Commissioners hear proposal for goat roping

Tim Beck, representing the Big Horn County Farm Bureau Federation (FBF), appeared before the county commissioners on November 19 to discuss a proposed goat roping fundraiser. 

Beck said the Federation had an idea last year to host a goat roping event at the fairgrounds.

“We chose the first Saturday in January, because all the college kids are home for Christmas, everyone has already spent all their money, they are looking for something to do and there is only so much football you can watch,” he said.

Beck said nobody on the FBF board knows anything about goat roping, but they have been researching it. 

There are two purposes for the event. One is advocating for FBF membership, the other is increasing scholarships. For the last 50 years, the FBF has provided high school and academic scholarships to go to college. The last few years, they have increased giving for this as well as increased contributions to local FFA and 4-H programs. The goat roping will be a fundraiser for those scholarships. It is a jackpot format with 65% awarded in prize money and 35% earmarked for FBF scholarships.

Beck said the FBF has been trying to promote the fairgrounds for the last eight to 10 years by holding events and meetings there. They purchase junior livestock animals and participate in the pie giveaway and 4-H showmanship.

“We have been very aware of the diminishing participation at the fair,” said Beck. “As a federation we are trying to step up and be engaged with (former fair managers) Macey (Tippetts) and Cash (Duncan) to say, how can we help? What can we do with 139 members in Big Horn County to try to make these fair facilities and activities themselves re-engage?”

He mentioned that at the event FBF will provide information about what they do, the value of agriculture and what it brings into the county economically. “The purpose of the Federation is to advocate for agriculture,” he said.

In addition to roping, there will be a chance for kids to chase a goat to get the ribbon tied to its tail.

Beck continued that they have invited Ten Sleep Brewery and Mustang Mountain Vineyards to be a part of the event. Get Loaded will serve a barbecue lunch.

OTHER BUSINESS

• Maintenance Supervisor Jeremy Pouska gave a update on the annex and courthouse buildings.

• Carl Olson and Owen Wantulok were reappointed to the County Solid Waste Board. They were the only applicants.

• Richard Hawley was reappointed to the Byron Solid Waste Board. A different member has resigned, and there is an open seat to fill that position.

• Ads for the Planning & Zoning and Fair boards will run in the paper. Three seats are open on the P&Z and two seats open on Fair Board as terms expire the end of December.

• Three SHSP (emergency management) grants were approved.  

• Sheriff Ken Blackburn and Deputy Tony Giles presented a reconfiguration for the dispatch.

• An executive session was held to discuss litigation and contract negotiations. A second executive session was held for personnel.