Enterprise The Idaho
Caribou County
Caribou County's Newspaper Since 2024
Caribou County, Idaho
September 4, 2025 | Vol. 2 No. 36
$1.50
NEWS IN BRIEF
Idaho Man Pleads Guilty in 2020 MTC Shooting
Cody (center) with his partner Kadin Wadell and their pro Scott Grosskopf receiving their prizes with Buck Brannaham and sponsers from Wild Courage.
Cody and his horse Uno in action.
Local Legend Wins Big BY JODY REEVES
In a world full of social media where fame is based on likes and followers, it’s refreshing to hear about one local cowboy accomplishing something that very few ever will, and thereby elevating his already legendary status. If you are not a cowboy or are not a follower of the sport of roping you may not know how impressive Cody Barfuss is. If you talk to anyone who ropes in Caribou County they will tell you that they wish they could accomplish half of what Cody has over his lifetime of cowboying. For Cody roping is a way of life and his rope is an extension of his hand. Cody has been roping his entire life. “They say when I was a kid as soon as I could start swinging a rope I was roping a rock or a bucket or a calf.” Today not much has changed for Cody, “I still rope a dummy or something every day.” Cody developed his craft starting with just everyday cowboy work but as his skill increased he began entering competitions. Cody has competed in and won competitions all over the intermountain west including one just last weekend in Dillon Montana where he took the top prize with his team. Of all the competitions he has entered one sits right close if not on the very top of the list. The Brannaman Pro-Am Vaquero Roping, also referred to as the Richest Ranch Roping in the World, provides a space that honors the traditional methods of vaqueros and buckaroos. Renowned horseman Buck Brannaman advocates for traditional ranch roping and the cowboy lifestyle. This multi-day event pairs professionals and amateur teams in a competitive ranch roping format. It brings together skilled competitors to celebrate and preserve traditional ranching and cowboy culture. Cody has tried his luck at the Brannaman Pro-Am the last three years. “This competition used to be in California and I never did go to California but it’s been in Ogden the last three years and I’ve been to all three of those.” This competition differs from most other roping events that most people go to see and compete in. Cody explained it this way, “It’s a judged roping. You can get points for time but most of it is on difficulty of the loop you throw. They have different points for different loops that you throw.” Like many of you I was not aware that there was such a variety of loops one could throw to rope a calf. In this competition every loop has a name such as a scoop loop, houlihan, overhand, underhand, backhand and something called a flank trap to name just a few. With one hundred and sixty teams entered,
it’s a tough competition to win. On August 24th that’s just what Cody did with his team that consisted of himself, Kadin Wadell, and Scott Grosskopf. When asked how this win compares to the dozens of others he has grabbed over the years Cody responded simply with, “This is a pretty good honor I would say.” The thing about Cody is he is humble, quiet, and doesn’t really like to talk about himself. That is something that is dying off in today’s culture where self grandizing seems to be the rage. In fact despite all of his accomplishments Cody takes very little credit. Even winning such a large and prestigious event Cody gave all the credit to his teammates,”They’re the ones that landed the hard shots. I just got mine roped and did what I needed to do.” And like any good cowboy would do Cody gives more credit to his horse than he claims for himself. That horse is named Uno and you could say Cody has a special relationship with him. “He’s nineteen years old and I’ve been riding him for seventeen years. He’s old but he’s still doing it.” In true Cody form he gave credit to his wife Lisa for purchasing Uno for him all those years ago. Finally I asked Cody how all this roping and traveling has impacted his life? “It keeps me young. I’ve had a lot of young partners and they always take good care of me. I just really enjoy it and I have some really, really good friends that I spend a lot of time traveling and roping with. I don’t like to talk much but I do appreciate my teammates, the animals, and the horses that I ride.”
Cody, Uno and company posing for a picture following his most recent win in Dillon Montana.
