The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Longtime rancher Pat Robson burns the Stanko brand on a calf during the centennial branding at the Jim and Jo Stanko Ranch.

Photo by Tom Ross /
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A 1946 McCormick Deering, long since put out to pasture, speaks to the history at the Stanko Ranch. The ranch was purchased and improved in 1907 by Peter Stanko, who immigrated to America from the Austro/ Hungarian Empire in 1892.

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Jim Stanko, grandson of Peter Stanko, readies the ranch corrals for branding day.

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Steamboat Springs banker Dean Vogelaar relishes life as a weekend cowboy during centennial branding day on the Stanko Ranch. Modern ranchers rely on and humor nontraditional cowhands.

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Scott Flower gathers cows and calves on branding day at the Stanko ranch.

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The branding crew on the Monger Ranch often includes son Mark’s teammates on the Steamboat Springs Rugby Team. Some of them even get away with wrestling calves in short pants.

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Larry and Mary Kay Monger worked at jobs off their cattle ranch for many years to subsidize their agricultural lifestyle. Today, they’ve resolved to devote themselves entirely to ranching until they no longer are physically able to do the work.

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