Category: Taber Round Up

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Keeping You In The Loop — MHCP Newsletter January 2026 Edition

Howdy !!!

Everyone has a story! The songwriting workshop got me thinking how storytelling is very much central to what I think Cowboy Poetry is about. On cattle drives, cowboys took their stories and put them into poems and songs. That fulfilled some of their immediate needs: used up time during the boring days, entertained each other around the campfire after chuck, and it kept them awake and the cattle calm when they were on night watch. An important part was connecting with the other wranglers on the drive. Just as it had social and emotional benefits then, with modern technology, it is even more necessary.

Stories, at first, are simply a means of telling someone about an experience or incident. It can then can be transformed into a poem, or the rhyming lines put to music. There is something in storytelling that is cathartic for the author as well as the listener. When author’s ideas are ones the listening folks can identify with, that’s when there’s that sense of human connection.

Between the lines of poems there are often other more subtle themes. In this newsletter, it helps us remember (or has us realize) the responsibilities that were given to young children. There is the reality of having to adjust activities to accommodate life’s circumstances. We’ve all experienced the strong bond to a horse or pet and having to let go of them. The need to work as a team is another imbedded concept. The list could go on.

Let stories be part of your new year, as we tell them and as we serve as active listeners. The connections made are bound to enrich Cowboy Poetry enthusiasts and other folks too.

Jen

MHCP AGM

Friday, February 13th, 2026
Western Music and Cowboy Poetry

From 10:00 to 12:00 in the Honor Currie Room
For Steerheads, Oxtails and Prairie Oysters, too

And with any luck, we might have a book launch!

We’ll again be joining with the Library’s Community Coffee

The AGM meeting starts at 12:30pm. Everyone welcome to that as well.

Free Songwriting Workshop

by John Wort Hannam
January 27 & 28, 2026
at Medalta Potteries
From 5:00-9:00 pm

John invites you to join him for his travelling songwriting project. It’s okay if you’ve never written songs, don’t play an instrument or don’t sing. The focus will be on the creation of lyrics based on stories in your life. Through discussion, examples and writing exercises, he’ll guide you to express yourself and tell your story through song craft. These workshops provide a respectful and safe space to share personal narratives and collaboratively shape original music. John aims to bring out that creative side you thought you didn’t have. Click Here to Register.

Granny Poet Program Goes Over Well

The entertainment was different from what is usually ‘on stage’ on the third Thursday in Victory Church’s Fellowship Hall. On December 18th, about 25 folks gathered much like the cowboys after their evening chuck of bacon, beans and biscuits. It was a little old granny (Jen) in a rocking chair that recited poems (some she wrote and some she didn’t) and did songs, some acapella like the cowboys did. The preambles gave the reason each piece was written, often including some reference to the times when Cowboy Poetry started. It was evident from the chuckles that many folks remembered bathing in a galvanized washtub and ordering from the Eaton’s catalog. One of the poems was about the value of community to Norman Fedrau who is blind; they learned how to ‘read’ paper money with Braille markings and by how it’s folded). “Twas the Night Before Christmas When Out on the Ranch” included harmonica which was the most common musical instrument on the cattle drives. The afternoon program ended with Alan Jackson’s “Let it Be Christmas” and coffee. The take-home was an M&M Christmas card/poem and treat.

Not every audience can relate to horses and cattle, or want to have everything be about cowboys. In order to keep Cowboy Poetry alive, the topics include ones the audience can relate to; they enjoy the surprise endings of some and the humor in other poems. It’s equally important to help folks imagine what times were like on the trail drives where this unique genre took root.

Little old granny (Jen Zollner) recited poems and did songs, some acapella like the cowboys did at the Victory Church’s Fellowship Hall. Dec 18, 2025.

