JACKSON, Mich. (WLNS) – It’s not Texas, but a pasture just south of Jackson, where you’ll find a true Michigan cowboy named Ricky Littlejohn, one of just a few in the entire state.
“Oh, I think I [wrangled] my first cow when I was 15,” said Littlejohn.
Littlejohn and his fiance Trina Resendez, are professional cow catchers, not only roping cows at rodeos but catching loose cows in real life.
“We do this almost every day, but not usually on a highway,” they said.
But that’s where their most recent job took them.
A steer missing for six weeks was found just north of Holly, wandering near I-75.
“They called me and were like, Hey, is there any way you can come up here and help? And I was a little nervous about going because it’s super dangerous to be on the highway,” he said.
But Littlejohn called his team, brought in horses, dogs, and rope, eventually chasing the cow in the middle of the freeway.
His practice paid off, roping the 1200-pound animal before it could be hit by a car.
“I’ve never seen anything like this happen before, and it was just really cool to be a part of the entire chase,” said Littlejohn.
Caught on dash cam by a Michigan State police trooper, the video is now a viral hit. The local cowboy, now a local hero, is enjoying the ride.