Fun with the connection group

Yesterday, we had plans to do some doctoring for the sheep and maybe shear one or two. On a whim, I figured the other folk in our connection group who were from Southern California might enjoy spending some time on the farm and we sure could use some help so we invited them over. Some of the crew came ready to work...all the younger boys had boots on and the oldest, eight, actually had his heeling rope with him to help catch some of the sheep. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for their dad. Matt arrived in shorts and a t-shirt but at least had tennis shoes on. Now with somebody as big as Matt around and all these critters needing caught so we can update their vaccinations, I was looking forward to working him. In the beginning he was a bit squeamish as the work was being done in the corral and there was not a patch of ground to be found anywhere without fecal matter, but after we caught a sheep or two (and finished the longest sheep shearing session on record, an hour!) he got right into it and had sheep dip all over his legs! With the 8-year-old and my own 6-year-old using the rope to catch the animals and their 5-year-old with a pole in his hands herding them to the corner, Matt, my wife and I had our hands full tossing them to the ground, giving shots and escorting them out of the corral. The gate was manned by my 8-year-old daughter who is seriously thinking of large animal veterinary as a career. All told we only spend 3-4 hours out there working the animals, but a good time was had by all and a little mutton bustin' as well as some roping. Pictures will be here shortly. Thanks for the help, Laceks!