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Lead Wrangler Shae Barkhurst Inspires BCR’s One-of-Kind Equestrian Program

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Picture this: you’re sitting atop a beautiful black horse, galloping through a meadow at the foot of Wyoming’s Snowy Range. The sun is setting, and the sky morphs quickly, from blue to orange to pink to lavender. You pull on your horse’s reins to stop and take in the last of the sun sinking below the signature Brush Creek Ranch rock, soaking in the peace of the twilight. Finally, you wipe the sweat from your brow, and turn back towards the barn so you can get back to your cabin in time for dinner.

Shae Barkhurst

Meet Lead Wrangler Shae Barkhurst, the woman who will make this scene a reality for the guests of Brush Creek Ranch—even those with no prior riding experience.

“Brush Creek’s equestrian program is more advanced than your average guest ranch,” the Wrangler Team says. “We have wranglers who specialize in cutting, barrel racing, and roping. In a drastic change from the plod-along head-to-tail rides of other establishments, our trails allow for a variety of different levels to test their skills.”

Guests have an endless variety of terrain at their disposal: a gorgeous indoor and outdoor arena, flatter trails that meander along the Brush Creek, and more challenging climbs that reach the property’s most spectacular vistas. Half-day rides include a gourmet picnic lunch at one of Brush Creek’s pond-side yurts.

Shae says, “The most important task for my team, aside from making sure that each guest is in a lesson that matches their ability level, is making sure that they experience the beauty of the 13,000 acres that this ranch has to offer. On horseback, you see the ranch completely differently than you would in a car, or even walking.”

The ethos for the Brush Creek Ranch is simple: it offers guests a luxury vacation while still maintaining the quirks of an authentic working cattle ranch. There’s no better way to experience the real American West than by hanging out with one of our wranglers.

“I’ve competed in rodeos since I was 5 or 6 years old,” Shae says. “I’ve ridden as long as I have walked.” Shae, who grew up as the 4th generation on her family’s ranch, won several state titles while competing in Wyoming rodeo competitions, and was the state’s roping champion in the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association.

What’s Shae’s favorite memory from her time on the ranch? “Watching the first time a child rides—how they try to be brave and not let anyone know that they are really not too sure about this furry friend they are making.” But, by the end of the day, that same kid is kissing his horse on the nose and begging to learn new tricks. “Those are the moments that keep families coming back to the Brush Creek summer after summer.”

Shae Barkhurst and the wrangling team are happy to chat with you anytime to help plan your dream equestrian adventure. Email: guestservices@brushcreekranch.com

~Corinne White

corinne

Corinne White has been a BCR employee since 2009 and loves being there so much that she would rather be on ranch than in Tahiti. She has been everything from a hay baler to guest concierge and is best known around the ranch for having a fleet of ranch dogs following her around. Currently residing in New York City, Corinne is working at an art auction house and learning how to cope with east coast skiing.


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