Pitts brothers continue family tradition

Bryell and JD Pitts’ four boys – 10-year-old Hunter, eight-year-old Gauge, five-year-old Ruger and one-year-old Bo – are in the beginning stages of carrying on the family tradition of raising and showing quality cattle. 

The young family resides in smalltown Uinta County, where both Bryell and JD grew up and where Bryell’s family has ranched for many years.

This year, the oldest three boys will show beef projects at the Uinta County Fair and follow in the footsteps of their mom and uncle Colten Wakley who showed cattle under the same big top years ago. 

Project preparations

With school out for the summer, the Pitts brothers have been hard at work with the seemingly endless amount of preparation it takes to ready a beef project for fair week. 

Every morning, the boys wake up early to wash, brush, blow dry, walk and feed their five head of mixed-breed show calves. After spending the day helping their grandparents punch cattle or competing on the baseball diamond, they return home to do it all over again every evening. 

Hunter and Gauge are also actively involved in their 4-H club, Heartland, and spend a week every summer attending 4-H camp. Hunter notes 4-H camp is his favorite part of being involved in the organization. 

“My favorite part of 4-H is going to 4-H camp because I get to hang out with my friends, and we do a lot of fun activities there,” he said.

Looking forward to fair

Fair week is the pinnacle of excitement for the majority of 4-H kids, who spend their entire summer anxiously awaiting and preparing for the big event. 

Like many fellow exhibitors, Gauge and Ruger agree going to county fair is their favorite part of showing cattle, although they each like it for different reasons. 

“My favorite part is going to fair because we get to show our animals, make money and play at the carnival,” said Gauge. 

“My favorite part is winning stuff,” added Ruger. 

After months of preparations, the boys will head west to Evanston for the Uinta County Fair, held July 29 through Aug. 5.

Hunter and Gauge will show two market steers a piece, respectively named Post Malone, Haystack, Socks and Something In The Orange. 

Ruger will show his white-faced heifer Indigo in the open breeding show, and baby brother Bo will offer his best moral support.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.