This Week in the West

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

As they traveled thousands of miles by steamboat, keelboat, and on foot, Bodmer captured the world of the upper Missouri in stunning detail. His portraits of the Omaha, Mandan, Minatarre, Sioux, and Assiniboine peoples are celebrated for their humanity and precision, offering an irreplaceable visual record of cultures that were soon devastated by disease and displacement. Despite hardships that included freezing paints and dangerous travels, Bodmer produced hundreds of sketches and watercolors that became the foundation for Travels in the Interior of North America, published in the 1840s.

After returning to Europe, Bodmer continued to paint and eventually inspired artists like Claude Monet. Though he died in relative obscurity in 1893, his legacy endures in his 81 aquatints—works that remain among the most important artistic and ethnographic documents of the American West. Through his eye and hand, the frontier lives on in color, compassion, and truth.

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🤠This Week in the West

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Her talent and grit made her the first woman many Americans called a “cowgirl.” Performing alongside names like Will Rogers, Mulhall redefined the role of women in rodeo and Western entertainment. She became a headliner at events across the U.S. and abroad, competing at the inaugural Calgary Stampede and even leading her own rodeo troupe—Lucille Mulhall’s Roundup—at a time when few women owned or managed such enterprises.

Mulhall’s legacy extended beyond the arena. Her independence and tenacity paved the way for generations of women in rodeo and the Western arts. Though her life ended tragically in 1940 near her family ranch.

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🤠This Week in the West

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As Kesler’s career evolved, he recognized that rodeo was becoming more organized and professional. He saw the need for consistent, high-quality livestock that would challenge riders and thrill audiences. Transitioning from competitor to stock contractor, he began breeding and raising his own line of broncs and bulls—animals selected for strength, stamina, and the instinct to buck. By the 1950s and ’60s, his operation was supplying stock to major rodeos across North America, helping transform rodeo into the sport fans know today.

Kesler’s influence endures through the professional standards he helped establish for stock contracting—an essential, yet often overlooked, part of rodeo. His legacy stands alongside industry greats like Cotton Rosser and the Beutler family, and his induction into both the ProRodeo and National Rodeo Halls of Fame cements his place as one of rodeo’s founding fathers. As announcer Bob Tallman put it, Kesler embodied what rodeo is all about: grit, honesty, and excellence earned the hard way.

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🤠This Week in the West

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Murray’s rise was meteoric. He joined the PRCA at 18, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1988, and by 1989, he became the youngest cowboy ever to win the All-Around World Championship. He went on to tie Jim Shoulders’ record of six consecutive titles and later surpassed his mentor, Larry Mahan, with a seventh in 1998. Known for his courage, he repeatedly faced legendary bulls like Bodacious and Red Wolf, enduring broken bones and dislocated shoulders while creating some of the sport’s most iconic moments.

Beyond the arena, Murray helped shape modern rodeo by co-founding Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) in 1992, elevating bull riding to a global sport. Even after retiring in 2002, he continued to promote the sport as a commentator, celebrity competitor, and ambassador. Inducted into both the National Rodeo Hall of Fame and PBR’s Heroes & Legends, Ty Murray remains a symbol of grit, humility, and the enduring spirit of the cowboy.

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🤠This Week in the West

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When World War II began, Autry set aside his Hollywood stardom to serve as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the war, he returned to the screen, launched his own production company, and continued a remarkable music career that included holiday classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Here Comes Santa Claus. His recordings have sold more than 100 million copies, and he has become forever linked with Christmas traditions.

Autry was more than an entertainer—he was a businessman, rancher, rodeo stock contractor, and the founding owner of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. He left behind Melody Ranch, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the distinction of being the only person with stars in all five categories of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His influence on Western film, country music, and American popular culture remains unmatched.

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🤠This Week in the West

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Clark’s verse captured the rugged independence, loneliness, and beauty of Western life. His first published poem, Ridin’ (1907), quickly resonated with readers, and his collection Sun and Saddle Leather cemented his reputation as a voice of the plains. His work combined simple language with deep insight, making it accessible to both cowboys on the range and urban readers fascinated by the West.

Later in life, Clark returned to South Dakota and lived in a cabin in Custer State Park, where he wrote and welcomed visitors for three decades. His poetry not only preserved the cowboy experience but also shaped how generations imagined the American West—an enduring contribution to both literature and cultural identity.

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🤠This Week in the West

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Don Gay’s career was marked by unmatched dominance in professional bull riding. After joining the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as a teenager, Don quickly rose to prominence, earning eight world championships between 1974 and 1984—a record that still stands. His legendary 97-point ride on the bull Oscar, and his performance in the only sudden-death ride-off in National Finals Rodeo history, cemented his place in rodeo lore. He was known not only for his skill but also for his work ethic, even flying himself to rodeos to maximize his competitive schedule.

Though he retired from riding in 1989, Don Gay remained a vital figure in the rodeo world through business, broadcasting, and promoting the sport. He founded the Don Gay Bull Riding Tour and became a beloved commentator on networks like ESPN and The Cowboy Channel. His lifetime of contributions has been recognized by multiple halls of fame. The episode closes with one of Don’s favorite reflections—reminding listeners that the “bumps” in life are often what keep us riding forward.

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🤠This Week in the West

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The idea found its home in Oklahoma City, when the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum agreed to host the first exhibition. By coin toss, the new organization was named the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, and on September 11, 1999, its debut exhibition transformed saddles and spurs into gallery-worthy works of art. The show’s success cemented the TCAA’s role as a bridge between craftsmanship and fine art.

Over the years, the TCAA has grown beyond exhibitions to become a hub for mentorship, education, and preserving traditions for future generations. Now celebrating more than 25 years, the TCAA continues to showcase the artistry of the West while ensuring its heritage is carried forward through skill, creativity, and community.

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🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

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Lucas dominated the rodeo scene throughout the 1920s and 1930s, winning major competitions at Madison Square Garden and Cheyenne Frontier Days. Earning today’s equivalent of nearly $300,000 in prize money, she cemented her reputation as one of the greatest female riders in history. Even a devastating injury at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair couldn’t keep her out of the arena, as she continued to perform with her arm in a cast. Her grit and success elevated women’s roles in rodeo, paving the way for future generations.

Beyond her competitive career, Lucas played a lasting role in rodeo history. She co-founded the Girls Rodeo Association in 1948, served on leadership boards, and became the first woman inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame. Her legacy lives on through the Tad Lucas Award, presented annually at the Museum to honor women who uphold Western heritage. Tad Lucas not only entertained millions but also reshaped the role of women in rodeo, leaving a mark that still inspires today.

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🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Deming’s artistic journey took him from Illinois to the Art Students League in New York, to Paris’s Académie Julian, and back to the American West, where he sketched and painted Native cultures with accuracy and care. He lived with tribes such as the Crow, Sioux, and Blackfoot, recording their traditions while also building trust through shared experiences. His approach brought dignity to his subjects and preserved cultural details that were disappearing during rapid westward expansion.

Beyond painting, Deming became known for large-scale murals and sculptures, including a major series for the American Museum of Natural History’s Plains Indian Hall. His art was displayed in major institutions across the country, and one work even appeared on a U.S. postage stamp. From cycloramas to camouflage training in World War I, Deming’s career spanned many disciplines, but his lasting contribution remains his empathetic, respectful depictions of Native American life.

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🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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