Cowboy poetry at the 777 ranch in Ferron

By PHIL FAUVER Staff writer

The Three Sevens Ranch held their annual Cowboy Poetry and barbecue dinner May 30, at their ranch headquarters three miles east of Ferron. The Three Sevens Ranch offers horsemanship programs for all ages. This is an opportunity for teenagers and adults to experience some of the things that go on at a working ranch. Before the festivities began horseback rides and rides on the haywagon were available. As the guests arrived, they were greeted by Rick Benson the ranch manager. While his wife Jennie Benson was supervising the cooking of the barbecued ribs, baked potatoes and several cakes.
Rick Benson welcomed everyone to this year’s festivities and asked Pastor Tim Lacock to offer a word of prayer. The group had gathered for the meal around tables and chairs set up in the large arena ranch building. When it came time to eat. The hungry people moved along both sides of the two rows of tables filled with food.
After a delicious meal of barbecued ribs, barbecue chicken, salads, baked potatoes and the many varieties of cake to choose. Benson introduced the country-western entertainers Jean and Gary Prescott, Jeff Gore and Ron Ehmann. All of these entertainers have performed here in the past. Jeff Gore and the Prescott’s are from Texas while Ron Ehmann is from Tooele.
Jeff Gore sang several country western ballads of beloved horses, chuck wagons and campfires. One ballad told of a horse that carried a cowboy across a raging river before the horse died.
Gore is from Texas and has a rich tenor voice. A rancher took him under his wing and taught him how to be a cowboy. Gore has won many awards for his cowboy music. He is happiest when out a working ranch helping. His songs reflect the experiences he has on these ranches.
Jean Prescott in her songs, told the story of the rancher’s wife dealing with ranch problems such as the cows getting out of the pasture while the husband was away. The Prescott’s make their home in Abilene, Texas. They run a small cow/calf operation and raise quarter horses. Jean’s songs are award winning.
Gary writes and sings with the heart of a cowboy. He grew up on a cattle ranch. His songs draw from his time spent cowboying in the south Texas brush country. His songs reflect family ties and values.
The cowboy poet Ehmann from Tooele told the story of the rancher in Utah that prayed the Lord would start his truck in the middle of the winter, and instead started a truck in North Dakota.
He also told the story of the horse that was trained to ride by a preacher. The command for go and go faster was Praise the Lord and the command to stop was Amen. The preacher sold his horse to a cowboy and while that cowboy was riding the horse fast one day he came to a cliff and said, Amen. The horse stopped on the edge of the cliff and then the cowboy said, Praise the Lord.
Ehmann is from a small town in Colorado and is a former resident of Jackson Hole and Elko, Nevada. He has a special place in his heart for the cowboy, the icon of the true West. His poems relate the humorous aspect of the cowboy way of life.
At the end of the entertainment the entertainers led the crowd in singing that old favorite song, How Great Thou Art.