![Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out to gather the cattle for their final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out to gather the cattle for their final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Rancher Duke Phillips IV and his daughter Dean, 4, look...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Rancher Duke Phillips IV and his daughter Dean, 4, look at the cattle from the top of a ridge as help to drive them towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Rancher Duke Phillips IV and his daughter Dean, 4, ride...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Rancher Duke Phillips IV and his daughter Dean, 4, ride together as they round up cattle for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29t, 2024. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
![Ranchers on horseback help drive cattle towards the corrals for...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchers on horseback help drive cattle towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. F
![Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar rides her horse to keep cattle moving...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar rides her horse to keep cattle moving towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
![Cowboy Jack Howick keeps cattle moving towards the corrals for...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowboy Jack Howick keeps cattle moving towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Rancher Grace Phillips chases after an errant calf as she...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Rancher Grace Phillips chases after an errant calf as she helps other ranchers drive cattle towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowboy Mike Giordano keeps cattle moving towards the corrals for...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowboy Mike Giordano keeps cattle moving towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar rides her horse to keep cattle moving...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar rides her horse to keep cattle moving towards the corrals for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![A curious calf watches as rancher Michael Lacey prepares a...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
A curious calf watches as rancher Michael Lacey prepares a fire for the branding irons for the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![A young foal stays close to her mother during the...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
A young foal stays close to her mother during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Hayes Leach, 8, checks out the fire near the young...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Hayes Leach, 8, checks out the fire near the young calves that are themselves transfixed by the fire during a final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. The calves have never seen fire before and find it quite curious. The fire is used to heat up the branding irons. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
![Calves are transfixed by the fire during a final branding...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Calves are transfixed by the fire during a final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. The young calves have never seen fire before and find it quite curious. The fire is used to heat up the branding irons.
![Calves are transfixed by the fire during a final branding...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Calves are transfixed by the fire during a final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. The young calves have never seen fire before and find it quite curious. The fire is used to heat up the branding irons. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
![Knox Leach, 6, watches as ranchers Anja Stokes, left, and...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Knox Leach, 6, watches as ranchers Anja Stokes, left, and Michael Lacey, head out to catch calves to brand during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Rancher Duke Phillips IV, left, with a tattoo of the...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Rancher Duke Phillips IV, left, with a tattoo of the Ranchlands brand on his right arm chats with fellow rancher Jason Stites, right, during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Ranch kids watch the cattle branding at Chico Basin Ranch...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranch kids watch the cattle branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Ranchers Duke Phillips III, prepares to rope a calf during...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchers Duke Phillips III, prepares to rope a calf during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Ranchers Michael Lacey and Duke Phillips rope a calf as...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchers Michael Lacey and Duke Phillips rope a calf as they take part in final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024. At right is wrangler Mike Giordano.
![Ranchers Madi Phillips, left, and Mike Giordano use their lassos...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchers Madi Phillips, left, and Mike Giordano use their lassos to rope calves during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Ranchers Duke Phillips III, center and Anja Stokes, right, work...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchers Duke Phillips III, center and Anja Stokes, right, work on roping a calf during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Rancher Duke Phillips III ropes a calf during the final...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Rancher Duke Phillips III ropes a calf during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowgirl Claudia Landreville coils her rope after catching a calf...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowgirl Claudia Landreville coils her rope after catching a calf during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar, right, put the Ranchlands brand on a...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowgirl Ruby Dunbar, right, put the Ranchlands brand on a calf during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![The unique Ranchlands brand on the hind quarters of a...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
The unique Ranchlands brand on the hind quarters of a calf during a final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Calves are tattooed and tagged with a number during final...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Calves are tattooed and tagged with a number during final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowgirl Claudia Landreville, second from right, smiles as she chats...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowgirl Claudia Landreville, second from right, smiles as she chats with Madi Phillips, right, during a break in the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Woods Leach, 10, practices roping a calf while taking part...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Woods Leach, 10, practices roping a calf while taking part with his family in the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 26, 2024.
![Woods Leach, 10, right, Shilo Woodcock, 10 and Hayes Leach,...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Woods Leach, 10, right, Shilo Woodcock, 10 and Hayes Leach, 8, try to pull in a calf to get it on the ground as the youngsters practice roping while taking part with his family in the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Madi Phillips and her daughter Dean, 4, share a moment...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Madi Phillips and her daughter Dean, 4, share a moment during the final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
![Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out...]()
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out to gather the cattle for their final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
Cowboys and ranchers are up before dawn to head out to gather the cattle for their final branding at Chico Basin Ranch in Hanover, Colorado on June 29, 2024.
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For the past 25 years, Chico Basin Ranch has been managed by Ranchlands, a ranching company owned and operated by the Phillips Family. The family has lost the lease and this was their final cattle branding before they have to leave the ranch in December.
They are currently looking for new land to lease so they can keep their herd of Beefmaster cattle that have been carefully developed over the past two decades on the ranch. Duke Phillips III, the patriarch of the family, describes these cattle as “intelligent, gentle and resilient – able to be worked and moved, and to thrive on their own in adverse range conditions, through heat waves, blizzards, floods and droughts.” He says they are the product of a management philosophy that seeks to live in harmony with the land, requiring minimal inputs in order to do their crucial work of grazing for rangeland health.
The team vaccinated, branded and tagged just over 300 calves during this branding.
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