Local Poet Noel Burles Nominated

MHCP was excited to learn that our friend and board member, Noel Burles has been nominated for The International Red Carpet Award Show in Europe. The competition has a limited number of nominations from all over the world and from a wide variety of genres. Participants will present their performance to a professional jury consisting of people with different focus in the music industry and a dedicated team of judges just for Cowboy Poetry. Best of luck Noel!

A Boy and his Appaloosa by Jim Burk

Jim Burk was raised on a small mixed farm near Sundre, Alberta. His dad, Delos Burk, always said they were horse-poor with lots of horses providing little income. When Jim’s dad came in contact with Jim Wyatt, a rancher near High River who had begun breeding Appaloosas, he arranged to have a strawberry roan mare bred to one of Wyatt’s stallions. The result was a G1, a Generation One Appaloosa.

Learning about Appaloosas and their near extinction was food for Jim’s imagination. Still recovering from rheumatic fever, and a little weak for normal farm chores, he was given the task of exercising horses being made ready for sale. His father presented Gypsy to Jim as a two-year old. At the age of twelve Jim was an experienced rider. He rode two and a half miles to school beginning with grade one and rode unsupervised when he felt like exploring. And this being bush country gave much to explore.

As a result of having riding as his main contribution to the farm, Jim had a lot of time to work with Gypsy. Also, good advice from his father, an excellent horseman and horse trainer whose mantra was: “If you’re training a horse and it bucks, that’s your fault.”

Gymkhanas were popular at the time with a variety of races involved. Gypsy was particularly good at barrel racing and pole bending.

When Jim Wyatt had the first National Appaloosa Gymkhana event at his ranch, Jim’s Dad urged him to enter. So he did.

The horse was ready. Jim wasn’t and did what most novices do. He ran Gypsy through all the motions necessary for each event over and over again. As a result Gypsy had worked up a sweat and a load of confusion before the first race, which was barrel racing. She swapped ends in the middle of the first dash and still placed third.

At the end of the day Gypsy was the third high point Appaloosa Gymkhana Horse in Canada. She worked against horses from as far away as Ontario. However, while some of Gypsy’s opposition had prosperous owners, most of the other riders were not necessarily good horsemen. In any case, Gypsy earned Jim some bragging rights.

Jim was fourteen at the time and just finished grade eight. With no high school in the vicinity, that summer spelled the end of his time with a horse that had almost become part of him. Not to mention the fact that she was sold. In the end Jim’s dad had to ask for his gift back. If sold, the money gained would pay for an electric pump that would bring cold running water into his mother’s kitchen. Sad, but gladly given. Best part. Jim was away when Gypsy left the farm.

(This is an example of a story that could easily be written in poetry form, with a preamble to
introduce it.)

An Author Among Us

It’s been exciting to get to know someone in our midst (at Victory Church) and learn of his
accomplishments. His bio is the story of something unfortunate turning into blessings that
continue to the present day. His life story is also an example of not letting obstacles get in
your way, not letting others define what you can and can’t do. He has written a number of
books to date and currently has two goals: to finish his last book(s) and to go horseback
riding. On “Amazon.Jim Burk” you’ll find summaries of each of his books and excerpts that
have you wanting to keep reading. Orders can be made in Book or Kindle format.

Read more about Jim Burk in our upcoming “Homegrown Tributes” series

The Appaloosa Story

The breed is known for its spots over standard horse colors. In addition are the straited
hooves, strips of black and light gray. The hooves have a hard and a soft structure able to
stand up in both rocky and sandy terrain.

The Appaloosa is a breed propagated by Nez Perce aboriginals of Oregon, Washington and
Idaho. The breed was almost erased when the American cavalry destroyed most of the
Appaloosa stock held by the Nez Perce.

The horses used by Native Americans in the West largely came from the Spanish horses brought into Mexico with partial lineages going back to Arabia. In the mid-17th century, large Spanish herds were used around Santa Fe and Taos. The Spaniards attempted to keep the horses from the Native Americans, but escaped Indian slaves and stolen horses resulted in Apache and Navajo acquiring horses, rapidly putting their new equestrian skills to masterful use. The 1670 Pueblo Revolt resulted in thousands of horses being left behind by the fleeing Spaniards. As Spain continued to lose control over Northern Mexico, even more horses found their way into Native herds.

