Bison roundup

KyAnn Checketts needed a little one-on-one time with her father.

And since 62-year-old Don Bradshaw can usually be found on the back of a horse, she knew the perfect way to get her dad alone.

"I knew about the buffalo roundup and I just said, 'Dad, I want to go and I want it to be just you and me,'" said the 39-year-old mother of five. "I needed a daddy-daughter date."

What she got was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that not only brought her closer to her father but rekindled her love of horseback riding. For 10 hours the duo, riding Appaloosas named Star and Thunder, helped state park officials round up bison on Antelope Island as part of the 23rd Annual Bison Roundup on Saturday. For $25 riders from all over the state, and some from out-of-state, could saddle up and help park officials move nearly 600 buffalo from the southern tip of the island to the corrals on the northern end of the park.

There are nearly 700 bison living on the 26,000-acre park — five miles wide and 15 miles long. The annual roundup moves about 600 of the buffalo, as park officials leave many of the larger bulls out on the range.

Last weekend's roundup was an eventful one, especially Saturday when the bison were a little reluctant to move.

"They just did not want to go on Saturday," said Ron Taylor, Antelope Island State Park manager. "Saturday was just a slow, long process. ... On Sunday, the buffalo actually outran the horses."

Several people, including Bradshaw, who'd participated in the roundup before, said they'd never seen the buffalo act as belligerently as they did Saturday. Several bulls fought with each other, while others led groups away from the main drive. Buffalo can move at about 30 miles an hour and don't have any trouble traversing rocks or mountainsides. Three horses were gored and many others chased off by ornery buffalo.

"The horses will be OK," said Taylor. "We had a vet on the island and all received treatment."

In addition to the animal injuries, a few humans suffered minor injuries when they were either bucked off or fell off their horses. None was seriously hurt. Officials said the number of riders, about 250, was perfect for the roundup and the weather couldn't have been better.

"Both days were gorgeous," said Taylor. "It went really well. Now they're in corrals and we'll feed them, let them rest, and then next weekend we'll begin the workups."

While some of the riders participate in the roundup every year, for the majority of riders, it was an opportunity to do something many have only read about or seen on television. While many serious horse riders took the lead in moving the herd, others followed along, watching the action and enjoying the show from a unique vantage point.