NDAC

Hill Country SUN

By Ernie Altgelt
Our nation (and the world) has had an unending love affair with the American cowboy since the early days of the 19th Century, when harrowing tales of these ruggedly independent riders of the range first spread like wildfire across a young land eager for genuine heroes.
Lauded in paintings and on film, in histories and novels alike, the chronicling of actual (and fictionalized) events irrevocably ingrained this cherished segment of our culture into a unique and appreciated component of the country’s fabric that still fills us with awe and pride.
In recognition of these mounted professionals’ many past contributions to the nation’s rough and tumble evolution and their on-going importance in today’s society, President George W. Bush and Congress in 2005 authorized the fourth Saturday of every July officially designated “The National Day of the American Cowboy.”
In 2010, this special commemoration will fall on Saturday, July 24 and, fortunately for denim-clad devotees in the Hill Country and beyond, no community (thanks to the generous efforts of the area’s eclectic Frontier Times Museum) has planned a bigger, better or more appropriate tribute than the Lone Star State’s “Cowboy Capital of the World,” Bandera.
As a warm up to Saturday festivities, organizers begin with the first night of the “Frontier Times Ranch Rodeo and Dude Ranch Wranglers Championships”—a qualifier for the “South Texas Ranch Rodeo” finals on Friday evening (July 23) beginning at 7 pm at Bandera’s spacious Mansfield Park just north of the city on Highway 16.
If you’ve never seen a “ranch rodeo” you are in for a treat. Cowboys enter in teams of five and each competes in ranch style skills like roping, branding, wild cow milking, bronc saddling, team roping and more. Friday will also include a Little Wranglers Ranch Rodeo, so bring the kids, they will want to enter!
Saturday morning, the action shifts back downtown and starts early. A hearty breakfast is definitely recommended at this point. With that in mind, attendees will be encouraged to follow the beckoning aromas from an open cooking fire to the spacious Bandera County Courthouse lawn (centrally located on Main Street).
Beginning at 8 am (and for a modest $5 a head), a chuck wagon will begin serving that perennial cow camp favorite—warm, moist and extremely flavorful Dutch oven-baked biscuits ladled with generous dollops of homemade gravy. Gallons of fresh-brewed coffee complete this very satisfying, and sustaining, morning repast.
When the courthouse clock strikes 9 am (and lasting until 4 pm) Bandera’s National Day of the American Cowboy salute continues with a rip-roaring bang as the shade-dappled lawn plays host to an exciting variety of cow town characters guaranteed to entertain and amaze one and all.
Visitors will delight to myriad trick ropers, storytellers, musicians, gunfighters (shooting blanks), leather carvers, mounted riders, blacksmiths, and even roaming longhorns—all seemingly right out of the 1880s. Additional activities include the always-popular stick-horse races, cow chip tossing and a children’s cowboy dress-up area.
On hand and accessible throughout the festivities will be many of Bandera’s own world-class, champion rodeo cowboys.
For many, the highlight of the occasion will be the Western arts and crafts “General Store Market.” Savvy shoppers will delight to the works of more than 25 talented artisans displaying their wares and creations. Countless decorative, practical or “just plain fun” handcrafted, Western-themed items (priced for all budgets) will be available for purchase.
Then, at high noon, true cowboy aficionados will want to gather to witness the 2010 inductions into the Frontier Times Museum’s Texas Heroes Hall of Honor. During this stirring ceremony, six notable individuals will be recognized (some posthumously) for their personal accomplishments in bettering their home state of Texas.
Honorees include: cowboy poet Red Steagall; artist and actor Buck Taylor; former Texas Ranger and Indian fighter Pollycarpio Rodriguez (deceased); steer dogger Bill Picket (deceased); and Mayan Dude Ranch owners and Texas tourism pioneers Judy and Don Hicks.
Finally, as the perfect grand finale befitting of this very special cowboy commemoration, the day’s activities will conclude at the Mansfield Park arena with the finals of the Frontier Times Ranch Rodeo and Dude Ranch Wranglers Championships.
This multi-event, top-hand competition begins at 7 pm and promises to be quite a show, so don’t be late. Also on hand will be the La Escarmuza from the San Antonio Charro Association. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children 6 to 12 and free to cowpokes 5 and under.
FYI • For more information about Bandera’s “National Day of the American Cowboy” celebration Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24, including purchase of advance rodeo tickets, call 830-796-444 or visit the web site at www.frontiertimesmuseum.org. Proceeds benefit the Frontier Times Museum, a non-profit organization. There are no admission fees to the courthouse areas and parking is free at all events.

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