Don Murphy is well-known as an elite cow horse trainer, however his roots reach down into the ranching culture of the West Coast. Before training and showing was a sustainable business, he was cowboying in the steep hills of Northern California and embracing the traditions of vaquero horsemanship. His grandfather, Thomas Murphy, homesteaded near Mount Diablo and established a cattle ranch in 1873. Don Murphy was raised in the steep foothills, checking on cows and calves, roping steers and breaking colts. He was also learning the finer points of riding in the hackamore, two-rein and spade bit. After a few years in college and a short stint in the U.S. Army, he began working horses full-time during the late 1960s. As the reined cow horse industry grew, he trained and showed standouts such as Black Hawk Willie, RS Lilly Starlight and Bald N Shiney. During a career that spanned five decades, he trained 23 AQHA world and reserve world champions. He is also respected as a successful coach, helping both amateur competitors and professional trainers step up their game. Many horsemen agree that his savvy as a coach and a mentor stems from an understanding of how modern cow horse competition relates to traditional work done on a ranch.

Red Steagall has sung the praises of cowboys and the ranching way of life for decades. As a musician, songwriter, cowboy poet and radio and television personality, his pursuits as an entertainer consistently shine the spotlight on America’s Western heritage. He is the official Cowboy Poet of Texas, hosts the TV show “Somewhere West of Wall Street,” and continues to perform his Western music across the country. His passion for preserving the Western lifestyle can be seen in the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, his new book, Texas Red, and the soon-to-be-built Red Steagall Institute for Traditional Western Arts. For many years he joined the cowboy crews of the Four Sixes Ranch and the JA Ranch during spring works, which continued to inspire his poetry and songwriting. Here, he shares his story, which reveals the same type of perseverance, determination and work ethic that have shaped the American West. Thanks to our sponsors, the RA Brown Ranch October Sale, the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, and Farm & Ranch Candle Co.

Gary Morton has spent a lifetime working on cattle outfits throughout the West, most notably the legendary Bell Ranch in New Mexico. He also has established himself as a respected Western artist, painting scenes of working cowboys and beautiful landscapes of the American West (visit garymortonart.com). As a founding member and current board member of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, Morton has helped promote and preserve the ranching lifestyle for decades. Recently, he contributed to a new audio book, I’ll Drop You Off, which is a Christian devotional written by Kris Wilson. Learn more by sending an email to [email protected], or shop online at amazon.com

More Information on the Bell Ranch  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Ranch

Jeff Williams has been starting colts for big ranches for four decades. Some of those outfits have included the Beggs, Haythorn, King, Muleshoe and Spades. Williams started out as a cowboy on various West Texas ranches, but it didn’t take long for him to discover that starting colts was his passion. He has continued to day-work on cow-calf operations, and he has competed in roping and ranch horse events. However, starting colts under saddle is his focus, and many ranches trust him to put a solid foundation on their youngsters and train select prospects for elite ranch production sales. The Post, Texas, horseman has also influenced countless young men and women who have worked for him, and he has judged at numerous ranch horse shows, ranch rodeos, and colt starting competitions such as Road to the Horse.

At age 92, Boots O’Neal still gets horseback every day. The longtime Four Sixes Ranch cowboy was raised in West Texas and started working at age 15 in 1947. He has since hired on with legendary outfits such as the JA Ranch, Matador, Waggoner, Babbitts and now the Sixes. Despite encountering his share of broncy horses, snorty cows, merciless droughts, severe winter storms and visits to the emergency room — a couple of them recently — he has never wavered from his chosen occupation. He received the Working Cowboy Award from the National Ranching Heritage Center in 2018 and was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2023.

The devastating Smokehouse Creek Fire in 2024 scorched many family ranches in the Texas Panhandle, including an operation run by Jason Pelham. Despite dealing with many natural disasters, the longtime cowboy and rancher has remained devoted to the cowboy life for four decades. Pelham wasn’t raised on a ranch, but he stepped into the cattle business as a young man. He worked on the famous Spade Ranches for many years, but now he runs cows with his daughter and son-in-law. Here, he discusses wildfires, freezing weather, great horses, and impressive people who have shaped his life.

Special thanks to our sponsor, RA Brown Ranch and its Rancher’s Rendezvous event in March.

https://www.rabrownranch.com/upcoming-sale

Steve Friskup has watched ranch horses skyrocket in value during the past few years, playing a crucial role as the auctioneer at the most elite sales in the Western industry. In addition to working at prestigious auctions such as the Western Heritage Classic and Return to the Remuda, he is the CEO for Clovis Horse Sales in Levelland, Texas, a sale that attracts consignments from many cowboys and ranchers. Friskup also auctioneers at National Cutting Horse Association event sales. Swinging a gavel and selling horses has been his passion since he was a teenager growing up in Oklahoma, and today he is regarded as the top auctioneer in the Western performance horse industry. He also commands a large following on social media through his “Coffee with the Colonel” videos, which are viewed by thousands of Facebook users five times a week.

Donnell Brown mixes modern technology with deep-rooted ranching history on his family’s cattle operation in Throckmorton, Texas. The RA Brown Ranch is widely respected for its leading Angus genetics, world-class bull sales, champion Quarter Horses and close family ties. Donnell explains how his family’s rich history, innovative business endeavors and traditional values guide the Browns into the 21st century. 

Sponsor Ag-Gear "Outerwear For The Toughest Days".  15% Discount code COWBOYLIFE

www.aggear.com

Along For The Ride Symboisim January 16, 17, 18 

SouthPoint Hotel Las Vegas

www.alongfortheride.pro 

Thomas Saunders V has left his mark on all arenas the cowboy lifestyle, working as a cattle rancher, colt starter, movie wrangler and stock contractor. His drive is fueled by the legacy left by generations of Saunders before him, who spearheaded cattle drives in the late 1800s, cultivated the early beef market in the Fort Worth Stockyards, and established a ranch in Weatherford, Texas, that still operates today. Great stories of the great western lifestyle photographer David Stoecklein getting his start shoting Texas Cowboys.

Thank you Ranching Heritage Association 

www.ranchingheritage.org

Wild cow catcher Travis Ericsson describes the thrill of roping feral cattle in rugged country. It’s a skill and a passion he inherited from his father, legendary Arizona cowpuncher Dave Ericsson. Travis’ cowboy career also includes training rope horses, competing in rodeo and raising cattle in desert country.

Broken Arrow Crop Insurance

Perryton TX

Jason Schickedanz (979) 229-1481