by Naomi Loomis,
WSRRA Association Representative
Dirk Jim was born and raised ranching on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, following the “Family Tradition” of his parents, Delbert & Louise Jim.
In Dirk’s youth years, his Father taught him all the skills of farming and ranching. As a teenager he began to spend time with George Walker, who taught him “how to get by the bad ones” and to know which [good] ones were worth his time.
Dirk began to participate in the ranch rodeos with Delbert and Brother-In-Law, Robert Crutcher; they won their first ranch rodeo in Spring Creek, Nevada.
As years passed, Dirk would join a ranch team consisting of Nathan Kelly Sr., Ira Walker and Ramon Cordova, winning the Winnemucca Ranch Rodeo. With this same team, they entered and won the Elko County Fair branding contest numerous times.
In 1999 Dirk joined the Deer Horn Ranch; team members were Marlow and Mark Eldridge, and Ira Walker. This team found themselves to be one of the top competing teams and stayed together for several years, winning several ranch rodeos and branding contests.
In early 2000, Dirk entered with various other ranch teams and teammates, and continued to do very well.
Dirk and [his Wife] Marlyn have three Sons – Steven, Daxton and Dalton that have all carried on the tradition of ranching life; Dirk taught them all to be handy with a horse and a rope. It was his “dream come true” when he was able to enter ranch rodeos with them, but it was hard to tell his Brother’s Ira and Clint Walker [along with many others] that this was going to happen. This is when Dirk’s team became the Jim Ranch.
The Jim Ranch won the Spring Creek Ranch Rodeo, this was their first rodeo as a “Father and Sons” team and Dirk was very proud of that. They would eventually have to draw straws as to who would ride the bronc, because the boys all wanted to ride. As they continued to enter, all three would get their chance to ride.
In 2018 the Jim Ranch won the Western States Ranch Rodeo Association “National Finals Rodeo” consisting of Dirk and Daxton Jim, Dusty Easterday and longtime friend, Sammy McKenzie.
The Jim Ranch has qualified for the WSRRA “National Finals Rodeo” every year since and each member of the Jim Ranch team has been selected as the “Top Hand” recipient. Melinda McDaniels also joined in their success, always gaining extra points for her roping abilities. This year, Courtney Frazier of Walla Walla, OR has joined the team and she definitely will help the team with her excellent talent.
Dirk is a full-time Rancher and he continues to participate in the ranch rodeos, rodeos, ropings and is also a Pick-up Man from time-to- time. Dirk is very proud of how reputable their boys have made the Jim Ranch name, and how cool it is to perform as a Father and three Sons’ team.
Dirk is very gratefully to his Father and Mother for teaching him this way of life, he loves what he does and does what he loves…being horseback and raising cattle. Dirk & Marlyn’s oldest Son Steven & Daughter-in-Law, Shana have blessed them with their first Granddaughter, Dally Jim. Dirk has already started her out with her first heifer and started working on horses for her to carry on the “Family Tradition”.
A note from Dirk & Marlyn Jim Family: “We sincerely appreciate the Western States Ranch Rodeo Association for giving ranch teams a chance to show their abilities; there are a lot of tough teams, that consist of really good cowboys and this is what makes your events great! A big “THANK YOU” also goes out to the late Tim Delong for always buying the Jim Ranch at the Calcutta event, he made the Jim Ranch one of the highest selling teams”.
