1- TKTO (0 i (OrmTTT in hi SECTION 2atttj$Hmtt& in LIFE & STYLE EDITOR FRIDAY, MARCH 5. 2004 I Elyssa Arrtrus 344-255- eandrusheraldextra.com 3 "t HEGIOJIAL TRAVEL 0 I r m s- - . tell U Breakfast for guests is cooked over an open campfire at the LK Bar Ranch. Bobbie Gordon holds his son, David, on their LK Bar Ranch in New Mexico. V 1- V JL I Co v t i r l Riders and ropers learn skills of the range in New Mexico Mary Ellen Botter THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS As I slid past the horse's neck and thumped into the dirt of the arroyo, it was plain I should have signed up for a riding course for greenhorns. I could have done that here at LK Bar Ranch, whose Sir Lancelot had just given me a lesson in humility. For in this classroom without walls, a person can learn cowboy or cowgirl skills. And those who don't hanker to saddle up or trail a herd can experience the authentic West from the corral rail or a rocking chair on the bunk house porch. All get a friendly welcome at Linette and Bobbie Gordon's 8,300-acr- e spread in the boot-heof New Mexico, a few miles south of the speck of town called Animas. Their ranch isn't fancy and doesn't try to be. "We're not a dude outfit," Bobbie says. "This is our life, not el make-believe- ." Their ranch, in addition to beopering an innovative cow-cal- f ation, is the destination of two longtime cowboys who offer classes for ranch hands wanting asked her to try out with 0AILY HERALD him: Provo residents Stacy Johnson and Joseph DelPri-or- e have advanced to the winner's circle of the CBS talent series "Star Search.". The two won last Saturday's televised competition and are vying for a shot at the show's finals. As part of the winner's circle, the pair could perform on Saturday's show if chosen by this week's ' challenger to compete. In a telephone interview from Hollywood, Calif., J6hnson, who is Miss Utah 2003, said she didnt think she'd ever perform on the series. In fact, the Brigham Young University student said auditioning for "Star Search" was a , last-minu- te decision. 22, came to her the e, night before open auditions in Salt Lake City and ... 1 The duo, who have been dancing together for more than a year, not only made the cut, but also succeeded in wowing the judges with their classical dance performance. Johnson has been dancing since age 13 and said one of her favorite things about being on "Star Search" is performing on the famous stage. She added that she and DelPriore didn't go into the competition with high expectations; rather, they hoped to just have fun. After getting this far, Johnson said the pair wants to make the finals, which are only two weeks away. Tune in to CBS at 7 p.m. Saturday to see if Johnson and DelPriore will maintain their position in the winner's circle, j quite-splashe- improve their technique, ropers aiming to loop the loop better, and people who want to learn to be a cowboy. "That'd be me," says Bruce Hawk of Knoxville, Term., who has spent about 25 days in clinics with Pat Puckett and his wife, Deb, a gifted horsewoman. He joined them for a day at LK Bar late last summer. "I've always wanted to raise livestock," Hawk says. "It's my passion to get to know the horses." LK Bar lies parallel to the Miss Utah, dance partner advance on 'Star Search- THE Continental Divide. Half of the d mes land lies beside the Sierra Madre range, the other half at the flank of the It's nearly surrounded by the historic, 32 1,700-acr- e Gray Ranch. "We're just a drop in the bucket," Bobbie says. The Gordons crossbreed Charolais and Angus cattle in their herd of 150 animals, most of them cows whose calves are to hone skills, riders trying to sold. "We try to work with the environment," Linette says. Breeding is planned so that carves are born in early summer when fresh cows have grass to eat. On many ranches, calves are born in spring, some-- . times before the land greens up. The couple also rotates their animals among five pastures. After a herd is moved, it may be two years before that land sees cattle again, Bobbie says, which ensures that the grasses will have time to recover. It's when work such as moving, branding or tending those animals must be done that the Pucketts and their students, or more-nutritio- See RANCHES, to 01 B2 Association for Mormon Letters Conference at I VSC THE 1 HERALD DAILY Literary enthusiasts, take note: The Association for Mormon Letters no, it's not a support group for the consonants "L" "d" and "s" is holding its annual conference today and Saturday at Utah Valley State College and the Salt like City Public Library. This year's conference is billed "Wrestling With the Word." Presenters at the two-da- y gathering will discuss a variety of topics relating to the culture and body of literature unique to mem bers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints. Areas of emphasis include LDS fiction, film, drama, poetry, folklore and cultural studies. The keynote speaker at this year's conference is Bruce an associate professor of English at Brigham Young University, presenting a paper titled "What if the Book of Mormon were a novel? Which of course n, it isn't." Friday's presentations and els will be held at UVSCs Student Center, from pan- Soren-so- n 10 am- - 4 p.m. On Saturday. : he group will make use of the conference rooms and auditorium at the public library in Salt Lake City from 8:30 a.m.-p.m. The conference is open to the general public. Admission to all events Friday and Saturday is $15 general admission, $10 students and AML members, available at the door; hinch will be available on Saturday for $15. Driving directions, parking information and a full schedule of ' sessions and speakers are avail5 able at www.aml-online.or- Benefit staging of 'Monologues' coming to Orem THE DAILY HERALD For the first time, the controverj sial Eve Ensler play The Vagina Monologues" is coming to Utah County. Sponsored by the UVSC Gender Studies Club, the play will The Daily Herald Stacy Johnson and Joseph DelPrlora run one night only March 15 at 7 p.m. on the main floor of UVSCs student center. This performance of "Monologues" is a benefit production to raise money for UVSCs Wee Care r Oltt' 3 TO SUBSCRIBE'''' Center, Turning Point: Center for Personal and Career Development, and the Clothesline Project. It is College Cam- part of the paign, in which colleges and universities perform Ensler's play to raise money for local causes. This year, students at more than 700 colleges and universities will stage benefit performances of "Monologues," according to Ensler's Web site, www.vday.org. Although lauded by many critics V-D- and women's organizations, the play has drawn criticism from conservative Catholics, among others, for its graphic sexual content. The Manassas, Va. based Cardinal ' Newman Society, has launched a campaign urging administrators of Catholic colleges to prevent the , play from being staged at their institutions, calling "Monologues" a "vulgar and sexually explicit play." For more infonnationca the per-- . formance, call Errin at 6233528. ..w...f ''"' psj 'II I.I .1 Ul