Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine | Summer 2022

| Q&A with Gary Laffew | Grandma’s Chicken & N ucks for the Brave | B s o e d o oodles R Summer

| Sage Kimzey | Nicole Baggarley | The Mado s r a e Y 0 3 n na In n s in 50 State

LUKE BRYAN

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Spirit of the West

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Q&A with Gary Leffew

Summer Rodeo Schedule

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Devils river whiskey recipe

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Interview with KirstEn Vold, Owner of Vold Rodeo Company

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Legends of the West Podcast

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Elkhorn Ranch: A Tradition of Bringing People Together

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Life on the Rodeo Road with Nicole Baggarley 36 Q&A with 7x World Champion Sage Kimzey 38 Krysta’s Kitchen: Grandma’s Chicken & Noodles

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Forney Industries on the ranch

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The Modern World Through the Perspective of a Cowboy

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Carson James Profile

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From the Lens: Mark Defabry

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The Madonna Inn: A Lavish Legacy

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Bucks for the Brave Heroes Hunt

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Behind the scenes of Cowboy Lifestyle Network

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Cowboy Movie Magic

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Desert Air Jewelry

summer 2022

in Her First 30 Years

CONTENTs

IN 30 OH MY! 50 Nicole Cooper Visited 50 States

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Dings, scratches and scars.

Most cowboys end up with a few dings and scratches. Sometimes they’re an easy fix. Sometimes they leave scars.

It’s the same with trucks. Sometimes you fix them and sometimes the scars let you tell a good story one more time. So, when your truck needs patching up, let us know. Because every cowboy needs a ride he can rely on. And we want to make sure yours lasts forever.

Get your FREE CATALOG at LMCTruck.com

Chevy/GMC 1947-13 Ford 1948-16 Dodge 1972-15

LMCTruck.com 800.562.8782

"KEEPING GENERATIONS ON THE ROAD"®

SUMMER RODEO

Christmas in July

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ou might be wondering what kind of Christmas could possibly be on the calendar for cowboys in July. The truth is, every year on the weekend of July 4th is one of the busiest and most profitable weekends of the rodeo season. Cowboys and cowgirls alike are making a mad dash to hit some of the largest paid events of the season.

The difference of missing just one of these rodeos could end up in losing your spot in the rankings within a matter of days. To give you just a small idea, on any normal weekend, there are anywhere from 15-17 rodeos taking place every Friday-Sunday. There are over 30 rodeos taking place on July 1st-3rd alone, which is what would be considered the official “Cowboy Christmas” but contestants are traveling that whole week.

Below I have highlighted some of the most prestigious rodeos that cowboys and cowgirls have their eye on in order to move the needle in their earnings.

Cody Stampede Rodeo July 1 - 4, 2022 | Cody, Wy codystampederodeo.com This year will be the 103rd anniversary of the Cody Stampede Rodeo in Cody, Wyoming. Contestants will compete for over $400,000 in prize money. The rodeo capital of the world promises nothing but the best in entertainment.

In addition to the tried and true Cody Stampede, you can also enjoy the nightly Cody Nite Rodeo which runs every night June-August. The Cody Nite Rodeo has been running since 1938 and continues to be one of the best places for rodeo in the west.

Folsom Pro Rodeo July 1 - 3, 2022 | Folsom, Ca folsomprorodeo.com Taking place the first three days of July, Folsom Pro Rodeo is one to add to your bucket list. Over the course of the July 4th weekend, Folsom will welcome over 21,000 attendees. After taking a hiatus during Covid, Folsom is ready to kick open the chutes and have one of their best years yet. If you want to attend, make sure to purchase your tickets early because they are anticipating a sold-out show before the gates even open.

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St. Paul Rodeo July 2 - 6 | St. Paul, Or stpaulrodeo.com The St. Paul Rodeo in Oregon is another great rodeo to attend on the July 4th weekend.

The St. Paul Rodeo is dedicated to the sport and to helping the community. Their foundation has donated to numerous organizations including the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, Wounded Warrior Project, and NHSRA, just to name a few.

What makes St. Paul Rodeo so special is how dedicated they are to not only producing a top-notch show but also preserving and celebrating their western heritage.

Prescott Frontier Days: World’s Oldest Rodeo June 28 - July 4 | Prescott AZ worldsoldestrodeo.com

•• Left: Bull riding during the Cody Nite Rodeo in Cody, Wyoming.

•• Above: The Painted Ladies are fan favorite as they show off horsemanship skills during fun colorful performances at the Folsom Pro Rodeo. These ladies have performed at the Folsom Pro Rodeo for more than 20 years!

•• Above Right: Steer Wrestling at the 2017 Ponoka Stampede in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada •• Bottom Right: Young girl riding the mechanical bull at the World’s Oldest Rodeo: Prescott Frontier Days in Prescott, Arizona.

The world’s oldest rodeo in Prescott, Arizona has been putting on a show since 1888. The very first sanctioned “cowboy contest” was held on July 4th of that year. Since that day professional rodeo has evolved and grown into the massive organization it is today. If you’re trying to decide what to do for the 4th of July weekend, this is the place to be!

Prescott Rodeo is known for its 10 days of rodeo action with some of the best names in the business coming south to kick off their start to Cowboy Christmas.

In addition to being the world’s oldest rodeo, Prescott is also one of Arizona’s largest rodeos competing with the likes of Tucson and Scottsdale Rodeo.

Annual Fourth of July Celebration July 2 - 4 | Window Rock, AZ A Navajo Nation tradition is the Annual Fourth of July Celebration held in Window Rock, AZ. Rodeo fans can see the wild west come alive during a wild horse competition, which will be held in conjunction with the PRCA Rodeo on July 4th. Approximately 400 contestants from throughout the world will compete for prize money. The Fourth of July Celebration will also include a carnival and a professional fireworks display on July Fourth.

Greeley Stampede June 23- July 4 | Greeley, Co greeleystampede.org The Greeley Stampede is an exciting time in Colorado. They have some great entertainment lined up for you this year including Brett Eldredge, Cody Johnson, and Brothers Osborne. On the 4th of July they’ll have a bullfighting event at 1 pm, but be sure and stay for the fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

Ponoka Stampede June 27 - July 3 | Ponoka, Alberta ponokastampede.com It’s colorful, it’s famous and it’s known as being one of the top 10 rodeos in the world. It’s the Ponoka Stampede! Famous for its Chuckwagon racing, people come from all over North America to attend the Stampede, taking place June 27 - July 3 this year. It is the largest Canadian Professional Cowboy Association Approved Rodeo, and attracts the top competitors in both Canada and North America each year.

cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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It’s everything from the purple mountain majesty.

To the idyllic tapestry of an ocean of sage and the rising sun.

From the gentle bubble of coffee brewing to the quiet prayer on sun-chapped lips.

It’s the old worn-out hat, the threadbare pearl snap, and a dusty pair of boots ready to do their best.

This is the Spirit of the West.

It’s the horses stirring in their pen, ready for a day on the range.

It’s their soft nickers, inquisitive ears, and a gentle thud of hooves as they move as one.

It’s the bawl of a bottle-fed calf, whose life has just begun.

This all plays a part in the Spirit of the West.

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

From the long days and early mornings to the miles traveled down the road.

To the nod of a head for an 8-second ride, with a hope to get it rode.

It’s the sound of bucking horses getting loaded in the chute while the National Anthem plays.

To the gentle patriotic sway of the crowd, ready for the show.

This is the Spirit of the West.

The Spirit of the West is…

The joy of summer rain It’s sunburnt hands on a light rein And the gentle tip of a cowboy hat It’s enduring frigid cold and sweltering heat And feeding calves even when you’re beat A warm smile and a firm handshake And riding all day without a break We are ranchers.

We are cowboys.

We are cowgirls.

We are farmers.

We are competitors.

We are resilient.

We are…

The Spirit of the West

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ABOUT SPIRIT OF THE WEST hope I was able to paint a small picture for you of what I envision the West to look like. It’s hard describing something that is so much bigger than a singular object. But that’s the amazing thing about this way of life, there isn’t just one thing that ties us all together. It’s everything. Everything from the animals we take pride in, to the land we take care of, from the people we meet to the products we use and love, and the companies whose values align with our own. That is something I am proud to be a part of.

We are all in this together, and it’s up to us to educate and pass this knowledge and wisdom on to the next generation. But how can they be a part of something they don’t know about? Our goal as an industry should be to spread the word about what makes us so special and unique while being encouraging as new people discover our lifestyle.

Within the pages of this magazine, there are stories of pioneers who have forged their way to get to where they are today. Stories of trials and tribulations. And stories of giving it all you have to make it across the finish line.

This issue of Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine celebrates all aspects of the Western Industry. From the 100-year-old companies honoring the way it’s always been done to ranches that go back several generations and still thrive to this day. Our industry deserves to be bragged on because there isn’t anything else like it in the world.

With that though, comes the responsibility of sharing and educating those around us on why it’s so special.

I hope you enjoy the stories in this issue as much as I enjoyed curating them.

Krysta Paffrath

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine

cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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Images Taken and Supplied by Phyllis Burchett Photography

Phyllis Burchette is a professional, US-based photographer who has been in and around the horse industry even prior to being a photographer. She was bitten by the photography bug, along with a severe case of wanderlust, having traveled the Earth capturing the amazing creatures that inhabit the world with us. She found herself captivated by the birds, bears, and stunning landscape of the United States and Canada, in awe of the beautiful White Horses of the Camargue in France, documented the Horse Fishermen of Belgium, depicted the Connemara Pony of Ireland, and highlighted the iconic landscape and horses of Iceland. In addition, her style of photography perfectly matched the vision for the opening of this magazine and we can’t wait to feature her in the fall issue of Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine. You can find more about Phyllis and her photography at PhyllisBurchettpPhoto.net.

cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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GARY LEFFEW

Gary Leffew is not only a World Champion bull rider, he is also known as the “Guru of Positive Thinking” and has the career highlights to back it up. Having been born and raised in California, he didn’t get on his first bull until he was about 20 years old. In 1964, after a year of riding practice bulls every day, Leffew quit his job and decided to pursue rodeo full time. In 1966, he made his first appearance at the National Finals Rodeo, finishing 10th in the world standings.

Even before his time of “positive thinking”, Gary knew the importance of visualizing the kind of life that you want to live and that’s exactly what he did. When I asked Gary what the early days of his career looked like this is what he said,

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Gary: When you’re passionate about something and focused on it, you set up a law of attraction. The nature of your thoughts attracts a reciprocating action. Because of that raw positive thinking, in the beginning, I placed in the first 10 rodeos I competed in. Unfortunately, things took a bit of a turn and I went through a rough patch after I made my first National Finals when I broke my leg. At that time, I was married and had a kid on the way, so I started to worry for the first time in my life about what would happen if I didn’t win?

What would happen if I didn’t stay on the bull? Not knowing how the mind worked at that time, I didn’t know that the more I worried, the more my mind would work against itself and self-sabotage ended up taking over. I went six months without riding a bull at that time to get myself back on track.

