Cultured Cowgirl

Denley Norman of Lusk, Wyoming, a respected horseman and ranch hand, was killed on July 27 from injuries sustained in a horse accident. (Photo by Lisa Norman)

In my job I meet and interview a lot of horsemen–some part of popular horse culture and the arena, and others content staying in the brush, out of the public’s eye. Denley Norman fell somewhere in between, but more toward the latter category.

I first watched Denley compete on the Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. team at ranch rodeos sanctioned by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association about seven years ago. He was never the big hero or top hand on the team, but he was a dependable team player, consistently there to help get a job done efficiently. And he always had a smile and seemed to have fun in the process. You couldn’t help but cheer for him.

In 2006, I was assigned to write a story on Denley’s wife, Lisa, who is an artist and photographer and had just published a coffee-table book titled Haythorn Land & Cattle Co.: A Horseman’s Heritage. (You can see that article, “Chronicle of Cowboy Life,” in the March 2007 issue). I stayed two days with the Normans at their home on a section of Haythorn ground near Keystone, Nebraska. Their life was so wholesome, simple and pure, almost storybook in an old-fashioned sense. There were no televisions in the house. Denley and Lisa’s young daughters, Kate and Carly, played outside and did their little chores after school, as kids should. When Denley returned home from working cattle, the girls were happy to see him, running into his arms and asking when they could ride their horses next. Dinner was eaten at the table together, and the family spent the rest of the evening reading, singing and making music, working on arts and crafts, or just being together as a family. I remember feeling so content and creative from a lack of technological stimuli, and thinking how this lifestyle was a reflection of both Denley and Lisa’s upbringing and a testament to their strong faith and value in family.

After more than 14 years working on the Haythorn, the Normans moved to the 4-3 Ranch in Lusk, Wyoming, where Denley trained horses for the public and was starting his own cattle herd. On Thursday, July 27, Denley sustained fatal injuries in a ranching accident. He was sorting cattle in the pens with three other cowboys. While moving the cattle up an alley into the pens, his horse reared up, lost his balance and fell backward on Denley. One of the other cowboys, Darin Hanson, was an EMT and immediately administered CPR, but could not revive the fallen cowboy. Funeral services were held in the Lusk High School auditorium on July 30, and Denley was laid to rest in the local cemetery.

Denley is the subject of this painting by Oklahoma artist Mikel Donahue, called "Haythorn Hand." Mikel send me a copy of the painting a couple of years ago and it's always held a special place on my wall. Now it's even more important, knowing it's a depiction of Denley.

Raised on ranches in New Mexico, Denley became a cowboy like his father. Only 44 years old at the time of his death, he lived a full life as a son, brother, horseman, husband and father. Before landing at the Haythorn, he worked on the Bell Ranch in Oklahoma, and the Kendrick and Padlock ranches in Wyoming. He and Lisa met in Wyoming, married in 1991 and went to work for Buster Welch in Texas.

Denley was a soft-spoken, humble man, who always wore his shirts buttoned to the top and sometimes had his jeans cuffed on the bottom. He’d just as soon listen and observe than speak and show off. Horses were his livelihood, and he was a perpetual student of horsemanship, always working to refine his techniques and find better ways to create versatile, handy ranch horses. His quiet mannerisms and hours of study and observation didn’t go unnoticed on the ranch or in a ranch rodeo or Ranch Horse Association of America competition. He also enjoyed teaching his daughters to ride. He was compassionate, expressing concern for others, including myself when I went through a trying time last fall.

Respected by ranch hands throughout the West, Denley will be missed but never forgotten by those whose lives he touched. I remember the last time I spoke to Denley. He told me how difficult it was to make a living as a horseman, but it was really what he felt he was meant to do. I grieve for his family and the loss of a great horseman. But I take comfort in knowing that Denley rode away to greener pastures, quietly and peacefully, as any cowboy would want to do.

Condolences and memorials can be sent to Lisa Norman, 251B Greasewood Road, Lusk, WY 82225. A trust fund has been established for Kate and Carly through Wells Fargo Bank. For information on contributing to the fund or to leave a message for the family, visit denleynorman.blogspot.com.

-Jennifer Denison

Nearly six years ago, the Western Horseman staff sat down around a table together and began planning our 70th anniversary issues. What stands out most to me about that meeting wasn’t a particular article idea, but rather a comment from A.J. Mangum, who was editor at that time. “Before long we’ll be planning the 75th anniversary, so we should probably start thinking about that, too.” At the time, the 75th anniversary seemed so far away. But tonight, after years of painstaking planning, Western Horseman kicked off one of the most significant milestones in the magazine’s long history.

