BIG CYPRESS — The annual Junior Cypress Cattle Drive is usually a leisurely ride for cowboys and cowgirls as they guide cattle through the Big Cypress Reservation, starting from Billie Swamp Safari and concluding six miles away at the Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena.

However, the 27th edition, held on March 15, featured some drama at the start. The cattle sprinted into the woods as soon as they were released from the trailer. It took about 75 minutes for cowboys Andre Jumper, Blevyns Jumper and others, along with five cattle dogs, to get the rogue cattle on the road to the arena.

During the long wait for the cattle drive to resume, Pete and Terry Garcia, of Clewiston, found some shade for themselves and their horses. The couple has attended every one of the cattle drives and said cows going off course briefly has happened before, but not like this time. They waited about an hour and left, but they will participate again next year.

The herd of eight roping steer were followed by about 10 people on horseback, including a few children who showed skills on their horses. The procession down West Boundary Road to Josie Billie Highway also included some pickup trucks, the Billie Swamp Safari swamp buggy and members of Seminole Police Department and Fire Rescue.

The cattle drive stopped midway to water the horses and cattle, feed snacks to the two-legged participants and learn about this year’s honoree, the late Joe Osceola Sr., and hear from his daughter, Janice Osceola, who was trail boss for the day.

Big Cypress Councilwoman Mariann Billie welcomed everyone to the cattle drive.

“Let’s give the cowboys a hand; they’ve been working hard today,” Councilwoman Billie said. “This is the 27th year and I hope it continues. It’s gotten smaller, but we appreciate you being here to show support for our cattle industry.”

When Janice Osceola was a child, her father put her on a horse and showed her how to work the cattle.

“I’ve been doing it my whole life,” she said. “He made sure my brothers and I learned. My father was out there every day, even into his 90s. He died at 93, but he was still out there working the cows. Dad was the last survivor from the original cattle owners; I knew all of them.”

Osceola recalled spending the night at the Bowlegs camp in Brighton after working cattle there as a child.

“That’s how I grew up,” she said. “We need to show our children the ways to do things the way we did them in the old days, because some day you may need it again. You have to know how to survive without all the modern stuff. Teach your children, keep them with you and take care of and love each other.”

Today, Osceola gets help with her herd from her son, nephew, daughter and son-in-law. Osceola isn’t the only cattle owner keeping the family tradition alive. Ahnie Jumper, Junior Cypress’s great-granddaughter, is carrying on the Junior Cypress brand for her herd of 90 cattle. Junior Cypress passed the brand on to his son and Jumper’s grandfather Jonah Cypress, who passed it on to her.

“Carrying on the brand means more than anything to me,” Jumper said. “He was one of the first Seminole
cattle owners. It also meant a lot to my grandfather.”

The entourage arrived at the rodeo safely, with only two more short escapes by the herd into a home’s front lawn and into some wild land. The herd was quickly brought back and moved along Josie Billie Highway. When they arrived, the cattle were put into a rodeo pen and the participants enjoyed a hard-earned barbeque lunch.