Pinedale Wrangler band attends Band Days in Laramie
by Craig Sheppard, Sublette County School District #1
September 22, 2008
On Saturday, September 13th, 46 members of the Pinedale Wrangler Marching Band traveled to Laramie to participate in the University of Wyoming Band Days. They practiced with 14 other high school bands and the 183-member UW Marching Band and then participated in a 715-student mass band performance during halftime of the North Dakota State University Bison - University of Wyoming Cowboy football game. This was the most school bands attending in many years and one of the biggest UW marching bands ever that put almost a 1000 musicians on the field at the same time.
While there they were involved in a morning practice/marching clinic and then watched the game before participating in the half time show. The theme for this year’s half time show was "Super Heroes" and the mass band performed the Theme from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" followed by Wyoming’s favorite super hero theme Cowboy Joe.
Schools participating were Hannah-Elk Mountain HS, Lander Valley HS, Kemmerer HS, Riverton HS, Laramie JHS, Cody HS, Lovell HS, Sundance HS, Newcastle HS, Powell HS, Douglas HS, Southeast HS, Moorcroft HS, Big Piney HS and Pinedale High School. These high school students came from all over Wyoming to perform at War Memorial Stadium. We were especially glad to see our cross county rival Big Piney HS attend their first Band Days this year. There were about 19,000 people in attendance at the game on a day that was highlighted by a come from behind victory with a field goal in the last seconds for the Cowboy win.
This was an exceptionally good win for band director Sheppard, for he grew up in North Dakota but was anti NDSU Bison fan and a big UND Sioux fan. He wore his Sioux pullover that day and many NDSU fans took exception to it. John Cooney remarked as we walked onto the field, "Mr. Sheppard, I don’t think they like your Sioux jacket!" after listening to some of the comments from the NDSU fans.
The day was a total success due in large part to the great attitude and music ability of the Pinedale students. These students, director, chaperone and bus drivers left Pinedale at 4:00 AM Saturday and returned home after midnight. It was a long day but very rewarding. Pinedale should be proud of the way they represented our community at the University of Wyoming.
Ellen Sheppard was the chaperone on that beautiful, sunny and warm day. Bus drivers for Pinedale were Kelly Harrower, John Overgaag and Ray and Jeannette Sanborn. The Pinedale band is under the direction of R. Craig Sheppard.
Photos courtesy Craig Sheppard
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