The West : Branding Team

Colorado 2018. It is a legal requirement that calves a year old are branded to identify them. Roping and restraining the animals requires skill, speed and care. Each calf is a high value animal at auction so is inoculated and marked to prevent theft. Ranchers pool man-power to get tasks completed. This makes work easier and safer. It also gives opportunities to teach young hands the ropes. In the corral there are many horses and cattle moving around and it is important to be aware of what other teams are doing around you while you go about your job. There is little chance of rest until the end of the day. The privately owned ranches are a disappearing feature of the Historic West. This project set out to capture the lifestyle and traditions before they are eradicated forever. 4865 X 3176 px