I am so glad I stumbled upon this thread. I moved to a 5 acre farm in 1976 in Flora Vista NM from LA CA as a 12 year old. The first grown man cowboy I met was named Joe Ulibari, a Mexican dude. He was the coolest, baddest, most awesome man I had ever seen. Full cowboy regalia, man and horse. I learned so much from him about what is means to be a cowboy. I also met many Navajo and Hopi cowboys. I also met a cowboy named Curtis, white man. He was a bullrider and all-around rodeo champ. My John Wayne ideal of him was fractured when our gang of young cowboys happened upon him tanning on his patio with a metal tan-shield in a white robe (with shorts, not a pedo!) It made me realize all the Hollywood stuff was BS. Cowboys are as you say, they are made in our own minds and express our own ideals of that vision. Thanks for writing this, and I can't wait to read more. I write about my cowboy-self at riclexel.substack.com
I am so glad I stumbled upon this thread. I moved to a 5 acre farm in 1976 in Flora Vista NM from LA CA as a 12 year old. The first grown man cowboy I met was named Joe Ulibari, a Mexican dude. He was the coolest, baddest, most awesome man I had ever seen. Full cowboy regalia, man and horse. I learned so much from him about what is means to be a cowboy. I also met many Navajo and Hopi cowboys. I also met a cowboy named Curtis, white man. He was a bullrider and all-around rodeo champ. My John Wayne ideal of him was fractured when our gang of young cowboys happened upon him tanning on his patio with a metal tan-shield in a white robe (with shorts, not a pedo!) It made me realize all the Hollywood stuff was BS. Cowboys are as you say, they are made in our own minds and express our own ideals of that vision. Thanks for writing this, and I can't wait to read more. I write about my cowboy-self at riclexel.substack.com