Annual Junior Cypress Cattle Drive Returns to BC
Honorary Trail Boss Joe Osceola Sr. Recognized
By Judy Weeks
BIG CYPRESS — Approximately 600 people participated in the 12th Annual Junior Cypress Cattle Drive, held March 29 on the Big Cypress Reservation. After sharing a bountiful breakfast buffet at Billie Swamp Safari, the cowboys and cowgirls made their way to the cattle pens at the end of West Boundary Road.
Paul Bowers kicked off the event by recapping the experiences of previous years and giving a brief overview of things to come for any new riders. Next, Moses “Bigg” Jumper Jr. provided a short history of the cattle drives and discussed Junior Cypress and the other elders responsible for establishing the Tribe’s cattle industry. Beginning with the Spanish introduction of cattle to Florida and the whole Western Hemisphere, Jumper talked about the evolution of Cracker cattle and horses and their eventual effect upon the Seminole economy.
“Today’s event is a replica of the original drive that brought cattle, purchased from the Apaches, overland to Brighton and Big Cypress from Bassinger, at the railhead north of Lake Okeechobee,” he said. “In poor health, many did not survive the shipping and the remainder struggled on the trail to their new homes.
“Having a rich heritage with the tough Cracker cattle, these resourceful cowboys nursed their herds back to health, overcame drought, cattle tick infestation and blight as they built a foundation for the Seminole Tribe’s massive cattle industry, which ranks among the top ten in the United States today.”
Joe Osceola Sr. was this year’s honorary trail boss. Raised along the eastern edge of the Everglades, Osceola began with a few head of cattle and built a herd that has sustained his family for many years.
“My whole family got involved,” he said. “From my wife, Martha, in the camp, to my sons and daughters working the cattle round ups, pens and shipping, this has been a family operation.”
Chairman Mitchell Cypress welcomed the riders.
“God has given us a beautiful day to follow in the footsteps of our forefathers,” Chairman Cypress said. “It took them days to round up the cattle from the brush and drive them to the pens. Our task will be easy by comparison.”
After an introduction of VIPs by President Richard Bowers Jr., he signaled for the cattle to be released and the drive to get underway. Following a similar circumstance in the previous year, some of the cattle scattered into the nearby woodlands, requiring a quick round up. With the majority of the herd recovered, the 12 mile drive began, taking the route down the West Boundary Road, into the Big Cypress cmmunity and winding up at the Junior Cypress Entertainment Complex.
Midway on the trail, the cattle, horses and riders all welcomed their arrival at the rest area in Mary Jene Koenes’ pasture. While there, several speakers addressed the gathering.
President Bowers Jr. introduced Sam Dunn, famed rodeo and Xtreme Bull producer for the ESPN network. Dunn announced that the Seminole Tribe and the Seminole Hard Rock are sponsoring national bull riding champion Chance Smart.
Smart then provided a brief background of his bull riding experiences and announced that he would be available to autograph photos throughout the afternoon. Smart said he also looked forward to meeting his fellow trail riders.
Chairman Mitchell Cypress then introduced the “Texas Tornado” Vivian Villarreal, who is also sponsored by the Seminole Tribe and the Seminole Hard Rock. Chairman Cypress then acknowledged the importance of cattle owners like the Trail Boss Joe Osceola Sr. and his family.
“Men like Joe are the backbone of our cattle industry and they have given us the footprints to follow in developing the programs that we have instituted on our road to success,” he said.
Third generation cattle owner, Mary Jene Koenes, addressed the gathering and talked about her grandfather, Albert Billie, one of the original Big Cypress cattlemen.
“Ours was a total family operation and with mostly girls, my grandfather didn’t cut us any slack,” Koenes said. “We rounded up cows on foot in the brush from daylight to dark and performed every task imaginable as we raised and marketed our herd.”
Returning to the trail, the route was covered with cattle, horses, riders, covered wagons, buckboards, carriages, a stagecoach and swamp buggies as the caravan slowly made its way to the Rodeo Arena at the Junior Cypress Entertainment Center.
After a long day in the saddle, the riders were treated to a delicious barbeque supper while being entertained by a host of speakers.
Moses Jumper recited his classic poem entitled “Indian Cowboy Dreams” and talked about his grandfather, Morgan Smith. Reliving highlights of his career in cattle, working with children and rodeo, and said he thanked God for the many opportunities he was afforded during his lifetime.
President Richard Bowers Jr. passed the mic around the building, moving from person to person, while providing a running commentary. Past experiences, mishaps, laughs and good times created memories that the participants of the 12th Annual Junior Cypress Cattle Drive will carry with them for a long time.
The event would not be complete without a stellar performance by the members of the Eastern Indian Rodeo Association. This was the first activity to take place in the newly-constructed entertainment complex and hopefully will set the stage for many years to come.
The contract entertainment throughout the production was the very popular Hollywood Harris and his son, Booger Head. An all time favorite with rodeo enthusiasts, Harris kept the crowd laughing all night long with his commentary and jokes, while his son’s antics played into the performance.
Brighton cowboy Randel Osceola, 17, took to the clay for the fourth time as he embarks on his career in bull fighting. Growing up in rodeo, he said he started as a mutton buster and has ridden livestock in all categories. It is hardly a surprise that he plans to make a career as a bull fighter. Under the watchful eye of his mentor, John Copsey, he holds a bright future.