An estimated 150 people–a mix of staff, Western artists, horse-industry influentials and readers arrived at Latigo Trails Equestrian Center in Elbert, Colorado, the staging area for the long-awaited Western Horseman Celebration and Ride. The three-day event includes a mixer, trail ride at the United States Air Force Academy, a dinner and Michael Martin Murphey concert, and a clinicians’ round-table discussion. It’s been more than a year since the magazine’s headquarters moved from my home state of Colorado and moved to Fort Worth, Texas, so it’s sentimental–and even a little emotional–to once again feel its presence and heritage in its longtime home.

An all-star lineup of past and present magazine staff and trainers and clinicians turned out for the night’s mixer. We didn’t have a red carpet to roll out, but a concrete entry into the indoor arena area, seemed to be a more appropriate platform to showcase our guests as they entered. Bob Avila, Martin Black, Jack Brainard, Craig Cameron, Doug Carpenter, Chris Cox, Al Dunning, Marty Martin, Robert Miller, DVM, and Curt Pate were among the horsemen mingling in the crowd. Readers, such as Joe and Connie Vara, from Chappell Hill, Texas, took advantage of the chance to meet the “celebrities” they read about in the magazine.

“Where else would you see all these guys together in one room,” said Joe who competes in Stock Horse of Texas events.

Joe and Connie Vara traveled to the Western Horseman 75th Anniversary Celebration and Ride from Chappell Hill, Texas.

Making information from top horsemen accessible to our readers has–and continues to be–a priority for the Western Horseman staff. Bringing some of the best horsemen together to meet readers seemed impossible not that long ago, considering the trainers’ and clinicians’ travel schedules. But that’s the power of Western Horseman, you can’t help but want to be a part of it.

–Jennifer Denison

The Silver State Stampede is the oldest rodeo in Nevada.

“So, what brings you to Salt Lake City,” the airport shuttle driver asked me while muscling my many bags and camera cases into the vehicle.

“Actually, I’m headed to Nevada for a weekend getaway,” I replied.

“Vegas and Reno both have airports. Why in the world would you fly here?” he wondered.

This is an all too familiar conversation I have with shuttle drivers each time I go to Nevada. It’s a logical assumption that I’m traveling to Vegas and Reno, as most Nevada-bound vacationers make those cities their destinations. But this cowgirl is not like most. The sagebrush-dotted high desert of northern Nevada calls my name.

When I told the shuttle driver I was headed to Elko, he furrowed his brows and said, “Why?”

I could tell he just didn’t get it and this conversation would go nowhere, so I replied, “Oh, just to attend a little rodeo,” and left it at that.

That little rodeo was the Silver State Stampede, held July 8-10, at the Elko County Fairgrounds. The oldest rodeo in Nevada, the Silver State Stampede was started by legendary bit and spur maker G.S. Garcia in 1913. The gear maker’s legacy continues at the rodeo, with winners of each event receiving a pair of ornate Garcia spurs.

I’d heard buzz about this rodeo for years, so I decided to pack my bags and take a little trip to see what it was all about. The event offered all the slice-of-life charm I appreciate from a small-town rodeo, and surprisingly attracted some of the top competitors in the PRCA. But the rodeo’s wild, Old West ways made it a real cowboy’s rodeo in my mind.

Since 2003, the Silver State Stampede has differentiated itself from other PRCA-sanctioned rodeos by adding ranch bronc riding to its lineup of events. The contest brings 20 working cowboys and buckaroos, mostly from Idaho, Oregon and Nevada, off the their remote ranches and into town to vie for a stash of cash and prizes. It also draws huge local crowds who know and respect these hands, and come primarily to see them compete. Unlike PRCA saddle-bronc riders, Old West bronc riders use their everyday working saddles and can hold on to a rope or nightlatch. That doesn’t give them much advantage though against stock contractor Wally Blossom’s rank, reservation-raised broncs.

Eli Burr won the ranch bronc riding. "I ride each bronc as an individual," he says. "I ususally don't remember one from the other."

This year, the Western States Ranch Rodeo Association (wsrra.org) sanctioned the Old West Bronc Riding. The WSRRA will hold its inaugural championship event this November in Winnemucca, Nevada. Cowboys have competed all year, trying to earn points to qualify for the finals, which I’m told is going to be a great event.

Western Horseman sponsored the bronze trophy at the Silver State Stampede for the Old West Bronc Riding, which is appropriately a cast of Frederic Remington’s sculpture Bronco Buster. The trophy will remain on permanent display at an undetermined venue in Elko, and each year the winner of the bronc riding will have his or her name added to it.

I proudly presented the trophy to this year’s winner, Eli Burr, a buckaroo on the Y-3 near Jackpot, Nevada. Burr, who also won the contest in 2003, scored 73 points in the first round and an 82 in the championship round. He took home a pair of Garcia spurs donated by J.M. Capriola Co., a trophy buckle from Skyline Silversmiths and more than $1,000. Pretty good money to supplement cowboy wages.

