Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
“We don't really see Denver as a cow town anymore, but that's its history,” said Lake, whose cattle have participated in trail drives around the county. “We’re more of a circus than we are a ranch.”
In nearly two decades, a cow has never gotten loose, said Lake. But it’s something he thinks about.
"We’re the ones who have to handle them...make sure nobody gets stepped on and get them back in the pen,” said Lake. ““It’s a little bit nerve wracking.”
That’s why he’s so selective about which cattle make the cut.
Some "aren't quite as pretty or aren't quite as gentle to handle; we'll sort them back out into the pasture and leave them home. [We] just take the ones that enjoy going,” said Lake.
Others must stay home because their horns are wider than his seven-foot trailer.
Nationwide, horned cattle are becoming rarer and rarer. Horns can injure humans and cause bruising to beef, so many ranchers opt to raise cows born without horns or dehorn cows when they’re young. Just 7.8% of cattle were born with horns in 2017.
Produced by Cormac McCrimmon
#livestock #stockshow
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: bit.ly/3zeF6Ch
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“We don't really see Denver as a cow town anymore, but that's its history,” said Lake, whose cattle have participated in trail drives around the county. “We’re more of a circus than we are a ranch.”
In nearly two decades, a cow has never gotten loose, said Lake. But it’s something he thinks about.
"We’re the ones who have to handle them...make sure nobody gets stepped on and get them back in the pen,” said Lake. ““It’s a little bit nerve wracking.”
That’s why he’s so selective about which cattle make the cut.
Some "aren't quite as pretty or aren't quite as gentle to handle; we'll sort them back out into the pasture and leave them home. [We] just take the ones that enjoy going,” said Lake.
Others must stay home because their horns are wider than his seven-foot trailer.
Nationwide, horned cattle are becoming rarer and rarer. Horns can injure humans and cause bruising to beef, so many ranchers opt to raise cows born without horns or dehorn cows when they’re young. Just 7.8% of cattle were born with horns in 2017.
Produced by Cormac McCrimmon
#livestock #stockshow
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: bit.ly/3zeF6Ch
------------------------------------------------------
Follow Rocky Mountain PBS on our other platforms, too.
• Newsletter: rmpbs.org/newsletters
• Facebook: facebook.com/rmpbs
• Instagram: instagram.com/rmpbs
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-pbs
