Coronavirus postpones Ranch Rodeo in Palmetto

Cady Jones would have none of it.

The 9-year-old was cutting some heifers out of the pack at Blackbeard's Ranch in Myakka City and a few were getting unruly.

She positioned her horse, Andy, and pointed the heifers in the direction she wanted, like she was directing ... well ... a couple of 9-year-old kids.

They followed directions.

Cady's dad, Brian Jones, is the ranch manager for Jim Strickland, who owns Blackbeard's Ranch and the more than 700 cattle that call it home. Brian Jones is a former president of the Manatee County Cattlemen's Association and a current board member.

He combined with his daughter and fellow ranch hand Brian Broxson to demonstrate some cattle cutting March 13 to promote the 12th annual Ranch Rodeo, which was planned for March 21 at the Manatee County Fairgrounds.

The threat of the spread of the coronavirus forced the postponement of the rodeo, which raises money to go toward research, scholarships and education connected to the Florida beef industry. It also raises funds for the county's Junior Cattlemen program.

While Brian Jones is well aware of the need for funds, he is most concerned about losing the chance to educate the public about the beef industry and what ranch hands do.

Last year, the Ranch Rodeo drew more than 500 people, who watched the cowboys, and cowgirls, demonstrate several of the techniques they use every day at the ranch.

"If you are interested in what happens on everyday ranches, this is the rodeo to see," Brian Jones said.

The hope is that a few of the kids in attendance might get the spark to become involved in a shrinking industry, and carry on the lifestyle to ensure the industry's future.

Brian and his wife, Cassidy, do their part by teaching their twin daughters, Cady and Cooper, about their ranch lifestyle.

"If we don't teach our kids, it's over," Cassidy Jones said.

Cassidy Jones kept a watchful eye on her daughter as she worked the cows, and barked out a few instructions when the cows rushed toward her daughter, causing her horse to spook just a bit. Cady righted her horse, and her mom relaxed again.

Cassidy Jones said it's important to educated the public about what happens on the ranch.

"I like the community to see where their food comes from," she said.

Broxson also has passed the importance of his lifestyle along to his son, Walker Broxson. The younger Broxson, an Army private who is stationed at the Elmendorf-Richardson Military Base in Anchorage, Alaska, was to be honored at the rodeo with the Manatee County Cattlemen's Patriot Award Scholarship. The 2018 Palmetto High graduate was active in the Junior Cattlemen's program until he entered the service after graduation.

Walker Broxson, who is preparing to enter the United States Army Airborne School, had sent a pre-recorded video message to be played during the rodeo, as he couldn't attend.

While the Army is the younger Broxson's immediate future, his father said ranching might be his next career following his military service. Like the Jones' twins, he grew up working the local ranches.

Brian Jones and Brian Broxson were both going to have key roles in running the Ranch Rodeo, which is different than what people might consider mainstream rodeo that features bronc and bull riding.

"On our ranch, we aren't riding bulls," Brian Jones said with a laugh.

Still, they both emphasized it's easy to get hurt without the proper technique, especially when they are jumping off a horse to tackle a steer to tie him down.

The current coronavirus threat robbed them of an opportunity to educate the public, but both said they will take advantage of other opportunities. The Ranch Rodeo is a sanctioned event and a qualifier for the Cattlemen's Association State Ranch Rodeo Finals Sept. 25-26 in Kissimmee. 

They hope to reschedule the Ranch Rodeo, which is one of 16 sanctioned qualifiers, so the participants have the chance to qualify for the state event. Twelve teams of four cowboys and one cowgirl each were scheduled to compete at the Ranch Rodeo.

Myakka City's Faye Mann hopes she gets the chance to hand out the Walter Mann Memorial Award, a belt buckle, to the Top Hand if the rodeo is rescheduled. This would have been the 12th consecutive year for the award, which honors her husband, a cutting horse trainer.

"Pretty much, you can't make a mistake if you want to win it," she said.