse event Team Penning

“TEAMWORK”

Teamwork is a Limited Edition print of 350 that is hand carved and hand printed from linoleum. I was able to draw from my personal experience and passion for this event. Although she looks nothing like me, the rider in the middle is me riding Harley. That is the beauty of art; you can make it what you want it.

To see this print and order it, please visit http://www.moderndaycowgirl.com

 

I was introduced to the game of team penning about 4 years ago when a friend of mine Larry Q took my new horse Harley to a practice ride up at Double Rock Farm here in Maryland. I knew after the first night I just went and watched that I was going to love the sport. Lucky for me, my horse Harley does too! J

I have had the privilege of taking many photographs of some talented riders penning and even more so to practice penning with them. It is not as easy as you might think, but boy will you have fun trying.

 

SO WHAT IS TEAM PENNING?

There is more to this game than meets the eye, but the general gist of the game is like this:

In team penning, the idea is to separate three cows with the number called out by the announcer from the rest of the herd and then move them into a pen at the other end of the arena. This is timed event.

 

THINGS YOU MIGHT NEED

Spurs

Jeans

Long-sleeved Shirt or T-Shirt

Western Saddle

Bridle

Saddle Pads

Riding Boots

If you are a novice I recommend a riding helmet

 

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1--Get a team together. You'll need three riders riding three horses.

STEP 2--Ride a well-trained horse.

STEP 3--Count 30 head of cattle in a herd. Each cow is numbered 0 to 9 on its back. There are three cows of each number.

STEP 4--Start at one end of the arena (usually by the pen area) and ride towards the herd of cows.

STEP 5—All riders must pass the start line (middle of the arena) and the announcer/judge will call out a number, 0 to 9.

STEP 6-- Get all three cows with that number out from the herd and bring them back to the pen within 2 1/2 minutes.

STEP 7--Don't let more than five cows of other numbers cross the start line or your team will be disqualified (unwanted cows are called TRASH cows).

STEP 8-- Realize that if you get any cows in the pen other than those with the called number, you'll have to remove them and send them back to the other side of the start line before time stops.

STEP 9--Receive a time for penning only two cows, but any team penning three cows, even with a slower time, will be ahead of you.

STEP 10--Understand that if your team pens no cows in the allotted time, you'll receive no score.

 

TIPS

·      Teamwork is imperative for a successful run.

·      Riders should communicate with each other while riding.

·      Watching an event is very helpful for new riders. But the best way to learn the sport is to attend a clinic for Novice riders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leiann Klein: The Modern Day Cowgirl Intro

Leiann Klein: The Modern Day Cowgirl Intro

The Modern Day Cowgirl Intro

Where did it come from?

Since releasing my newest body of work "The Modern Day Cowgirl" in April of 2009 that seems to be the question of the hour. Especially after people ask me where I come from and I say New York City. So how did I come to this body of work? 

Welp, it all started with a horse (no pun intended).

Its true. I got my first real horse 4 years ago- Harley (my version of a Fat Boy) and it all started to happen. 

I got into riding western again,competing in schooling western shows and then met a gentleman who helped me get into a game called team penning. WHAT A THRILL! I started photographing some horse shows and events locally here in Maryland hoping to make money to keep team penning. About 2,000 photographs later I saw that I had an incredible and energetic grouping of images. 

So now what?

Choosing to do this was an interesting path because in looking at what is out there in terms of western art, the concentration weighs more on the side of cowboy art, not cowgirl art. Therefore, I felt compelled to create artworks that were more cowgirl oriented.

The second part was how to infuse my contemporary stylization into the drawings. Then finally how I wanted to execute the work. Originally I had started to use paint. Since that is the medium I use most I felt is was the natural course of action. Then once day I found a linoleum block in the studio and it was like love at first sight. One of the things that I love about western riding is the hand tooling quality and craftsmanship that goes into creating tack(saddles and bridles). This is an admirable task to me. So I thought that carving linoleum was the way I could be true to the subject matter and yet bring a modern flair to it.

So it is with great pleasure to introduce to you all "The Modern Day Cowgirl." 

So there you have it. Thats how it all began. With a horse!

I hope you check back to see the evolution and hop on and enjoy the ride!

Leiann Klein