The Youth Outreach Ride at Parrie Haynes Ranch was a great success this year. This success was due solely to the efforts of many volunteers. The wagon drivers were the heart of the event and the most favorite of all the students. Kelly Boesen brought his iron wheel wagon, as usual, to give the students the flavor of real pioneer travel. Blanfard Perry brought his mules to show off his asses. Juanita Brooks is always there to tell the students about life and how to act so as to impress the world. Billy Sparks is a relative newcomer to the outreach rides but he was a welcome addition. T.R. Gage and Dave Feltenberger helped handle the big crowd toward the end of the week. Gary Moyer brought his Percheron mid-week and saved the day. Lori Stammer drove a team for us one day so the driver could attend to personal business.

The cook Carol Daughtery was blessed with the able help of Ronnie Crouch. He was in the kitchen at 5:00 each morning and still cleaning up at 8:00 that night. Carol said he was a perfect helper and he was always smiling. Rita Motley did a superb job of playing the pioneer woman Mrs. Priddy for the demonstration at the log cabin. She also blessed us with great cobblers each night cooked in Dutch ovens. The outriders kept the students safe and helped the wagon drivers; they were Jan Price, Sylvia Perry, Sara McMillan, Joyce and Charles Mosie, Barbara McKnight, Gary and Jeanne Hahn, Jack Borchers and Debby Alley. Joyce and Charles had a special assignment; they made sandwiches each morning before driving out with the students so the outriders would not have to eat jerky each noon. Paula Engelmann was our resident Master Naturalist and kept half the group of 30 students busy looking at the native plants while the other half was in the log cabin. Jon Ed Blakistone and Bob Rawson educated the students on how to saddle horses and told about Texas Rangers. Barbara McKnight handled registration and the paperwork required by TPWD. Gary Hahn cleaned up messes and fielded phone calls and handled all the emergencies inherent when hosting children. Murray Price entertained the children with his special selection of music each night; bless him for his patience with the students. Richard Burney was trailboss and did a fine job of guiding us down rain sodden trails. He made sure the wagons could handle the load and the terrain. For the rodeo, Joyce and Charles whooped up the horseshoe pitch. Juanita Brooks showed her brands and brand registration to the students. Louise and Richard did a fantastic job handling the stick horse race with Sara McMillan timing each contestant. Rosalie Lorenzen made some beautiful stick horses in three different colors but she left the ride due to a family tragedy. I believe this was the most popular event in the rodeo. Richard Burney and Jack Borchers showed the kids how to throw a rope. Erin Johnson spoke at noon about mustangs and demonstrated her mustang mares. For a classroom study, Kelly Larson, Geri Bischoff, Bonnie Wnenkowski, and Barbara McKnight wrote reports on ranches and ranchers. Jim Daughtery is a park ranger at Parrie Haynes and he talked about the ranch.

I thank each of these individuals because without their contribution, the Youth Outreach Ride would not have been the great success it was. Debby Alley, Activities Director.

Pictures submitted by: Jeanne Hahn and Debby Alley