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 The 28th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

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The 28th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

The 28th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering took place January 30 to February 4, 2012, in Elko, Nevada.  This year’s theme was Southwest Ranch Country.  The programs focused on the southwestern United States, specifically Arizona and New Mexico, states that are celebrating their centennials this year.

This theme was highlighted at the exhibition that opened in the Western Folklife Center's Wiegand Gallery during the Gathering.  The exhibit, on display from January 24 to September 8, 2012, features photography by Kurt Markus of Kalispell, Montana and Jay Dusard of Douglas, Arizona.  Their portraits of working cowboys of the American Southwest and its majestic sweeping landscapes capture the flavor of the ranches of the Southwest.  Also displayed is handcrafted gear made by some of the region's master craftsmen, including braiders, silverworkers, weavers, and leatherworkers. This exhibition depicts ranch-related craftsmanship and brings together some of the finest Southwest artists and the work they enjoy doing as either occupation or sideline.  During the Gathering, the gallery featured slide shows and gallery tours by Jay Dusard and Arizona cowboy poet Ross Knox, and leatherwork demonstrations by master saddle makers Don Butler, Bob Park, and Andy Stevens. 

In addition to the Southwest Ranch Country exhibition, the Gathering presented poets, writers, and musicians from the region, as well as more than a dozen workshops and panel discussions focused on regional food, gear making, culture and contemporary ranching issues.  Participants have the opportunity to be taught new skills, explore and gain knowledge of meaningful and interesting topics, and have a chance to meet artists and performers and others who share similar interests.

A perennial favorite is the Rawhide Hobble Braiding workshop with Nevada buckaroo Doug Groves.  In this four-day workshop the students learn all aspects of rawhide braiding from the harvest of a suitable cowhide through the string-making process, to the finished product that this year was a set of rawhide hobbles.

Another popular workshop was Traditional vs. Contemporary Hat Making with master hatmaker Roy Jackson, of Jaxonbilt Hat Co., Salmon, Idaho.  Participants of this three-day workshop learned the art and craft of hat making without machines using methods that have changed little since the 1800s.

A set of discussion groups that highlighted the very important and current problems of the southwest began with a session called A Border Runs Through It: The Southwest that included panel members Jim Griffith, Gary Nabhan, Thomas Sheridan, and Gail Steiger.  The title for the session was taken from Jim Griffith’s book of the same name.  In this session, the problems facing “border” states were addressed.  Borders mentioned were not only the obvious international border with Mexico, but state, federal, and tribal borders, as well as cultural borders.  Landowner associations were seen as one way of bringing diverse people to a compromise with bureaucratic functions.  A number of current problems such as illegal drug traffic and environmental regulations were discussed and solutions were suggested.

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Two more associated discussion groups were Crossing Boundaries: Ranching in the 21st Century Parts 1 and 2, a 2 1/2 hour session including panel members William McDonald, Pat O’Toole, Sharon O’Toole, Thomas Sheridan, Kent McAdoo, and Meghan Brown.  The moderator was Thomas Sheridan. Nevada Humanities, Jennifer Speers, and Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group sponsored the sessions.

On Wednesday February 1, Cowboy Poets performed at the Elko Convention Center for 1,900 area school children. Hal Cannon, founding Director of the Western Folklife Center, says that the demographic age of the people who attend the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering has always been the same as his age. He was born in 1948. Encouraging participation by young people is aimed at changing this.

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The Western Folklife Center is a regional nonprofit organization that produces the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The mission of the Center is to “enhance the vitality of American life through the experience, understanding, and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the American West.” 

Visit www.westernfolklife.org for more information about the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering and the Southwest Ranch Country exhibition.  Call 775-738-7508, toll-free 888-880-5885, or stop at the Western Folklife Center, 501 Railroad Street, Elko, Nevada.

