Dennis “Denny” Jones

Dennis “Denny” Jones was born in Thermopolis, WY on Oct. 6 1931 to Durward and Dorothy Jones. He has worked as a cowboy his whole life with the exception with his time in the Army. As a child he worked on the family ranch south of Thermopolis. He started breaking colts when he was 10 years old, and would break 10 or 12 head a year. When he was out of the navy in 1954 he and his brother leased the ranch and cattle from their father.

In 1956 he won the calf roping at the Labor Day Rodeo, which at the time was one of the top ten biggest rodeos in the nation. It was at that rodeo he would meet his future wife, Montana ranch girl Caroline Roberts. They would marry in 1957 and raised three children Brian, Brett, and Ellen.

He ran the Northern Cheyenne Steer Enterprise for 3 years in Lame Deer, MT. He was in charge of over 4,000 yearlings there. He returned to Thermopolis in 1974 and ran the ranch until 2005 when he sold the ranch to his daughter and son in law Jack and Ellen Baird.

He has a great deal of accomplishments. Some of his greater contributions to Wyoming and Hot Springs county, and the industry are 23 years as a bank director and over 50 years as a member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association. He has served many of those years on the Executive Committee, as well as on the Planning Commission. These accomplishments are joined with many other calf roping, team roping, ranch rodeo, and ranching achievements.

He continues to help out on the ranch when he can and shares his vast knowledge with his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and anyone who wants to learn from his years of dedicated experience.