Then came a book entitled “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz; which, by Gary’s own words, “changed his life”. Back then, your “typical” cowboy wasn’t too keen on terms like “visualization”, “zen-like state” and “mental game”. He was the first rodeo athlete to approach competition with these different techniques. After time and lots of practice, Gary learned to drown out the negative opinions and train his mind to accomplish what he set out to do.

The Guru of Positive Thinking & World Champion Bull Rider

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

Success didn’t just happen for him. It took a transformation from the inside- out to achieve his 1970 World Championship. When he learned to mentally put himself into the Winner’s Circle, Gary competed in hundreds of rodeos, but out of 25 of America’s top-paying and rankest rodeos, he won 19 of them. He won the World Championship and the WNFR Average – riding 9 out of 10 bulls. He qualified for the WNFR seven times and eventually earned his way into the PRCA Hall of Fame.

•• Leffew finished

his career with a total of 7 NFR Qualifications and 1 Championship in 1970. He was inducted into the Pro ROdeo Hall of Fame in 2002.

Now, using these mental techniques yourself and training someone else to do them are two very different things. I was curious about what Gary’s own methods looked like when he started applying the power of positive thinking and he responded with this, Gary: Every day at five in the morning I got up and did my visualization and role modeling. There was a guy by the name of George Paul that rode 67 bulls without getting bucked off. He was the overnight King and as good as anybody I’ve ever seen. Anthony Robbins said if you want to be the best, find the best to copy, so I started copying George’s style of riding. When I visualized it, I would see him riding and I would tell myself “That’s me, I can do that.” Anything you run through your mind over and over, you will start to believe it. When I went to my first rodeo in Denver, Colorado, the two months before that, every bull there would have been impossible for me to ride. After two months of brainwashing myself, the rankest bulls there looked like a day off. I couldn’t understand how anybody was falling off them because the mind can’t tell the difference between that real experience and the imagined experience.

After his career of bull riding, Gary decided to stick with the sport he loves and started training up-and-coming bull riders the tricks of the trade, specifically how to mentally prepare for competing and riding bulls. In addition to training bull riders, he has also coached 25 world championship bull riders, barrel racers, calf ropers, steer wrestlers, and even NASCAR drivers on mental preparation for competition.

Leffew mentioned that his bull riding school offers both private programs and group programs where riders can not only learn the mechanics of riding but also learn drills and the basics of “positive thinking” to improve their performance. Gary mentioned this about his training, Gary: Everything they learn in my school isn’t going to end in results on the same day or weekend because it takes 21 days to take effect and to learn a habit. There are more than a couple of world champions who have been through my school, and they weren’t riding much better when they left than when they came. What they did do, is the drills, got outside of the game, and worked at it. Then each time they came back they would get better each time. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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As I started to wrap up the interview, I couldn’t end it without knowing what kind of advice Gary had for anyone looking to get into bull riding or even where to start. This is Gary’s advice for new riders, Gary: It’s like learning how to ski, you don’t go up on the black diamond right off the bat or you’ll kill yourself. Most places new riders go don’t have the type of bulls they need to start on in order to build confidence.

If you’re getting bucked off every time, you’re killing your confidence. Then no matter what you learn, you’re always fighting that fear of failure and getting hurt. We start riders off on bulls that would be comparable to the bunny slopes. Once you get the mechanics down and the confidence is up, then we move to a level a little higher.

Keep testing yourself as you go but do not allow yourself to go beyond that until you’re ready.

In case you haven’t heard yet, the Guru of Positive Thinking is coming out with his own podcast called, Trouble Expected with Gary Leffew. When I asked Gary what his fans and listeners can expect on the podcast, this was the teaser he gave me, Gary: I have 59 years of some of the best stories of the most memorable characters in rodeo. Some of the stories I plan to tell are going to be really entertaining. People can also expect to see stories on the mental side of the game too. We’re going to bring in sports psychologists that talk about how to get you on that unconscious side of the mind and get you in that winning state.

The first guest is going to be Johnny Knoxville, from Jackass fame. I have been working with him for over 30 years so we’ve been through a lot together.

It’s going to be a lot like a montage of some of the funniest stuff we’ve ever done so I am really looking forward to it.

•• Gary was the spokesman for Busch Beer •• Gary at the

1969 NFR in Oklahoma City

•• Gary on the set of “Jackass” with Johnny Knoxville.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GARY AND HIS BULL RIDING SCHOOLS, YOU CAN CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE, GARYLEFFEWSBULLRIDINGWORLD. COM

Gary Leffew Launches a Podcast Trouble Expected with Gary Leffew is now available on all major podcast platforms When the cowboys are in town, you know to expect trouble!

Join former world champion bull rider turned Hollywood actor turned bull riding guru Gary Leffew as he shares his stories spanning a 59-year career. What kind of mindset and lifestyle does it take to survive that many rodeos - and movie sets - and come out on the other side?

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You’ll hear all about it on Trouble Expected!

Trouble Expected, produced by Cowboy Lifestyle Network, premiered in June and featured Laffew and the one and only Johnny Knoxville of the television and movie series Jackass. Trouble Expected with Gary Laffew is available on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Google and Spotify.

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Ingredients:

Directions:

•• 2 oz Devils River Agave Bourbon •• 1 ½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice •• ¼ oz agave syrup

1. Shake ingredients with ice in a shaker & strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

2. Rim glass with salt & garnish with a lime wedge

Garnish: •• Lime wedge

Frozen: Blend the recipe with ice in a blender and pour into salt rimmed glass, garnish with a lime wedge.

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TROUBLE EXPECTED WITH GARY LEFFEW IS NOW AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS

RODEO STOCK CONTRACTING, Interview with KirstEn Vold, Owner

V

old Rodeo Company doesn’t need much of an introduction if you are an avid rodeo-goer, but for those of you who might be new to the industry, let me do a brief introduction. Vold Rodeo was founded by Harry Vold, who was born in 1924 in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada. Harry was one of the most well-respected and most decorated stock contractors of his time. A few of his accolades include being an 11-time PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year, 2-time WPRA Stock Contractor of the Year, Prorodeo Hall of Fame Inductee, Canadian Hall of Fame Inductee, Life Member of the Ponoka Stampede, PRCA Man of the Year, National Finals Rodeo Board of Director, Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame Inductee, Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame Inductee, was named The Prorodeo Hall of Fame Legend of Rodeo and so many more.

In addition to being indicted into several rodeo halls of fame, he raised some of the best bucking stock of his time. Some of that stock includes 1976 Bronc of the Year “Sarcee Sorrell,” 1976 Bull of the Year “Panda” 1978 and 1979 bronc of the Year ” Angel Sings “, 1979 and 1980 Bull of the Year “777”, 1981 Bronc of the Year “Rusty”, 1983 Fighting Bull of the Year and Hall of Fame Inductee “Crooked Nose” 1986 Bronc of the Year “Wrangler Savy”, 1991,1992,1993 Bronc of the Year “Bobby Jo Skoal” and 2010 Saddle Bronc of the Year “Painted Valley”.

Harry Vold set his business up to leave a legacy for years to come, which is exactly what happened when his youngest daughter, Kirsten Vold took over the family business in the late 90s. Since then, Kirsten now spends over 200 days out of the year on the rodeo road. I was really excited for the opportunity to sit down and chat with Kirsten about what it’s been like running Vold Rodeo and what plans she has for the future.

Kirsten hadn’t initially planned on taking over her dad’s stock contracting business, but I was able to ask her what it was like in the early years when she first started taking on more responsibility, this is how she responded,

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IT’S A FAMILY BUSINESS of Vold Rodeo Company

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

Kirsten: When I got back to the ranch in the spring of 97, I had had lots of different jobs, but I had never had any kind of managerial type position. At that time, my dad was getting older and was having a harder time managing his crew, even though the crew was great, it can still be really taxing managing different personalities and he was pretty done with it. At that point, I couldn’t imagine anybody else owning the horses and running the ranch. I grew up with those horses and those bloodlines, and part of me felt like they were also my bloodlines.

I remember my dad had told the crew that there was going to be a meeting in the cookhouse and he essentially said, “Kirsten is going to start being a foreman, making decisions around here and that’s just how it’s going to be” There was a couple that worked here at the time that stomped out and said they would never work for me. They ended up getting over it and coming back but looking back on when I started, I was in my early 20s and people had a hard time taking orders from someone so much younger. Everybody tries to make it a girl thing and maybe there was a little of that, but I think mostly it was because of my age.

To overcome that challenge, I did the best thing I knew how to do to work with people that were older than me, which was to just not manage them, but instead, learn from them, work alongside them and work just as hard as them. That was really my biggest challenge, but I wouldn’t be where I’m at without it and also wouldn’t know the things that I do now.

Of course, in this issue of the magazine, we are celebrating western heritage and culture. I wanted to ask Kirsten if there was anything she has continued doing the exact same way her dad used to, and this was her response, Kirsten: The biggest thing that I always say that I hope that I inherited from my dad was his good word. He had a lot of handshake agreements, contracts, and rodeos and I think that’s important to be able to continue that. I just really hope that people can know that my word is good, and they don’t have to question it. That’s probably the number one thing that I try to maintain is my integrity and then make sure that whatever I say, my word is good. If people can’t depend on you for your words, then there’s not much left. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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At this point, we chatted a little bit more about how the western industry is special like that because it’s one of the only industries left that can do business with a good word and a handshake. Kirsten does mention that she has contracts with rodeos, but it was refreshing to hear that there are still folks out there that operate off a good word.

One cool thing that Vold Rodeo started in late 2019 was their Ranch Excursions. These excursions would take place on weekends when Kirsten didn’t have any rodeos but would allow guests to book stays at the ranch to meet the animals and see how things are done. When Covid hit, Kirsten mentions the Ranch Excursions helped bring in income when there weren’t any rodeos, but here’s what she had to say about the Ranch Excursions and what it’s done for her business.

Kirsten: Covid was something that nobody could have expected or planned for, and it was hard for stock contractors all over the country. Not only did we not have rodeos but we also had a massive feed bill while we were dead in the water. We had started the Ranch Excursions in December of 2019, then all of a sudden, it was our only income. In 2020 we made the most of it and decided to grow and utilize it the best we could. As far as the Ranch Excursions go now, we enjoy doing them when we can, it was a great way to generate a little income but we can’t do them all the time. I use the Ranch Excursions as an opportunity to extend the option for people to come out to the ranch to see the horses and animals in their normal habitat outside of the rodeo. I figured that the majority of my customers would be city slickers that had no experience around horses but it really hasn’t been. The people that have come are actually rodeo fans that really wanted to pursue their knowledge of what goes into rodeo, the animals, and stock contracting.

We went on to chat about how being a stock contractor is not a job you can just walk into and I asked her what she wished people knew about the bucking horse business and she responded with this, Kirsten: I think that the biggest misconception is that people think if we weren’t using them for rodeos, people would have them in their stables and ride them across parks, but that’s just not the case. These animals can be gentle, chute broke, easy to handle, and well-mannered, but they were born to buck. The bucking horses that are used for rodeo now are bred for this. People are spending a lot of money to get just the right genetics to get great athletes. And they are athletes, they operate on a completely different level than other horses. These aren’t horses that would be used for anything else. But I want people to know that they are well respected and cared for.

