Team Penning

This Page Last Updated April 3, 2012

This is a temporary place holder for an introduction to one of my newest projects. This current project (now in development) is focused on the equestrian sport of Team Penning.

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A Note About Quantity of Images Shown Here

Only a very few photos will be shown here on this web page, from my extensive portfolio of finished (edited in my Signature Style) images. Some of my favorites will NOT be shown on this site nor will they be on the internet until published in magazine articles and my future book on the subject of Team Penning.

If you were at one of the Team Penning shows or events I have photographed and you want to see more photos from your show, give me a phone call and I will give you access to private online viewing albums for your show.

I strongly suggest reading the Equestrians Project page on this site to get a broad overview of my current tw0-year-long Equestrians Project. The Equestrians Project page has over 230 photos showing examples of my work in the various disciplines of riding.

If you are a Team Penning competitor and would like me to visit your area to photograph you, your horses, your show, or your team, contact me so we can discuss what can be arranged. I am available for global travel.

Also, read about my unique Visiting Artist Program, as it may bring you and your show or team additional benefits.

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A Note About Quality

Please NOTE: All of the photos seen on this website have been greatly reduced and are “low resolution” files that are as small as possible in file size for display on the internet. The original photos are very high resolution and very sharp photos with amazing “WOW” details (e.g. amazing textures and details are seen such as individual hairs or eyelashes on horses). Most of the photos I make can be made into very large and still beautiful photo prints (e.g. 40″ x 40″). All of the photos I make are “publication quality” suitable for a high end glossy magazine full-page or double truck spread.

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Team Penning

As part of my two-year long American Equestrian Project(TM), I am visiting and photographing various horse sports for my multiple book projects. One exciting sport that involves teamwork, cattle, and quick responses from both riders and horses is the sport of Team Penning. The goal of this sport is to move three cattle into a pen that is at the other end of an arena. Sounds easy? It is complicated by the fact that the three cattle are part of a small herd of 30 cattle in an arena. So they must be “cut out” from that small herd and maneuvered to the other end of the arena and then into the small pen there. Next challenge: the successful teams have to do this in less than a minute…some times much less (e.g. 34 seconds). Next challenge: some times the cattle have last minute changes of mind and decide to go back to the herd. It looks like a lot of fun and also looks like a challenging sport. Teams of riders are mixed with men and women together (and even youngsters) competing in different levels. I enjoyed watching and was pleased that the experienced riders in this event enjoyed my photos of their sport, with some of the leaders saying they were the best photos they have seen of their sport. I look forward to seeing more of this sport as I travel this year. If you are hosting such an event, let me know and perhaps I can visit your event too.

Team Penning involves fast action as the horse and rider move quickly to get to the target cattle (there are three steers with the target number mixed among and hiding as best they can among 30 very similar looking cattle in the arena) and then to separate them from the herd, and then into the pen in the other end of the arena. This requires intense concentration, multi-tasking, and quick response from the rider and horse. It also means keeping an eye on that target steer!

Equestrian Action Portraits by Steadman Uhlich - Team Penning - Eyes on Steer

This sport is called “Team Penning” and good teamwork is essential. There are three target steers (hiding as best they can among the 30 steers in the herd) and three riders who must work together to get the target steers “cut out” from the herd and then moved down to the small pen at the other end of the arena…and all of this must be done in 30-60 seconds! The action is very fast, and the situation is fluid (as cattle rarely want to stay alone and away from the herd…so they usually attempt to return to the safety of the herd)…and this often requires fast turns and coordinated movements with riders sometimes crossing paths very closely.

Equestrian Action Portraits by Steadman Uhlich - Team Penning Team Work

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Some sports require quiet in the competitive arena. Team Penning is not one. Team Penning competitors are very vocal as they shout a little “encouragement” to their steer/cow as they suggest it move along to the small pen at the other end of the arena. So, in many photos, you will see the rider with mouth open as he or she whistles, shouts, yells, calls, and makes all sorts of noises to get that steer moving as quickly as possible. One rider last night caught my attention too, with what sounded like a real “war cry” that pierced the rest of the noise at that moment.

Equestrian Action Portraits by Steadman Uhlich - Team Penning - Encouragement

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The sport of Team Penning requires the cow horse to move fast in short distances, stop on a dime, and turn like the head of a cowboy seeing a pretty cowgirl. As the rider gets close to the steer or cow with the right number he or she needs to cut it out of the herd (where it seeks the safety of numbers) and get it away from the other cattle. This is all happening fast and the cow horse has to sometimes get in the herd and make a quick turn itself (as shown here). The cowboy focuses his attention on the cow in question, but occasionally takes a look at where he and his horse need to go and what is happening with the rest of his team. Remember, the team is timed, and winning teams do this event in less than 40 seconds! The cow horse usually keeps his eye on the steer too.

Equestrian Action Portraits by Steadman Uhlich - Team Penning Penning Turn

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Here is another Penning photo showing one of the members of the three rider team cutting out the steer with the right number (the 30 steers each have a number on their sides, with three steers in each herd having the same number)…to move him to the pen at the other end of the arena. The team has to get all three steers in the small pen in just a few seconds (30-45) to be competitive. I like the look on this horse’s face as he eyes that cow!

Equestrian Action Portraits by Steadman Uhlich - Team Penning

I was able to spend the time to photograph this horse event over several days because of the generosity of my hosts in my Visiting Artists Program. Any equestrian or art lover can participate in this program and there is no requirement to provide a place to stay.

You or a friend could participate in my Visiting Artist Program and benefit regardless of where you are located (a small town, small ranch, big ranch, or in a city).

