The 777 Ranch in Ferron held a Western Family Fun Day and Cowboy Poetry event for a large crowd of people from all around the State on June 11.
This event was hosted by Director Rick Benson his wife Jennie Benson and most of their adult children. Some of the events people could participate in were horseshoes, kids and adult horseback rides, horseback trail rides, Western kids games, a skeet shooting competition, a Dutch oven cook off, hay rides and old time Western photos.
Many folks came because of the Cowboy Poetry and of course the barbecued roast beef and chicken dinner. The Cowboy Poetry and the Country Western ballad entertainment was excellent according to attendees. The entertainers were Jeff Gore from Coleman, Texas who sang many Country Western ballads and recited some poetry. Ron Ehmann from Tooele recited Cowboy Poetry. Each entertainer declared himself to be a preacher and each included some of God's word in their entertainment.
This event was held in a huge enclosed building with an arena in the center. Bleachers lined the West side. Behind the West wall were dormitories an office and a kitchen. The floor was made of loose sand where many of the children played. On the East side of the building was a large area where horses were kept for easy access to the arena.
The food prepared by the Three 777 Ranch to feed the guests of this event was very delicious and more than enough to fill the most hungry of cowhands.
In order to feed this large group of people, two rows of tables were set up loaded with roast beef, chicken, baked potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, garlic bread and watermelon. A third row of tables for the desserts, were filled with cakes of many varieties along with several pies including Dutch oven pumpkin pie topped off with whipped cream.
Director Rick Benson reported that they have a summer program at the ranch, where a total of nearly 100 young people are enrolled in a variety of programs, at various times, throughout the summer. In addition they have spring and fall programs for adults as well as young people.
Those young people that come for horsemanship camp stay for a week. In the Ranch Hand Program the young ladies and young men stay for eight weeks. Those that come for the eight week program become part of the ranch work force. They work on the ranch feeding livestock, taking care of irrigation and all types of things as well as getting involved in activities like this event. This helps them learn many useful skills.
For the adults there are retreats, such as ladies retreats, mother/daughter retreats, mens retreats, couples retreats. These retreats happen in the fall and in the spring. Benson said they have a horsemanship camp starting next week for adults that want to ride out in some of this beautiful scenery, to the mountains and out on the desert. In addition they get horsemanship instruction before and during these trips. It is a lot of fun. In the arena the riders learn how to do a lot of things on horseback. The following week they will have a horsemanship clinic.
The staff for the ranch at this time consists of three families and a single fellow. This ranch keeps them busy, they do not get bored. They do the camps, the farming, raise purebred cattle and raise horses. They have about 35 head of quarter horses on the ranch.
The evening concluded by the group singing "How Great Thou Art." The program was over and Mr. Benson thanked everyone for coming and wished them to have a safe trip home.
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