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This was an important piece to our conversation because just as with other stock contractors, Vold Rodeo Company does their fair share of educating folks about rodeo. They take it one step further by opening their ranch for the excursions, but Vold is a great example of transparency when it comes to animal care. All you have to do is scroll through their Facebook posts to see the amount of care that goes into their bucking stock. If you are wanting to learn more about rodeo and what goes on behind the scenes, there are folks out there willing to help.

As I wrapped up the conversation with Kirsten, I did want to ask her about the future held for Vold Rodeo Company and this is what she has up her sleeve for the next several years, Kirsten: The biggest goal for me is to just raise the best-bucking horses that I possibly can. You sit back and try to look at what genetics are working, what crosses are working, and what’s throwing good size.

As a whole, when I look at our weakness, it’s the size of our horses. They’re not as big as others and big horses are the ones they want to take to the National Finals.

My main objective is to get my herd a little more size on them and that’s not an overnight process. We don’t start bucking them until they are five or six years old so we wait around a long time before we can see the product, but it all starts with genetics. Additionally, it’s always great to have more animals at the NFR, but we also want to make sure that at the rodeos we go to, do the best possible job we can. It’s easy in this business to get left behind because it’s just become so competitive.

There are so many more contractors than they used to be but not necessarily more rodeos.

I want to leave you with this final quote from Kirsten.

And while she’s specifically talking about the stock contracting business, I think we can apply this mentality to everything we do. It’s one of the reasons I love this industry so much because there are people in it that work hard for everything they do. And if you’re working towards something, keep working. Your hard work will pay off and I think Kirsten Vold, with Vold Rodeo, is a perfect example of that.

Kirsten: In this industry, if you want to work and have a busy schedule, you can’t really do it halfway.

You have to give it 100%, everything has to be tip-top, your animals need to be in shape, there’s no room for error and there’s no room for re-rides, it has to be good and it has to be the very best.

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT VOLD RODEO COMPANY AND KIRSTEN VOLD AT VOLDRODEO.COM.

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LEGENDS OF THE OLD WEST PODCAST

Keeping the West Alive Through Story Telling

Chris and Mandi Wimmer are the brother/ sister duo who owns and operates Black Barrel Media. The Wimmer’s pride themselves on offering a one-of-a-kind podcast experience by using cinematic storytelling and sound design to create a “movie for your ears”.

One of their shows, “Legends of the Old West”, features stories that can only be found in history books, but told in a way you’ve never heard before.

Chris Wimmer, who is the host, writer, and producer, combines his film and journalism background with his passion for the American West, to create Legends of the Old West Podcast. It’s important to note that every story they produce is extensively researched, including the source material, to ensure the true story is told to the best of their ability.

“I have a master list of ideas that are a combination of topics I come up with and submissions that have been sent in by our listeners,” said Chris Wimmer. “I try to go through the list and choose a topic that sometimes has high name recognition, like Wyatt Earp or Jesse James or try to find stories that fly more under the radar.

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“In a calendar year, we try to show some variety with stories about gunfighters, lawmen, women of the West, like we’re doing right now, Native Americans, plus many more. The first step is to “research the research” as we say around here, which means we look for, what we consider, the most reputable sources about any given topic. We usually buy two to three books and then compile a whole list of internet sources, newspaper sources, and anything we can get our hands on to figure out what the overall story is and then try to pair that down into the most fun, fast, and yet concise and understandable version of that topic.”

There truly is an art to taking a story from the history books and turning it into an audio masterpiece. Not to mention the work that goes into fact-checking and digging into multiple sources before finalizing the end product.

“The part I love the most is actually two parts,” said Chris. “Part one is the ability and opportunity to tell the stories in a new medium, to take the best parts of an audiobook and an old-time radio drama then combine them into one product. So being able to tell these fun and exciting stories in this new medium has definitely been a part that I’ve loved over this four-year experience.

“Then part two is realizing the worldwide community that exists for these stories of the Old West. It was something that I candidly didn’t really factor into the process when I first started. When I started Legends of the Old West, it was just a side project that I was doing while I was working as a small-town newspaper reporter in Texas, and I was so consumed with just getting the first episode out there into the world that I didn’t really consider how it might be received. It’s been a really great surprise to realize that there is a worldwide audience for these stories.”

There’s something magnetic about the way Chris Wimmer leads his listeners through each episode of the podcast.

Additionally, it is important to capture these stories in a digital format because history is moving farther and farther away from younger generations with every day that passes. In fact, Mandi Wimmer mentioned that she has received feedback from many teachers that are using the podcasts in their classrooms.

“The mission, at its core, is to tell true stories of the Old West in a fun, fast, and entertaining way. They have to be true stories and we want to put enough detail in there that everybody gets a full understanding of the story but obviously not so much that people get lost in the weeds.”

About Legends of the Old West & Black Barrel Media

L

egends of the Old West is presented by Black Barrel Media, an audio entertainment company that brings you stories of American legends and icons revolutionized in cinematic audio. They are also the creators of Infamous America Podcast; a Historical True Crime Podcast that takes you on a journey through the wildest and sometimes darkest chapters of American History; everything from the Salem Witch Trials to 1930s gangsters to assassins, traitors, outlaws, scandals and events that defy explanation.

One of the things that makes Legends the Old West so special is that it is the only podcast sharing true stories of the American West in a cinematic fashion. Adding to their popularity, Legends gets nearly 1 million downloads a month. Legends of the West is available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you prefer listening from a computer, subscribe for free on Youtube: Legends of the Old West Podcast. Now is a great time to tune in because in addition to new seasons continuing to release, sequels to both shows are coming out in 2023. You can find all of this and more at BlackBarrelMedia.com.

CHRIS WIMMER

MANDI WIMMER

STORYteller

STORY PRODUCER

M E M B E R S H I P S A R E AVA I L A B LE FOR PODCAST S A P P S A N D YOU T U B E , FOR $4 .99 YOU R E CE I V E :

•• Ad free episodes •• Binge the full season on the Ep. 1 release date •• Bonus episodes when available

Highlighted Series in the Legends of the Old West Podcast

Tombstone The story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, the rise of one of the last great boomtowns, and the most famous gunfight in American history.

Texas Rangers

Hatfields & McCoys

Billy the Kid

Volume One of the ongoing series focuses on the early commanders who became legends -- John Coffee Hays, Samuel Walker, Ben McCulloch, Bigfoot Wallace, Rip Ford, and Sul Ross -- as they battled Comanches, bandits, and the Mexican army.

Bloody battles, forbidden relationships, betrayal, revenge — the story of the Hatfields & McCoys is the tale of an iconic family feud.

The life of the most infamous outlaw of the American West is steeped in mystery.

This is the story of Henry McCarty, aka Henry Antrim, otherwise known as William H. Bonney, glorified in legend as Billy the Kid.

This series traces the events that led to the largest battle between Native Americans and white soldiers in U.S. history. It tells the stories of Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and many more as they clashed for two days in southern Montana in the summer of 1876.

Little

Women of

Bighorn

the West

From a former slave turned stagecoach driver, to an Apache prisoner, to an outlaw, to escapee from jail, these Women of the West were trailblazers, survivors, bandits, and robbers.

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A Tradition of Bringing People Together

BY TIFFANY SELCHOW

•• Spring horseback riding through the Sonoran Desert at Elkhorn Ranch, Arizona

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The American west is a unique place, and one of the best ways to experience the true spirit of this landscape is to stay at a guest ranch. There are over 90 guest ranches (also known as dude ranches) throughout the West.

These adventure-filled locations dot the landscape across the west, but we will zoom in on southern Arizona and the Elkhorn Ranch for this story. Since 1945 it has a tradition of bringing people together, both for family vacations and conserving and protecting the magnificent southwestern landscape on which it sits.

T

he Elkhorn Ranch, owned by the Miller Family, is located close to Tucson, Arizona, and is a seasonal operation running from November to April. The headquarters houses the guest ranch containing 20 guest cabins, a dining hall, and a commercial kitchen. From headquarters, guests leave for beautiful rides to showcase the desert and all its glory seen in the best way possible: from the back of a horse.

The Millers raise cross-bred horses for the guest rides at the Elkhorn that capitalize on the positive characteristics of the American Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, and Percheron. They learned about this mix of breeds through the US Army Remount Program active in the early 20th century. These cross-bred horses provide a combination of good bone and athleticism, making an ideal mount in the rugged terrain around the guest ranch. This combination’s docile and good-natured temperament is also valuable as the ranch raises their horses in a herd situation, using the land as the primary source of the horse’s feed.

Training is done methodically and takes time, leading to a solid, trustworthy horse for guests to enjoy. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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The Elkhorn is an excellent example of a guest ranch that works hard to use their land properly to raise their animals while making their living from this precious desert terrain.

Dude ranching evolved in the early 20th century at a time when those from New England and the east coast were excited to travel the rails to get to the west and experience westward expansion for themselves. Many people were still familiar with horses or rode regularly, so this type of vacation was inviting. Now in modern times, fewer people have the outdoor, rural, horse, or cattle experience, so they aren’t drawn to it for those reasons, but instead for the peace the great outdoors offer that isn’t found in a big city or urban areas. COVID amplified this as people were stuck inside for so long that they began to crave freedom, human connection, and old-fashioned hospitality. With a renewed interest in where our food comes from, this is another perfect opportunity for urbanites to learn more on the topic.

At the Elkhorn Ranch, guests are encouraged to stay for at least a week, allowing for an acclimation to the lifestyle and country. This time allows guests a chance to get used to the horse they are riding, and then they can fully experience the rugged country with as little distraction as possible. Many people come who already love horses, but many more are people who develop a love for horses after they get to the ranch. Friendships entrenched in the rough terrain are made and last a lifetime, with guests returning year after year and looking forward to seeing their long-lost friends, both people and equine, again.

Enticing customers to make the leap and book the trip for the first time is a challenge for the ranch, but it’s hard to keep them away once they are here.

The first generation of the Miller Family, Grace and Ernest, started guest ranching in Montana in the year 1922 and called their place Elkhorn Ranch. Both adventurous spirits, Grace and Ernest, grew up in the northeast United States and found their way west after World War I. During the war, Ernest was a shooting instructor and left Europe with connections and friends who would be some of the first guests at their ranch in

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Montana. Also a notable hunting guide, he stalked wild game from Alaska to Mexico.

In 1945, the couple purchased the Fresnal Ranch School in the Baboquivari Mountains to expand into a year-round operation, which Montana’s bitter cold winters didn’t offer.

The school buildings were transformed into Elkhorn Ranch, AZ. The school had been a working ranch where the students did much of the work. The second generation of the Miller Family, Jan and Bob, took the lead on building up the new guest ranch operation and also took to cattle ranching with passion.

The historic Arizona drought of the 1970s caused many ranchers’ heartache and forced hard decisions. In the early 1980s, as the drought continued, the Elkhorn made the difficult decision to get out of the cattle business to help conserve the limited resources offered by the land. This era was a time of change for more than just the range and is when Charley Miller moved into a managerial position and signaled the transition to the third generation at the Elkhorn. This time was also a significant moment for ranching in general. Ranching has continued to evolve over the years, and at that time, range management became a priority. One of the first stages of the evolution was the realization that range management and the use of science are critical. The next stage required increased cooperation between multiple entities, government agencies, and ranchers, all with common range management and conservation goals.

