Audra and furever friends, Jiggs, Kash, Woodrow, Roy and Rooster. I still can’t believe she got them all to line up like this without stepping off her horse!
Last year I submitted work for consideration to be juried into the exhibit titled
“Women’s Work” presented by the Cowgirl Artists of America and the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art in Trinidad, Colorado.
The goal of this exhibition is this:
“To increase the recognition of Western women artists and makers, and women’s role in the West, Women’s Work artists will connect with women on working ranches. Juried artists will spend time on their chosen and/or assigned ranch, learn from the women’s connection to family, land, plants, and animals, and create work for the show inspired by the people and places with whom they are connected.
By fostering an environment of respect and collaboration, we aim to celebrate and uplift the rich heritage and contributions of women of the American West, ensuring their voices are heard and their contributions recognized.”
We were each tasked to find our own “Ranch Partners”. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances my first partner from Kansas had to cancel and left me scrambling to find a new partner.
Thankfully, during my time at Art of the Cowgirl, I was able to connect with Audra Johnston. She and her husband, Chad, own, manage and work the Arapahoe Ranch in western Nebraska where they have a large cow/calf operation.
This past week I had the pleasure of visiting Arapahoe Ranch in Nebraska where I was able to shadow my Ranch Partner. I’ve spent time on lots of ranches but have never been able to visit during calving season.
Audra and Chad do it all, and I mean everything…they don’t have any employees. They started out with 400 mama cows in the calving lot. Thankfully, most of winter was behind them and the nights were warming up.
Most of their cows are Black Angus but they have a few Corriente cattle too (so cute!).
After calving, they tag and record weights/sex on each calf and move the pairs to grass where they do health checks till the calves are older. They also run 22 Bulls and have a beautiful herd of replacement heifers.
Everything is done on horseback, and I was in heaven! I even got to ride with Audra all day when Chad had to work in town one day.
I’d like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Audra and Chad for a fabulous visit to their ranch
and putting up with my many requests for more!
While I can’t share the images that I’m choosing for the actual exhibit
I did want you to see a glimpse into life on the ranch during my 3-day visit. Hope you enjoyed it!