By 1700 the Shoshone tribes of the Great Basin had acquired horses from their southern cousins. Around 1730, the Nez Perce also had horses giving the Shoshone and Nez Perce a strategic military and hunting advantage over the plains tribes (the Crow and Blackfeet did not have the horse until c.1740 and the Sioux not until c.1770). The Spanish stock was ideal for the harsh environment of the Western U.S.and the Nez Perce recognized early on the benefits of selectively breeding the best horses for their particular environment and needs. Though the Appaloosa was not the only type of horse owned by the Nez Perce, it was easily the most identifiable.

In the mid 19th century, the U.S. Army often found their cavalry horses unable to compete with the horses of the Western tribes. The Army horses had been raised on grain, were used to abundant water, and often bred from racing stock, but the superior Native horses were grass fed and had far better endurance. Army officers often complained that their horses were not up to the task of chasing down the steeds of the Native Americans.

In many cases the Army, knowing the advantage the horses gave the Indians, destroyed their herds to remove the military power of the tribes and locked them into areas that could only be travelled by foot. So, after the Nez Perce War, the US Army tried to destroy the Appaloosa breed through the slaughter and breeding with draft horses. However, Chief White Bird had slipped across the Canadian border with women, children and some of their prize spotted horses. In Canada, he and his refugees kept the breed alive.

Revival & Modern Breed

Rediscovery: An article in Western Horseman in 1937 sparked interest, leading to the formation of the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) in 1938 to preserve the breed.

Modern Type: The ApHC introduce Arabian, Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines to develop the modern Appaloosa, creating versatile horses we know today.

Jim Wyatt, a rancher near High River brought the breed to Alberta. Delos Burk, my father, met Jim Wyatt at my uncle’s ranch in Simon’s Valley, west of Calgary, and decided to have one of his mares, a strawberry roan, breed to one of Wyatt’s stallions. The result was Gypsy, grey, with spots spreading from hip to mid-body. This was 1952.

In the fall of 1956, Jim Wyatt held the first ever Appaloosa Gymkhana Event at his ranch. Jim, Delos son, entered Gypsy. She was ready. Jim wasn’t. In spite of that, Gypsy earned the title of third-best Gymkhana horse in Canada. Had Jim kept his cool, he firmly believes she would have been first. It sounds good, but in spite of there being a competition from different parts of Canada by individuals who had taken to this new breed as an expensive hobby, there were few well-trained horses at the meet.

Sources: PowWows.com: appaloosa museum.com:

Western Music and Cowboy Poetry

-entertainment all afternoon. Mark your calendar!

Western Advice

  • cherish horses, women, water and grass
  • when in doubt, let your horse do the thinking
  • take as good a care of your horse as you do yourself
  • don’t approach a bull from the front or horse from behind
  • a clean saddle blanket is more important than clean sheets
  • don’t talk down to anyone even it if means gettin’ off your horse

Cowboy Lingo

  • fan tail – wild horse
  • plug – run-of-the-mill work horse
  • hack/nag – old and overworked horse
  • rat tail – appaloosa with a thin mane and tail
  • lunkhead – horse of inferior breed or appearance
  • bell mare – lead mare which the herd willingly follows
  • crow or buzzard bait – worn-out emaciated horse that will soon
  • become carrion and therefore attracted to crows or buzzards

Western Movies

There’s something about winter that makes one look for a good movie, best watched with a warm drink nearby. Westerns tend to tap into something deeper -family, resilience, tradition and doing what needs to be done even when it’s hard.

