March 13, 2024
What’s the intrigue? Is it rugged individualism, uniqueness, freedom, or mystery? People can appreciate it from afar or join right in and be part of it. The trends are not inclusive to only the authentic. Everyone can wear boots, throw on a denim jacket, buy a straw hat. Enjoy the feel and get a taste of the West.
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October 09, 2023
From the age of 8, PRCA Gold Card holder, Dave Wagner began accumulating buckles and saddles competing in timed-event and rough stock anywhere he could find to enter. He didn’t care what event it was. He just liked to win. Junior and Youth rodeos blended into High School rodeos, then College rodeos, and onto Open and Amateur rodeos. In 1975, at age 24, Dave got his Pro card, deciding to focus on bull riding. That decision produced 5 Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Championships -1976, 77, 78, 79, a...
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June 29, 2023
The week of July 4th, known as ‘Cowboy Christmas’, indicates a very lucrative week full of surprises and elation, tons of rodeos and oodles of money to be won. It's grueling and spectacular at the same time. Gift wrapped in expectations, adrenaline, and money. Even entering these rodeos has a sense of suspense and anticipation. The excitement of finding out when you’re up and what stock you draw is like waking up Christmas morning to see what’s under the tree!
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June 28, 2023
Looks and feel are significant considerations, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Handcrafted, all-leather boots have a tradition for quality. In an age where computerized assembly and synthetic materials are substituted to cut costs, master bootmakers know that hand-lasted boots, built one pair at a time, define quality. Price isn’t always the determiner on what to buy…How long do you want them to last? How comfortable do you want them to feel? ‘Handcrafted with pride’ are words that...
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March 24, 2023
Connolly Saddlery, in its 111th year of business, carries on its original promise of providing customers quality products and honesty about what it’s selling.
Nothing is more convincing than the simple unembellished word of a satisfied customer. “I got a pair of these last week, and they are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned in my life. They are awesome. Fit like a glove from day 1!!!”
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July 28, 2022
Cowboy symbols represent the cowboy spirit of independence and self-reliance. A cowboy lives what he believes and does not worry about conforming to anyone’s mold. Cowboys have substance, strength, and courage. Hats, boots, spurs, saddles, and horses are symbols of the culture and evidence hard work, horsemanship, and individualism. The cowboy spirit preserves the principles our country was founded upon. Their stories capture situations, motivations, and outcomes. Their stories have a profoun...
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July 23, 2022
The word cowboy denotes a lifestyle and is gender inclusive. It pertains to men, women, and children. Perhaps cowboy symbols and cowboy character are summed up best in this excerpt from American Cowboy Magazine, where they posed the question “Why Does America Need the Cowboy?”
“Every culture needs legends and heroes; the cowboy is one of America’s best. We see honor, hard work, strength, and freedom in the cowboy; we envy the simplicity of his long day’s labor and the wide-open spaces he roams.
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June 01, 2022
Lynda Ottun Memorial Barrel Race is all about helping others. “The tear in the eye of someone we have helped reminds us of Lynda's legacy and why we continue to work at this cause.” It tugs at your heart to read comments made about the barrel race: Good Job everyone, Congratulations. Wish I was there, hope to next year
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January 07, 2022
Everyone has their own style. Find yours. Every horse has their own unique style. Find it. Once you do perfecting it becomes much easier. Is there something you do every day that builds a stronger team for you? Is there something you do that builds a bond between you and your horse? Thoughtful affection is powerful.
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October 01, 2021
Ranch Rodeo is a team format of cowboys and cowgirls from different ranches competing against each other in events that replicate every day work done on a ranch. Contestants are working ranch hands and this is their way to relax and have a little fun after a hard day's work! This is a chance to showcase their talents.
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February 13, 2021
Horses and humans both generate their own body heat because they are warm-blooded. But horses have extra features that humans do not. Horse's possess a highly effective thermoregulation system that lets their hair create an insulating layer.
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