NEXT FUN OUTING IS THE MONA CELEBRATION

The Ute Stampede is over for another year, and yes we did have the Wright Riders with us. They are my present Sports Heroes and I thank the Right Wright Wives and Sisters who do much of the Cattle work while their men are working the "Jumping Jacks Jaguernat Jungles" of rodeos. Although the Cow Men and Women are off to chase the big money, their is still a lot of jazzy fun to do in Juab County. As I left Livingston Printing- who are the computer gurus of Nephi, I saw an ad on the window, and had them Scan a copy so I could advertise it to all you folks. Nephi is not the small rural town it used to be, as it is growing too DAM much, at least for me, who has turned into slow driving Bish Belliston(ole geezer's called him Hazard), but one of the best guys in East Juab County. Anywho, we will give you the Mona Ad, but just know you don't qualify to attend if you still call it Clover Creek; Willow Creek or even Starr, which is where Young Oils is now located, being named after the Starr Family. And if you want to do a little history trek, ask one of the Newtons; Kays or Garfield's where the trains used to stop for water for their steam engines. Yup, it is a fact, and no bull today. Stetson Wright is an All Around Cowboy Champion, but even Mona has one of the best ropers around, so if you see Nephew-Stetson Jones, say Howdy to him but if he ropes you in, he will let you go........later! And NO, all of Juab County doesn't have enough water unless you over tax the property owners and squeeze them to sell out your local farmers. That is a fact regardless of what the elected and Selected officials will say, That ain't no BULL

 

JULY 12, 2025 IS LAST DAY FOR THE UTE STAMPEDE IN NEPHI, UTAH. COME ON DOWN.

Being born and raised in the rural town of Nephi, Utah had a ton of goodness. Politicians' and money hungry monkeys is said to have destroyed much of the small town values and no cost fun, but us old folks still love it when we can dress up in that cowboy hat that sets on the piano. Two of our good ole Jones Boys volunteered to put the Ute Stampede together in 1935. And the Boy Scouts built the canopy for rodeo attenders. Mayor and Dentist P.L. Jones was like President Trump is....a mover and shaker and Doc Jones organized that yearly celebration. He was also the man that put the Nephi Airport on the map which Cotton Rosser used to fly in for the rodeo, but years later Nephi leaders gave credit to another, but that often happens in the political world. If you attend tonight's rodeo, try to feel the cowboy spirit of Chuck Parkinson or Cotton Rosser, who helped bring the rough stock here as the big shot of the Flying U Rodeo, but it is now Reno Rosser, but I had to give Reno a big Atta Boy for taking time to drive up and say Hi to Bob Garrett, as it was Bob and his Dad-Joe Garrett, and Bob Day who kept the rodeo the best outside rodeo anywhere. Cotton would often fly to each rodeo he put together, and let his truck drivers bring the horses and bulls in Semi Trucks. Every time I go to this fabulous rodeo, I have to pay high respect to the volunteer committee members who put in their free work for all of us attenders. Former Ute Stampe Chair is Bob Garrett, who at the age of 84, was still getting on his horse and rounding up cattle. But his body was telling him to slow down, so he is taking a rest after back surgery. He is on the road to recovery, with daughter Tara making "Dam"sure he starts moving. The first photo is of a prior Committee. Which one is Joe Garrett; Ray Jackson; the Judge?? Other photos show Bob Garrett on the chutes; Ute Chief and last is Cotton Rosser, who will remain with us forever, as the "Ghost Rider in the Sky". My sister Jaynette cleaned his Motel once and got a Big Tip!

UTE STAMPEDE IS HAPPENING IN NEPHI-COME ONE, COME ALL

Last night the Bulls Only(Xtreme Bulls) occured at the rodeo grounds in Nephi. Some of us locals were cheering for Stetson Wright, the present All Round Cowboy of the PRCA. He is from the Beaver area, but didn't quite make it to the eight second whistle. Tonight is the first night of the regular Ute Stampede, and we have attached a brochure to show all the things occuring. So come on down Track Street and enjoy the weekend. Nephi now has a new motel to stay at and a newly built and fantasy Trailer Court to the South end, and as usual, the best all round America food can be found at Lisa's Restaurant. We have also attached the twin brother's of Ronald and Harold Jones, who are among the several Jones and Tolley family who arrived in 1852. All the others are move in's or "fakes", but since I am one of the real Nephi Jones family, I don't mind bragging. Those twins helped to build the first canopy for the 1935 Stampede, so read and heed that which was written. They were Grand Marshalls for the Western Parade in 1987, and yes they rode horses, which is what a rural resident should be doing. Happy Stampede, and no, there is not many Native Americas or Utes that attend, but when I was a kid, there was a lot of them that came.

