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Owls cross country winners
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This Week
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Crosstimber team wins chuckwagon cookoff
The Crosstimber Ranch wagon team from Mustang, Okla., claimed the championship of the Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff last Saturday, September 27, beating out four other teams.
Competing in the Saints’ Roost Museum’s 31st annual cookoff, Crosstimber won first place for the Best Wagon & Camp, which was the only award given this year. Don Johnson and Randy Whipple served as wagon judges.
After consulting with cooking teams, museum officials changed the format of the cookoff this year. Food categories were not judged, and prize money usually awarded for those contests was used as incentives to help wagon teams cover the expense of travel. Unfortunately, circumstances of health, available help, and a competing contest downstate prevented several wagon teams from attending the Clarendon event this year.
Enterprise Photo
The 18th annual Junior Cookoff the day before the big event drew five contestants, who were paired with experienced wagon teams to prepare dessert for the cooks’ dinner Friday night. First place was Noah Pearson cooking with Crosstimbers, second place was Stetson Duncan cooking with the Slim Pickin’s team, and third was August Pearson cooking with the Wild Cow Ranch team.
Other junior competitors were Connar Askew with the Double Nichols team, and Asa Bains with the Honey Do Spoiler.
The Junior Cookoff is sponsored each year by the American Chuckwagon Association.
The trade show was held throughout the day Saturday, and live entertainment was provided. Breakfast and lunch concessions were provided by the Donley County Senior Citizens.
Competing wagons served a menu of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, beans, and cobbler.
Perry to visit here Oct. 7
Texas State Senator Charles Perry has announced an upcoming town hall forum in Clarendon on Tuesday, October 7, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the Clarendon College Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center.
“I am excited to spend time in Clarendon and visit with the constituents I am blessed to represent down in Austin,” said Senator Perry. “Town halls are one of the best ways for me to hear firsthand what matters most to the people of the Panhandle. I look forward to discussing the work we’re doing at the state level on issues from health care to education, and laying out my vision to ensure Texas has water to meet its future needs.”
The event is free and open to the public.
Senator Perry has been a key advocate for water management in Texas, authoring and passing SB 7 / SJR 7 last session. These bills aim to secure long-term water supply by financing infrastructure projects and conservation initiatives, addressing the state’s growing water needs.
Senator Perry has served six sessions in the Texas Senate and is the Chairman of the Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Health and Human Services, and a member of the Finance, State Affairs, and Transportation Committees.
He is also the Chairman of the select committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding, where he passed Senate Bill 1, the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act. This legislation follows the tragic flooding at Camp Mystic that claimed the lives of 27 young Texans. In their honor, SB 1 sets clear standards to keep camps safe, requiring emergency plans, weather alerts, staff training, and prohibiting cabins in dangerous floodplains.
At the town hall, Perry will meet with local residents to discuss legislative priorities and hear concerns directly from the community. The event aims to provide an open platform for Clarendon residents to engage on key issues affecting the region, including water, agriculture, healthcare, and rural development.
If you have questions or would like additional details, contact Jennifer Foster at Jennifer.Foster@senate.texas.gov.
CCISD board votes to approve buses
Clarendon CISD Trustees unanimously approved purchasing two buses during a called meeting last Monday, September 22.
Interim Superintendent Rick Teran previously told the Enterprise the two American Dreamliner buses are built on a Freightliner M2 chassis and have about 24,000 miles on them. The buses will be white with maroon graphics, and the total cost to the district will be $699,370, which will be paid for out of the district’s fund balance.
Trustees also approved a graphic design for the buses. The final art was not ready for publication this week before the Enterprise went to press.
Teran said the buses should be delivered to the school in about a month.
CC project helps students in need
Clarendon College is proud to announce the Bulldog Care Closet, a resource to help ensure that no student has to worry about their basic needs standing in the way of their academic success.
The Bulldog Care Closet provides essential items – including food, toiletries, blankets, and other basic-needs supplies – to any currently enrolled Clarendon College student who needs a little extra help.
Students can request items by completing an online order form. Once processed, their items are packaged like mail and delivered to the College library. Students are notified when their package is ready for pick-up.
Clarendon College welcomes donations to the Care Closet from faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners. There are several ways to contribute. Item Donations: Basic-need goods such as non-perishable food, toiletries, blankets, etc. Amazon Wish List: The College has curated an Amazon Wish List for those who prefer to donate remotely. Monetary Contributions: Cash donations help purchase items that are in immediate demand or items not easily donated.
Donations may be dropped off at Clarendon College during normal business hours. You may also contribute via the Amazon Wish List or through the monetary donation link provided on the College’s Bulldog Care Closet webpage.
For more information, to coordinate larger donations, or to arrange a drop-off, contact Leah James at 806-874-4838 or leah.james@clarendoncollege.edu.
Thirty years on the job and counting
This week marks a milestone for your editor. Thirty years ago, I took the helm of The Clarendon News and started the adventure of a lifetime.