True Grit (2010)

Cold landscapes, quiet determination, and a story driven by grit and justice make this one feel tailor-made for winter watching. Hailee Steinfeld’s breakout role, paired with the Coen Brothers’ sharp storytelling, makes it an easy seasonal rewatch.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

More reflective than action-packed, this classic explores legacy, truth, and the stories we choose to remember

The Searchers (1956)

A sweeping Western with emotional depth and stark scenery. It’s not light viewing, but it’s one of those films that lingers long after the credits roll — perfect for a quiet winter night.

Open Range (2003)

Slow-burning and atmospheric, this one leans into loyalty, moral code, and wide-open country. The pacing makes it ideal for settling in and actually watching, not just having something on in the background.

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Snowy Montana landscapes, family drama, and a powerful score give this film a wintertime feel. Emotional, cinematic, and timeless.

The Cowboys (1972)

John Wayne leading a group of boys across the West with its themes of mentorship, responsibility, and growing up.

The Homesman (2014)

Bleak, honest, and beautifully shot, this is a winter Western for viewers who appreciate quieter storytelling and strong performance, deeply human.

-from Cowgirl magazine

Molly and Mike, poem of the month

Harvey Beck spoke fondly of this team. He was but a boy about 8 years old when he was harrowing a freshly seeded field one spring with them. When he turned the corner too short, the pole with the harrows stuck upright in the ground and he landed in the soft dirt. He admired how Molly and Mike worked together as swing horses on the header at harvest time. At the corners, it took precise coordination to keep the header straight; at the same time as one went forward, the other had to back up. There wasn’t a team that could do it better. It reminded him of a couple that had danced together for years. (Harv, his brother and his dad played at dances.) He had spent many-an-hour driving this team. When he grew up and left home, Molly and Mike stayed ‘at home’, and that’s where they had a content retirement.

I can still see them, Molly and Mike,
Better partners there never will be,
If man and wife could just spend their life
Together in such harmony.

Even their steps were in perfect time,
Moved proudly as together they'd run,
Though no wedding vows, you'd see that somehow
The two of them worked as if one.

Molly and Mike were somewhat like twins,
Same size, black tail and black mane,
Dad of course, more than any other horse,
Said this team was so easy to train.

No secret that they were a favourite of Dad's,
They're the ones that took him to town
To get the mail, and he'd never fail,
When back home they'd get their rub down.

Can you imagine how the others would feel?
The six other nags that he had?
They lugged the plow, did the work but somehow
These two got to show off a tad.

Sunday's they pulled the democrat to church,
In winter, a closed-in sleigh,
My, did they prance taking us to the dance,
In the livery barn they got to stay.

We played for a dance in town one night,
Came a snowstorm, worst we had known,
Getting home, no use, but we let the reins loose,
That team got us safely back home.

I'll always remember Molly and Mike,
As close as two lovers could be,
Side by side as a team, almost clones it would seem,
They were one, a he and a she.

From “Stories from Seniors” by J. Zollner. It is one of the books MHCP published, a fund-raiser with Hale Hearing as the print sponsor.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2026.
Be ready for the ride and thankful for the journey,


Jen

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Keeping You In The Loop — MHCP Newsletter May 2025 Edition

Howdy Y’All !!!

Creativity abounds in this month’s newsletter. It can cause a big wave, or it can make a little ripple. In any case, the act of bringing something into existence makes a difference, in a few people, an entire country or even can affect folks worldwide. Gena LaCoste’s early painting and drawings brought joy to her family, whereas folks from much further afield are presently reveling in her images of the West. The internet is world wide, so her blog and insightful commentaries connect folks to our part of the country.

Sometimes it’s the search for the solution to a problem that spurs innovation, as was the case with barbed wire. An invention may stay in your own backyard making life easier with a gate latch Ol’ Nellie can’t open or a fence that’ll keep the milk cows out of the garden. The neighbors were the first to benefit from the initial barbed wire invention, but it wasn’t long before the entire continent was using it. The barbed wire story is a perfect example of how a so-called invention often “piggy-backs” off someone else’s new idea. (The same holds true for many poems and songs.) Barbed wire was continually adapted to fit the needs presented, even in war.

