“but hope and promise always shone through”
The Blessings
While cowboys and cowgirls alike can usually find common ground in sharing the dream of owning thousands of acres filled with heavy bred cows & broodmares alike, but we (Kye and Kasey Rieff) found peace and contentment on our 50 acre ranch in Afton, Oklahoma.
To those on the outside looking in it would not seem like much. We owned a herd of 10 corriente cows, couple of good broodmares and a small string of using horses with as much grace & grit that any cowboy could be proud of. Despite the dream and wish for more, there was peace and contentment over our little operation.
Some days were longer than others. Finances sometimes showed more red than black, or bred cows turned out to be open, or a colt tore the top rail off the round pen, but hope and promise always shone through.
“Despite the dream and wish for more, there was peace and contentment over our little operation.”
The Prayer
Walking back to the house one evening an overwhelming sense of gratitude came over me. Our 50 acres wasn’t much, but it was 45 more than Kasey or I ever believed we would own. 10 cows wearing our brand wasn’t much either but, my family was happy and healthy and I was thankful. My prayer that night was simple. Lord, you have blessed us beyond anything we could have ever imagined. How can we give it back to you? How can we use what you have given to glorify you?
From that prayer an idea was sown. An event that would intertwine everything I love in life (my faith, family, horses and punching cows) and everything the world needed more of (more faith, more family time, and more cowboys).
“Lord, you have blessed us beyond anything we could have ever imagined. How can we give it back to you? How can we use what you have given to glorify you?”
The Calling
Stepping in our back door and unleashing a tidal wave of words and ideas about this “Cowboy Clinic” to Kasey was answered with a “Sure. Sure honey. Whatever you say” as she resumed cooking. As days and weeks passed it was apparent to us both that this event was going to happen. A few phone calls roped us a team of instructors with enough knowledge and talent to match the faith they have in God.
Koty & Tonya Dowell would bring tremendous knowledge of cow-calf operations and all things buckaroo. His skill with a long rope and slick horn had caught my eye at a Crossroads Horse Ministry ranch roping clinics we had both attended.
Don & Debbie Horn brought the flip-side of the cowboy coin to the table. Despite being 70 years young, he was still tied on and had spent more nights in a bedroll than in a soft warm bed. His west Texas childhood and years spent in the saddle gave him more knowledge of ranching heritage than we could have wished for in an instructor.
Our home church, Bar None Cowboy Church in Afton, OK graciously agreed to provide food and music. Friends offered cattle for us to rope, Billy Williams built a buckle for us to give away as an award. Suddenly the stage was set for this horsemanship clinic that was also a ranch roping clinic, and an outreach, revival and fellowship retreat. We settled on a name that we felt encompassed our hopes- “Top Hand Clinic.”
“A few phone calls roped us a team of instructors with enough knowledge and talent to match the faith they have in God.”
The Ministry
September 8th at eight in the morning trucks and trailers started rolling in along with the rain. By 10am there were nearly 30 people horseback in a small trap behind the barn. Tim Scott, NRHA trainer, led the horsemanship instruction. Then it was on to groundwork to prepare themselves and their horses for roping live cattle. The ladies from Bar None fixed lunch and we found ourselves a spot out of the rain to eat and have a short Bible study.
The afternoon was spent gathering and sorting while teaching ranch etiquette (stop riding in front of me!) and explaining some philosophies of horsemanship, ranch roping and stockmanship. The evening was filled with another wonderful meal paired once again with scripture study and discussion.
Sleeping arrangements ranged from living quarter trailers to tents and even a few bed rolls thrown down on the tack room floor. No special arrangements, no creature comforts, just the sound of bawling calves and tired muscles from a long day’s ride to lull you to sleep.
“No special arrangements, no creature comforts, just the sound of bawling calves and tired muscles from a long day’s ride to lull you to sleep.”
The Fulfillment
The next morning kicked off with Don showing that he was nearly as handing with a skillet as he was a rope serving biscuits and gravy for everyone. Church service was held outside next to the branding pen and we had the honor of seeing one young man give his life to Jesus that morning. A tear or two was shed, handshakes and hugs were exchanged and then it was time to saddle up and get back to work.
In typical cowboy manner Don’s horse tried to buck him off while Koty was throwing hip shots and turnovers and we struggled to keep the irons hot with the firewood soaked from the previous day’s rain. Our purposed was fulfilled watching a barrel racer drag a calf by two feet to the fire where two young men, who had never seen a branding, flanked and held the calf. A cowboy about 12 years old branded his first calf, having never touched a branding iron before that day. A seasoned rider who was struggling with confidence on his green horse, found courage and belief in himself and began dragging calves.
The group learned about vaccines, castration and most importantly they learned that they are capable of a whole lot more than they had previously believed.
“they learned that they are capable of a whole lot more than they had previously believed.”
Our Ministry Continues
What was supposed to be one even has grown beyond what we could have imagined. From the first clinic in Afton, OK in 2018 Top Hand Clinics has exceeded our expectation in the number of lives we have been able to touch and the Gospel stories we have been able to share.