The 2007 Calf Branding and Cowboy Cookout on the ground was held at John Chapman’s Squaw Creek, McFarland Ranch, Bear Creek Unit.  Many people contributed to the success of the event.  Several came out the evening before to get cattle moved and in the correct pastures and things set up and tested for the next morning.

Bobby Harter flanking the calf while Will measures the size of the calf’s rear end. Roscoe Chapman is in the background.

Young cowboys.

21 trucks with trailers arrived with their horses.  Each year more cowboys bring their horses.

Aeromotor, one of the most famous names in the west.

Boots galore --- All colors, sizes and toes are at the branding.

Camp fire at 6 AM with coals left from the previous night's fatja cooking.

Six AM and the coffee is already on the fire.

Tents, fires and Bruce the dog in the Parker County green with Indian Saddle Blankets.

Bruce the Bear Dog, ever vigilant.

The camp fire area is a popular spot with all the visitors.

Two young visitors.

A saddle waiting for a horse.

Many hands were needed to cook all the food.

Hugh Brown stokes the fire to help Paul Harrel cook the sausage.

Brad and Julie Brown wearing their ranch aprons.

John and Barney Chapman at the camp fire.

Joe Usher with part of the 90 pounds of Faitjas he and Stephanie cooked, with Brad Brown bringing more wood.

Bruce the Bear Dog, still vigilant.

Keith Harrison and Karen Monez (Chapman) installing the camp fire fly.

Dalton Kebella (Chapman) with the four Musketeers.

Dutch ovens, camp fire and tent.

Faitjas meat with peppers and onions sizzling over the open camp fire.

Paul Harral shows the size of the sausage skillet used over the campfire.

Matt Smith, from the Clarksville ranch, working with the puzzle.

Stephanie Barrett cooking with instructions from Paul Harral. Joe Usher cooking some of the beef faitjas.

Ricky Brown checking the dutch oven biscuits --- YUM! --- they are prefect.

WOW! Take a look at these perfectly browned dutch oven biscuits.

Trey Chapman shoveling coals and Hugh Brown directing the work.

Trey Chapman with his dad, Barney Chapman (pay no attention to the name of Brad on the apron).

Brad Brown covering faitjas to keep them warm.

Donny Heath, part of the Valley Mills gang.

Julie Brown took lots of photos to help us keep a record of the event.

Brad Brown gets the coals ready for the Dutch ovens.

Dutch ovens with cherry cobbler that Ricky Brown has cooked to perfection.

Friends stand for a photo with John Chapman (third from left) and Barney Chapman (far right).

David Rubinson harasses Barney Chapman as he makes the chuck wagon biscuits.

Internationally famous newspaper writer, Reubene Scott (left). Reubene is now writing her third book. Look for it to come out soon.

Livia Chapman (middle) and friends.

Noted horse woman, Jenny Parson, with John Chapman.

Paul Harral cooks the sausage while Dalton, Trey and Peggy Brown watch.

Paul Harral watches Ricky Brown put coals on a dutch oven as Stephanie gets ready. John and Joe Usher are starting to move. Don Conrad, as usual, issues directives.

Trey and Dalton Chapman grinning as Paul Harral 'plays' his skillet.

Paul Harral with the deer sausage cooking in pan with Ricky Brown in the background.

Windmill and barn -- a common scene in West Texas.

Dutch oven biscuits --- ready to eat!

Danny Bruler, John Chapman and Lorri Bruler after pushing cattle to be ready for the next morning.

Matt Smith of Clarksville assembles the round pen with the help of David Rubinson.

Pushing the cattle to the Mildred pasture.

Six cowboys discussing the work with John Chapman.

The trail to the Mildred pasture.

Ben Lucan charges after the drag while Will takes after the flank.

Bobby Harter charging after the lead cows that are going in the wrong direction.

Branding irons must be at the correct temperature to do the job properly and quickly.

Master of the branding fire, Keith Harrison, stoking his fire.

Keith Harrison, the master of the branding iron fire, discusses the importance of the correct fire temperature.

Keith Harrison, the branding fire master, reaches for an iron while the group watches the calf work.

Most enjoy standing by the branding fire and watching.

Branding and castrating a calf.

Trey Chapman with Dalton Kabella (Chapman).

Putting the Squaw Creek Cattle Company brand on a calf.

Most of the visitors just watched from outside the pens.

The Squaw Creek branding attracts cowboys of all ages.

A group of onlookers by the working pens.

Bobby Harter harasses Buster (Jiggs, the reata man) Frierson roping from Tally telling him not to miss this time.

Buster heeling a calf while another cowboy watches.

John Chapman (far left) discusses what he wants done with the cattle.

John Chapman walking to the calf.

It has been Livia Chapman's job for several years to install the ear tags at the brandings. For Dalton it has been a long day.

Holding the calf down.

Livia Chapman sitting on the steer and talking with Will as Don Conrad approaches with the shot. Notice the Squaw Creek brand already in place.

Buster prepares to heel a calf while John Chapman looks on.

Flanking a calf and waiting to pounce on it when it hits the ground.

SWOSH!-- and in one swipe Bobby's horse removes the flies from Buster's face. Will is watching it all.

Rani Gustsifson tagging the calf as others assist.

Roscoe Chapman completes the bloodless castration as Johnston applies the Squaw Creek Brand to the steer.

Holding a calf for branding.

Bobby Harter watches from his horse as Buster grabs for the back legs.

Holding a calf after it has been flanked.

Buster laughing about a joke he has just played on the flanking crew.

Bobby Harter grabs a calf while many look on in awe.

Lorri and Danny Bruler watering their horses.

Danny Bruler, after watering her horse.

The photos below are reprinted with permission of the Parker County Today publication.  Photography by Jeri Petersen.