In 1995, the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance was born thanks to Charley and his wife

•• Left: The Elkhorn Ranch herd of around 120 saddle horses, breeding stock, and colts graze in large pastures surrounding the ranch headquarters.

•• Top Middle: Young

hikers exploring big mountain views in the Sonoran Desert.

•• Top Right: Clara

Miller, Fourth Generation of Elkhorn Ranch Families.

•• Bottom Middle: Elkhorn Ranch invests years of training into each of their horses.

•• Bottom Right: Mary Miller overlooking the Elkhorn Ranch and the Altar Valley, Arizona.

Mary Miller, their neighbors Pat and John King at King’s Anvil Ranch, and many other ranching neighbors. John King and Charley talked about the need to have ranchers work together better, but how to do that was still a question mark. The Malpai Borderlands Group, a conservation effort put together by ranchers, public agency officials, and others in Southeast Arizona, had recently organized and helped to answer that question. The Altar Valley felt many of the same pressures the Malpai group faced, so the Alliance was modeled after this group. As the Alliance evolved, it facilitated the bringing together of people, including government agencies, environmental groups, ranchers, and other users. They looked at problems together, came up with solutions, and worked through the process as collaborators.

For over 25 years, the valley’s ranchers have been working together with the Elkhorn continuing its heavy involvement bringing their commitment to conservation and a vested interest in the valley remaining open. The open spaces, the incredible views, and the ranching neighbors are a huge part of what makes this a successful guest ranch. Collaboration and cooperation with ranching neighbors are critical to individual success. Many people who come to the guest ranch are significant donors to the Alliance and support the conservation of the open spaces and ranching of the Altar Valley.

So while some guest ranches may not have the cattle component, they are a great connection between the general public and ranching. The Elkhorn is an excellent example of a guest ranch that works hard to use their land properly to raise their animals while making their living from this precious desert terrain. For those who know nothing about ranching, this link provides a way to learn more about how ranchers care for their land and the animals they raise, whether horses or cattle. Guest ranches keep alive the curiosity for the west and give people a venue to explore that curiosity and continue to support the lifestyle even when they go back to their cities across the US and the world. With the fourth generation, daughters Clara and Alicia, working alongside the third generation, the Elkhorn Ranch continues as a legacy of connection and bringing people together and will do so for years to come. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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Behind the Reins with

CARSON JAMES Growing up on a ranch made an impression on horse trainer, Carson James. He took his days of running wild through pastures and background in Vaquero Horsemanship to develop a successful career working with horses. Taking real life experiences from working on cattle ranches via horseback, he uses his knowledge to train both horses and their humans to better understand each other, creating a stronger relationship.

BY LINDSI RIAN

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Getting back to your roots…

When I was a young kid, my parents worked on ranches in Montana and Wyoming. Being where we were, my brother and I were taught to be horseback early on and helped with branding as well. We lived far from town and there weren’t a lot of other kids around, so my brother and I became good at entertaining ourselves around the ranch. Eventually, my dad became a preacher and we lived on the road for some years traveling as a family going to rodeos doing Cowboy Church. We got to see the entire country and were always somewhere new. It was not a boring or uneventful childhood, for sure! As we got older, my brother and I worked for rodeo stock contractors and learned a lot about livestock doing that.

What started your career as a horse trainer?

When I was about 16, my family moved to Florida and I started exercising a few local horses for extra money. I began to wonder what was really going on in the mind of the horse underneath me. So I made it my life’s mission to find out.

At the age of 17, I went to Montana to spend some time with old family friends who start colts and train cutting horses. When I got back to Florida, I decided to start working horses for actual clients. Many of the animals I worked with were “problem” horses, so they taught me a lot! Most of the time I was with 8-10 clients a day. Later on I worked for a great horseman who was a Reined Cow Horse Trainer where I was again, starting colts and working with his performance horses. I truly believe that I increased my skills on that ranch more than anywhere else.

I also rode with some great horsemen while working on ranches in Oregon and at the Diamond A Ranch in northern Arizona, along the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, where we were horseback every day getting a job done. I quickly realized that each horse will teach you something if you are paying attention.

What was it like being a Buckaroo?

I wouldn’t trade my years of cowboying on buckaroo outfits for anything. It was an opportunity to “live the dream” and have the life that few ever get to experience. It’s definitely not for everybody though. Some people couldn’t deal with living so far from town or the long days of being horseback from dawn till dusk. Some of the ranch horses were pretty strong willed, but you still had to get a job done on them so you learned to get along. I spent summers in a remote cow camp with no electricity or running water, only coming out on the weekends to go into town for supplies. Spring branding time was the highlight of the year and we would always have a blast roping the calves to prepare them for the brand.

What do you do with your horse training now?

My wife and I now travel the country doing horsemanship clinics. Unfortunately, I never find time to take in outside client horses any more. The first few years of doing clinics, we spent 4-5 months on the road in our horse trailer. Now, we typically fly to the clinics, or drive to the closer ones.

Our clinics are typically open to 24 participants in each one where they are broken into 2 groups of 12. The skill level of the horses and the participants varies greatly, but I try to work with them where they are at and help them progress. I like to think of myself as the “Dog Whisperer” of horses.

I really enjoy seeing the lightbulb moments for the clinic participants and especially for their horses. The biggest obstacle participants typically have is being afraid to allow the horse to travel on a loose rein. That is the game changer every time. Though I do end up riding most every horse at least once, the goal is not to “fix” their horse for them. I want to provide all participants with the knowledge, skill, and confidence to learn how to do that for themselves. My ultimate goal is to make participants feel like they leave there better and more equipped than when they came.

You can learn more about Carson James, purchase training videos, subscribe to his newsletter or Buckaroo Crew and more on his website carsonjames.com

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•• Alex Madonna’s Gold Rush Steak House. The gold tree fixture in the main dining room was made from electrical conduit and copper leftover from building projects.

BY TIFFANY SELCHOW

•• In 1960, the Main Inn was constructed to keep up with the demand of guests.

It consists of a wine cellar, bakery, coffee shop, dining room, cocktail lounge, banquet rooms, ladies’ boutique, men’s gift shop, and the gourmet shop.

What started as a place for travelers to take a break between two major California cities evolved into a world-renowned hotel full of history, entrepreneurship, and a love for the unexpected. A locale known for its unique decor, including lavish common areas, lots of pink, and even a waterfall urinal, The Madonna Inn was the brainchild of Alex Madonna. Alex saw a need while working on Highway 101, the main thoroughfare between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and why do it the same way as everyone else? As you will read, Alex didn’t do anything the way everyone else did; thus, the unique and eclectic Madonna Inn was born.

Dalton Pearce, a grandson of Alex and Phyllis Madonna, and the third generation of the family carrying on the tradition of the Inn, recently filled us in on some of the history and current happenings of this iconic location. Dalton carries on not just the Inn side of the family tree but also the rodeo and agriculture lineage coming from his paternal side. Dalton’s father, Clint Pearce, and grandfather competed in various rodeo events. Even today, Clint and his wife Connie, who is the line to the Madonnas, continue on the legacy of rodeo in the San Luis Obispo cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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•• Dalton Pearce, a grandson of Alex and Phyllis Madonna, and the third generation of the family carrying on the tradition of the Inn.

•• Dalton Pearce gathering his own cattle like his grandfather did back in the day.

•• Alex Madonna with the United States Cavalry.

area, often donating time, money, and the Madonna Inn as a location to assist with its success. Dalton has made the rodeo side of his family very proud, having achieved the coveted title of Rookie of the Year in 2016 for the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association, better known as the PRCA, and that same year winning the Pendleton Rodeo in team roping on the heeling side.

While Alex Madonna didn’t compete in rodeo, he did grow up in agriculture.

His family lived close to Camp San Luis, where they ran a small dairy farm. As most people of that time did ride, he was no stranger to a horse, and as it is now, life on

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a dairy farm is tough, so he grew up understanding the value of hard work. Alex, who embodied a true entrepreneurial spirit, started a successful construction career by hauling sand and rocks in his model T Ford throughout the California area. He eventually won a contract to build roads overseas during World War II and then came back with a loyal group of employees who helped him start his construction business in the states. His company was integral to the building of roads and bridges across California, which is when the idea of the Madonna Inn took hold.

The Madonna Inn opened in 1958 with

a whopping twelve rooms. Alex Madonna knew that he needed to do more than build an inn for weary travelers to make a lasting impression. This was a day long before social media and a time when word traveled slower, so a location needed to be over the top for that to occur. As Dalton described his grandfather, Alex was nothing short of tenacious and wasn’t afraid to make people talk. This was the motivation behind the eccentric stylings of the Inn, with pink a staple and coordinating color and rooms, each bearing its own theme.

What started small and saw its fair share of struggle and hardship, including a fire

•• Alex Madonna as a child.

•• Alex Madonna horseback.

•• With its neon pink and blue coloring, you can’t miss the Madonna Inn sign off the highway.

that took the original Inn to the ground, has turned into a destination location. The Inn currently offers 110 rooms, and as with the original design, each one has a different theme. Alex once said, “Anybody can build one room and a thousand like it. It’s more economical. Most places try to give you as little as possible. I try to give people a decent place to stay where they receive more than they are entitled to for what they’re paying. I want people to come in with a smile and leave with a smile. It’s fun.” The cafe is another staple and serves up delicious food and the famous Pink Champagne cake loved by visitors, locals, and even Kacey

Musgraves. Dolly Parton is a frequent visitor and is known to order a big steak and potatoes from the Inn and eat it all!

The Inn’s common areas are lavish, boarding on ostentatious, but keep the people talking. The architectural style is akin to Swiss Elm slope ski resorts, with pink again the common theme and extending to the trash cans and lamp posts. The Inn complex also houses one of the largest expo centers in the area and is used for events like bridal shows, home shows, and other business events. It’s also a convenient place for concerts and often sees popular acts because of its location between two major

cities. Recently, their stage was graced by Cody Johnson, Dustin Moore, and Jack Harlow.

The Madonna family is still a wellknown name in the San Luis Obispo area, not just because of the Inn but also their contribution to agriculture and rodeo.

Dalton runs a herd of his own cattle, just like his grandfather did, and continues to rodeo. COVID was a time of struggle, but the Inn is proud to say not a single employee was laid off. Because of its unique legacy and tradition of spectacle and surprise, the Inn is now more than just a stopover but a location goal on many bucket lists. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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COWBOY MOVIE MAGIC

PRIOR RODEO QUEEN AND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH TEAM UP TO PUT NEW SPIN ON WESTERN FILMS

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

What happens when a football coach turned actor teams up with a former rodeo queen turned actress/producer? Magic. That’s what happens. But before I dive into what’s so magical about this duo, let me set the scene.

Carl Bailey, also known as “Coach” by most of his peers, is a Texas native and has an extensive professional resume. Beyond his resume, he has a deep-rooted passion for sports, specifically football; not only did he play growing up, but he also coached his hometown football team for 20 years. In his years of coaching, he grew in his faith and realized that his purpose was to serve others. Thus he created a website for high school football coaches to discuss coaching and network with each other in a positive forum. That was around 1999, which was also when he garnered his infamous nickname, “Old Coach”.

