Continental students enjoy ‘Ranch Day’

Fourth graders—nearly 60 of them from Continental School—got some real-life education about ranch life last week at the annual “Ranch Day” event sponsored by the Cowbelles of Tubac-Amado and hosted by Dick and Nan Walden, owners of Rancho Sonado in Elephant Head.

Ranch Manager Amanda Borduin, winner of multiple equine events, demonstrated her considerable riding skills in the Walden’s arena as the children, seated on hay bales, watched with obvious delight.

“This is pretty cool,” said fourth grader Pierce Smith, as Borduin expertly demonstrated the walk, trot, lope, gallop and turn-on-a-dime spin.

Nan Walden and Borduin explained that the horses at the ranch are trained to round up cattle and also compete in horse shows around the country.

“What you need on a ranch is a fast horse, one that listens all the time and keeps you safe to capture cattle,” Borduin said.

She told the children that all the horses at the ranch “have a job to do” and that they should know know that when a horse’s ears are pitched forward “he or she is listening.”

“And if the ears are back?” she asked.

“They’re mad!” the children yelled enthusiastically.

Although Borduin makes it look easy, Nan Walden noted to the kids that “it takes many years to ride like Amanda.”

After Borduin’s demonstration, the children ran up to pet the horse she was riding, Gracie Girl, a 7-year-old, award-winning Arabian mare, and ask questions.

They also took advantage of the opportunity to sit in the saddle set up on the demonstration site..

“I like this a lot! I was really excited about coming to see the horses,” said fourth grader Elena Alvarez.

“A lot of our kids have never ridden a horse and never visited a ranch,” said Continental School Superintendent Gaye Leo, who said she suggested the field trip as a great opportunity to educate youngsters about Arizona’s ranching heritage.

“If we lose sight of that heritage, we lose sight of our history,” she said.

Continental fourth grade teachers Susan Eells, Kathy Rieman, Elizabeth Coley and Elizabeth Dicochea accompanied students to the Walden ranch, and more than 20 Cowbelles were on hand as volunteers at the demonstration stations.

“Arizona history, geography, government and culture are the main topics for our social studies curriculum in the fourth grade,” Eells explained. “Our superintendent said this was a great working ranch that would give our students an opportunity to learn about all aspects of ranching, which most have never seen.”

George Burruel demonstrated his roping skills at one station, giving dozens of students the opportunity to try their hands at it after his talk was finished.

“When you have wild cows in the desert, the only way you can get them to come in is to put a rope on them, and, believe me, it takes hours or practice to do that,” he said.

Although riding and roping appeared to captivate most of the children, fourth grader Paige Frankson said she liked “buying it” the best, a reference to the mini-cattle auction demonstration by certified auctioneer Phil Ramirez and bid collector Clint Tucker.

The students were given play money, up to $10,000 to bid on the two heifers in the adjoining corral, herded by ranch owner and Farmers Investment Co. CEO Dick Walden.

The event also featured a plant ID station, demonstrating which desert plants are edible and which are not, said Cowbelles Mary Johnson and Elizabeth Goodwin.

After more than two hours of talks, demonstrations and question-and-answer sessions, the children, school employees and Cowbelle volunteers were treated to an outdoor catered lunch of barbecued chicken sandwiches, potato salad and cookies.

Nan Walden said she is encouraging other ranchers to hold similar events for schoolchildren “to teach them about our ranching heritage.”

“Many of these kids think milk only comes out of a carton,” she said.

Kathy Engle is a freelance writer who lives in Amado. Contact her at kengle@earthlink.net