We’re thankful for museums that incorporate novel ways of keeping history alive. Even the barbwire buffalo symbolizes the past. Creative inventions (especially since the internet) have a way of connecting us to each other, our continent and the world through the stories and images (past and present) about our part of the country.

Western Music and Cowboy Poetry Event — You Don’t Want to Miss it!

Western Music, Storytelling and Cowboy Poetry
-it’s on Friday, September 26th and again on September 27th
-it’s two days with 15 afternoon performers

-it’s Hugh McClennan (and his Spirit of the West Band) on Saturday Night, highly acclaimed as giving a top notch performance.

Hugh is a working cowboy from the Kamloops area who does it all: he tells stories, sings, writes poetry & has been a radio broadcaster for over 30 years:

Dee Butterfield Video Launch

-was on Friday, April 18th at Ponoka
-was at the Calnash Ag Event Centre, Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Museum
-was hosted by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame Board

Dee Butterfield at the documentary screening, April 2025 Photo courtesy of Cheryl Dust

At the evening event, folks from near and far were in attendance to honor the hometown celebrity, Dee Butterfield. Chance, the MC, summarized the many accomplishments of his mom: as a fierce competitor, as a passionate horsewoman and as a dedicated teacher. “Some of you have been mentored by her, ridden beside her and/or benefitted from the doors she worked so hard to open for others in the sport of rodeo.” The audience has suggested that MHCP promote this documentary through other media, therefore the Producer and Director will be looking at this.

Attendees enjoying the video launch. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Dust

The museum was open for folks to meander around the peeled-log, glass-enclosed cases displaying bronze/trophy awards and interesting paraphernalia belonging to Hall of Famers. Additionally, the walls are lined with their photos, painted rodeo murals grace aloft wall surfaces, there are rows of trophy saddles on a rail and dotting the area are interesting items like a well-worn barrel once used by a rodeo clown/bull fighter. Since 1981 they’ve honored outstanding rodeo athletes: men, horses, rodeo stock and women (15 women inducted so far).

We said it in last month’s edition of Keeping You In The Loop but we’ll say it again: this project was made possible by the talent and grit of some amazing volunteers (Eda Lishman and Nives Lever of Fetecine Filosophy, Don Kletcke, Cheryl Dust to name just a few), funding from the Alberta Heritage Grant. And of course, special thanks to Dee and her family!

Homegrown Tribute

Gena LaCoste

Gena LaCoste, a world class artist from Medicine Hat, Alberta, specializes in watercolors and oil paintings that depict the contemporary culture of the West. She was born and raised into a ranching family in southern Alberta. The rural lifestyle influenced who she is and how she interprets the world around her. Her large body of work is being exhibited and sells extensively in Canada and the U.S.

Gena has been an artist from the time she was a preschooler, trying to draw and paint everything around her; and that hasn’t changed. She is grateful for all who have contributed to her international success. Her family and friends have always been generous with their encouragement and support, Though she is basically self-taught, fabulous artists have graciously mentored and instructed her over the years. Much of what she knows, she also learned by teaching; she taught watercolor painting for many years. A lot of her best ideas came from interactions with her students during her private and workshop sessions. She is always ready try new techniques, openly sharing experiments on her blog e.g. a twig dipped in ink, certain brushes, limited colors, etc.

Gena has always been fascinated with watercolor, and spent more than 20 years exploring ways to interpret the subjects around her through the tricky and challenging medium. In 2014 she began to seriously try her hand at oil painting. She saw a need to develop strong drawing skills to bring her subjects to life. She depicts an extensive variety of subjects: natural prairie landscapes, wild animals, ranching and rodeo life and so much more. Horses are her favorite.

