Circle C Milestones Writing Contest
Winners!
I found so many wonderful responses among the 90+ entries that it was too hard to for me to make the final decision alone. I enlisted an author friend to assist me in choosing the final five winners. Congratulations, and thank you all for entering. I hope you had fun!
- Susan K. Marlow
- Susan K. Marlow
Thank you!
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Thank you to all who participated in the Circle C Milestones Writing Contest. Winners are shown below!
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The second in the Circle C Milestones series
Andrea Carter can ride, rope, and cut out cattle with the best of her brothers’ ranch hands. Yet, her mother has always held the family’s youngest daughter back from fully participating in ranch activities. With the approach of her fifteenth birthday, even the ranch boss, big brother Chad, can’t deny that his baby sister is better at ranch skills than some of his cowhands. When Andi announces that her quinceañera birthday wish is to join the upcoming cattle drive, her family is stunned. But after further discussion and multiple newspaper clippings about spirited women who balked at society’s expectations, even Mother agrees that the only way to get this cattle-drive notion out of Andi’s head is by letting her and her cousin Levi go along as Cook’s helpers. Andi is elated. What can go wrong on a two-week drive to Los Angeles? Andi quickly discovers that a cattle drive is a dirty, dangerous business with little sleep and the same food day after day. Between late nights, dust, mosquitos, and an abrasive cowhand trying to win Andi’s attention, it is definitely not a holiday. Andi grimly determines she will stick it out. When a river crossing goes wrong and Chad is shot in a gunfight with suspicious men who have been shadowing the herd, Mitch the trail boss finds himself dangerously shorthanded. Andi and Levi can no longer just give Cook a hand. It’s time to pitch in and help Mitch get their cattle to market―any way they can. |
Available now!
Gold Star
Name: Anne Morud
Age: 13 |
I walked into the backyard, and there stood the horse of my dreams. The first thing my new horse and I did was . . .
Well, I wish I could tell you we went on a gorgeous ride exploring our ranchland, but I’m afraid that’s not the truth. Once I finished squeezing her neck and grooming my fingers through her shiny coat, I gingerly swung my body up and prodded her past our farmhouse. Mom had just perched a cooling pie in the open window, and its residue in the air trickled out through it. My mount’s nose perked up at the scent, and without warning she bolted forward. I tumbled off into the dust and dazedly watched the dessert disappear into her mouth. |
Silver Star
Name: Gideon Batai
Age: 11 |
I walked into the backyard, and there stood the horse of my dreams. The first thing my new horse and I did was . . .
. . . go for a ride. I was so glad I knew how to ride, because I loved it. Later I fed her oats, and I rightly named her Hungry, because she was. She was a beautiful, white Percheron mare with a black star on her head. But Maricopa, Arizona, is no place for a hot horse, and I had to cool her. Unfortunately, there was no stable. My only possible solution was to bring her inside, which just barely happened. Mother was hysterical to have a horse inside the house and, without hesitation, bought a shed, which ended my horse troubles. |
Bronze Stars
Name: Kara Teachman
Age: 14 |
I walked into the backyard, and there stood the horse of my dreams. The first thing my new horse and I did was . . .
. . . slowly walk towards each other. I reached out my trembling hand gingerly, as if I was afraid that she would disappear. I could feel her warm breath on my palm, could see understanding in her rich, brown eyes. I reached out my other hand and laid it on her neck. As I slowly moved it downward, the light started radiating off her golden coat. I could feel a hot tear slipping down my cheek, then another. I pressed my face into her neck and hugged her. At that moment it became a reality—she wasn’t a dream. She was mine! |
Name: Anna Grace Catherman
Age: 14 |
I walked into the backyard, and there stood the horse of my dreams. The first thing my new horse and I did was . . .
I opened the corral door and stepped inside as quietly as possible. The two mustang yearlings huddled at the opposite end and watched me warily as I placed their hay then shut the door. Several minutes passed before they cautiously began munching on their dinner. It was just as I expected. Their experiences over the past few weeks—the roundup, the separation from their families, the loss of their freedom—left them scared and distrusting. They'd never had a good experience with humans. I knew it'd be a long, hard journey, but I was determined to change that. To win their trust. |
Name: Julie Peterson
Age: 17 |
I walked into the backyard, and there stood the horse of my dreams. The first thing my new horse and I did was . . .
I grin as I spin my beautiful horse around and dig my heels into her sides. The scenery speeds by as we dash up the road to Eva’s house. Eva is the first person I want to show my horse to. Eva is an animal lover like me, but unique in that she is autistic. Yet even through that she has shown me what it is to truly love horses. I watch her giggle and smile as she gently pats my horse’s velvety nose, and I know I’ve found a special friend—one who loves horses as much as I do. |