The Long Rope

For as long as people have owned cattle, other people have been stealing them. In the Old West, the consequence for anyone caught committing the crime was a tall tree and a short rope. States and territories developed various ways to discourage thievery, but as writer and photographer Carol Hutchison discovered, Texas created its own special ranger force to enforce agriculture ownership. Today, the tradition lives on, and every day, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger force tracks down cowboy criminals.

Youth Movement

Las Vegas Events Adds Junior NFR as Newest Event to Cowboy Christmas Lineup.

Cowboy Christmas Power Hours

Cowboy Christmas was once just a place to get some shopping done until the big show at the Thomas & Mack. Today, it’s a destination itself, featuring a full schedule of entertainment and events. Every afternoon, on the Rodeo Live presented by RODEO- HOUSTON® stage, jack-of-all-trades Western entertainer Flint Rasmussen and country music great Daryle Singletary host back-to-back talk shows where rodeo athletes, country music artists, and a few surprise guests get cozy with the crowd.

Trail Broke

Most cowboys rode the Chisholm Trail for adventure and money, but C.S. Robinson rode it for love.

The Last Prairie

Read deep into the journey through Oklahoma’s Osage country, where tallgrass and community are rooted in history.

Broken Barriers

Taylor Mason eases Spice into the roping box.

The Warrior Rides Again

FIVE-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO, IN JANUARY OF 2012, MARINE CORPS GUNNERY SGT. THOMAS McRAE STEPPED ON A 20-LB. IED.

Behind The Chutes

Rodeo secretaries keep the show running smoothly.

At Home With...

Charlie Daniels has a rich discography of Southern-themed, outlaw country, gospel, and patriotic albums. His latest, Night Hawk, fulfills a long-held goal of producing a record of cowboy songs.

The Grand Dame Of Cowboy Poetry

It’s Saturday morning at the 32 nd National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev., and the Ruby Mountain Ballroom is packed. The introductory applause has faded, but 91-yearold Elizabeth Ebert, “the Grand Dame of Cowboy Poetry,” in gold earrings and a navy blue pantsuit, is still pushing her way across the stage, two wrinkled hands on the walker, slightly stooped, a lariat of oxygen tubes peaking out from a small tank affied to the side. Seated behind her, fellow poets R.P. Smith and Yvonne Hollenbeck, soon to perform themselves, smile as though clued in to some inside joke.

At Home With...

Robert Duvall, 86, played Augustus McCrea as the most beloved character in Lonesome Dove and his legacy is as strong as ever in the cowboy culture. Duvall, who brought the character to life in the CBS miniseries 28 years ago, visited with our editor, Bob Welch, about what the iconic role meant to his career, and also shared some behind-the-scenes stories from the set.

By Chance

This cowboy artist is equally devoted to painting and rodeo.

The Heart Of Cowboy Camp

Lantern light illuminates a small dining area, creating a glowing oasis in the gray almost-light of early morning on the high desert of northern Nevada. Seven buckaroos sit around a long white table eating scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. After they eat, they saddle horses and trot out from camp to gather cow/calf pairs for the day’s branding.The cowboys have been camped out for several days, and they have several more weeks to go until all the work is done. The year isn’t 1885, though; it’s well into the 21st century. While modern technology has altered many aspects of ranching, camping with no electricity and cooking in a chuck wagon remains the most efficient way to complete the spring works on some big cattle outfits.