Previous Kootenai Canvas: Roping arena

Dave Richmond, of Athena, Ore., and Lynn Richmond Rodriguez, Hayden, wrote the winning essays that correctly identified the last Kootenai Canvas photo, which was a cowboy riding and roping arena between Government Way and U.S. Highway 95 south of Wyoming Avenue.

Dave writes: The barn and arena in the picture is in Hayden between Lacy Avenue, Highway 95 and Government Way. I spent my childhood on that place in the 1960s and 1970s. We had many capture-the-flag games and built hay forts in the barn. On the Fourth of July we would make popcorn and sit on the roof of the barn watching the fireworks. In the winter we slid off the roof into snow banks on scoop shovels. As we got older, we played basketball in the barn with neighborhood friends. We spent many hours roping and riding in the arena. My dad, (George) who is now 86, and his brother, Lee, still use the arena. It was a great place to be raised.

Lynn writes: This picture of the barn and snow was taken at my grandparents’, George and Alberta Richmond’s. It is a 20-stall barn with a grain room and office. My grandfather trained horses, and at times the barn was completely full. The barn has many memories for the 10 grandchildren and four children of the family.

When my grandpa was training calf-roping horses and the weather was too cold and snowy to rope outside, he would rope calves down the alleyway of the barn. This is hard to believe since the alleyway is so narrow. After Grandpa was done training horses for the public, he bought two wagons in Canada and stored them in the barn. When all the family got together, the grandkids would play hide and seek in the barn. Some would hide in the wagons.

On the north side of the barn is an arena. My grandpa, dad, uncle and I have spent countless hours there practicing our team roping, steer roping and barrel racing. We enjoy spending time together and doing something that we love.

The barn and arena have been a gathering place for friends and family. Many friends we have are traveling professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls. They will stop on their way through, and this allows them a place to stop, rest and visit with friends. It is a great place to see friends that we may see only once or twice a year. These are just a few of the fond memories of the barn and arena, but it has a special place in our hearts.