For about three hours on Friday morning, traffic on Route 31 through South Lyndeborough was inter­rupted by a rodeo, or at least by attempts to cap­ture a cow named Cinna­mon and her half-grown calf Norton.

Owner Wally Holt was aided by several cow-savvy residents. Eventual­ly they were able to lasso Cinnamon, hitch her to the back of a truck, and care­fully lead her back across the road to her barn. Nor­ton followed behind.

Twice during the opera­tion, Norton was caught, but escaped and returned to his mother.

The cows were reported loose about 6:30 a.m. Holt and friends chased them around the Pettingill Hill and Citizens’ Hall road area while Police Chief Rance Deware directed traffic.