Movie Star Animals

ARTICLE BY HAILEY MINTON PHOTOS BY MELISSA SPELTS

MMike and his three brothers grew up right at the mouth of the North Ogden Canyon. Each of them have followed in their parents’ footsteps by training animals to be used on movie sets. It began as a family affair, and it continues today, even as each of their families grow. Mike’s parents, Ginger and Ron Brown, were involved in a Wild West show in New Jersey. Trick riding and Roman riding shows were a part of their repertoire. Roman riding involves a team of two horses. A rider stands with one foot on the back of each and rides them around the arena while performing various stunts. Both Ron and Ginger did this! Mike said there was a lot of external pressure for their family to pursue the entertainment business full time. “My father and mother were contacted multiple times to be circus animal trainers. However, they knew family was the thing that mattered most, so they passed on opportunities that might have given them fame and more fortune. They wanted to make sure we were raised in the best way for us. They stuck around and had their teaching jobs, so they could have that stability for us,” said Mike. Mike’s wife, Brandice, told me the entertainment industry can be hit or miss. Sometimes, they’ll go a few months between jobs. To be offered consistent work and then to pass it up must have been tough. Mike said, “You can follow fame and money, and that will sometimes get you some things in life. But, ultimately, at the end of the day, what really matters is your family, children, and where you sit with those relationships. They made some decisions to continue working with the animals and still be grounded.” Mike’s parents were teachers in Weber County, so the summers were their time to participate in shows. “We’d go to rodeos, fairs, Wild West shows, and big productions on the East Coast. In the early 90s, they transitioned their business to movie work, and in ’94, they started a business of doing horseback rides and wagon rides on Antelope Island for 25 years.” The Browns reputation, involvement with training animals, and the connections they made with other professional trainers paved their way into the movie scene. Brandice talked about how skilled Ron was as a trainer. She explained he could train a horse to perform a specific action in minutes; it could take someone else hours or days. “His timing was so good,” she said.

The Browns have trained and handled animals for movies, including Return to Lonesome Dove, Far and Away, and most recently, the fourth season of the Book of Mormon videos for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can safely assume the Browns had a role with the animals seen in the recent Bible and Book of Mormon videos. Ron passed away in 2015 after battling cancer, but his wife and all of the family still come together to help in the productions. Most of the time, they have all the animals they need among their family members. Brandice explained that, sometimes, they get requests for animals they don’t have, like rats. She said she would rather rent and train them for the scenes where they’re needed instead of having a long-term commitment of caring for them. Mike said, “We rely on so many people even outside of our family unit who are really skilled and have different specialties than we do. They also help provide animals for different projects that come up. It’s good to have a network of people who know what they’re doing… You really grow collectively that way.” His parents worked with some of the well-known trainers back in their time. They passed their knowledge to Mike and his brothers, but they and their families have also learned more as time has gone on. Mike said people are always getting better at training animals using better techniques. You can take a little portion of how another person trains and add it to your program. “The ultimate goal is to have better breeding and better techniques that improve your animals and what you can do with them.” Brandice explained that planning out when to shoot different scenes is important. Getting an animal, like a dog, to respond aggressively in a scene evokes that emotion in them. It isn’t realistic to shoot a scene like that and then try to shoot a cozy scene with someone petting the dog afterwards on the same day. She has also noticed a big difference between animals (like dogs) that have more predator-driven instincts versus animals (like horses) that are more fear driven in their behaviors. Brandice explained sometimes they need a horse to listen to a voice command, but they usually respond more readily from body language. “You have to have a lot of trust in your animal.” She stressed that it takes a lot of time and work to get an animal to do what you want it to do. She said it’s pretty neat to release a horse on the salt flats and send them galloping away at full speed, then have them return when given an audible command. As time has passed, Mike and each of his siblings and their families have specialized in training different animals. Mike’s wife, Brandice, works primarily with dogs. Their son, Brighton, loves birds of all types, and Wyatt is really good with horses and dogs. Lonnie Brown and his wife, Elizabeth, have branched out into reindeer. They have a reindeer educational program and give tours during the holidays at Rockin Reindeer Ranch in Taylor. Ryan Brown was instrumental in finishing up the years out at Antelope Island after their father passed away. “All of us are keeping the tradition alive of what we grew up doing,” said Mike.

