Tag: May/Jun 2025
by Leigh Ann Matthews
Photos courtesy of Jack Jones, sports information director, Cowgirl Equestrian Team
The Oklahoma State University Cowgirl Equestrian Team defeated Texas Christian University 11–8 to earn its fifth consecutive and eleventh overall Big 12 Championship title at KSM Bear Creek Farms in Burleson, Texas, on March 28–29, 2025....
by Ashley Daily
Since the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) introduced Adopt a Horse Month in 2021, it has helped to spread awareness about equine adoption, resulting in thousands of rescued equines finding forever homes. Shelters that participate in the campaign, held each May, report...
by Ashley Daily
Warmer than normal temperatures, high winds, and persistent drought fueled wildfires that spread across Oklahoma in March 2025, burning more than 170,000 acres and destroying more than 300 homes and structures. Evacuation orders were issued in several counties.
The equestrian team at Oklahoma State University, along with volunteers,...
by Carol Mowdy Bond
Photos courtesy of Dove Creek Press and Tillman County Historical and Educational Society
In 1909, Louis (Bud) Abernathy (1899–1979) and his little brother, Temple Abernathy (1904–1986), embarked on remarkable journeys that spanned four years. The scrappy young boys crisscrossed the United States, traveling more than 12,000 miles...
by Leigh Ann Matthews
Watching someone else have fun with horses really isn’t as enjoyable as participating. Back in 1968, a group of women who spent hours on the bleachers watching their men rope for fun came up with their own way to enjoy friends and horses. They started to...
by Kim Redo
Photos courtesy of Lincoln Franklin
Sometimes making good money in a well-paid field of endeavor is not enough to fuel the fires within. For some people, the scenario begins as a dreamscape. Hanging photos of dream destinations on the wall at work, staring out the window during the...
by Carol Mowdy Bond | Photos by Poppyseed Photography
About eight years ago, Angelina and Shawn Coffey bought property near Blanchard, Oklahoma, and built their home. As a country boy from Pauls Valley, Shawn Coffey’s expectations included livestock. But Angelina Coffey hails from Florida, and her outdoor résumé was all...
by Carol Mowdy Bond
A southwestern Oklahoma native, Jay Snider hails from a ranching and rodeo family. “My grandfather bred and raised horses all of his life,” Snider says. “My dad was a rancher and rodeo cowboy and continued to raise and train roping horses through his adult life. He...
Story and photo by Leigh Ann Matthews
Oklahoma summers can be brutal. High temperatures combined with high humidity can result in triple-digit heat indices. Sweat cannot evaporate easily, leaving us hot and sticky. Our bodies must work harder to cool off, resulting in excessive sweating and increased respiration. This can...
by Lindsay Humphrey
What began in Clark County, Ohio, in 1902 has grown to impact an estimated six million youngsters between the ages of eight and 18. Now recognized as the largest youth-development program in the world, 4-H has influenced more than 35 million people in more than 120 years.
The...