& Editor
Just shy of my 25th birthday and fresh out of graduate school, I stepped onto the path that had been well worn by previous Donley County journalists, including many in my own family. Even though I had been working at the paper on a volunteer basis while we negotiated the terms of the sale, there was still a lot to learn; and frankly, the learning never stopped.
There have been a lot of changes in this business since 1995, and our community has changed as well. It would be easy to pine away for the “good old days,” but I think in the spirit of optimism it is better to consider the positive improvements that have happened with an eye toward an even better tomorrow. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the good in a world full of turmoil, but the good is there if you look for it.
Clarendon’s streets have long been a topic of discussion; but if you compare where the city is today to 1995, you’ll see that there has really been a lot of progress. I haven’t done an official tally, but approximately 100 blocks have been paved in the last 20 years, and many of those blocks now have curb and gutter also. There is still work to be done, but progress is being made over time.
The Donley County Courthouse has been completely restored. It’s hard to remember now what the building looked like when the Texas Courthouse Alliance first studied it in 1997, with its third floor having been demolished in the 1930s. After years of study, a huge state grant, and no small controversy, the Jewel of the Plains is now an immense source of pride. Even some detractors of the project came around when it was finished and fell in love with the landmark.
The Sandell Drive-In re-opened thanks to John Morrow, and a few years later, the Mulkey Theatre was brought back to life also, making Clarendon what the late Jean Stavenhagen would call “Cinema City” with first run movies being available year-round.
Something no one ever thought would happen, Clarendon got a city pool! The aquatic center, built largely by donations and a state grant, has at long last given kids a local swimming pool and a great place for fun and adventure during the summer months.
In downtown, one block of Kearney Street has new sidewalks and fancy streetlights with seasonal banners, work on the second block is nearing completion, and the third block will soon be underway. And we can’t forget the ranch heritage mural that now greets visitors downtown. Revitalization is becoming reality.
The junior livestock association built a new activity center, and the college built a covered arena, both of which have become excellent venues for all kinds of activities that bring people to our town. Hedley built a new senior citizens center, and Howardwick has seen park improvements as well as paving improvements.
In 1995, the only Internet service was a long-distance call to a dial-up service like CompuServe or America Online. By 1996, we had Expanded Local Calling to eliminate that long-distance charge to Amarillo, and a few years after that, the newspaper led a petition to bring AMA-TechTel to our community to provide the first high-speed Internet service. Today, residents have multiple options for broadband services, making Donley County a place where several people can telework from home.
Clarendon High School built a new gymnasium and won not one but two state championships in basketball, and Clarendon College has had a slew of national – and even world – championships in different fields over the last 30 years. Speaking of the college, it has expanded its reach with dual credit and online classes and put money into improved satellite centers since 1995.
And the newspaper – rebranded as The Clarendon Enterprise – has racked up hundreds of regional, state, and even national press awards thanks to the dedication of our incredible staff and an amazing team of freelancers and contributors over the years. We were one of the leaders in the state for developing a digital edition, and we continue to adapt to a changing industry for the benefit of our readers and advertisers.
This is not an all-inclusive list of every good thing that has happened in the last three decades by any means. It is, however, a clear picture that we are making progress over time. The years to come will bring more good news, and I look forward to seeing our community’s achievements and recording them for future generations.
Thank you, everyone, for your support. Let’s see what’s next.
Lady Broncos XC dominate Greenbelt Gallop
By Sandy Anderberg
The Lady Bronco cross country team showed their strength in the annual Greenbelt Gallop at Kinkaid Park last week. The seven ladies ran well enough to finish the event as team champions and leading the way was senior Madi Benson who finished second in the race with a time of 14:26.
Courtesy Photo / Al Elam
Addy Havens ran fourth at 15:22, and Emmarie Holland was fifth with a time of 15:33. Elliot Frausto ran the course in a time of 15:53 for sixth, and Lexi Phillips was thirteenth at 17:29.
Laken Smith was 19th at 18:32, and Mary Jo Dushay was 29th with a time of 24:01.
Brilynn Bruce ran in the junior varsity division and finished with a time of 20:38 for the two-mile course.
Linley Hogle ran in the junior high girls’ division and crossed the line in second place with a time of 17:05, and Adleigh Moore ran 13th at 23:13. Colten Henson was the lone runner in the junior high boys’ division, and he finished sixth at 17:05.
The Lady Broncos will participate in the Lubbock Invitational at Mae Simmons Park on September 27. They will also compete along with the junior high runners in the Wheeler Stampede on October 1 in Wheeler.
Colts slam Gruver at home, 40-24
By Sandy Anderberg
The Clarendon Junior High Colts have had a strong season and were able to slide by the Greyhounds 40-24 at home last week. Their first-half dominance over their opponent gave them the commanding lead they needed to get the big win.
Courtesy Photo / Al Elam
Quarterback T.J. Smith was on fire in the first two quarters of play and was responsible for four of the Colts’ touchdowns in the first half to give them a 32-0 lead at the break. Darren Smith was responsible for the last Colt touchdown from his running back position. It was Smith’s first TD of the year.