BY ELIZABETH BECKY HOUGAARD

We have so much fun with women's western fashion, but we also need to take a look at what's going on with men’s fashion too! We are still seeing all the basics, such as plaids, stripes, and solids in shirts, but what I’ve been seeing more of the last couple of years are bold-colored checks, bright colors, serape, aztec’s, paisleys, and even florals in men’s shirts. The 70s retro look is one of my favorites. What What's in: bold colored checks, bright colors, serape, aztec’s, paisleys, and even florals in mens shirts.

fun to have so much variety! You can look to Wrangler, Stetson, Roper, Scully, Tin Haul, and Rockmount for some great new looks. T-shirts are still a mainstay for every guy. The same companies mentioned above will have t-shirts. We also love those fun patriotic- and cowboy-style sayings and pics on tees, such as those made by Huey, Howitzer, and Dale Brisby’s Rodeo Time. When it comes to jeans, there are so many now. There are still the classics from Wrangler, but they have expanded to several styles. Wrangler retros are some of our favorites! Fun and greatfitting styles from Ariat, Stetson, Kimes Ranch, Tin Haul, and Cinch have brought a whole new look to the traditional jeans for men.

And what about mens jackets? There are, again, many choices. Look to Wrangler, Schaefer, and Carhart for your durable everyday work jacket, but they and many others have some great-looking jackets in leather and wool, with colors and patterns in plaids and aztecs or serape colors for some variety and style. I love Scully, Outback Tading, and Pendleton for these looks. One thing to mention is how western fashion has had a huge boost due to the series Yellowstone. There are even sites online where people can post the items they saw on the series and ask where to purchase them. I love it! I helped a girl find a silk, wild rag she saw on one of the actors. There is more: hats, gloves, boots, and sunglasses, but we can talk about that another time. The Yellowstone series has given western fashion a huge boost. There are even sites online where people can post the items they saw on the series and ask where to purchase them.

As always, if you’re looking for something, just let me know. I’ll be glad to help! Message me at RockinHH@gmail.com or text 307248-0252.

BY THATCH ELMER

 First thing is to pack the cooler with favorite drinks on the bottom, ice in the middle, and a couple waters on top: it’s the perfect combination.  If you are hauling very far, make sure you are watching your horses carefully for signs of colic or stress from hauling. Keep their bellies happy, and they will take you to the pay window.  If you make it to the pay window, fill the truck up with diesel.

Pay for the next rodeo and save the rest just in case that Dodge breaks down on the way home.  Pack a jacket and pack a blanket. You never know when the weather might just change and leave you in a hail storm.  Plan for the best but prepare for the worst. Pack a medicine box and keep it in the trailer for you and your horses. I can’t stress the importance of keeping this with you.  As far as rodeo etiquette goes, keep your distance and don’t park so close they can’t tie up. Don’t drive behind a trailer too closely, and don’t walk behind a stranger’s horse.

 If you make your way into a crowded warm-up arena, do your best to stay close to someone you know. That’s the danger zone and unpredictable territory. Watch your back for runaway flag horses and steer wrestling horses. I’m sure everyone else is just as excited as I am to be back into the swing of

cowboy REFLECTIONS OF A

summer rodeoing. Good luck to the competition. Bring your family and support your local performance. Buy a funnel cake and a bag of cotton candy, enter the 50/50 raffle, and help make sure there is going to be another rodeo next year .

Bad Animal Decision For Others BY RACHEL BITTON

feral FARMHOUSE

When my brother and sister-in-law came to pick up their daugher after ten days, they had two new kittens and a goat...don't worry we're still friends!

