Fort Collins monuments (and the stories behind them)

Fort Collins monuments (and the stories behind them)

"Monuments are a great way to learn about your city, the people who have been there before," said Thomas Cauvin, a Colorado State University professor of public history and the mind behind a recent Northern Colorado monuments project. Fort Collins monuments (and the stories behind them)

3. "20% Chance of Flurries"

"20% Chance of Flurries" sits on the east side of CSU's Monfort Quad, reminding passersby of the perseverance of Colorado's farm and ranch families. Location: Colorado State University

Located on the east side of CSU's Monfort Quad — perched high above the sea of students trudging to class every day — is a frozen glimpse into frontier life.

The 16- by 11-foot bronze statue, named "20% Chance of Flurries," shows a cowboy clutching his horse's reins and holding a calf on his lap.

The statue, which was sculpted by Chris Navarro and dedicated in 2005, honors the farm and ranch families of Colorado. A plaque below the sculpture includes a poem of the same name, written by Jeff Anslinger.

20% Chance of Flurries

As we headed out to start the day

We noticed the sky was turnin' gray

A cold north wind had started to blow

and we knew that by noon there'd be snow

Now I'll admit its early spring

And a man never knows what the weather will bring

But most of the calves are already born

And just last week the sheep were shorn

Then the blizzard blew in like a demon from hell

How much snow we'd get was hard to tell

So towards the shelter we pushed the stock

But the snow was a driftin' by two o'clock

Then the sheep went to millin' and the cattle bunched tight

But like mad men against nature we kept up the fight

We were yellin' and whippin' with our catch ropes

But as the blizzard raged on, there sank our hopes

Across our saddles we carried calves to the shed

And prayed to God that by morning they all wouldn't be dead

We made it to the house, but our hopes they were gone

Then the blizzard blew out just before dawn

For we knew the battle we had lost

But then first light showed us the cost

My heart was sinkin' while I was on the saddle

Countin' dead sheep and draggin' frozen cattle

But in my mind some words still remain

This weatherman's little rhyming refrain

Stockmen and ranchers, you have no worries

It's only a 20% chance of flurries.

20% Chance of Flurries is a sculpture that won a national competition and was commissioned as a 15 ' tall monument by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Placed at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, the sculpture honors the dedication and hardships of the people who make their living ranching and farming. The image of a cowboy on a horse saving a young calf embodies the test of endurance that highlights the best qualities of the men who live in the West. They face hard conditions, and take life as it comes. This sculpture is available in a table top size. chrisnavarro.com