The funny thing about the Old Coach’s website was that it was anonymous, so no one knew that Carl was the one behind the new platform for high school football coaches. In an effort to drive more traffic and attention to the website, Carl started broadcasting football at the Allen Eagles football games. The coach’s voice became synonymous with the team and the broadcasting provided an opportunity for the community to be a part of the games even if they couldn’t attend.

Fast forward several years, Carl was talking to a friend of his who mentioned that a buddy of his who kind of looked like Carl had just been booked as an actor on a cop show. That

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piqued Carl’s interest. He figured out who to get into contact with and on a whim emailed a picture of himself to the casting crew. The next thing he knew, he was booked as an extra for the NBC show, Chase. In a quote from the “Allen Image Magazine”, Coach says, “I applied my coaching philosophy to acting. It takes practice to get better in anything you do.”

Then the rest is history. In his acting career, he has been featured in nearly 100 film projects including independent films, short films, student films, and even several major motion pictures. One thing remains the same, even throughout all of his roles, he remained the “Old Coach” and is now directing his own films, but more on that to come.

Let’s talk about Tonja. Tonja René is an actor turned producer/director and talent manager with a passion for television and film. She has many television and film credits in supporting and leading roles. Her background as a performer goes back to her early childhood. She did modeling

as a teen, studied music and acting, and did numerous stage performances as a singer and actor. Tonja also traveled extensively as a rodeo queen in her teen years.

She credits that experience as well as the disciplines received from having horses and being around hardworking ranchers for her understanding of who she is and her love of public speaking; for developing her love of performing to all types of audiences.

Life drew Tonja away from the entertainment industry for several years. She went through many life experiences that she credits God for doing the inexplainable through and healing her from the hidden pain of abuse and rejection and breaking off repeat patterns that plagued her family for generations. They say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and Tonja’s experiences are at the center of that saying.

Tonja came back to the entertainment industry with a new purpose and passion as a result of a dream she had, a love for her country, and the roots of the cowboy culture she grew up on. Tonja is not just an actor with many credits, she is a business visionary who is a writer, producer, director, set designer, and talent developer. Her passion to create quality stories and develop talent to work at top levels in productions without all the negative “junk” is the reason Tonja created “EmpoWORD2B” which is the brand name for EmpoWORD Media & Talent (pronounced

M-POW-WORD). Tonja is also a Talent Manager with LA-based The Robb Company, a talent management company with over 30 years of experience.

Now when you bring two native Texans together who are both equally passionate about their faith and overall purpose, that’s where the magic happens. Tonja and Carl first met when Tonja cast him for a role in her modern-day western short called, “Wisdom County Ranch”. WCR is a powerful story Tonja is developing and starring in to become a series expected to film outside of Fort Worth, Texas.

WCR tells the story of two sisters who move back to the small Texas town they grew up in and take over their family ranch. They overcome obstacles from living in what is often a man’s world in a unique way that drives positive change. Together they press into the grit and wisdom their parents instilled in them, along with their faith, to break down divisive mindsets in order to unite their family and community. It’s a series that speaks to the heart of the cowboy spirit and appeals to a wide age range.

Working together on Wisdom County Ranch, Carl and Tonja became friends and realized their business mindsets are similar. They also recognized their shared passion for westerns could lead to greater things together and started putting plans to action.

With the “Old Coach” as the captain and Tonja at the helm, “Dawn at Dominion” was born.

•• Carl “The Old

Coach” Bailey and Tonja René have teamed up to create a new type of Western film.

About Dawn at Dominion

D

AWN AT

Dominion is a gun-smoked, action-filled drama that pays homage to the venerable B-westerns of Hollywood’s golden age while bringing the genre to contemporary film standards.

In the 1880s a former bounty hunter, Travis Stone, tracks down the outlaws who have kidnapped the wife of Shiloh Taylor, the gambling boss of Dominion, Texas. Stone is successful in rescuing Faith Taylor and now they must survive a dangerous gauntlet of lethal antagonists to make their way home. The pair of unsure companions must overcome swarms of ruthless bounty hunters, vengeance-seeking Apaches, murderous good Samaritans, and the deadly Pistolero Mingo Montoya, a former friend who may not be the ally he appears to be.

Questions are created during the journey as Stone and Faith attempt to prevail over each new challenge. In classic western style, all will be revealed in a final confrontation in the bloody streets of Dominion.

Dawn at Dominion and Wisdom County Ranch are just two productions that Tonja René and Carl “Coach” Bailey are working on together. They have more scripts they are writing and being presented with as well as investors approaching them with interest in western projects.

If there’s one thing that we can learn from this story of two unlikely individuals coming together, is that you can’t be steered wrong when faith and passion are followed with “Action!”

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COWGIRL Q&A

Life on the Rodeo Road with

NICOLE

BAGGARLEY

BY KEYLIE KEMBLE

NFR BREAKAWAY ROPER MAJOR REGULAR SEASON RODEO WINS: •• Back When They Bucked (Deadwood, South Dakota), $2,802 •• Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, South Dakota), $3,552 •• Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, $13,191

T

he biggest dream of any cowboy or cowgirl is to compete at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. As of last year, the NFR has added breakaway roping to the event roster as another chance for cowgirls to show off their talent and hard work. Before last year, breakaway was strictly held at the Women’s Pro Rodeo Finals, organized through the WPRA. In the interview below, I am excited to talk to Nicole Baggarley about the rodeo road, hours spent, horses trained, and teamwork it takes to make it to the NFR. Nicole Baggarley is a 2021 NFR Breakaway Qualifier who grew up in Mountainair, New Mexico and now resides in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

WHAT DOES HAVING BREAKAWAY IN THE NFR MEAN TO YOU? “It means everything. It is huge to have new opportunities given to us cowgirls.

It’s been an amazing outlet for women and girls to continue breakaway roping after college. Before this opportunity, breakaway was an event that was only included in amateur rodeos and jackpots.”

HOW DID YOU GET INTO BREAKAWAY ROPING? “I was a die-hard barrel racer and pole bender when I was younger. As I started getting older and moving into tougher age groups, I needed an edge, so my dad made me start roping. In the beginning, I honestly didn’t want to rope and it wasn’t part of my long term plan, but I couldn’t be happier.”

HORSEPOWER IS THE NAME OF THE GAME IN BREAKAWAY ROPING. THIS EVENT REQUIRES A HORSE THAT CAN SCORE STRAIGHT, RUN FAST, AND STOP HARD. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR HORSES? “Calamity is my baby. She is the first horse I raised and trained on my own. She is a running bred mare which most people think don’t make good breakaway horses, but she never outran me or gives me a bad shot. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my main girl. She was born two days before my birthday and has been the sweetest, best horse to be around and travel with. She is truly my best friend.

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I also have JoJo, a 6-year-old mare, by One Smart Mate by One Time Pepto out of Jo Lesa Lena. JoJo is my next up and coming breakaway partner. She suffered an injury this season but is getting back to business to join Calamity and myself down the road.

Calamity is a calm, laid back mare who just goes with the flow and takes her job seriously.

JoJo, however, is a high powered, energetic, electric mare that loves her job.”

WHAT ARE YOUR RODEO GOALS? “My big goal is to make the NFR again, my end goal is to win a gold buckle. This year’s main goal is to focus on circuit rodeos and training my young horses, such as JoJo.” WHAT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE OF CONSTANTLY BEING ON THE ROAD TRAVELING TO RODEOS? The hours add up in a hurry and can make you tired and worn out, but mentally, you have to tell yourself that you got this and have to keep working. I realized while being gone that I really love being home, my bed and my arena, but I know the end goal is worth it. The hours, miles, late nights are all worth it.”

WHO DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR CORNER THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR JOURNEY? “It takes a team effort to do this sport and I couldn’t be more grateful to have my parents, and great husband Brice by my side. Brice is my rock, he has taught me as much about roping and horsemanship as anyone. I am so thankful to have him in my corner supporting me. My mentor, Luke Jefferies, also plays a huge part in my journey as I used to spend almost every winter in Arizona with Luke and Kelsey to rope and practice. They are a huge factor in my success, and I appreciate everything they have done for me.”

RODEO IS A TOUGH SPORT, AND IT TAKES A STRONG WILL AND HEART TO GET TO THE TOP. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING TO GET STARTED IN BREAKAWAY ROPING? “Go at it with all your heart. The biggest thing is you have to learn from everyone you can. Take something from everyone, use what works and let go of what doesn’t. Make your own style and never stop learning. You can do anything you put your heart and head to, but you must work hard and go at it full force.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE TO GET YOU THROUGH THE TOUGH DAYS? “Good, better, best. Never let it rest til’ your good is better and your better is best.”

•• Baggarley qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo three times representing New Mexico State University.

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Team Polaris Bull Rider

7X WORLD CHAMPION

SAGE KIMZEY

BY LINDSI RIAN

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Pro bull rider Sage Kimzey has quite the resume when it comes to his career in rodeo. When it comes to bull-riding ranks, Sage has been #1 for seven out of his ten year career. He became the youngest millionaire in PRCA history during the 2016 Wrangler NFR at 22 years, 3 months, and 2 weeks old - which was also only his fourth year competing on the pro level.

Q: WAS RODEO ALWAYS PART OF YOUR LIFE? I grew up in a rodeo family. My dad was the first person in our family to get into the rodeo scene. Even as a baby, I was going to rodeos with my dad. From Mutton Bustin’ to bull riding, I did it all. I started Junior Rodeo when I was little and had an older sister who was into rodeo before me. I worked all the events growing up as well. The older I got, I realized that bull riding was my favorite event and the one I was the best at, so I pursued that. In high school I rode broncs and bulls, then in my junior year, I focused on bull riding only, now, it’s a full-time career. Last year I went to about 110 rodeos and typically, each rodeo has one bull, some have more per event. I was on 175 bulls give or take in 2021, so quite a few!

WHAT PUSHED YOU INTO PRO RODEO? The big “ah-ha moment” for me was when I was 15 or 16 years old. I won a $4,000 prize and was so excited because, for any kid that age, that’s a lot of money. I was like ‘Man this is definitely what I want to do!

I’m never gonna do anything else. I’m a bull rider now!’ There were a lot of steps to even get to that point. But when you finally make a good ride and go pick up your check, there’s not a feeling that can replicate that. I never considered myself the most talented or the guy who’d go on to win the most buckles or anything.

There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in the sport and I loved it all. I worked my way through the For each guy, at ranks and eventually found myself competing in the end of the day, the Pros. I’ve always competed because I love the sport, the fame and fortune have just been a nice it’s a macho man’s bonus. I signed on with Team Polaris in 2015 sport, but I look at it or 2016 and it’s been a great experience. Whenever you’re growing up, all you want is to be good more like a dance enough to have a sponsor. After some success in the with the bull. pros, being with Team Polaris has been amazing and it’s special being a part of the premier group of athletes.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED? Oh yeah. You name it, it’s probably happened to me or one of the guys in the locker room. I’ve been really fortunate and blessed to stay relatively healthy throughout my career so far. It’s one of the most dangerous sports in the world, so you do it long enough and you’re eventually going to get hurt.