Rather than just pass the obligatory $20 bill between siblings and their spouses, I try to buy thoughtful gifts. A few years ago, I decided to combine my love of bad animal decisions with my love of gift giving. My sweet sister-in-law had wanted a donkey for years, so I set out on a mission to find one! My husband helped me plan the surprise, and I scoured classifieds for weeks on end. My brother accidentally found out when I told him I had the best birthday gift ever for his wife. His first guess was a donkey! One morning, I finally found the perfect donkey at the perfect price. I was so excited, I told the seller we’d be there within the hour. We loaded up my kids, my brother, and his baby girl with the plan to have the donkey back before my sister-in-law got home from work. We laughed and giggled the whole drive on our way to get Thelma the donkey. With barely any time to spare, we got the donkey home and put her in the front yard of my brother’s house. My sister-in-law was shocked but so happy about sweet Thelma. We joke that Thelma was our best bad animal decision. She is expecting her first baby any day now. Last fall, that same sister-in-law was 38 weeks pregnant when my brother got COVID. Since COVID can be hard on pregnant women, everyone split up. My brother stayed at their house, my sisterin-law moved to her parents, and I took their toddler. My family had recently recovered from COVID so, to protect my sister-inlaw and shorten the quarantine time, I had to take the toddler. Having a toddler for 10 days was an adventure. Poor Journie kept telling people she was “stuck at Rachel’s house”. To ease her stress and be the fun aunt, I got her two kittens. We made sure to get them plenty early so she could be really attached to them before sending her home after her quarantine. To add to the fun, we also sent her home with a goat. When my brother and sister-in-law pulled in our driveway after a long 10 days without their little girl, we had all of Journie’s toys, bags, blankets, etc. piled next to the fence. The goat was tied to the fence, and the kittens were in a pet crate, ready to go to their new home. I will never forget the look on my sister-in-law’s face. Being 39 weeks pregnant, three new animals was the last thing she wanted, but, don’t worry, we’re still friends. She enjoys my shenanigans, and she still needed me to watch the toddler again when the new baby came. If you ever want to make a bad animal decision, call me – I am

BY CHRISSY KOTTER

West Weber County will be home to a brand new high

school. West Field High School sits on 52 acres with square footage of 388,115, which will allow 2,200 students when fully enrolled. This school is being built to help ease the enrollment numbers from Roy High and Fremont High. The school colors were selected to include colors from both Roy and Fremont (black and silver), with the school's own main color of burnt orange. The architect is MHTN Architects, and the general contractor is Hogan & Associates Construction. This school will also have a field house, which will allow indoor practice and P.E classes, a driver's ed tower, an announcer's box, and outdoor viewing of the playing fields. The partial rendering attached is not what the exterior colors will look like. Some things are still being worked out. The school will open its doors in August 2024.

West Field High School Mascot: Longhorn Address: 4400 W. 2200 S., Taylor

Women Wash Cut & Style $30

Beard Trim w/hot towel & straight razor $20 Full Face or Head Shave $25

Highlight Start $120 (full) $85 (half)

Long or Spiral $80+

Install $80 a row Move Up $65 a row

1970 W. 2550 S., West Haven 385.405.2089

TennellesHairStudio.com

Ellie and one of her prized goats both smile for the camera. Photo by Amy Jensen

Delightful is the word that comes to mind when introducing you to Ellie Jensen. She will be a ninthgrader at Wahlquist Jr. High this fall and will be starting school as the Student Body President. Ellie is 14 and loves to play soccer, go camping and hiking, train her dog Zoe who is a blue heeler/border collie mix, and spend time with her other animals. Ellie is a dancer and has taught dance since she was 10 years old! This talented young lady is a member of the Rustic Farms and Better Bacon Bureau 4H groups where she shows lambs and goats, and this will be her sixth year participating. Ellie finds it extremely rewarding to show these animals at the Weber County Fair after spending the summer working with them. Ellie says that 4H has taught her that learning never ends and there is always something new to learn. She says, “It has taught me that there is more in the world than what we know.” Working through struggles with an animal or having it not do as well as she hoped has taught her perseverance. The 4H program has shown Ellie that hard work and effort pay off with satisfaction and pride in a job well done. She won the Reserve Jr. Showmanship in 2018 and placed 1st in her lamb class in 2021. Ellie has placed in the top four in showmanship for several years. While still young, she has aspirations in the veterinary medicine field and loves design.