Defensively, the Colts were solid once again. Colton Henson grabbed one interception and had several tackles from his safety spot. Zy Matthews, who also plays a safety, had a forced fumble that he recovered, and racked up several Colt tackles.
Coaches Semans and Kelley are enjoying their hard-working team.
“The boys have continued to work hard and find ways to compete every day,” Semans said. “We are experiencing a lot of success and are looking forward to working hard to continue winning,” Semans and Kelley said.
The Bronco junior varsity squad also took on the Greyhounds at home last Thursday night. Despite playing hard, the Broncos lost 6-49. According to Coach Aaron Smith, the Broncos’ only six points came from Don’Jae Orr. Smith credited Brentley Gaines as having three catches from quarterback Braxton Gribble.
The Colts and Broncos will hit the field strong this week as they prepare for a road trip to Lockney next Thursday, September 25, at 5:00 and 6:30 p.m.
The varsity Broncos lost to Gruver 49-0 last Friday. Clarendon CISD again did not provide stats to the Enterprise by press time. Clarendon plays Lockney on the road this week.
Hedley battles Lefors
Courtesy Photo / Mandi Gay
New show spotlights JA Ranch
Noted chuckwagon cook selects Donley County location for first episode
Kent Rollins wants all of America to appreciate cowboy way of life, and he’s starting his newest venture with a spotlight on the JA Ranch southwest of Clarendon.
With more than 40 years of experience in chuckwagon cooking and as a working cowboy, Rollins hand picked the JA as the site for the first episode of Cast Iron Cowboy, which airs this Sunday, September 29, at 8:30 p.m. on the Outdoor Channel.
“We wanted to highlight the American rancher and cowboy and their very way of life. The JA had to be the first one,” Rollins told the Enterprise. “It’s the birthplace of the chuckwagon and the home of the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon and Charles Goodnight.”
It also helped that Rollins has been to the history ranch and is friends with ranch manager Randall Gates, making the first episode even more special and authentic.
Rollins said the idea for Cast Iron Cowboy started about nine years ago with a California producer who contacted him and kept calling back. Rollins finally agreed to do the show with the stipulation that it had to be authentic and they would only visit ranches during times when they would actually be working, nothing would be staged.
“Cowboys respect me because I’ve been on the other side of the fire,” Rollins said. “Mother Nature throws a kink in it sometimes, but if they work in it, we cook in it.”
As host of the show, Rollins is a well-known cowboy cook and YouTube phenomenon with 6.7 million followers across social media. The new show follows Kent, his wife Shannon, their dog Major, and their 1876 Studebaker Chuck Wagon as they travel ranch-to-ranch across the country feeding cowboys. The series blends cast iron cooking with cowboy traditions, history, and storytelling.
The JA is one of the first places Rollins cooked in 1994, and the first episode has some special moments for the host – a horseback ride with Gates and a visit to the historic JA chuckwagon. With supper started at his campsite, Rollins is greeted by Gates on horseback with an extra horse for the cook. Leaving Shannon in charge of the camp, the men take off for headquarters, and once there, Gates pulls out the ranch’s original wagon – what Rollins calls “the first meals on wheels.” Rollins and Gates then open the wagon’s chuckbox and discuss the artifacts inside.
“I’d seen the wagon years ago,” Rollins said. “It was so neat. If it could only tell the stories it has seen.”
As much fun as exploring the JA wagon was, Rollins’ favorite thing about the episode is his ride with Gates.
“To get to go horseback with Randall again, it was just such an honor to ride with a dear friend that I consider family,” he said. “It was a special day.”
Returning to camp, Rollins and Shannon prepare a hearty and delicious meal of “Wagon Wheel” Steaks with Mushroom Gravy, “Armadillo Eggs,” and Bread Pudding with Whisky Cream Sauce.
Donley County viewers will recognize several family faces as folks gather for the meal as bow their heads as Rollins says grace.
Photo by Shannon Rollins
“The people there are folks who value God, family, and tradition – great people you can ride the river with,” he said.
Cast Iron Cowboy will premier during the Outdoor Channel’s “Taste of the Wild Block.” The show follows Kent, Shannon, their trusty 1876 Chuck Wagon and wood-fired stove, affectionately known as “Bertha,” across the country as they work to preserve the heritage and lifestyle of the American cowboy. Blending live-fire cast iron and Dutch oven cooking with storytelling, cowboy wisdom, and the history, people, and traditions of working ranches across the country.
The Outdoor Channel and MyOutdoorTV are available by satellite and several streaming platforms.
Season One consists of eight episodes with Rollins visiting ranches in Wyoming, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas, each celebrating the enduring spirit of the American range. The JA episode was filmed about a year ago last September, and
Season Two, which will premier in February, just finished filming.
“We hope everyone enjoys it,” Rollins said. “It’s part of history, and the good Lord has blessed us to let us do what we do and share it with more people.”
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