Branding day in Wyoming means hard work, comrade, tradition and stewardship. At the 3J Ranch in central Wyoming, it also means catching glimpses of real cowboys (and rodeo stars) at work.
It’s a special day in a much glamorized slice of Wyoming life.
And they say, “To be a cowboy, there’s no better job in the world.”
Last Thursday was a big day on the 3J Ranch. It was branding day. A day that was delayed more than a week by wet conditions. The cattle were gathered on a beautiful morning west of Casper, Wyoming and the 3J Ranch tradition dating to the early days of Wyoming statehood was carried out by many friends and Johnson family members.
Casper College rodeo coach Jhett Johnson led the massive branding effort. Jhett Johnson, a bonafide cowboy and rodeo star earned a world champion’s gold buckle for team roping in 2011. His son, Kellan Johnson, is a real deal cow hand and rodeo star too. Kellan Johnson won the 2018 college national title in rodeo for the same event.
Between the backdrop and the cowboys, it’s hard not to feel like you are walking into a photo shoot with a bunch of Marlboro men. They are keeping the traditions of the west alive in ol’ Wyoming and passing their knowledge on to the next generation of ranchers while they’re at it.