MOTHERS LETTER FROM HEAVEN

LaVon Harris yearned to be the best secretary that Nephi ever had. We believe she was and destined to teach her kids the importance of learning to type, even boys! She insisted that their would be a time in our lives when boys would have to learn how to type. That was for girls, I protested, but lived by Mom and as a teenage boy, I made the type team and made it to Region. The best thing was finding myself surrounded by pretty gals of Juab High. LaVon was focused on typing and continued to write letters to servicemen and LDS Missionaries. Alma Jones of Nortonville liked pretty gals, and to most he was the movie type stud that looked like Randolph Scott. But he like farming and watched the new Nephi High School built on Main Street and started a career in cement and masonry work. When Alma went off to war during the era of World War Two, the two exchanged letters, and they both must have been hit hard with the love for each other and got hitched as soon as he returned. Before they both got older, Storks started flying by the Jones home about once a year. Alma had heart problems in his last years, and never recovered from a hip surgery, that was at a time when they didn't have the knowledge or material to fix it right. One leg was shorter that the other, and he walked with a cane, but in pain. I am now at the age where I use his cane after multiple surgeries with similar pain of my Dad. Alma  passed through the Veil between Earth and Heaven in June, 1984. Shortly after is when LaVon wanted to make sure that their kids would always be the family that stayed together. She typed her thoughts to each of the Jones Kids of Weston, Hal, Kent, Gary and Jaynette. Although I have saved family papers and things for years, much like others in my family, I had forgot about the letter I had received back in 1984. Sitting at my desk last night, I became frustrated with all the things piled up which I need to organize for future generation to exam and ponder about. That is when  I knocked a letter off and picked it up and read it. Tears filled my eyes, and only then is when I knew that God does move in mysterious ways. I openly responded saying "Mom, all your kids have stuck together and we get together for a lunch and call Gary in Alaska". I knew she and Dad was aware he have all stuck together, but our average age is now around 75, so we all recognize we will soon join our family that has gone before us. Happy Birthday Mom.

GOD HAS ACCEPTED A WOMAN WITH BEAUTY AND AN HONEST TO GOODNESS HEART

The Juab Wasps and the North Sanpete Hawks have been arch rivals in sports, but for some unexplained reason, they shine together under a blue moon! Such was the case in 1954, when Gene Mikkelson wedged his way up next to Marian Garrett at the Ute Stampede. Back then, Gene may not have known that Marian's father was a big shot with the Stampede, and Marian's little brother, was a giant of a man who became Cotton Rosser's right hand man and as a Wrangler with John Wayne and Ben Johnson. But Gene wasn't going to let anything stop him from courting Marian, and Gene went on to have to fight  bloody hard during the Korean War. But Marian had the grit of her mother and wanted to work, and she did just that. But we will let the program readers soak it all in. And whoever wrote that program had a 20-20 vision of Marian. After my own career and moving back to the once small and friendly town, I better got to know Marian and Gene, and found their true love for each other, but what struck me, was they were true friends. And the crowd at the Vine Bluff cemetery showed the magnetic attraction of the Mikkelson's and the Garretts. Now the show must go on with a sad face, but just gaze at that wide smile, as Marian gets to spend time with her infant daughter.

GLEN L. BOYER HAS BEEN PROMOTED

He wasn't from Nephi, but pretty dang close. Glen Boyer was born and raised in Hoytsville, Utah. But since two of his sisters married young men from Nephi, we accept him as one of our own. Even at his funeral, we would admit any of his worldly faults, but nobody could come with any! Glen was much like his father, who at the age of 80, could get his horse to stand still and shoot a big buck(nobody in the Boyer or Jones family ain't never ever seen a "small buck")! One of the Boyer gals hitched up with a Nephi McPherson and another tied the knot with a Jones. Those two familiar names go back to Mormon Pioneer times, and it just so happens that one of each sailed to England to serve LDS Missions in the 1800's. We will leave the rest of the story to the program folks. And by the way, what a send off by the American Legion. It sent chills down my arthritic old spine.

IT IS GOOO HAVE A NINTH INfANTRY MEDIC WHEN IN DIRE STRAITS

 IT APPEARED TO BE THE PERFECT DAY TO GO FISHING IN AMERICAN FORK 

CANYON,  ALTHOUGH HIGH SCHOOL WAS OUT FOR THE SUMMER, THEIR WERE NO  

NOISY KIDS SPEEDING UP AND DOWN THAT ROAD. MY BROTHER AND I PICKED 

THE IDEAL DAY TO SPEND TIME IN ONE OF GODS BEAUTIFUL CANYONS. WE DECIDED  

TO  DROWN OUR WORMS AT A PERFECT FISHING HOLE. I LATER THOUGHT IT MAY 

NOT  HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT PLACE, AS HAL HAD BEEN BEHIND TWO  

SEPARATE MOTOR  CYCLE KIDS THAT WERE KILLED GOING TOO FAST. WE 

KNEW THE PLACE WELL OR SO WE THOUGHT. HAL VENTURED TO THE LEFT AND I TO 

THE RIGHT.. I KNEW THE GRAVEL AND SHARP ROCKS WERE A HAZARD TO WALK ON, 

BUT I FELT LKE I WAS A TEEN AGER, BUT NOT FOR LONG!. REPEATED FALLS AND 

ACCIDENTS WERE  LESSONS' I SHOULD HAVE REMEMBERED, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY,  

I DIDN'T THINK CLEARLY AND PRIOR SUBDURAL HEMATOMAS WERE THERE AS A

A TEACHER. ON  THE FRONT LINES WITH THE NINTH INFANTRY, HAL WAS KNOWN AS 

DOC JONES AND HIS MEDICAL EXPERTISE KICKED IN AND KNEW HE HAD TO STOP MY 

BLEEDNG AND HE DID BEFORE HE DROVE TO THE AMERICAN FORK E,R, WHERE DR.

ANDY OLDROYD SEWED MY HEAD BACK TOGETHER, AND MY BROTHER AND

 THEY CHATTED ABOUT NOT JUST SAVING OUR SOLDIERS, BUT HAD TO KILL

THE ENEMIES COMING AFTER HIM.  THANKS HAL