Texas Cutting Futurity - Open Classic and Derby

Casey Dailey won the Texas Cutting Futurity Open Classic riding Scootin Boon with a score of 221. He also returned in the NCHA Open Class the same evening to win again, this time with a score of 151 (2 Judges). Scootin Boon is owned by S&S Farms.

Matt Budge was both the Champion and Reserve in the Open Derby. He won the Derby on Chulas Merada owend by Jackpot Ranch with a score of 224 and the reserve on Stylish Lizzy owned by Paul and Jackie Fehrenbach, with a score of 219. The photo on the right is of Matt riding Chulas Merada in the 2nd Go.

Texas Cutting Futurity: Stopping the Cow

Today at the Texas Cutting Futurity the final go's of the Open Classic and Derby Classes were held. I took photos of this go from the same point of view as I do the sales, from the side. The photo on the left is of Red Like That with
Rodie Whitman riding, preventing a cow from returning to the herd.
The photo on the right shows Casey Green and Here to Reymember also blocking a cow from the herd.

Sketching In The Galleries: Ancient Halloween Mask?

This week we were supposed to go to the Nasher Sculpture Center, but that did not work out so we went to the Early Americas Section. I chose this Olmec Mask from a the Veracruz Mexico 900-500 BC. In this drawing I used graphite and White Watercolor Pencil on Black Paper. I first drew the middle ground values in graphite pencil and came back with the white with the highlights and texture. I finished with a very soft dark graphite/clay pencil adding dark areas and additional textural features.

Cat at Work

As a followup to my post last Tuesday, I took another image of Peanut as he was patrolling the feed sack pallet in the hay and feed barn. I posted this image on your left as if it was part of a feature photo on the cover of Working Cat, a fictional magazine.

Buck-A-Roo Rodeo

This past Saturday I photographed several events at one of the newest events at Cowboy Church Arenas: The Buck-A-Roo Rodeo. This event is for Children up to the age of 14 and includes the Chicken Catching event shown above. Other events include, but are not limited to Goat Milking, Goat UnDecorating, Stick Horse Barrel Racing, Running Pole Bending. I have additional images posted in this Gallery.

Officer Peanut: Resident Mouse Patrol

Peanut is our chief of the mouse patrol. He covers both the Stable and Hay Barn beats and has been see batting around suspects in both. He really has his work cut out for him, but he is growing into the job. I once saw a suspect escape from his grip but he dashed over to the stable door and capture it before it could escape. His wages are well earned.

Horse Sales: Weanling package deals

This past weekend I attended an hour of the Fall Sales at the S&S Arena in Terrell, TX. One of the highlights for me was when they drove in 4-7 weanlings and offered winning bid gets choice or all. The best was chosen and then the bidding continued for the rest. Eventually one bidder took all the remaining weanlings for his bid per each weanling left. You may see a selection of images I took during these weanling sales in this Gallery.

Sketching In the Galleries: That Gentleman

This week in sketching in the galleries I chose to sketch part of one of my favorite paintings. This is the head of That Gentleman, an egg tempera painted by Andrew Wyeth in 1960. This painting holds a little more significance since I visited with his grandson at the Wyeth Hurd Gallery in Santa Fe New Mexico this summer (July, 2008).

In The Kitchen: Salmon Chili Biscuits

Wednesday night I was searching my cabinets for something to fix for supper and found a can of Salmon. I thought Salmon Cakes would be nice, but wait, I had no bread crumbs. I then remembered I and a package of biscuit mix. I first sauteed some thinly sliced Shallots and fresh Hatch Red Chili. I combined with salmon with a can of fire roasted chilis, some sliced black olives, and the Shallot and red chili mixture. I then added enough Mayonaise to well moisten the mixture. I then slowly added the biscuit mix, mixing with a large spoon until I had a dough mixture. I then made 4 patties and put in iron skillet sprayed with Grill Pam so biscuits would not stick. I baked in 400 degree preheated oven for about 18min.

Cerro Pedernal

This photo is by my Dad, Jack Arnold taken from Kitchen Mesa behind Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico. This is perhaps the most painted mountain in New Mexico. Georgia O'Keefe had the record, and claimed that God gave her that mountain since she painted it so much. I oversaturated the colors in this image so you can see the contrast between the red rock and the blue mountain and Abiquiu Reservoir. I spent many summers in my youth at Ghost ranch, and have even climbed Cerro Pederanal a few times.

Action Photography from floor level

This past Saturday night I photographed the Barrel Racing at the Rafter J Cowboy Church First Saturday Playday. In this arena, unless I am using my strobes, I capture images in B&W since the light in the arena is so red. I also use a red filter effect so that the light red areas show up particularly light. This time I found a point of view where I was able to shoot about 6 inches above arena level. Additional images from this playday may be found in this Gallery.

In the Kitchen: Italian Sausage Pizza

This pizza turned out perfect. The crust was from a powered mix and spread over a iron griddle coated with Pam Grill spray. The topping consisted of Central Market Bulk Italian Sausage browned, a sauce made from canned crushed tomatoes and Italian Herbs, a Blend of Italian Cheese, and sauteed Hatch Red Chili and Sweet Red Onion Slices. Pizza was baked on a Cast Iron Skillet for 15 min at 425.