Blue Star

"They told her she could be anything she wanted, so she became a cowgirl" - Unknown

Wicked Women of the West is stories and interviews I enjoy writing about some of the handiest women I know, so naturally I must write about my friend, Blue Borton.  When I hear the term 'cowgirl' I instantly think of Blue with her long, dark braided hair blowing in the wind beneath her cowboy hat. There is no doubt that this young lady was born to be a cowgirl.

Born in 1979 in Ronan, Montana to Alex & Claudia Ogilvie, Blue grew up horseback in the rugged terrain of western Montana near Flathead lake playing Cowboy's and Indian's with her older sister, Skye. It was almost a given that the daughters of Alex & Claudia would grow up with a fond admiration for horses. Alex started raising Quarter Horses in the 1950's and understood the value of a tough horse. Claudia worked for many ranches, moving, sorting and AI'ing cattle. In 1976, Claudia won the women's bronc riding at the Miles City Bucking Horse sale and won the women's bull riding at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1977. To say that "being a cowgirl" was bred into Blue might be an under statement.

 

In 1983, Alex & Claudia had a complete dispersal sale of their 125+ head of horses and packed up the girls and moved to Australia where they traveled the outback for six months teaching the western way of life to some of the ranchers.

 

Upon returning to the states, the Ogilvie's moved to Florence, MT, south of Missoula, where they made a living raising and training horses and making hands out of their daughters, Skye and Blue. Blue started homeschooling in the 5th grade, although she admits that she dropped out of Kindergarten to care for her goat herd!

Skye & Blue Ogilvie at a horse sale in Kalispell, Montana

Blue learned about business and marketing at a young age when her father would buy spoiled ponies out of the sale barn and send them home for his girls to gentle down. Blue would put many miles on her ponies and on occasion, ride them three miles to the local grocery store for a candy bar! 

 

Blue high school rodeoed in Montana, then attended the University of Montana where she received a full ride rodeo scholarship and went on to qualify for the CNFR three times in barrels, breakaway and goats. She later graduated with a degree in Business Management.

 

In 2004, Blue married Cory Borton and moved to the plains of South Dakota where they work on a ranch that runs 300-500 cows depending on the year. Blue credits her husband with teaching her how to drag calves to the fire, doctor sick ones in the pasture and keeping a cow on a tight rope.

Cory & Blue Borton roping in Arizona

When I think of good horses, I think of Blue's horses. Throughout the time I've known Blue, we always enjoy talking horses. Blue and I both have a deep appreciation for an "all around horse" that you can drag calves on at the branding and take to a rodeo in the evening and run barrels and rope on the same horse. Blue and her family successfully created that type of horse through her beloved stallion, Missin Freckle. Blue not only won many accomplishments on Missin Freckle, she then went on to have success on his colts that are well known for their versatility throughout the Midwest. I have always loved the Missin Freckle offspring and I especially love one of his daughters, my mare, Jazzy, who, like her sire is the one horse that I can do about anything and everything on!

Affectionately known as "Crockett", Missin Freckle was bred and raised by Dick and Brenda Pieper. Bred in the purple, Crockett's sire was Miss N Cash and his dam, the great mare named Miss Freckles Reed. Miss Freckles Reed was an outstanding producer that not only raised Crockett, but also raised two great sons of Playgun, PG Rey Gun and Silver Gun.


Little Blue!

Blue's interview: 

1) Growing up, did you always want to be a cowgirl?

BB: Yes, but I think if you were one of Alex Ogilvies daughter's it wasn't a choice, it was a given. I have always loved my horses and I can't imagine a life without having them. I love everything about horses from just catching one up and brushing them to the feeling I get when I am galloping across the prairie with the wind blowing my cares away.

 

2.) What is one thing you wish more people knew about the
ranching/western lifestyle?

BB: I wish more people realized how much we care for
the animals and the land. No matter the weather we go outside to do all we can to ensure the animals safety and continuation of life. It hurts us personally
every time we lose an animal. It isn't an easy life but there is nothing better than getting to see a calf that has just been born take their first breath and get up looking for something to eat. That helps make up for the sleepless nights checking heifers when its below zero.

