Robert W. “Bob” Manning was born November 7, 1929, in Douglas. He was reared on the family ranch north of Douglas. At age four he started paint branding the ranch lambs, and by age seven single-handedly trailed a herd of brood mares and a stud from the Kane Ranch to the family ranch, for their new breeding program. He began breaking wild horses at age 10 and would trail horses to town each year where he got to enjoy a few days at the Wyoming State Fair.
Bob was well known for his riding abilities along with his knowledge of cattle and sheep. He wasn’t a day work cowboy. He spent his time helping and riding at the family ranches. He was well known in the family for being able to ride anything no matter what age he was. He could take the orneriest bull and trail him to the corral with very little problems when most cowboys couldn’t even get close to him. He could sort 300 pair of mama cows in the middle of the pasture with very little assistance. When it came time to gather a big pasture he always took the biggest outside circle. He always said that was his way of “checking” on everybody to make sure they got everything gathered.
The family used to travel to Orpha to put the cattle and sheep on the rail to send to sale. After purchasing the Twenty Mile Ranch they trailed their Hereford cattle to the rail yards in Lost Springs.
Manning was a 4-H leader for 18 years and in the mid-1960s he was the coach of the country kid traveling basketball team. It was a team that Bob put together for all of the country kids who didn’t make the traveling team in town. He supported the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association and timed the State High School Finals in Buffalo from 1968 to 1973. He also helped to clean the arena during the Douglas High School Rodeo from 1995 to 2002.
The 1971 and 1972 bucking horses of the year, Y Bar U and U bar Y, had been purchased from Manning. In 2004 he received the Outstanding Rancher Award at the Wyoming State Fair ranch rodeo.
He was a man who loved his life, loved to work, and always had a story to keep you entertained.