Harry Aaron Borgialli
Harry Aaron Borgialli was born January 8, 1937 in Newcastle, Wyoming to John C. “Charley” and Naomi “Ruth” (Van Sickel) Borgialli. He grew up on the family ranch with his three brothers and two sisters. Harry lived on the family ranch 15 miles southwest of Newcastle his entire life. The ranch was homesteaded by his grandfather, Charley Borgialli and his dad, John C. Borgialli.
Harry was educated in rural grade schools, and graduated from Newcastle High School in 1955. He was a member of FFA and in later years was recognized as an honorary Newcastle Saddle and Sirloin FFA Chapter member. In addition, he participated in football, wrestling and track. He lettered in all three sports three years in a row.
During his young adult years, Harry rode bareback broncs in the numerous area rodeos. He also served his country as a member of the Wyoming National Guard.
On January 29, 1960, Harry married Joan Steuble. Since then, they made their home on, and worked the ranch. To this union, four children were brought into the world – Vicki, Lana, Barry, and Todd.
Harry was strongly devoted to his family. Since he was a workaholic, he was known to pick his kids up from the bus stop during the cold winter months in order to spend a few minutes with them. As the grandchildren arrived, he always claimed they were his therapy in life.
B lazy L was Harry and Joan’s lifelong brand. They raised Hereford cattle, registered paint horses, and ranch horses. Raising and breaking colts for the ranch was part of the lifestyle, which he grew up with as a youth. Harry loved a great horse. One of his most beloved horses, Prince, was his pride and joy. Prince was a family favorite horse that everyone rode.
Harry’s cattle, horses, and the ranch were his passion! He was always improving and increasing his Hereford cattle herd while also purchasing land. However, with problems including cancer eyes, sunburned udders, and prolapses in the cattle, he made it his goal to breed pigmentation around the eyes and udders. He had one of the best herds of Hereford cattle in the country.
Harry was also a pretty good vet. He attended schools to learn how to perform cesareans and preg check his own cattle. He had a close connection with his cattle. He did not need an ear tag to identify them. He always said they all looked different, and he knew them all, including their calves and their calves’ calves!
When the demand for Hereford cattle dropped, Black Angus bulls were later brought in to produce the outstanding and much sought- after first cross black-baldy calves.
While branding, he did any and all of the jobs, from saddling up the horses in the early-morning hours to gathering and sorting the cattle before starting the actual branding. When short-handed, he loaded the chute and did the rest to get the job done.
Quite the handyman, Harry built his own corrals and chutes that were used for branding, and also repaired and built numerous barns and sheds. In addition, he was very mechanically inclined and always fixed his machinery and kept his many windmills in tip-top condition.
In earlier years, the cattle were trailed for two days from the summer pastures near Four Corners back to the ranch for winter. Osage was the resting area during the two-day trail ride.
Harry was known for having good fences and, on occasion, was late for an outing because there was always fence to repair! Harry farmed to put up enough hay for the herd and have some left for future use. He was noted for his good range and grassland management practices.
Serving as a member of the Inyan Kara Grazing board, Harry held grazing permits for summer pasture in the Cellar’s Community Pasture and near the ranch for years.
Other interests of Harry, included a lifetime membership to the American Paint Horse Association, American Hereford Association, and American Angus Association. He also enjoyed rodeos, stemming from his bareback riding days earlier in life.
Throughout most of his life, Harry held two jobs. Along with ranching, Harry worked full-time for Thorson Oil Company for 30 years as an oil field pumper.
A well-respected neighbor, Harry regularly lent a hand when and how he could. Harry always lived by the Golden Rule. His word was like gold and his handshake a contract. He was respected as a cattleman of the finest caliber.
Harry preferred not being in the spotlight. He was a man of integrity, humble, honest, and genuine. Harry was a very hardworking person who loved the land. He performed every task, no matter how big or small, with a sense of pride in doing a job well done.
Indeed, a true Wyoming cowboy, Harry never retired; he continued ranching until he passed away on May 3, 2006. Sorting the cattle to prepare for a branding was his last “job” before moving on to greener pastures.