DO YOU CONNECT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL WITH YOUR ANIMALS? Bulls are so funny because a lot of them have big personalities. Some of them you connect with and some just want to do their job, buck you off, get you out of the way and hook you.

For each guy, at the end of the day, it’s a macho man’s sport, but I look at it more like a dance with the bull. It’s like going to war with the animal because at the end of the day you’re not going to overpower an 1,800-pound animal that’s been bred to buck you off.

WHAT IS #BELEGENDARY? My wife actually came up with that. We were dating at the time and talking about social media and my brand. I told her that I wanted to be able to inspire young kids that needed something to shoot for. We had always talked about becoming legendary and she suggested we use that. Being legendary can mean so many things to so many different people. I’ll be honest, at first, I didn’t really know where she was going with it, but in the end, she was right and it ended up fitting my brand perfectly. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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50 30 IN

OH

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MY!

There’s no better way to get a connection to history than to stand in that spot.

Nicole Cooper Visited 50 States in Her First 30 Years Renowned traveler, Nicole Cooper has traveled to all 50 states in the United States of America. Nicole is a mother to her five-year-old daughter and three-and-a-half-year-old son, a wife, and she’s the Director of Digital Media at A.E. Engine.

She completed her 50-state journey within thirty years.

•• Nicole

Cooper landed in Alaska - her 50th state - in September of 2021 and celebrated by doing some backcountry hiking around Cooper Lake.

Nicole grew up in upstate New York and still resides there today. She started her traveling journey with her grandparents, Donald and Barbara Hess, when she was a little girl. Her grandparents owned an RV and they’d travel pretty much every summer. A couple of times Nicole was homeschooled in the RV when they traveled during the school year. She’d travel so much with her grandparents that it eventually became clear that she could accomplish all 50 states.

Nicole’s passion for travel is owed to her grandparents who were avid travelers. Her Grandfather Donald had successfully traveled to all 50 states and her Grandmother Barbara traveled to 48 states. Once Nicole got a little older she loved learning about her nation’s history. She’d love to choose a destination to visit next by what she had been learning about. Her grandparents were very supportive of their granddaughter in choosing the next location. Nicole stated, “There’s no better way to get a connection to history than to stand in that spot. You can just imagine the

people around you and that atmosphere.” This is how Nicole’s love for traveling continued to set fire.

When Nicole got into high school they didn’t go on many big trips because of school and sports. The time for college came around and her grandparents were too old to travel so it came down to Nicole traveling by herself and then eventually with her husband and kids. Nicole and her family have made a fun new tradition of taking a picture with a paper plate to document what number/state they’re in.

Nicole’s grandparents, Donald and Barbara Hess passed away in 2020 and Nicole vowed to complete traveling all 50 states in their honor. “I don’t think that any of this would have been possible without my grandparents.

I feel like I got the best grandparents in the world.”

She finished traveling to all 50 states last September 2021 by visiting Alaska. Nicole has also visited Iceland, Spain, France, and Italy so far during some breaks from traveling the states. She’d love to continue to experience other places now that all 50 states are checked off. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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NICOLE’S FAVORITES

Western Destinations Redwoods in California

•• Nicole walks along the California coast for the first time with her grandmother at the beginning of her 50-state adventure.

Nicole loved California, she especially loved visiting the Redwoods home to the sequoia sempervirens. There are several locations around northernmost coastal California where you can see the great redwoods. These beautiful evergreen trees are long-lived being 1,200-2,200 years old or more. The redwoods are the tallest and the oldest living trees on earth. They reach about 379 ft in height (without the roots) and 29 ft in diameter. Nicole stated, “It sounds funny but the smell there was incredible. You’re just living in a bunch of Christmas trees.

It was so pretty, it felt so nice, and it was just so peaceful.”

Petrified Forest National Park

The Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona and it’s simply beautiful. It’s this old-growth Rainbow Forest located in the desert that has turned into colorful petrified wood.

You’re able to walk around and witness all these hardened trees. Nicole thought it was such a wild and cool experience.

Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone, Arizona was a really unique place in a mythical kind of way. Located in southeastern Arizona, this town is one of the most authentic western towns left in the United States. The town was founded in 1877 and the western heritage runs deep through the town’s roots. Once you arrive you’ll step back in time and enjoy the Old West Atmosphere. There are tons of attractions, shops, restaurants, and saloons in “The Town Too Tough to Die”.

Badlands National Park

The Badlands National Park in South Dakota is another special spot and something you can’t see anywhere else. It has a presentation of dramatic landscapes including steep canyons, towering spires, and layered rock formations. Bighorn, sheep, bison, and prairie dogs inhabit the grasslands of the Badlands. The atmosphere is very unique and the people are very genuine.

Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park

The Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park located in Colorado was another incredible place to witness. It is one of the best-preserved and notable sites on the North American Continent. After primarily living on the mesa top for 600 years, in the late 1190s, Ancestral Pueblo people began living in pueblos they built beneath the overhanging cliffs. The structures differed in size from one-room storage units to villages with more than 150 rooms. They continued to farm the mesa tops while still continuing to reside in the alcoves remodeling, repairing, and constructing new rooms for just about a century. The population slowly began migrating south to present-day Arizona and New Mexico in the late 1270s. The Ancestral Puebloan occupation of Mesa Verde came to an end in 1300. Nicole stated, “To be able to learn about the people who were here 1000s of years ago, to stand there, and take in that this land was civilized for a long time before any of us got here is incredible.”.

Four Corners, Navajo Nation NICOLE ALSO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SOUTHWEST AREA OF THE

•• Donald and Barbara Hess standing at the Four Corners in Navajo Nation.

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United States, the Navajo Nation. It’s truly an extraordinary and breathtaking nation within a nation. It is over 27,000 miles and covers over four states: New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. She loved visiting Four Corners where you have the opportunity to stand in all four states at once.

The Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department oversees all Navajo Tribal Parks in the largest sovereign nation in the United States. As a sovereignautonomous tribal government, the Navajo Nation creates laws and governs its citizens – which means all non-Navajo travelers and visitors must comply with and abide by tribal regulations, policies, and laws. Their intent is the caretaking of Mother Earth, which Navajos respect at all times. You definitely want to experience the breathtaking views the Navajo land has to offer.

Travel Tips Avoid touristy places

•• Nicole’s young children, Nova

Another travel tip is to avoid touristy places as much as possible. There are some things you should see, for example the Grand Canyon but there’s always a better way to see it than parking on the side and exploring. There are guided rafting and hiking tours, and it’s the same for just about everything. If you’re at a farmers market, restaurant, or museum don’t be afraid to talk to the locals for ideas on places to visit.

and Orion, have already begun their travels and will hopefully continue the tradition.

Check out your nation’s history

Start Young

Nicole believes that you should see where you’re from to connect your history before you can really understand what your country is about. Once you have gathered that information go explore other countries.

Nicole suggests visiting Gettysburg, Boston, Charleston, and Ellis Island; those kinds of places are where you can see history, stand there, and learn about it while you’re at the physical location. That would help people get rooted.

IF YOU’RE WANTING

Eat all the food

Don’t be afraid to try new food! Nicole really loves going to places and not knowing what anything is. Getting to taste something and see if it’s either good or bad is such an amazing experience. You’ll learn what the area has to offer, the culture, why that food is on your plate, and who’s putting it on your plate.

Hostels/Airbnbs

Before having kids, Nicole loved getting a hostel. It was a great way to meet local people who could direct you to some neat places especially if you’re traveling overseas. If you’re traveling by yourself, it’s also a great way to meet new people and be able to go to a restaurant together if you’re looking for company. Airbnbs are a great option if you have children and they’re a go-to for Nicole and her family. You have your own space and there’s a wide variety of unique Airbnbs to choose from all over.

to travel all fifty states Nicole recommends starting young.

Nicole stated, “Even if you’re traveling with young children don’t think that it’s about remembering every detail.

It’s about realizing you can travel while learning so much.

You get to see so many things, have so many more experiences, and meet so many other people. So it’s not about remembering every single thing that you do or see.

It’s about learning that you can go and do and see that stuff.”

Just start traveling

Go for it, don’t be afraid to get out there and travel. It doesn’t have to be a cross-country trip. In most states, you can drive a few hours and be in another state. There’s so much beauty that our world has to offer.

Gaining self-confidence

•• Nicole’s husband, Jeff, marking Washington as his

17th state with the new tradition of paper plate signs.

There’s so much self-confidence that you gain from traveling. Whatever trip you go on, there’s a potential that something goes wrong and you just have to figure it out. It’s problem-solving on the fly, you’re learning so much and it helps everyone grow.

•• Nicole’s 3 year old son marking Maryland as his 7th state. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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MEET SHANNON MYERS OF DESERT AIR JEWELRY

BY MEGAN DEFABRY

A

rtist Shannon Myers is hard at work creating the most exquisite, affordable, and one-of-a-kind hand-crafted jewelry. Shannon is the founder of Desert Air Jewelry located in Fallon, Nevada. She has countless pieces of jewelry she creates by hand including a variety of turquoise, opal, rosarita stone, buffalo stone, lapis stone, onyx stone, and several other precious stones. No stone is the same, they all have their own story and are mined out of Nevada. She pairs the stones with a different element such as sterling silver, copper, or leather creating a beautiful design for her customers.

The desert has always had a place in Shannons’ heart.

She was born in Nevada and then was transplanted to California where her father ran a huge ranch. Later that ranch was sold and she found her way back to

Fallon, Nevada where she grew up and resides today.

To this day Shannon sees what beauty and treasures lay within the Nevada desert. Which is the inspiration for all of her designs.

Shannon’s father was an avid horseman and rancher, in other words, “he was one of the good ol’ cowboys”.

Shannon is so thankful her father instilled that way of life in her, even though as a teenager she might’ve disagreed while having to spend summers gathering cows and branding when everyone else slept in. Today, she wouldn’t want it any other way and is blessed to have the background she does.

Shannon grew up around rodeos and horse shows.

She loved to visit all of the jewelry booths that would leave her in awe. Her father had a good friend that was a jeweler and when he came to visit he always had a

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box of love that Shannon was lucky enough to choose from. That’s where her love affair with turquoise and jewelry started.

After twenty-seven years of doing hair for a living Shannon decided she was going to finally learn silversmithing. Shannon did just that, gave it a go and she hasn’t put her torch down since. In recent years, she’s had lots of time to work on her jewelry and discovered that this was all she really wanted to do. So she took the plunge, quit doing hair, and started making jewelry full time.

Shannon feels like jewelry should tell a story. Shannon stated, “I love to know where every single stone I buy comes from. Jewelry has a journey, from the stone being pulled out of the ground to being cut from a slab of rock to a beautiful polished cab. Then bought and brought to life! Some stones just call to me and I know exactly what I want to do with them. Others I have to ponder on for a while. But inspiration is everywhere.

It’s in nature, texture, color, and lifestyle. I really just try to bring the best out of the stone.”

Shannon’s jewelry line is one-of-kind and made with love. Shannon stated, “My style is pretty simple.

