Down valley

Service salute

Members of the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District gathered last week to salute volunteers and their families and one special woman.

Kathy Moeger has served on the fire district board for the past 19 years. She has now retired from the post, but she was the guest of honor at the fire department barbecue.

Thanks Kathy, for your many years of volunteer service.

Walking for Breast Cancer

Sarah Braucht from the town of Eagle is nearing the home stretch of her fund-raising minimum goal of $2,300 for the 3-Day 60-Mile Breast Cancer Walk planned in Denver this August.

“Stop by Eagle Town Hall at 200 Broadway to purchase my handmade and high-quality items. Hurry in before they're all gone,” she said.

Here's what Sarah is selling:

$20: Cowboy Cookies for a Cure - Scrumptious oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix with ribbon shaped cookie cutter. These cookies won Reserve Class Champion at the 2009 Eagle County Fair.

$10: Cool Neck Wrap – Handmade cool neck wrap with non-toxic polymers. Perfect for gardening, golfing, or any warm weather activity. Can be re-used as many times as needed and hand washed.

$5: Pink Ribbon Car Magnet – High-quality magnet to show your support for finding a cure for breast cancer. Will not peel or fade.

$2: Pink Rubber Bracelet – High-quality inspirational bracelets to show your support for finding a cure for Breast Cancer.

Electric night at the rodeo

History was made during a bout of lightning and driving rain at the Eagle County Fair and Rodeo Friday, July 31 when Ryan Gray of Cheney, Wash. turned in a world record bareback ride.

Cheney earned a score of 94 points on board Grass Dancer, a seldom ridden horse from Carr Pro Rodeo Stock Contractor Company. His score tied the record set by both Will Lowe and Wes Stevenson at rodeos in previous years. Coincidentally both Lowe and Stevenson were competitors at the Eagle County Rodeo on Saturday night.

When contacted by phone Monday, Gray called the ride one of the biggest of his career. Gray knew he had a shot at a good score when he drew Grass Runner, but he didn't know how good.

“It's one of the best horses we have going in the PRCA and it's been to the national finals,” said Cheney. “You don't have a chance to get on a horse like that all the time.”

The rain started falling when the rodeo action began Friday, but the electricity in the arena wasn't just generated from the lightning overhead. Bareback riding was the first event of the evening and it was a scorcher from beginning to end.

Les Ohlhauser, a professional announcer for 33 years, was calling the action. One of the first riders was Jason Havens of Prineville, Ore., who scored an 87. That ride was followed by Steven Anding of Crossroads, Texas who also turned in a 87 point ride. Then Clint Cannon of Waller, Texas, the No. 1 ranked bareback rider in the PRCA world standings, followed with a score of 91 points.

“It was pretty wild,” Ohlhauser said. People in the grandstands were cheering and thought they'd seen the best ride of the night. Then Gray came out aboard Grass Runner.

When he got the scores from both judges, Ohlhauser added them up twice to make sure he had the number right to confirm the world record score.

“There wasn't any inflation or anything in the scoring. That ride was the real deal,” said Ohlhauser. “When you do a world record event, you'd better believe it's exciting.”

For Eagle County Fair Manager Brad Higgins, it was a ride he'll never forget. “Watching that ride gave me chills,” Higgins said. “The audience liked it, but 90 percent of the people there didn't really know what they had just seen. That was history, right there.”

Around town

• Speaking of action at the 2009 Eagle County Fair and Rodeo, Extension Director Glenda Wentworth reports that there were 574 open class entries this year. That's 153 more than last year. Good job to everyone participated in the fair.

• The Gypsum Public Library wants to thank all participants in its summer reading program “Be Creative.” The library has some great quilt artwork on display until the end of August. Summer reading readers remember: you may read, record your time spent reading and collect prizes until Friday, Aug. 28. Summer reading finishers will be invited to a back-to-school, “fish painting party.”

• An Eagle teen wants to know what you think of his business idea. Marshall Fischer has been asking people to visit http://surveymonkey.com and fill out a short survey. Fischer's business idea is to take pictures of people, digitally enhance them and get them professionally printed into a hardcover book as a keepsake or present. Contact Fischer at DragonGeek2@gmail.com.

Ready for another Fair?

Friday is the deadline for Colorado residents to enter over 1,500 general entry competitions at the 2009 Colorado State Fair.

The general entry department offers an incredibly diverse menu of competitions for residents of all ages. Each year, there are approximately 6,000 entries for more than 1,500 competitions throughout the general entry categories including pantry, quilts, needle arts, dolls, porcelain art, arts and crafts, and floriculture (potted plants, arrangements and herbs) to name a few.

Entry forms, competition rules and guidelines for each category are available online or may be picked up from the general entry office in the Kitchen Craft Hall on the fairgrounds, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by calling 719-404-2080.

The 2009 Colorado State Fair runs from Aug. 28 – Sept. 7. For more information, visit www.coloradostatefair.com.

Calling all photographers

With the high country now at its most photogenic, the Hidden Gems Wilderness Campaign is offering an extra incentive to get out into it with a camera.

The campaign has announced a three-season photo contest, with submissions invited from amateurs and professionals alike. Entries will be judged by a panel including renowned landscape photographers John Fielder and David Hiser.

The photo contest will run in three seasonal cycles — summer, fall and winter — with separate deadlines and judging. The deadline for the first summer cycle is Friday, Sept. 18.

“This is another great reason to join us on one of our Hidden Gems hikes, or get out there on your own to explore these beautiful places,” said Susie Kincade, the campaign's Eagle County coordinator. “The weather's been great, and wildflower season is just hitting its climax.”

Submitted images must be of, or taken in, one of the 40-odd areas around the White River and Gunnison National Forests that the Hidden Gems Campaign is proposing for wilderness designation.

General landscapes, macro/closeups and wildlife shots are all acceptable, with special consideration going to photos that capture the “essential hidden gemness” of the area.

Winners in the amateur division will get to participate in a one-day photo workshop next summer with one of the contest judges, and their images will be featured in Hidden Gems gift cards and in a future exhibit. The winning professional images will be presented as large-format prints to members of the Colorado Congressional delegation and used in official Hidden Gems Campaign posters.

Additionally, there will be a “People's Choice” prize of a $250 gift certificate to a local retailer.

For full contest guidelines, as well as a hike schedule and detailed information about the wilderness proposal areas, see the Hidden Gems Campaign website, www.whiteriverwild.org.

Leftover hunting licenses

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has announced that all leftover big game and turkey licenses will go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Leftover licenses are limited elk, deer, pronghorn, bear and turkey licenses that did not sell during the spring drawing/application process.

"There are a good variety of licenses this year," said Henrietta Turner, DOW license administration manager. "We have over 9,000 deer, 3,000 pronghorn and over 42,000 elk licenses still available."

Hunters may purchase leftover licenses on a first-come, first-served basis at statewide license agents, Division of Wildlife offices and by phone (1-800-244-5613).

Online purchases will be available at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, on the Division of Wildlife Web site. Internet sales are postponed one day to eliminate competition with in-person sales. 

In order to expedite the purchase process, license buyers should bring the following items when visiting license agents or DOW offices: A driver's license or state identification card, hunter education card, customer identification number or conservation certificate number and social security card.  

Hunters purchasing private-land-only licenses (PLOs) must obtain permission from landowners before they can hunt on any private land. 

Limited licenses are valid only in specific game management units and are available to resident and nonresident hunters.

A list of all available leftover licenses is now available on the division's Web site at:  http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Leftovers/.