Quite possible my favorite barrel picture EVER is this one of Blue running Missin Earl ( a son of her stallion, Missin Freckle)

3) Your favorite (or most
memorable) rodeo moment?

BB: The rodeo memory that means the most to me involves
two rather nondescript buckles that reside in my buckle case. Two years in a row I was voted by my peers in the Montana High School Rodeo Association as the
recipient of the Girls Sportsmanship award. Rodeo has many highs and lows but knowing that others appreciated my sportsmanship, that means the world to me.

4) Tell us about your late,
great stallion Missin Freckle?

BB: How long do you have? I could go on forever
about him. He was the most important thing in my life for a long time. Some people may know him as "Crockett". We bought him when he was four years old at the Hermiston, OR Horse Sale. He had some reining training but he was very bored with just arena riding so we rode him outside all we could. He didn't know how to stretch out and run so we would wrangle the saddle horses. I don't think a stud can bear the thought of a group of horses getting away and he learned that he could do more than slide and spin. We had just been playing around on the barrels with him and took him to a jackpot in January 1997 and ran an exhibition, his time would have placed so we decided to pay him into some futurities. My mom, Claudia Ogilvie and I both ran him. I will never forget the feeling of turning the first barrel on him. It was amazing! No matter how hard you pushed him he wouldn't go by a barrel. He won numerous go rounds and the average at one futurity. I really started roping on him after we moved to Wyoming. I could enter heading or heeling and know that I would never get outrun by a steer. I was able to go to rodeos and enter the Barrels, Breakaway and Mixed Team Roping. Such a blessing to have one horse to take to a rodeo that was capable of winning all three if I did my part. He won the Super Stallion Competition at the Black Hills Stock Show in 2003. His colts are like him in so many ways. They might make you want to pull your hair out at times but when it really matters they are there for you. It is unfortunate that we lost him to colic just as his colts were really starting to prove themselves.To this day I have a very soft spot in my heart for a bay with a snip.

Blue running barrels at the MSU college rodeo on Missin Freckle.

Blue heading on Missin Freckle

^^ Video of Missin Freckle

5) If given the choice,
would you rather go to a branding or a barrel racing?

BB: Both! On a perfect day I
would go to the branding, help gather, rope a pen and then go to the barrel race. All on the same horse.

6) What is your favorite
movie or tv show?
BB: Whatever will keep my mind busy while I cook or do dishes.

7) What is on your
iPod? 
BB: I don't have one but I have downloaded some songs on my phone. I get whatever is free on Google Play so I have a very eclectic mix. AC/DC, Nirvana, Fleet Foxes and Frank Sinatra. I will listen to about anything.

 

Blue won a steer riding buckle on this ride!

8) What is one thing most
people don't know about you?

BB: That my dad was 55 years old when I was born so I
feel that I skipped a generation. He was the same age as my friends grandparents. Sometimes I feel more at ease talking to my friends parents than people my own age. My dad's parents homesteaded in Eastern Montana near
Cohagen. How many 35 year old's can say their grandparents homesteaded?

9) What's on your bucket
list?

BB: I don't really have one. I have been fortunate to do many things that I wanted to do. Something that would be amazing is to go ride in another country like Mongolia or anywhere that has a horse culture. I believe that horseman
have many things in common worldwide and it would be amazing to learn from
them.

Blue & Missin Margaret ( a daughter of her stallion Missin Freckle)

10) And finally.....the
'handiest' person you know is?

BB: If I had to pick just one it would be my
husband, Cory Borton. He is amazing working with horses. I love the colts that he starts because they make me look good. He can fix about anything that needs fixed on the ranch. He has taught me how to keep horses quiet in the roping box and the branding pen. He makes sure that I never lose sight of what I want my horse to be in the end. He won't sacrifice the future of his horse to accomplish a single job. He may take more time to get a horse where he wants them but they are confident and solid horses when he is done with them.

 

Cory & Blue doin' what they love!

~ By Bailee Murnion