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Size Matters

Many of my photographs can be made or printed to a very large size and the larger sizes are very impressive. The larger prints are usually as a large canvas for a home or office. The two scale illustrations below show me holding a large 40×40″ canvas. If your Team Penning photo I made is special to you, it could possibly be made as large as this. Of course many smaller sizes and shapes are possible too.

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Testimonials & Comments from a Wide Range of Very Satisfied People

These are just a few of the many Testimonials about Steadman Uhlich’s help to others through advice and consulting and objective comments about his photography and art. There were countless more not shown here.

Art Gallery Visitors

There are 140 Verbatim Testimonial Quotes you can read from Art Gallery Visitors who saw Steadman’s Art and Photography in an Art Gallery. These quotes are from people who saw his work up close while it was hanging in an art gallery at full size, often at “Life Size.” While you are able to view hundreds of photographs on this website or in Steadman’s online portfolios, you are only able to see these are low resolution and small sized images. The real photos Steadman makes are generally much larger than what you are seeing online. In some cases these photos are up to 5 feet tall! Others have been 10 feet wide! Even his portraits are generally life-size and so most are seen larger than you can see on your laptop or computer. In addition, the high resolution prints are amazing for the amount of details seen, the sharpness of details, the textures, and some even have amazing optical illusions that astounded art gallery visitors. So, if you will read some of these Art Gallery Visitor comments, you should get an idea of how someone may respond if you display a portrait or fine art photograph that Steadman has made for you, whether it is in your home or office. It is highly recommended that you read over these comments, because these people have actually seen his work at the sizes he recommends and displayed as he suggests.

Global Visitors and Global Viewers of Steadman’s Art and Photography

There are also verbatim comments and impressions from Global Visitors to his Studio website or others who have seen his work via the internet and who left their impressions of his work. There you can see literally hundreds of comments from viewers who were impressed, moved, and “stunned” from over 50 countries around the world. To read those comments, go to Steadman’s Old Studio Site and look at the comments beside the photos on each of the first 50 pages of that site. Those portraits have been called The Global 50 Favorites, but they were made and called that prior to Steadman’s trip across America.

Global General Impressions of Steadman’s Portrait Work

The following link is to a page which shows just some (31) of the many comments (hundreds) that Steadman’s portrait photography has received from viewers around the world. Many of these verbatim comments are from experienced photographers, many of which are professional photographers themselves. These comments are just the “general impression” type and are only about Steadman’s portrait photography, which is only one element from his larger body of work as a photographer and artist (painter). Global General Impressions of Steadman’s Portrait Photography

Steadman’s Portrait Clients and Patrons

There are also testimonials from Steadman’s Studio Clients who have actually hired him to produce artwork or portraits for them. To read those comments, simply click Testimonials About Steadman Uhlich: Client Comments.

Art Patrons and Hosts (Hosts in Steadman’s Visiting Artist Program)

You can also read full length Verbatim Testimonial Letters from Patrons and Hosts who hosted Steadman while he is traveling in 2011, 2012, and 2013 as part of his unique Visiting Artist Program. Those letters also give insight into not Steadman’s ability to create beautiful portraits or art for clients. They also give you verbatim comments on his character and trustworthiness. In many cases, Steadman was a guest of these hosts for several weeks (up to 4 months) and so the clients or hosts got to spend many hours with him. They saw him in many hours of social interactions, working with members of their own family, working with others in public, and as a professional artist focused on his subjects. They also got to know him from many hours spent together eating meals, traveling, visiting, and sharing stories.

Steadman’s Former Partners and CEO Level Contacts (Management Consulting Career)

Prior to beginning his career as a professional artist and fine art photographer, Steadman was for years a very successful and truly unique high-level management consultant working for two of the largest Big Six global consulting firms. His contact level was the Chairman, CEO, and other “C Level” contacts of some of the largest global corporations. He worked as a unique “Partner in Charge” of an innovative program for the largest firm. The following link will take you to a page where you can see 60 Verbatim Testimonial Comments from many of his partners (whom he helped) and some of his CEO contacts. 60 Testimonial Quotes by Former Partners and CEOs Regarding Results, Professionalism, Creativity, Consulting Skills, and Experience

Photographers Steadman has Mentored

There are additional testimonial letters from photographers around the world that Steadman has mentored. To view a few of these, visit Steadman’s PhotoMentors site that is focused on teaching and educating people about fine photography. There is a Testimonials category there with many verbatim testimonial quotes about Steadman and several verbatim letters from photographers he has mentored or helped. Steadman has had remarkable success in helping photographers (both new and experienced) learn how to see their photos in a new way and how to improve their own work to reach their own goals. He gives very practical advice in the form of his Simple Suggestions that any photographer can follow. And his style of communicating with and advising people on both abstract and technical topics has won praise from the people he mentors.

200+ Photographers Steadman Helped

There are 200+ Verbatim Testimonial Comments from Photographers Steadman Helped. These verbatim comments were unsolicited and publicly published by the writers on a highly regarded internet photography forum where Steadman helped photographers from around the world (amateur and professionals) improve their photography. Many of these comments were in an unusual, unsolicited, “Tribute to Steadman” (prompted by someone else) that thanked him for his service and helpfulness to the global online photography community.

44 Photographers Who Bought from Steadman

There are even testimonials from other photographers who have bought from Steadman in the past: Testimonials from 44 Photographers who bought from Steadman. There are Verbatim Testimonials from 44 photographers who have bought many thousands of dollars of photography equipment from him, online. If you have any doubts about buying anything from Steadman, you should read what they say about the accuracy of his descriptions of what he sold them and their high satisfaction with the entire transaction process.

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