Gena has dedicated her life to practicing her skills, steadily painting in her home studio. A number of years ago she decided to do a painting every day for a year and post each day’s work on her blog. That became something of an addiction so she continued the practice for another four years (while also producing larger scale works). In the five-year span she produced and posted over 1400 small watercolors on her blog, “A Gena-a-Day Artist’s Blog”. Enjoy the commentary she gives each piece, as well as the title that gives each work of art special meaning: What a gift as she openly shares her insight, her activities and the source of inspiration! She is generous with her art for fund-raisers and non-profit organizations, including Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry in which her art graces the cover of three published books. She continues to post her art, the most recent (April, 2025) being the pink moon, nature’s phenomenon.

Hatching Ducks,

An upcoming story.

The Invention of Barbed Wire

Pioneer farmers on the plains needed to protect their crops. Wooden rail and stone fences were tried but materials were too scarce, too expensive and/or too laborious to construct.

Necessity Breeds Invention. DeKalb, Illinois,1873

Michael Kelly
In 1863 he developed a type of fence with points affixed to twisted strands of wire. Had it been promoted, he would have been hailed the Father of Barbed Wire. It was 10 years later that another inventor filed a patent.

Henry Rose
He was a farmer with a breachy cow, so he made a curious contraption to control her. He entered a sample in the local fair: a wooden rail (to attach to an existing rail) with short wire points to “prick’ an animal when it came in contact. It would not have been noteworthy except that three men who attended the fair that day would piggy-back on his idea, Joseph Glidden, Isaac Ellwood and Jacob Haish. They would attach the prongs onto a wire.

Joseph Glidden
He was a farmer (and a banker, businessman and served as Sheriff). Like many farmers, he needed a barricade to keep out stray animals. He applied barbs to the smooth fence wire that was commonly used at the time. But the twisted wire pieces gradually slid so he used the kitchen coffee grinder to crimp the barbs so they’d stay in place. Then with the use of an old grindstone, he wrapped a second wire around the first. He tested it around his barnyard and his wife, Lucinda’s garden. Neighboring farmers stopped by to see and soon Glidden was producing and selling barbed wire.

Isaac Ellwood
He was a hardware merchant whose customers were farmers that needed improved fencing. He also tinkered with the use of barbs and fencing, but had no success. He heard about Glidden’s fence. The story goes that Ellwood and his wife took a buggy ride to Glidden’s farm one Sunday afternoon. When Ellwood’s wife saw the invention, she commented how Glidden’s invention was far superior to anything her husband had created. Ellwood was apparently enraged, but only one day later he came back, and the two men went into business together forming the Barb Fence Company.

Jacob Haish
As a lumber businessman, he knew firsthand from his customers about the need for suitable fencing material. He developed a barbed wire similar to Glidden’s, but upon seeing Glidden’s fence, he realized the inferiority of his own. Haish improved his own fencing invention and applied for a patent, even though Glidden had already done so in 1873. Thus began a patent battle in the U.S. Supreme Court during the 1870’s and 1880’s.

Barbed Wire Creates Controversy

The plain wire companies down east took notice of this new invention. The Washburn and Moen Company of Massachusetts travelled to DeKalb where both Haish and the Barb Fence Company were doing a brisk business. They failed to negotiate with Haish, but in 1876 Glidden with the Barbed Fence Company was eager to sell (and receive royalties), while Ellwood was eager to incorporate. The Ellwood, Washburn and Moen company bought the rights to many of the existing patents and had a near monopoly of the barbed wire market.

There were competitors who challenged its dominance. The simplicity of the barbed wire had “moonshiners” operating all over the countryside without a license or patent. In 1880 Jacob Haish’s famous ‘S’ Barb was judged to be an infringement on patents, as were all other illegal producers by 1892. The Washburn & Moen and Ellwood Co. possessed a monopoly on the barbed wire industry.