I try to take the old western-style and make it fresh. I love to make turquoise jewelry for everyone. I love it when someone says “oh I didn’t think I liked turquoise, but I love this”. I use the highest quality stones, cut by a professional lapidary artist. My small business supports a lot of other makers, artists, and family businesses. I take pride in everything I make, and just hope someone will say “I need that!”. I want my jewelry to be something personal and that people wear everyday, not just for a special occasion”.

Shannon’s business goal for 2022 is to continue to grow as a business and as an artist. You never stop learning in life and there’s always room for growth and improvement. Shannon let us know why she’s so passionate about Desert Air Jewelry, “My why is to do something I love and that I’m passionate about every day. I want to make a little piece of jewelry that brings joy to someone. Tells a story of who they are. I want to stay motivated and grow so I can continue to do this for as long as possible.”

Desert Air Jewelry has several collections of jewelry listed from earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and hats. You can make any of the pieces from Desert Air Jewelry a staple in your everyday look. You can dress it up or down, as it is very versatile. To take a look at Shannon’s exquisite jewelry and to make a purchase please visit desertairjewelry.com. Desert Air Jewelry is also sold in person at the Free Bird Lifestyle Boutique located at 601 S. Maine St., Fallon, Nevada 89406. Be sure to follow Desert Air Jewelry on Facebook, @desertairjewelry, and on Instagram, @desertairjewelry.

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W Grandma’s Chicken & Noodles

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

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elcome to another feature from Krysta’s Kitchen, grab a beer and let’s do some cooking! As you’ve probably noticed, this issue of the magazine is really focusing on our western heritage and culture. Well, it doesn’t get any more western than Grandma’s Chicken and Noodles.

I am sure that all of you have your own family recipes that have been passed down through the generations, for me, that recipe is Chicken and Noodles. It’s the meal that we had on every holiday and every trip to see grandma, we knew what we would be eating for dinner.

Now to give you a little background, my grandma is from an old farm town in Ohio.

So she grew up eating whatever they could make with what her family had. Back then, this recipe wasn’t exclusively made with chicken, but with any kind of meat that the family could get a hold of. Sometimes it was Chicken and Noodles and sometimes it was Squirrel and Noodles, you just never knew

what you were getting. Thankfully, for you guys, I skipped this variation and stuck with chicken.

You might notice in the recipe below that the measurements aren’t exact. This is because this is one of those “adapt as you go” recipes. Depending on where you live, your dough might come out drier or stickier so you should balance your dough out accordingly. A quick note on the chicken, you can one hundred percent cook and boil a raw chicken for this recipe but it will add a couple of hours to your cooking time so if you have the time, go for it, but in this recipe, I cheated a little bit and used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Don’t tell grandma! Also, I didn’t include the recipe for the mashed potatoes, but it is a staple in grandma’s house to eat your carbs with more carbs, so it’s really non-negotiable. I should also briefly mention that this recipe shouldn’t scare you, I’m a pretty avid cook but have never made noodles before and this came out great the first time!

Enough chit-chat, let’s dig in! Below you will find the ingredients needed for this recipe, but please note that there are several ways to get to the end result and this recipe can be very much adapted to whoever is making it.

Cook Time

Ingredients

•• About an hour

•• A whole cooked

Equipment •• Big soup pot •• Rolling pin •• Pizza cutter

chicken

•• 3 eggs •• Salt/Pepper/Garlic Powder

•• 1 diced onion •• 5 cups of Chicken Broth •• 3 tablespoons of butter •• 2 ½ - 4 cups All•• 4-6 cups of mashed Purpose Flour (set aside 2 ½ tablespoons) •• 3 tablespoons of milk

potatoes (because there’s no other way to eat chicken and noodles)

Recipe •• Prepare your chicken. If you’re cooking it from raw, then go ahead and do that or shred your rotisserie chicken into a bowl and set it aside.

•• Let’s make a roux! Turn your soup pot on medium heat, then add your butter and diced onions.

•• Let the butter melt, then add in 2 ½ tablespoons of flour, and whisk together for 30-60 seconds or until your flour starts to smell nutty and is slightly brown.

•• Once your flour has cooked, add in your broth a little bit at a time, whisking as you go to prevent clumps. Keep adding the rest of your broth until combined. The end result should be a stew-like consistency.

•• Go ahead and dump your shredded chicken in the broth as well as salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

•• Turn your pot to medium-low and let simmer while preparing your noodles.

NOODLE DIRECTIONS

•• Crack your eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk

PRO-TIP: I used my with milk, then add a pinch of salt. hands and a fork to mix my noodle dough. You •• Slowly add your flour (½ cup at a time) and stir with a can definitely use a mixer fork until dough forms. I switched to mixing it with my hands but it’s not required. once it started sticking to the fork. You want to keep adding flour until your dough is no longer sticky. I stopped at about 3 cups of flour.

•• Once the dough wasn’t sticking to the bowl and everything was pretty well mixed together, prepare a floured surface and dump your dough out and knead it 2-3 times to make sure you don’t have any soft spots in your dough. Add more flour if it looks too sticky and adds more milk if it feels too dry and crumbly. Then form a rough ball.

•• Flour your rolling pin and start rolling out your dough. You want your noodles to be about ¼ in thick and your dough sheet should be 12 inches across.

•• Use a pizza cutter to make vertical cuts down your dough. Your noodles should be about a half-inch wide. Then make 3-4 horizontal cuts to make your noodles 3-4 inches long.

•• Bring your broth up to a boil and start dropping your noodles in a few at a time, making sure to stir as you go to prevent sticking. Keep adding until they are all in the pot and boil for 3 minutes until noodles are fluffy. Do the spoon test and grab a noodle for taste testing.

Your noodles should have a slight chew to them, but not be too tough or soft.

If your noodles are good to go then get yourself a bowl of mashed potatoes, top it with Grandma’s Chicken and Noodles, then grab yourself a chair because you’re going to need a nap after eating! Cheers, and enjoy!

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As Seen on Youtube

Influencers Bring Brands onto the Farm

Trevor Bales Partners with Forney Industries for Custom Projects on the Ranch Influencers are proving to be a great way for brands to reach new audiences, and Trevor Bales and his Bales Hay YouTube channel are showing exactly why. Trevor recently partnered with Forney Industries, and he’s already putting it to good use - producing custom metalworking projects on his farm.

In this case, he’s reproduced a custom

Farm and Ranch Metalworking Accessories

BY RACHEL BIGUM, FORNEY INDUSTRIES

THOSE IN THE FARM AND RANCH INDUSTRY

know that time is money. That’s why Forney Industries believes having the right tools to accompany your welder can save you crucial time.

Before you begin welding, prep your surface with Forney’s strip and finish discs. These powerful abrasives feature an open web design that helps the flow of heat within the disc to prevent clogging, in turn prolonging the life of the disc. These are essential for surfaces made of steel, stainless steel or aluminum, in preparation for painting, laying down beads or general maintenance. The durability of these discs will keep you from constantly replacing your abrasives, providing top of the line results each time.

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vice for his truck bed that he’s wanted for a long time.

The project involved everything from plasma cutters to custom welds, and Trevor was well equipped to pull it off - and he brought his audience along with him to see him pull it off. Without the support of Forney this project couldn’t get done.

The partnership between these two is

fitting given that Forney Industries continues to strengthen its position as one of the premiere metalworking tools, welding equipment and accessory brands in the farm and ranch industry. And Bales not only has a need for these Forney products, but he can continue to use the new equipment to develop content and create conversations in many future episodes.

The Forney 140 MIG welder offers many advantages for the farm and ranch community due to its durability and power.

If you notice excess spatter sticking to your nozzle, contact tips or work area while MIG welding, Forney’s silicone-free anti-spatter spray can help. This spray will save you the extra time of a difficult cleanup and keep your MIG gun free of excess spatter. To take it a step further, Forney’s nozzle gel will eliminate the erratic operation of your weld by providing a film that prevents clogging to the threads on MIG nozzles and contact tips. Being prepared for a successful welding project has never been so easy thanks to these important, yet often overlooked accessories.

Forney Industries carries hundreds of additional metalworking products. Visit forneyind.com or a local dealer near you to stock up on everything you need for a successful summer.

The Modern World Through the Perspective of a Cowboy Neil Dudley’s Podcast Combines Life, Business, and Wisdom for the Next Generation of Cowboys and Cowgirls What is the value of a dollar? That might be a touchy subject in this day and age, but it’s a question that comes up in every single episode of Neil Dudley’s podcast, The Cowboy Perspective. Even a simple question like that brings out some insightful answers from Neil’s guests - who range from rodeo superstars to company presidents and motivational speakers. We sat down with Neil to find out how the Cowboy Perspective came to be, balancing work life and content creation, and even a few of his favorite episodes so far.

BY JOSH MULL

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I’m Neil Dudley, host of The Cowboy Perspective podcast and bacon makin’, family lovin’, horse ridin’, cowboy extraordinaire.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF - WHO IS NEIL DUDLEY? But I started. And that’s why now, three years later, we’re having this conI am a fifth generation rancher in Central Texas. My family walked over versation, actually. from Arkansas, and found some property here - where we still live today.

Everybody always says, “Well, why are you doing this, Neil?”

We’ve had pieces of the property in the family for over 100 years. And we’ve I don’t know exactly. I think God’s leading me to do it. And so I do it. And been ranching and farming that property and making our living. My dad, his I love it. I love having conversations. I never was a radio guy. Every guest that dad, his dad before him - they made their living off the land. And I still do to a ever comes on the show is like “Man, that was easy.” Well, yeah, it is easy. certain extent.

We’re talking about your life, the things you know - you’ve lived it!

I used to crawl into my mom and dad’s bedroom as quietly as I possibly could WHAT IS THE COWBOY PERSPECTIVE? to try to sleep by my dad’s side of the bed. So when he got up, he had to step on I call the podcast that because I think nobody will ever steal it. It’s kind of me. And I would know and he couldn’t get out of the house without taking me like an easy way to get some good SEO. I want attention. I want fame, because with him. That’s just, it’s in my bones.

I want the chance to give people some value, right? I don’t want to be thought Ranching and horses are really the things of as just the brilliant guy who didn’t expect or I draw to the most. But I love building fence. I want a little fame or something - because I do. mean, that’s part of that cowboy perspective.

The cowboy perspective to me is salt of the My dad and those guys that raised me alongside earth. Do the right thing - every time, even when him, my mom, they taught me to find a passion in nobody’s looking. Make million dollar deals on a whatever you’re doing. handshake. That’s the kind of thing that I feel is It was obvious that my generation was not gotrue for me. And it’s true for those people that I ing to get to come back to the ranch and make a bring to light on the show - or even just know in living. There was my dad, and all of his brothers my life - that have an effect on me. and cousins - they were still running the ranch.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR SHOW And the ranch had not grown to a place where it THAT LISTENERS ARE RESPONDING can now handle all of those kids coming back and TO? WHAT DO YOU GET THE MOST supporting them. So we all knew we’re going to POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT? have to do something.

The truth is, I don’t get a lot of feedback. On So I rodeoed, I went to grad school, just floated every episode, I’m like, “hey, if it sucks, tell me.