I am excited to introduce you to a charming and talented young man, Fernando Vega. Fernando will be a seventh-grader at Wahlquist Jr High this fall. He is the oldest of three children, and his mom says that he is a great big brother. He loves to work on the farm and cook! 4H is a big part of Fernando’s life, and this will be his fourth year showing at the Weber County fair in the 4H program. He started his career with a hog, but, now that he has shown steers, there is no going back! His biggest achievement to date is winning first place in market. This year, he is working twice as hard showing a steer, Valiente, an angus cross. He will also show a heifer. This creates twice the time and effort he puts into his projects. Fernando says that 4H has taught him responsibility and hard work. He loves to make new friends and see old ones at the fair. I hear he enjoys helping others, and I have no doubt he makes a positive contribution to his family and to the up-and-coming generation agricultural family. He enjoys reading and math in school and could pass on science if given the option. He tells me he makes a mean buffalo chicken wing and has a passion for cooking. He has goals of becoming a chef one day and would love to continue in the Ag world, either with his own farm or working on a farm. Fernando is looking forward to his fourth year with the 4H Program. Photo by Isamar Vega

SEASONAL COOKING

The LAST thing you want to do is heat up the house by cooking! We’ve got some delicious dinner and treat recipes to feed everyone this summer.

BY KENDAL RAE JENSEN

Start by cutting chicken into cubes. Season well with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, vinegar, oil, ginger, and garlic. Dissolve 3 tsp. of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl and pour into your instant pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Push the saute button and cook sauce for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Place your chicken in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Cook on the meat setting (or on HIGH pressure for non IP) for 15 minutes and then quick release once the 15 minutes is up. Serve with steamed broccoli and rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

BY KENDAL RAE JENSEN

Set pressure cooker to the high saute setting. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, mustard, cayenne pepper, cumin, and pepper. Season pork with brown sugar mixture. Heat canola oil; working in two batches, add pork and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and 4 Tbsp. vinegar, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high and set time for 40 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. Remove pork shoulder from the pressure cooker and shred the meat using two forks; stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Serve immediately with your favorite bbq sauce (try Kendal’s below!)

Our BBQ pulled pork makes the best sandwiches! Just top with slaw, Kendal’s BBQ sauce, and pickles.

Place apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a sauce pan. Cook on stove top at medium heat. Bring to a boil. Whisk together until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Pour sauce into a jar or bottle. For best results, refrigerate one day before serving. Shake well before serving.

The best part of this salad- the zesty lemon chive dressing. Don’t leave out the fresh parm on top!

This salad is so delicious and a great summer dinner. Just pair with some fresh fruit!

ADAPTED FROM CARLSBADCRAVINGS.COM

Whisk together all of the Lemon Chive Dressing ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cook pasta in generously salted water just short of al dente, then add the asparagus to the pot and cook with the pasta for 1 more minute. Drain the pasta and asparagus, rinse with cold water, then toss with a drizzle of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking. Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Once pasta has cooled, add Lemon Chive Dressing and toss until evenly coated. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste (I like more pepper). Serve immediately.

BY MELISSA SPELTS

In a large pot, add sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Slowly bring to a boil while whisking. Once it gets to a bowl, allow it to boil for 1 minute. Take your pot off the stove and add oats, peanut butter, and vanilla; mix well. Spoon dough onto parch paper or foil and let cool.

BY MELISSA SPELTS

This recipe is super simple and fast to make. When I was a little girl, my mom would put M&Ms in our rice crispy treats on special occasions. I always loved when she did that. It was so fun!

My favorite way to make these is with a glass bowl and microwave. Put the marshmallow and butter in the bowl and microwave for a minute at a time until the marshmallows are melty. Pour in Rice Crispy cereal, slowly, as you stir it all together. I love my rice crispy treats extra marshmallowy. Once you have it at your favorite consistency, dump it into a pan and let it sit for 30 minutes or so to cool and set. YUMMY!!