Word Count: 42,054
Summary of Events:
Kingston watched Blair get the lead in the barrel racing after succeeding in getting points in his bareback ride; his saddle ride didn't go as well and he was bucked off, but he was pleased to see Quinn fail to catch his steer in the bulldogging. It was a pouring rain the following day, so Kingston and Caldwell went to a local coffee shop to hang out, only to get a call from Caldwell's father, Farley, that an agitated bull had damaged the corral fencing and the bulls could get out, prompting them to hurry back . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
“What’s the plan?” Caldwell asked.
“We’ve got space in a couple forward pens to hold a few,” Farley replied. “We’re going to move as many as possible there, and we need to get this one into the squeeze, the rest we’re going to get into one of the trailers.”
“Okay,” Caldwell said. “Where do you want us?”
“Stay here,” Farley replied. “Brandon, go keep an eye forward, we want to be sure no one else is upset enough to wreck any more fencing.”
Brandon rode off and Farley dispatched a couple other men — mostly men on foot — to run the gates down the alleyway and get the bulls moving.
The rest watched and waited as one of the trailers was backed into place, ready to accept all the bulls that there was no room for closer to the arena.
Kingston watched somewhat nervously as the men in the alleyway skilfully prodded the agitated bulls through, all the while keeping a gate or fence panel between them and the animal, who were each a good two thousand pounds and not really able to be controlled.
Some of the bulls who came out swinging their heads were immediately herded toward the trailer, while the others who looked a bit more nervous were pushed forward. The dazed bull didn’t move.
It didn’t take long for the bulls to be removed and sorted. As the last bull was leaving the dazed bull seemed to realise what was going on and charged toward the gate.
With a swift move Farley drew his tranquiliser gun out of a scabbard on his saddle and fired.
The colourfully-tailed dart hit the bull in the rump. Immediately the bull turned and made to charge at Farley, but he stumbled and dropped to the dirt before he could get there.
“Close the alley gates!” Farley hollered.
Men immediately obliged.
“Come on you two,” Farley said, looking at Kingston and Caldwell.
They followed Farley, who rode toward the access gates into the alley. A man was at the gates and let them in. They rode up the alley to the pen, where Caldwell and Kingston were instructed to rope the bull.
Kingston was okay at roping, but Caldwell was better, so Kingston roped the head and Caldwell roped the heels.
“Is that a short dose?” Caldwell asked.
“Yes,” Farley replied, getting off his horse to pull the dart out of the bull’s hindquarters.
He got back into his saddle and they waited just a minute or two while rain continued to pour down until the bull started to revive. Farley got a cattle prod from one of the men watching them and goaded the bull to its feet.
The bull was still under the influence of the tranquilisers, and so staggered to its feet before following Kingston’s pulling toward the gate, headed for the squeeze where the bull would be secured and could be attended to by a veterinarian.
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