Colorado 2018.
Privately owned ranches remain in families for generations.
Here, a grandson of settlers who arrived in the area in a covered wagon supervises the branding of yearlings. An expert eye, he rides daily and works alongside men and women more than half his age.
Branding week takes place in early summer. It is a time when the community comes together to ensure all yearlings from each ranch are identifiable.
Every ranch has a unique mark and although cattle theft is rare, it can happen. More often, calves roam freely into other ranches through gaps in fences and are returned when found.
The privately owned ranches are a disappearing feature of the Historic West. This project set out to capture the lifestyle and traditions before they are eradicated forever.
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