Article by:  Mike Laughlin
Photos by Lee Raine

    E-mail:  mikelaughlin@hotmail.com  


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  • Home
    • Web Site Design >
      • Privacy Policy
    • Links
  • Gear
    • Jeff Hanson Saddles
    • Pistol River Saddlery
    • Cowboy Gear - Tips and Tricks: >
      • Three-Way Hobbling
      • Piggin' String
      • Stirrup Hobbles
      • Tying Your Rope Up
      • Buckaroo Scarf Knot
      • Cowboy Night Latch
      • Cut-away saddle pad
      • Center-firing your Cinch
      • Pack Saddle Latigo Safety Knot
      • Quick Keeper
      • Tire Changer Aid
      • Safety Tie-Up
      • No Roll Saddle Stand
    • Saddle Makers >
      • Wade Saddle History
      • Don Howe Working Cowboy Saddle Maker
      • Hamley and Co.
      • Bill Maupin
    • Spurs >
      • E.F. Blanchard Spurs >
        • How to tell authentic Blanchard spurs.
        • More Blanchard Spurs
      • Garcia Bits and Spurs
      • Amozoc Spurs
      • Prison Made Spurs
      • Adolph Bayers Spurs
  • Arts
    • Poetry >
      • Cowboy Poetry by Gary Vorhes
      • Charlotte Thompson Poetry
      • Mike Meaux Poetry
      • Audrey Hankins Poetry
      • Carole Jarvis Poetry
    • Rodeo Photos
    • Cowboy Photos
    • Horse Photos
    • Cattle Photos
    • Gear Photos
    • Dogs and Animals Photos
    • Reminders of the Past Photos
    • Windmill Photos
    • People Photos
    • Ready to Rodeo
    • Books by Dale Woolley
  • Horses
    • Diamond Z English Shire Horses
    • 5 Tips for Traveling
    • Harnessing A Team
    • The Dameles and the Curly Horse
    • Rounding Up Wild Horses
    • Extreme Horse Camping
    • First Pull on the Latigo
    • Twister Heller Starts a Colt
    • Cowboy Martingale
    • Cowboy Training Halter
    • Cowboy & Colt Clinic
    • Using the McCarty
    • Teach a Horse to Stand
    • Cowboy Draw Reins
    • War Knots >
      • Tying War Knots
    • Tail Knot for Pack Horses
    • Cavvy Marks
    • Deworming Your Horse
    • Safe Fall Trail Riding
    • Horse Remedies
    • Hormone Implant
    • How to buy a mule
  • Brands
    • Brands II
  • Chuckwagon
    • Dutch Ovens
    • Recipes
    • Sourdough >
      • Grant's Sourdough
    • Cowboy Coffee
  • Articles
    • Grubbing Hoe Ranch
    • Trevor and Emily Fuhriman
    • Land of Extremes
    • Jersey Valley Cattle Co
    • Diamond Tail Ranch
    • Gang Ranch of British Columbia
    • TS Ranch of Nevada
    • When the TS Ran a Wagon
    • IL Ranch
    • Basque Ranching
    • Crystal Rose Cow Dog College
    • Wyoming Honor Farm Inmate/Wild-Horse Program
    • Cowboy Etiquette
    • Arizona Trigger
    • Longhorn Cattle
  • Stories
    • For the Love of a Horse
    • Breakheart Station Master
    • Freighters Outbound
    • DK Cowboy Stories: A Prophet With Antlers
    • Ben's Trail
    • Spendin’ Time at Cow Camps
    • Slewfoot The Black Bear
    • Orphan Boy
    • Mooney's Stories - The Circle A Ranch of Nevada >
      • Cotton the Horse
      • Wigwam, the Wrangle Horse
      • Spanish Ranch 1
      • Spanish Ranch 2
      • Spanish Ranch 3
      • Spanish Ranch 4
      • Miss Beymer’s Boyfriend by Bill Mooney
      • Recollections by Bill Mooney
      • Branding out of a Rodear on the Spanish Ranch, Part 1
      • Branding out of a Rodear on the Spanish Ranch, Part 2
      • C Ranch
    • Wild Horse Casey >
      • ​A Dirty Ole Mustanger Like Me
    • Hero Cattle Dogs
    • Ranching Traditions
    • Life Lessons
    • Dave’s Summer Adventure
    • Fire-Proofing the Range
    • Cowboy Superstitions
    • Cowboy Humor
    • Portrait of a Cowboy >
      • Cowboy Obstricition
    • Tons of Silver
  • History
    • Horseshoe Ranch
    • Andrae - Marvel Nevada Oral Histories
    • Texas 6666 Ranch Historical Photos
    • Gerlach Cattle Company 1906
    • Cattle Roundup Photos
    • Cowboy Historic Photos
    • Sheepcamp
    • Comstock Lode
    • Pony Express
    • Horn Iron
    • Historic Sites
  • Cowboy Profiles
    • Victoria Jackson
    • Flying M Ranch Women's Team
    • In the Big Nevada Desert
    • Mike Laughlin, Cowboy
    • Bob Tanner
    • Bill Kane
    • Wally Blossom
    • Ian Tyson The Legend
    • Allie Bear
    • Marge Prunty
    • Bryan Neubert Cowboy Clinician
    • Rex Blackwell
    • Wiley Carroll - Legendary Hunter
  • Glossary
    • Horse Terms
    • Cattle Terms
    • The People & The Land
    • Saddles and Gear
    • Personal Gear
  • Cowboys of the World
    • Cowboys of the Dark Continent
    • Scrubber Running
    • The Day it Nearly All Ended
    • The Goring
    • Horse Breaking
    • Honduras
    • Mexico