July 27th is National Day of the American Cowboy #DayOfTheCowboy and a day I am excited to celebrate. My family has been and are still #Cowboys. They still race horses and they still work on #farms. Today is a day to not only celebrate my family but ever single cowboy in the world. Did you know my favorite movie is 8 Seconds which is the life of Lane Frost my all time favorite Rodeo Roder but you should also watch The Longest Ride and Cowboy Up today as we celebrate #DayOfTheCowboy not only today but every day of your life.
National Day of the Cowboy, falls on the fourth Saturday in July. Which is July 27th, this year. National Day of the American Cowboy Day is here to prove to us that cowboy culture, despite the misconception that it has faded away over the years and been beaten down by the Information Age, is alive and well.
It wouldn’t be too outlandish to say that the National Day of the Cowboy movement got its real start when ranchers and cowhands first started working herds in the American West before all 50 States were even formed. Roping and riding, herding Cattle on horseback, living by the lariat on your saddle horn, and camping under a big, starry American sky.
These things were integral to the American cowboy experience. For a long while, other Countries’ perception of what Americans were like was exemplified by the ‘Marlboro Man’ image. A tall a stoic, soft-spoken, self-reliant master Cowboy of herd beasts and the wilderness. One bada… man ever man wanted to be and every women wanted.
Back in 2005, to make sure it stays that way, the organization National Day of the Cowboy (NDOC) sponsored a bill in the Wyoming House and Senate to preserve and celebrate cowboy culture and history in that State, attaching an eponymous holiday to be observed on the fourth Saturday in July. The bill passed and, since then, other States have passed NDOC in their legislatures. As of the end of July 2019, 15 States had passed the bill.
Since the beginning of NDOC’s political campaigning, they’ve raised awareness and enthusiasm for things including rodeos, cowboy history museums, and Country Fairs featuring roping demonstrations to make sure the cowboy image never dies. We’re in the cowboys corner, even if our only experience of the entire milieu comes from watching “Gunsmoke” and “The Rifleman.”
NDOC, the organization, shows no signs of slowing down. Cowboys operate under a corporate hierarchy, with a chairman, treasurer, and secretary at the top, all the way down to a cadre of committed volunteers at ground level. The grassroots movement is determined to pass NDOC in all 50 States and has steadily gained momentum since its start-up in 2005.
National Day of the Cowboy Activities
- Even the most scholarly and urbane of Americans must admit that it’s simply fascinating to watch bull-riding and steer-roping competitions. Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy in person this year by attending a Rodeo.
- There are some very well-curated museums preserving the history of the American West, including the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and The Cowboy Museum in Oakdale, California. Swing by and take a look! Don’t forget the Cowgirl Musuem in Fort Worth, Texas.
- Do some cowboy-themed web surfing and post on the socials using the hashtag #NationalDayOfTheCowboy.
AMAZING FACTS ABOUT BULL RIDING:
- Bull riding was made its own rodeo sport when 20 cowboys each chipped in $1,000 to found the Professional Bull Riders Association.
- A ride of eight seconds on the back of a bull qualifies the rider, with three ways to stop the clock: the rider’s free hand touching the Bull, his other hand coming out of the rope, or the rider touching the ground.
- A bull named Red Rock was never successfully ridden for eight seconds during his stint in professional rodeo, throwing off over 300 riders in the 1980s.
- There is a strict rule in professional Bull riding that no spurs, whips, or electric shocks of any kind are to be used before, during, or after a ride.
- Bull riding originated from ‘charreada’ ranching and riding-skills contests of Old Mexico, where the Bulls were literally ridden to death.
Why PEOPLE Love National Day of the Cowboy
- NDOC is representative of American history. NDOC is meant to preserve that heroic, adventuresome ideal of the pioneer and the rancher, who carved their own slices out of unclaimed land and increased their herds, which meant financial success as well. Other Countries have histories of Beef ranching, but the true Cowboy is a trope that is largely attached to the United States.
- In reality, the Wild West was dangerous, rough, and could be dark at times. On National Day of the Cowboy, it’s okay to watch films or read about Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickok, and all the legends of that era.
- We guess the best phrase to describe those who live, work, and play within Cowboy culture today is ‘true grit.’ Cowboys have it. Let’s celebrate true grit today.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
