The Independent
The history and beauty of southern Utah is celebrated in Kanab at the annual Jacob Hamblin Days festival on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20. The festival is named after one of southern Utah’s early and most influential settlers and includes rodeos, a horse trail ride, hiking, and an educational seminar about Butch Cassidy.
“Jacob Hamblin Days is a celebration of the heritage of southern Utah,” says Kelly Stowell, director of Kanab’s Center for Education, Business and the Arts. That heritage combines southern Utah’s rich American West cowboy recent past, integrated with its more ancient—and stunningly beautiful—geology and landscape.
Jacob Hamblin helped make life in southern Utah possible by improving relations between early pioneer settlers and the Native Americans in the area. The sign in front of his historic home describes him as a “pioneer explorer, missionary trailblazer and Indian peacemaker.” A friend to the natives, Hamblin eased tensions between them and white settlers.
“We have such an amazing history in southern Utah, and we want to celebrate that,” Jacob Hamblin Days Festival organizer and Kanab resident Bob Johnson remarked.
Jacob Hamblin Days starts on June 19 at 7 p.m. at the Kanab Middle School, where author Bill Betensen will host a free lecture about Butch Cassidy. Betenson has spent years researching the life of Butch Cassidy. In 2012, his research became the subject of the book “Butch Cassidy, My Uncle.” Since then, Betenson’s quest for the truth has not stopped, leading to this revised book.
With all the beauty of Kane County, that’s not the only reason for Jacob Hamblin Days.
“We take any reason we can to go out exploring and get in touch with our roots,” Stowell said, referring to the ancient roots of the earth itself. These roots include the Mansard Trail, where features and mysteries of the vermillion cliffs will be explored on a hike on Saturday, June 20, to the Island in the Sky on the Mansard Trail. The hike will depart from the Kanab Field Office BLM at 8 a.m.
“Mansard Trail is remarkable and has one of the most intriguing ancient rock writing panels ever,” Stowell says.
Also on June 20, horseback riders will embark on a ride through Lime Canyon, the first pioneer road accessing the Kaibab Mountain. The ride will intersect with Snake Gulch and return through Warm Springs Canyon, which has the remains of a copper mill used during World War I and World War II. The horseback riders will be meeting at 8:00 a.m. in the KanePlex parking lot before traveling to the trail head at Lime Canyon.
Jacob Hamblin Days will also feature two rodeos at the KanePlex Arena: one for youth, and one for adult cowboys. Cowgirls are not left out either, with a women’s team sorting event taking place as well. The Youth Rodeo starts at 7 pm on Friday, followed by Women’s Team Sorting starting at 9 p.m. Gymkana events start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and will include equestrian games and events for youth. Team Roping at KanePlex Arena starts at 10 a.m., and the Jacob Hamblin Days Ranch Rodeo starts at 7 p.m. with competitive ranch events happening throughout the evening.
More information on all of these events, including registration and fee information, is available at http://www.jacobhamblindays.com.
