Roper celebrates turning 80 in the arena

Wind, rain, age and being blind did not stop Leonard Alexander from roping on Feb. 22 at his 80th birthday celebration held at Tony and Karen Cain’s ranch in Canebrake. It was an open roping event to honor Alexander’s many years of loving this sport. Among the nearly one hundred people that gathered at the roping arena to celebrate with Alexander were members of the Tipton, Alexander, Larsen, Carver, Andreas, Rhoads, Crowder, Kleidon, Scott, Lucher, Vanrensselaer, and Hafenfeld families; all having as Alexander does, very deep roots in the Kern River Valley. Alexander roping off his faithful horse named “Rose” teamed up with Tony Cain; Alexander took the head and Cain the heels with a time of 14.02. Wondering how a blind man knows when to throw his rope, Alexander said, “Rose knows where I need to be and I know by the feel of the rope if I get to dally.” Then he added, “ And besides I have my many roper friends watching and when I get one, they yell, “You caught him.” This life long love did not always fall under the title of a hobby; Alexander began roping cattle at a very young age. When he was six years old he attended cattle drives with many of the valley ranchers when they moved the cattle from the desert floor to the high country, long before there were any roads leading to their camp. Alexander’s experience began with his uncle, Jim Robertson and Will Alexander when they ran cattle on Walkers Pass in the winter and spring, and Marvin Powers and Stanley Smith when they ran their cattle in Indian Wells and Grapevine Canyon...Kern Valley Sun