Wyoming Cowgirl Part 5; Wendy Auzqui
- March 17, 2018
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- Tiffany Schwenke
Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
Wendy Auzqui with her dog Frank winning a buckle together at the Wyoming State Fair.
I love it when I go to a rodeo, a branding, or some event and I get to see Wendy Auzqui. I am always happy to see Wendy. I have always looked up to her. She can ride and rope with the best and she is always so sincere and humble. Her smile and kind spirit makes her a pleasure to be around. Wendy has a way of making everyone she knows feel special and that makes her extra special.
Wendy feeding one of her sheep.
Wendy and her husband John Auzqui.
I knew when I started this Wyoming Cowgirl series that Wendy Auzqui was one I needed to include in it. I recently asked Wendy to tell me about her growing up as a Wyoming Cowgirl.
“I come from a long line of cowboys, tough cowboys, independent cowboys, and free thinking cowboys. This is a huge part of who I am. I have learned how to communicate with animals. How to read them. How to listen to them. How to learn from them. I grew up on a ranch in Wyoming. I spent all day with my dad until I was old enough to go to school. I watched him, I mimicked him. I even carried around a discarded copenhagen can filled with coffee grounds so I could chew and spit like him. I was fascinsted with him and the things he could do with horses. He taught me independence and confidence. He taught me to ride, rope, and handle a horse with a light touch. He taught me to read cattle and know when and how much pressure to apply to get them to respond in a positive way. I knew who I was. I am so grateful for these things now. I learned how to think for myself. I never thought there was something I couldn’t do. My mother taught me to sing while I worked, to smile when I was hurt, to listen and treat people with love. She added the softness that I needed for balance. She led me to know sacred things about life and what is really important. My parents did their best to raise us to know how to cope with life. I’ve tried lots of things to enjoy the challenge. I ran barrels, team roped, was a jockey, and rode colts for other people. My life was fast moving and I felt most at home when in the presence of animals. Mainly horses and dogs. But all animals have a way of speaking to me, and for the most part I listen. In the house was a diffent story, I was not confident in the kitchen, I did not learn to cook or want to learn. I am still not at home in the kitchen. I can cook but it’s only done for necessity. I can find any excuse not to cook. haha. My latest devotion is Border Collie dogs. I am so impresssed with their brilliance and work ethic. They have taught me the power of energy, how to use and control my energy which in turn controls their energy. All life responds to our energy and pressure. When we are aware of this, life gets simple. I train my dogs on sheep and cattle. I also trial them in field trials and arena trials in the winter. My dogs have taken me places like the National Western Stock Show, Black Hills Stock show, National Cattle dog finals and many other places. This is just the beginning of the dog adventure. I am positive I will be led to many other exciting places. I have met some really wonderful people through the dogs and horses. I love living on a ranch with my amazing husband John, who has given me so much. He also has taught me how to drive equipment, shoot, fish, love and laugh. Ranch life has provided me with some of life’s best lessons daily. I am able to see life enter and see life exit. I rope calves that need tagged, cows that need doctored. I appreciate all life. I especially appreciate it when it teaches me to love all things and people as they are. Without needing them to change for me. All my life has been driven by spirit. God is in everything we see, touch and hear. He speaks to us thru all things if we can just listen. I am proud to be a Wyoming cowgirl and so humbled to be in the company of other cowboys and cowgirls who make up this rugged, yet soft mix of colorful paint that covers the canvas of Wyoming.”
Wendy on her gray horse Tigger.
Photo Credit Diana Volk
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Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
About Tiffany Schwenke
My family has been ranching and raising horses for over 100 years. We raise, train, and market AQHA horses at North Four Mile Creek Horse Ranch. We produce the annual event WYO WILD RIDE RANCH RODEO. I am a wife and a mother to 3 amazing...