•• Neil balances his time as a podcaster around with no real direction or no real idea If you loved it, share it with somebody.” I really with his job at Pederson’s Farm what I was going to do. Not even understanding don’t think anybody’s doing that. my awesome skill set. I mean, I had no clue I had a skill set that put me ahead of most people in business. I learned that over time.

I ended up being a leader, captain of the football team, leader on the basketball court, you know, President of the Rodeo Association, because as a kid, I was expected to take responsibility. So it just seemed natural to me.

HOW DID THE COWBOY PERSPECTIVE COME TO BE? So I really never read a book. I hated reading. I thought I knew everything.

So about 40 years old, I decided, oh, I need to get smarter.

I started paying attention to Gary Vee. I was just driving along listening to Gary Vee, and he says something like, “if you’re not podcasting your mind….”

So I drove straight to the office, bought mics, bought recorders, bought all the wrong stuff (I had to end up re buying it later).

With the Cowboy Perspective, what I do, it’s not it’s not real actionable. It’s more about stories, entertainment, and thought provoking. I’m not saying anything somebody has probably already heard some other time. Maybe this time they hear it on this platform, in this scenario, and it sticks.

So the podcast in that way is really me just trying to infiltrate everybody’s brain, put a little thing in there that they may use, they might not. It may be that it just comes to the forefront sometime down the road.

WHO’VE BEEN SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE GUESTS SO FAR? Randy Bernards, one of them. I just really liked that guy. He ran IndyCar for a little while. He was the president of the PBR. That’s why that is the golden nugget episode of all of mine. And it hasn’t gotten near the attention. cowboylifestylenetwork.com

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I think it’s partially because Randy’s kind of like a behind the scenes guy. He manages Garth Brooks now - I mean, this guy is connected! Big time!

He’s done lots of cool stuff in the PBR, that’s a great example of what cowboys can do. A bunch of bull riders built a sports property that is growing, valuable. Totally entertainment focused. You wouldn’t really think that would happen. But there were some bull riders who said, “Hey, we want to get paid more, we can do this better.

Let’s start something” And the Rob Rastavich episode - that’s a really, really good one.

It was cool to talk to Rob because he’s built tech companies. And he even says in the interview, “my life on the ranch gave me an advantage in tech, because I knew nobody could outwork me. If you think tech is hard, come with me for a couple of months, I’ll show you hard.

There are no days off on the ranch. There’s no such thing as vacation. There’s no such thing as not planning - if you want to crop next year, you better start thinking about that. Actually, you’re late if you’re just now thinking about that.

So it teaches you a lot of stuff that you can take into the business world and just kill with. But everybody has their own journey and they’re all fun. They’re all very beautiful.

WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART ABOUT PRODUCING A PODCAST LIKE THIS? So I would advise people that are going to do this - hire somebody to produce it. That’s what I did. I don’t have editing software. I’m not interested in learning that. I mean, I could, I can Google it. I can probably buy GarageBand, I could do this stuff. But I just hired a guy who’s now a close friend. He’s been helping me with it for three years. He’s a great asset. He’s never gone up on my price.

So the things I know are gonna be hard for me and stress me out, especially with all the other things going, I just take off the plate. I’m gonna just use money to solve

•• From farm to plate – or pen to pan, as it were – Neil’s work with Pederson’s Farms keeps consumers informed about their food

that problem. And that’s why you need money. It’s why you want to make a lot of money. Money gives you leverage.

That’s one of the questions you’ll hear a lot at the end of my episodes - what’s the value of $1?

Really, money is my opportunity. It’s my leverage. I have some money, I can pay somebody to do the production of this podcast. And I’m in charge of getting the guest, interviewing the guest, uploading the assets. And then I have a team that takes care of graphics and that kind of stuff.

I’m not a graphic designer. Luckily, we own a marketing agency. So I just feed this stuff into that agency.

At the end of the day,when I die, the podcast is there for my daughters to listen back to and think about. That’s how dad would have done it. Or these are some great conversations, or it’s fun just to hear his voice, it makes me feel good.

That is special to me. There’s a few videos of my granddad, I get to hear his voice and it just makes my heart feel good. So if this podcast only does that, I think I’ve done a great thing.

YOU ALSO BALANCE THE SHOW WITH YOUR DAY JOB AT PEDERSON’S FARMS - WHAT’S THAT LIKE? So I was the VP of sales. The president of Pederson’s has been my best friend since kindergarten. And we’re talking, and I’m like,” Man, I think it’s time for me to find a different role within the company.”

So we started the Pederson’s Farms Podcast, I’d love for people to go listen to that. If you want to know where your food comes from, if you really want to know the dirty gritty insight about everything about it, go listen to the Pederson’s Farms Podcast, we’re telling that story.

We tell the story through conversation with consumers. So we talk to people who eat our product. Also, people that buy our products, like grocery stores, restaurants distributors, and so on. We talk about vendors. We don’t do what we do without vendors, without people that help us provide labels, provide refrigeration service, provide insurance service, provide brokerage service. There’s an episode on there with a guy named Andy Epstein, who’s a broker for our products up in the new New York metro area. I think that’s a great episode, people should go listen to that. Like if you didn’t understand there’s stock brokers, insurance brokers, and food brokers, there’s your chance to learn.

•• What started as a friendship in kindergarten transformed into a thriving meat company

Do the right thing every time, even when nobody’s looking.

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AMERICAN MADE AMERICAN PROMISE

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In each edition, Cowboy Lifestyle Network features a talented rodeo photographer who deserves the opportunity to have her or his work showcased to a national audience. In this edition, we feature Mark deFabry of deFabry Photography in Reno, Nevada.

You can reach Mark at defabryphotography59@gmail.com or on Instagram at @defabryrodeophotography.

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B

A. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

-Les Brown

■■The worn fingers, with chalk and

tears of this glove, are of sentimental value. This glove has been along the journey of the rider’s highs and lows.

B. “You don’t follow your passion. You take it with you.”

- Mike Rowe

■■I loved capturing the intensity of the

rider to the pick-up rider assisting him to safety. The focus is on all eyes including the horses.

C. “Saddle up and follow your dreams.” Chris LeDoux

■■I loved capturing his facial expression

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to the motion of the fringe on his chaps. Pictured, Kody Lamb

D. “Dedication and commitment are what transfer dreams into realities.”

■■Cowboy up - I’m always amazed the riders’ competition is always there to help them out and root for them.

It’s the cowboy lifestyle. His fierce expression and intense focus say it all. Pictured, Kaycee Feild

E. “Every obstacle is an opportunity to become a stronger version of yourself.”

■■My eye was drawn to the cross as

he rides with faith and thinking of his upcoming ride.

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F. “Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” -Napolean Hill

■■Old School - I loved the gathering of cowboys and their expressions. The

anticipation of the rider hitting the ground where he ultimately walks away unscathed.

G. “Hold the vision, trust the process, be relentless.” -Unknown

■■From his expression of the grinding of his teeth to fellow riders cheering him on. It’s truly a friendly competition. Pictured, J.B. Mauney

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H. No matter what knocks you down in life, get back up and keep going. Great blessings are a result of great perseverance.” -Unknown

■■This shot captures the adrenaline and intensity of the rider getting back to safety with the help of the bullfighter.

I.

“True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful.” -Paul Sweeney

■■Going for it - as soon as that gate opens it’s game on.

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ark deFabry has an eye for photography. He’s got a passion and appreciation for the western lifestyle. Mark was born in Pasadena, California, and grew up in San Gabriel, California. He had an interest in photography starting from a young age and soon discovered that he loved it. Mark had the opportunity to shoot photography at some professional football games in Los Angeles, the Rams versus the Raiders as well as horse races at the San Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Mark eventually moved up to Reno, Nevada where he received an opportunity to shoot photography at the Reno Rodeo where he came to truly fall in love with the rodeo sport. Mark’s been doing photography for about 40 years and has been a photographer at the Reno Rodeo for about 13 years. From all aspects of capturing the western lifestyle, the love and the passion is there.

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Bucks for the Brave Recognizing heroes and their service

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owboy Lifestyle Network and A.E. Engine are proud to partner with Sportsman’s Choice & Record Rack Feed to help promote the Bucks for the Brave Heroes Hunt. This event takes place every Veteran’s Day Weekend and was created to support heroes, share their stories, and unite us all in honoring and recognizing their service to our great nation.

Each year, there is one winner from each of the five branches of the military, one retired law enforcement, one retired firefighter, and one retired EMT. Winners are chosen by a committee of Active-Duty, Veterans, and First Responders. The contest is open to anyone that falls within one of those categories and is no longer serving. The purpose is to bring these heroes together and give them back some of the camaraderie they’ve been missing. Winners will receive an all-inclusive, all-expense-paid hunting trip on Veterans Day Weekend, at Thumbtack Ranch in Batesville, TX. Last year, there were 16 heroes that were celebrated due to not being able to have the event in 2020, so it was a record year in many ways. Looking forward to this year’s event, Record Rack will be kicking it off with nominations for heroes opening on July 4th, 2022. and will close on September 11, 2022. Winners will be announced in October, with the hunt taking place November 11-15, 2022. You can learn more about Bucks for the Brave at SportsmansChoiceFeeds. com/bucks-for-the-brave.

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A. Retired Police Officer, Army Veteran, and 2021 Bucks for the Brave winner, John Baird B. Retired Army Veteran and 2020 Bucks for the Brave Winner, Tom Stone C. 2021 Bucks for the Brave Winner and Coast Guard Veteran, Randell Hall D. 2020 Bucks for the Brave Winner, Retired Law Enforcement and Marine Corp Veteran Patrick Burns E. Navy Veteran and 2020 Bucks for the Brave Winner, James Walker F. 2020 Bucks for the Brave Winner and Coast Guard Veteran, Jeff Mallory G. Group picture of the 2020 & 2021 Bucks for the Brave Winners along with Trinity Oaks and Record Rack volunteers.

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Heroes Hunt

to our great nation B

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BEHIND THE SCENES

This is How We Roll!

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Your friends at the Cowboy Lifestyle Network take you behind the scenes to a typical day covering the scene. Learn more about us at cowboylifestylenetwork.com A. Director of Social Media and Owner, Danny O’Donnell

covering a PBR event.

B. Danny at a “typical day at the office”.

C. Danny O’Donnell and his classic selfie taken with PBR

Rider and Producer, Cody Nance at Cody’s annual bull riding event.

D. From left to right, Aaron Kuhl - Chief Operating Officer,

Trevor Brazile, and Danny O’Donnell.

E. Editor in Chief, Krysta Paffrath covering Redding Rodeo

2021 in Redding California.

F. OD and Danny, along with Shelly Burns and members of

the Navajo Nation tour the Lucchese boot factory.

G. Cowboy Lifestyle Network has been a long-time supporter

of the Cowboy Downhill in Steamboat Springs.

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H H. Danny and OD touring the Navajo

Nation National Monument, Monument Valley.

I. OD in his favorite American Hat touring

the Navajo Nation.

J. Owners, OD and Danny O’Donnell

on-site at the PBR in Glendale, are always happy to pose and smile for the camera.

K. The CLN Event Crew at the Gilbert

Days Rodeo Parade in November of 2021. CLN is proud to promote and participate in events throughout Arizona and the country.

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