Category: Chaps and Spurs
A writing challenge from the Bonanza Brand Forums.
Mr. Adam and Them Boys (by DJK)
Summary: Adam loses a bet and must take Little Joe and four friends hunting in the high country. His fears of catastrophe come true in an unexpected way. This prequel was written for the Chaps and Spurs Quarter Four Challenge. The five mandated words were: percolate, earthquake, pipeline, surgeon, amendment. Rating: teen Word count: 7373
The Declaration (by Pat D in PA)
SUMMARY: An older brother mourns his believed failure in keeping a promise. Written for the 3rd Quarter 2025 Chaps and Spurs Writing Challenge.
RATING: K/G WORD COUNT: 1,335
Lessons in Trust (by AC1830)
Summary: Based on the episode The Grand Swing, young Jamie’s thoughts are explored as he faces the shock and responsibility of crashing a wagon and killing a horse. Written for the 2025 Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Rated: G, Word Count: 2778
Fireworks, Friends, and Innocent Prayers (by DJK)
Summary: Little Joe and friends managed to arrange “the grandest sight the town has ever seen”, and it only required a little deceit and disobeying. This prequel was written for the 3rd Quarter 2025 Chaps & Spurs Challenge.
Rating: Teen Word Count: 5822
The Weaker Sex (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: Marie Cartwright comes home from assisting a neighboring woman to find … Written for the 3rd Quarter Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Rating: K/G
Word Count: 2,067
Let’s Play Chess (by LillianMontane)
Sumary: Hoss teaches Joe how to play chess. Written for 3rd quarter chaps and spurs.
Rating: G Word count: 1280
A Little Lesson in Engineering And Physics (by CareBear)
Prequel. Adam and Little Joe bond over a simple engineering and physics concept. When Joe later tries to apply the concept on a large scale, he reaps chaos for all three brothers. Written for the Chaps & Spurs 2025 Third Quarter Challenge.
Rating PG Word Count 7438
A Stop at The Shady Villa (by JC)
Summary: After a nearly fatal case of mistaken identity, Joe and Hoss continue their quest for Texas Longhorn breeding stock, inadvertently stumbling across a potential goldmine (What Happened Next after “The Gunmen”). Written for the Chaps & Spurs 2025 Third Quarter Challenge*.
Rating: K+ Word Count: 2974
The Shadow Man (by AC1830)
Summary: A tragedy leads a man of the shadows on a vengeful and bloody path which eventually ensnares Adam. Written for the 2025 2nd quarter Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Rating: PG, Word Count 7016
Where the Cards Fell (by Sydney Fate)
Summary: Adam Cartwright and Black Bear deal out justice in Carson City. This story was written for the Chaps & Spurs 2025 2nd Quarter Challenge.
Rating: K+ Word Count: 2192
A Lesson in Art Appreciation (by DJK)
Summary: Little Joe and his friends just wanted to see the new painting in The Red Dog saloon before the ladies of the town could have it destroyed, and all they needed was a watertight plan.
Rating: T/PG 13 Word count: 4,414
The Hero of the Charles (by Pat D in PA)
Summary: When Adam finds himself short of cash, fate and his college buddy come up with an ingenious way to fatten his wallet. Written for the Second Quarter 2025 Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Wordcount: 3,533
In a Spirit of Enterprise (by Tavia42)
Summary: Little Joe should have known he couldn’t get anything past Hop Sing. This story was written for the 2025 2nd Quarter Chaps and Spurs Challenge.
Rating: G | Word Count: 889
The Arroyo (by Lillian Montane)
Summary: Little Joe is having a rough go of it. Things get worse when a fired ranch hand decides Joe owes him. Will life get better for the youngest Cartwright?
Written as a response to 2nd quarter chaps and spurs challenge.
Word count: 15,015
Rated: T
Catamount (by SydneyFate)
Summary: The Cartwrights’ new friend, Black Bear, encounters a wild cat, and they catch the tail end of the adventure.
This story was written for the Chaps & Spurs 2025 1st Quarter Challenge.”
Rating: T (2,350 words)
