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WEEK OF JANUARY 23, 2025
VOLUME 122 | ISSUE 4
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Polis lays out vision for Colorado Governor calls for independence from D.C. in state of the state speech BY SARA WILSON COLORADO NEWSLINE
Clara rides a real horse at the merry-go-round at the National Western Stock Show Complex.
“Working cattle with a dog is easier than working the cattle yourself, on foot or horseback, because dogs can move very fast. And you’ll see, the cattle respect the dogs,” said Bob Wagner, superintendent of cattle dog trials. “Herding is almost entirely a function of their intelligence. They’re one of the most intelligent dogs. In history, they’ve been helping ranchers herd cattle. Most of us who have cattle have dogs to work with cattle,” said Wagner. Wagner said the contest features Border Collies guiding three heads of cattle through an obstacle course within seven minutes.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his annual State of the State address to the General Assembly on Thursday to lay out his 2025 policy priorities around housing, safety and government spending. The 55-minute speech came a week and a half before Inauguration Day, when Republican President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. “Our values and our way of life are not dependent on who is in the White House or Congress. I refuse to allow the disagreement, division and disorder in Washington, D.C., deter us in Colorado,” Polis, a Democrat with two more years in office, said. “Members of the Legislature, we can and will do better.” Polis referred to the “Free State of Colorado” throughout the speech as he vowed to “protect and expand our freedoms, tempered by the knowledge that freedom demands personal responsibility and accountability,” and he celebrated Democratic wins from last November in the state. “In the Free State of Colorado, we understand what government is — and is not — here to do. Government is not here to dictate who you love, who you marry or if, when and how you choose to start a family,” he said. Colorado voters approved ballot measures toenshrine abortion accessin the state Constitution andremove language, which was inoperative, that bans same-sex marriagefrom the document. There was bipartisan applause over some lines in his speech, such as a shoutout to recent property tax rate cuts, a call to hold livestock thieves accountable, and an announcement of firefighting resources sent to help Southern California battle the wildfires that began this week.
SEE STOCK SHOW, P5
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PHOTO BY BELEN WARD
Showstopping start to Stock Show BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The 119th National Western Stock Show kicked off on Nov. 9 with a parade starting at Union Station down 17th Street. The stock show events continue at the National Western Stock Show Complex through Jan. 26, with various entertaining events, a music concert, youths showing livestock for prizes, rodeos, and many vendors. Little fiddlers
The Colorado Fiddler Championships was back at the stock show on Jan. 11 and 12, with categories for adults and children under eight all competing for grand champion status
and prize money by playing a hoedown, waltz or tune of their choice. One of the smaller contestants was Charlotte Lindenbach, a five-year-old from Evergreen, Colorado, who has been playing since she was two. “She has been improving continuously. She was inspired by her love for music and the fiddle sound, which she discovered living on a ranch. Charlotte learned to play under Amy Tyson and Kyle O’Brien,” said her mom, Elizabeth Lindenbach. Charlotte placed 3rd in the final round in the 2025 competition but said, she has her eyes on 2026. “It’s my first time in the fid-
VOICES: PAGE 6 | CULTURE: PAGE 8 | BRIEFS: PAGE 10
dler contest, and I’m already looking for my new song for next year,” she said. Charlotte’s eight-year-old brother James was one of her closest competitors in the fiddle in the contest. James placed 2nd in the contest. “James has been playing since he was five and taught Charlotte how to play,” Mom Elizabeth said. “He inspired Charlotte. He learned from Barb Casanova, Amy Tyson, and Kyle O’Brien”, said mom Elizabeth Lindenbach.” Stock Dogs Cattle Trials
Stock dogs have been a part of the National Western Stock Show for 30 years, a challenging test of intelligence and canine speed.
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