Art in the Garden hopes to start a tradition Both the Caribou arts community and the Community Garden in Soda Springs love to see things grow, and they are both hopeful that an annual “Art in the Garden” event will do exactly that. Jeannine Robinett has been the heart of the community garden project since it officially launched in 2022. She was on site for the kickoff of the new tradition, along with Naconna Gentry, who took on the leadership position this year. “It’s been an adventure!” Gentry said. “We’ve had a great time this year.” Robinett agreed, and seemed as busy as ever in her new role. “I’m one of the gardeners now,” Robinett laughed. She remains on the board, and she will be coordinating a lot of the work with president Naconna Gentry and the other members of the board. From its beginning, the Community Garden has been a true community effort. The Presbyterian Church has been host of the garden’s location, and continues to support the project. Grants from Bayer and Nutrien have been critical at getting the garden up and going, and countless hours and immeasurable effort have been spent building the garden up. “Our first three years we relied almost completely on donations from garden members,” Robinett said. “We have also gotten a lot of donations from seed companies, and donations of plants from the high school greenhouse.” There
is not a city or county dimension to funding for the garden at present, and the garden is trying out different ideas like the Art in the Garden to raise money.. “This is our first time doing anything like Art in the Garden, but we’re hoping to make this an every year fundraiser,” The other major component of the event was the arts community. As an artist and the owner of a flower shop, Marie Crane is a perfect bridge between the two worlds, and arART IN THE GARDEN On Page 3
IN THIS EDITION Rabid bats in SE Idaho.........................Pg. 2 Dog Trainer’s Diary...............................Pg. 4 Puzzles.................................................Pg. 5
Looking Back.......................................Pg. 7 EISF Schedule....................................Pg. 9 Sports...........................................Pg. 10-12
PROVO, Utah (AP) — An Idaho man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder in a 2020 shooting at the Missionary Training Center in Provo. Court records show 27-year-old Dallin William Litster of Boise admitted to firing nine rounds into an occupied security booth on August 3, 2020. A security guard inside was forced to duck for cover and sustained minor injuries from shattered glass. Investigators initially relied on surveillance footage but were unable to identify a suspect. The case advanced in May 2024 when Litster allegedly made incriminating statements while in custody in Twin Falls County, Idaho. Litster pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder, a second-degree felony, and five counts of felony discharge of a firearm, all third-degree felonies. Sentencing is scheduled for October 7. Prosecutors have recommended consecutive prison sentences under the plea agreement.
Heavy rains trigger mudslides, Highway 21 remains closed
Heavy rains swept through Idaho’s Treasure Valley this week, triggering flooding and mudslides that disrupted travel and raised safety concerns. Some foothill locations received more than two inches of rain, overwhelming drainage systems and destabilizing steep slopes. The most serious impacts occurred along Highway 21, where multiple landslides between Lowman and Stanley forced a full closure of the roadway. With debris covering long stretches from Grandjean to Banner Summit, transportation crews postponed cleanup until conditions stabilize. Drivers were detoured onto Highway 75 through Sun Valley. In Boise, rainfall totals were far lighter, with the airport recording nearly half an inch overnight. While the moisture helped ease wildfire danger in the parched region, the rain also heightened the risk of slides in burn-scarred areas. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch across southern Idaho through the night. Officials urge travelers to check Idaho 511 for road closures and updates.
Football season finally here!
At long last, football finally returns in force. As school gets underway, a full slate of gridiron entertainment returns to fields, stadiums, and TVs everywhere. High School football began its earliest games this week, with action across the state. The college football season is also now underway, with the Utes taking down the UCLA Bruins 43-10 (!) on Saturday, BYU taking down Portland State 69-0, ISU falling to the SUU Thunderbirds 24-46, and USU beating UTEP 28-16. Other highlights included Miami beating Notre Dame in a thrilling last second field goal to take the game 27-24, and Ohio State beating Texas 14-7 on the strength of some unrelenting defense. On Thursday, the NFL officially begins its regular season with the Cowboys taking on the Eagles, and then Friday the Chiefs take on the Chargers, followed by everyone else on Sunday. There’s a chance this is the Bills’ year, right?