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Jake Clark’s Mule Days in Ralston, Wyoming is the nation’s premier mule sale and celebration. Consisting of a week’s worth of clinics, competitions, and a sale, the event is centered on the finest saddle mules in the country.
Jake Clark so influenced the riding mule market that mules sold through the sale are now shipped to the East and West Coasts, Canada, Australia, and Hawaii. Jake handed the reins over after 25 years.
Today, the event is run by Jake’s son, TJ, and Amy Landrus. The couple and their two daughters, Rieta and Dally, took over the enterprise three years ago.
“My old man is the reason that mules are bringing what they are today, plain and simple. And there just ain’t another event really like ours,” said TJ Clark.
Jake got the idea when he was buying mules “back east,” which he frequently did for their outfitting business. A mule play day piqued his interest, so he hosted his own in Wyoming.
TJ said, “The first year we put on the Mule Days, we just had the rodeo, we didn’t even have a sale.” Jerry King, an auctioneer and friend, suggested they add a mule sale, so they did the next year.
“That was the first actual horse or mule sale that we produced. Dad and I had worked the ring for the [Rocky Mountain] Elk Foundation and the [Wild] Sheep Foundation – their national conventions. So we’d worked several big auctions, high dollar auctions. That’s kind of where we got our exposure to auctions, other than selling horses.”
Currently, the Clark family manages two horse sales in addition to Jake Clark’s Mule Days, including the Cody Horse Sale and the Pitchfork Ranch Horse Sale.
The finest saddle mule sale in the country.
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The Jake Clark’s Mule Days parade.
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Held every Father’s Day weekend in Ralston, Wyo.
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The Jake Clark’s Mule Days parade.
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While mules used to have a bad name, carefully bred mules are willing and able riding animals.
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Some mules buck harder than horses, according to TJ Clark.
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Ribbon roping during the all-mule rodeo.
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Mounted shooting aboard a mule.
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Packing and mulemanship clinics are offered during the week. Clarks have extensive knowledge about packing and outfitting.
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The Mule Advantage
The Clark family owned and operated many hunting camps throughout TJ’s life, including one in Sunlight Basin until the wolves were introduced and wiped out the elk population. Others included two up the Greybull River, one in Dubois, and two on the Wiggins Fork River.
They sold their final camp six years ago. With such extensive knowledge of mountain country, TJ’s packing and riding animal of choice in rough terrain is a mule.
“They’re way more surefooted than a horse. There’s just not really any comparison,” he said. “They’ll outwork a horse, bar none. They’re stronger, and they can pack more.”
A mule’s feet don’t break off the way a horse’s feet do, and mules retain body condition, even under strenuous work. TJ also prefers their narrower width and comfortable stride.
During his outfitting tenure, TJ said mules were more easily managed in camps. “We’d take one picket mare and 30-40 head of mules to camp, and I’d picket that mare and I could turn the mules loose.”
Amy added, “They’re smarter. They ain’t going to get you in a bind. They just won’t let you. I think that’s where people think they’re stubborn. No, he’s probably just smarter than you and realizes you’re going to get in a bad situation.”
TJ said mules received a bad reputation in the last century.
“Back in the day, everybody had broodmares, and they would take their best broodmares and breed them to a stud horse. Then they’d take the sorriest mares they had and bred them to a jack, because they needed mules to work – to drive, work as teams, and pack. So that’s what they ended up with – snides. And then the mules kind of got a bad name. Eventually, people kind of smartened up and started breeding their better mares to Jacks and started getting decent mules,” TJ said.
TJ is particular about the selection of both parents of a mule before breeding. If the broodmare has any degree of “orneriness,” it seems to be magnified in a mule foal. Conversely, the conformation of a jack is crucial.
“I want one that is kind of deep cinching, because some of them jacks will be built like a pole fence – not be very deep in the girth. It’s tough if you haven’t ever been around a whole lot of them, because you’re just like, man, they all look alike. But after you’ve been around them a little bit, you kind of notice the difference in conformation. So yeah, I look for conformation, but mainly mind what they got between the ears,” he said.
Many mule breeders take advantage of reproductive technology and artificially inseminate their mares. “There are actually quite a few jacks that people are collecting, and honestly, it’s easier,” TJ said. In his experience, jacks do not have a good pasture breed-up, so collecting is a simpler and more effective alternative.
The Mule Days
Jake used to start the festivities on a Wednesday, but guests would still come camp starting on Saturday or Sunday of the previous weekend. He decided to add more events to fill up the entirety of a week.
This year, a two-day Jeff Pace packing clinic will be offered Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10 to kick off the event.
Wednesday, June 11, features a team sorting clinic and competition. In the evening, there will be a mules-only jackpot team roping and barrel race.
Thursday, June 12, consists of a mounted shooting practice and competition, as well as another mules-only team roping and barrel race.
Friday, June 13, is a mandatory trail course for all sale mules, followed by a ranch mule competition.
Saturday, June 14, includes the Jake Clark’s Mule Days parade and rodeo, followed by a dinner and dance.
An all-mules rodeo is unique. TJ said that while other mule competitions consist mostly of western pleasure classes, their competitions showcase the athletic ability of mules. Events in the rodeo include: the ranch-bronc style “wild mule riding,” wild cow riding, junior steer riding, wild cow milking, ribbon roping, barrel racing, and a hide race.
Horses outshine mules in timed events, but TJ said, “Some of them can buck harder than a horse.”
Sunday, June 15, begins with Cowboy Church, followed by the nation’s finest saddle mule auction.
Vendors, camping, and the mule store are open throughout the week.
Though TJ and his family have taken over Jake Clark’s Mule Days, the namesake continues to be a steady presence. Jake still enjoys mingling with sellers and buyers and offering his assistance.
“He’ll be on the auction block talking about the mules,” said TJ. “We try to keep him involved as much as we can.”
TJ’s mother, Kay, also assists Amy with the catalog and other secretarial work.
“Just because it was [Dad’s] name on there does not mean he did all the work, and I don’t do all the work, either. My mom used to do 75% of the work. Now Amy does 75% of the work.”