A friend described Burr to me as a “bedroll” cowboy, and it fits him to a tee. Raised in Victor, Idaho, he set out to buckaroo right out of high school, working on outfits in Nevada, Oregon and Utah. Moving from ranch to ranch was a way of life for many years, but now the 27-year-old cowboy says he’s reaching a point in his life where he’d like to stay put for a while. However, he added, he still likes to see different places.

“When I started out all I had was a single-cab pickup and a bedroll, so it was easy to pack up and go to the next place,” he says. “Now I have a crew-cab pickup, stock trailer and five horses, which makes it more of a hassle to move.”

I had the honor of presenting Eli Burr with a bronze sponsored by Western Horseman. The trophy will remain in Elko, and Burr's name will be added among the other bronc-riding winners.

His entire life, Burr aspired to be a working cowboy and bronc rider. He competed in saddle bronc riding in high school, but had limited success. Once he discovered ranch bronc riding, though, where he could ride in his ranch saddle, he was hooked. It’s hard for a working cowboy to leave his duties on the ranch, but Burr tries to hit as many ranch bronc riding competitions as he can. The contests have become popular in Idaho, Oregon, California and Nevada, so there are plenty of opportunities for ranch cowboys to meet for some friendly competition, showcase their skills and win some extra gear and money.

Besides the Old West Bronc Riding, the Silver State Stampede also has a team-branding competition, mutton busting for the kids, a trade show, and a live band and dance each night. At the conclusion of each round, the “Ring of Fear”  is held. Those brave (or crazy!) enough to enter, go into a pen where a bull is turned loose. Each contestant stands inside a flour circle and “battles” the bull till there’s only one person left standing in his or her circle. I’d never seen anything like this and was standing on my chair to rise above the crowd to see it. What a way to end an already action-packed rodeo!

The Silver State Stampede exceeded my expectations, and was a good reminder that in this age of pyrotechnics and stage-show rodeos, there’s still a bit of the real West left. I just have to go to Elko to find it.

~Jennifer

R.W. Hampton

Cowboys are a patriotic set. Attend any rodeo or horse event, and there’s always a grand entry with flags flying and time set aside to recognize the different branches of the military and to pay tribute to the United States with the national anthem. You see flags on trucks and trailers, shirts, chaps and saddle blankets. Strands of red, white and blue are woven into everything from fringe and hatbands to horses’ tails. As I celebrated Independence Day this weekend, I took a moment to think about what makes cowboys so loyal to their country, and I asked the cowboys in my life for their opinions.

The obvious conclusion is that the cowboy icon originated in America, although his gear and methods come from a melting pot of horse cultures. His presence and influence, thus that of America, is sought worldwide.

Many of our country’s cowgirls and cowboys, including my own father, at one point in their lives have had to hang up their spurs, leave their home ranges and go to foreign lands to defend our country and its freedoms in combat. It’s those who were able to return and ride again, as well as those who left empty saddles behind, that we owe gratitude on this day and every day.

I also believe that cowboys feel freedom on a deeper level than most people. Few jobs allow a man (or woman) to work solo in wide-open spaces, far from any town or technology, relying only on himself and his horse. He senses the vastness felt by the American Indians and pioneers, the freedom represented by an eagle floating on the wind and a close connection to the the land, animals and the cyclical rights between seasons. There’s a fundamental freedom to his job that captivates most of us who make our livings behind desks.

Just in time for the Four of July, cowboy singer R.W. Hampton of Cimarron, New Mexico, wrote a new song called Note For Sale to honor America and the men and women who have paid the price for our freedom. Best sure to check out his video at this link:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChXt_c0uO…

A member of the brotherhood of working cowboys for many years, Hampton writes songs from experience and sings them from the heart in his smooth baritone voice. This patriotic tune, inspired by the upcoming deployment of his son, U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Cooper Hampton, is an appropriate reminder of how lucky we are to have the freedom to live a Western lifestyle, to be able to own and ride horses, and to choose to be a rancher, cowboy, horseman or in my case, a writer of Western ways.

The Western Horseman staff sends its best wishes to the Hampton family and our thanks to Sgt. Hampton for his service to our country. May he make a safe return back home soon.

~Jennifer

Calling all cowboys. The countdown to Valentine’s Day has begun.  If you are looking for a unique Valentine’s Day gift for your cowgirl sweetheart, I suggest ordering a personalized, limited-edition gift set from cowboy crooner R.W. Hampton. It’s a gift she will treasure for many years and can take with her everyday.

The package includes a necklace and matching earrings with a heart on one side and a cowboy and cowgirl on the other side, a personalized copy of Hampton’s CD Always in My Heart, which is full of love-song serenades, and a handful of chocolate truffles to satisfy her sweet tooth. Everything is packaged in a pink heart-shaped tin box.

The price for the complete set is $66.95, plus shipping. But a gift package with just the necklace is also available for $47.95, plus shipping. Quantities are limited, and Hampton will personalize the CD to your loved one. To order, visit on-line www.rwhampton.com, or call (800) 392-0822 or (575) 483-0042.

-Jennifer