Almost time for Great Western Trail Drive

By Michelle Seeber

Staff Writer

The community of Vici will buzz with activity next weekend as about 100 cowboys drive 100 head of longhorns to town, complete with covered wagons.

“This is a three-day cattle drive,” said Katrina Bryant, trail drive secretary.

Known as the Great Western Trail Drive, the event, which has been ongoing for more than 15 years, will begin June 4 and continue through June 6.

“We have the Great Western Trail that comes through our area,” Bryant said, giving the reason for the drive that will begin “west and back south of Vici” 20 miles and conclude in town before a parade.

Riders participating in the trail drive come from “all over the United States,” she said. “We will have a little bit smaller group this year because of the economy. In years past, it’s been 200 to 250 riders. Four of our wagons that usually come are going to participate in another event.”

Though riders will be fewer, a couple from as far away as Ireland will take part in the three-day trail drive, she said.

Bryant noted each rider will bring his or her own horse and that some people will ride in the covered wagons that follow behind.

“We have designated places where we will stop for food,” she said, noting that the food will be brought out to the riders.

“Our cook is Connie Bailey,” she said. “She has free reign. Whatever Connie wants to fix, we’ll feed them.

Bryant said the drive would try to begin about 9 a.m. Thursday and that it would start with a prayer by trail boss Danny McDowell.

At night, the riders will camp out or stay in tents.

“Some have stayed in the horse trailers, and some bring RVs,” she said.

The purpose of the drive is to bring tourists to Vici.

“What better way to do it than to have a cattle drive?” she said. “We have some tourists where the husbands ride and the wives don’t. The wives shop and visit the sites.”

Registration for the cattle drive will be held Wednesday, she said.

The parade, sponsored by the Lions Club, will begin at 11 a.m. June 6.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. events for children will be held for free, along with a quilt show including quilt vendors and door prizes. The quilt show will be held at the Vici City Hall.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. that day, there will also be free karaoke, along with tours of the Vici Depot-Historical Site.

At 5 p.m., the Vici Lions will be host of a fish fry of cod. They will also serve calf fries, said Travis Dennet of the Lions Club.

At 7:30 p.m., a rodeo will be held.

“The rodeo is made up of the cattle drive participants,” Bryant said. “They do branding and the stampede rally and other activities that are challenging but won’t get them hurt. This is a fun thing, and we want them to succeed.”

Following the rodeo at 9:30 p.m. will be the Lions Club sponsored free street dance featuring a band known as “Mad Hatters.”

On June 7 at 9 a.m., a Cattle Drive Community Church Service will be held at the Community Christian Church, 103 E. Broadway, in Vici.

According to Dennet, the events are sponsored by the Great Western Cattle Drive, Vici Chamber of Commerce, Vici Lions Club, Vici Masonic Lodge No. 465 and the Vici Rodeo Club.

Bryant said vendors are welcome to set up on Saturday and that there is no fee for vending.

For more information about the cattle drive, call the Vici Chamber of Commerce at (580) 995-3425.

Fore information about tours, drawings, displays and vendors, call (580) 995-4978.

For information about the parade, call (580) 995-4522.

For information about the fish fry, call (580) 995-4231.

And for information about the Vici Rodeo Club Cattle Drive Rodeo, call (580) 571-1727.