Texans were generally skeptical about fencing for their wild Longhorn cattle. Plus they feared the seemingly cruel nature of the contraption. John Gates developed the idea of demonstrations to sell their product. The story goes that a rancher claimed that Ol’ Jim, a neighbor’s bull, could go through anything. He reckoned that bull would not stop for barbed wire. Gates attempted to prove him wrong. He also built a barb wire enclosure in downtown San Antonio to demonstrate how it could hold in the wildest Longhorns. Whether he was successful must be questioned, but his advertising skills certainly promoted the sales of barbed wire as it spread through the West.

There was also conflict and controversy between the cowmen and the so called “nesters”. The ranchers had nowhere left to “free graze” or to herd their cattle on long cattle drives. At first the cattlemen cut the ‘Devil’s rope’ to make a path across private property for the herd, sparking the infamous era of the “range wars”. But by the early 1900’s, ranching had changed and ranchers were themselves using barbed wire to contain their cattle.

Note: In actuality, before 1873, many similar inventions existed in the U.S. and in other countries. Alternate sources also state that numerous inventors received patents for their variations on the basic barb wire design. Between 1868 and 1874 the U.S. government issued over 500 patents.

Source: McCallum, Henry & Francis, The Wire that Fenced the West, (University of Oklahoma Press ), 1965
The author, an oil geologist, wrote the book because collecting barbed wire was his hobby. When he was inspecting in the field, he noticed a variety of barbs on the fences. From taking samples home, his collection grew to more than a hundred different kinds.

Barb Wire Museum

The Kansas Museum at LaCrosse serves to preserve barbed wire history. It displays the varieties of barbed wire as well as tools and equipment once used in fencing. There are 530 patents for barbed wire and 2500 types of barbed wire including the homemade and bootlegged ones (those unlawfully produced). Other displays include a collection of liniments in bottles and tins to cure cuts and injuries to man or beast from barbed wire. Showmen would have travelled around the countryside selling these. One exhibit is the original piece of Henry Rose’s Wooden Rail. Visitors can watch the making of barbed wire using a coffee mill, a grindstone and farmer ingenuity (Joseph Glidden’s). Activities include a Barbed Wire Splicing Contest -who can do the tightest splice in the shortest time. It doesn’t matter how it looks as long as it will support a 75 lb. weight. There are also dioramas, educational films and there’s a research library.

Originally barbed wire was a means of keeping animals apart, now it brings people together with their once a year show in early May. (Other states also have such shows.) That’s where wire collectors can share information, add to their collection, keep in contact and of course, display their personal collections The specifications for collectors is a barbed wire 18” long, with barbs evenly spaced from each end and no broken or missing barbs. Beginners can pay a few cents to a few dollars for a sample and starter sets are under $25. Less common samples can be much more costly.

Railroads and Barbed Wire
Like in Canada, Governments in the U.S. also granted railroads massive amounts of land. These right-of-ways ran across land previously reserved for grazing livestock. Legal disputes often arose when livestock was injured or killed. As well it caused equipment damage and risked passenger safety. So it was that railroad crews erected hundreds of miles of barbed wire along their tracks.

This didn’t totally solve the problem though. More than a few dishonest farmers or ranchers must have removed this wire for their own use because railroad crews couldn’t keep up with repairs. Legend has it that Isaac Ellwood created a unique wire exclusively for railroad use -one or more square strands woven among one or more traditional ones. Thus wire unlawfully acquired could be detected. That’s how The Barb Fence Company became suppliers for railroad fencing.

Barbed Wire Goes to War
Although barbed wire was initially invented as a deterrent for livestock, it was quickly modified for use against humans during the first World War. Rolls of concertina wire were stretched like a spring over miles of hillsides and ravines. Anyone who tried to cross over, under or through was inflicted with painful wounds. The strength and elasticity of the twisted wire would hopelessly entangle vehicles and equipment.

Source: www.RushCounty.org/BarbedWireMuseum

Upcoming: History of the Gang Ranch

Located in Williams Lake area of British Columbia, Gang Ranch was once the biggest ranch on the continent, even bigger than the King Ranch in Texas. It has a storied history which includes having been owned and managed by an entire family, who each abandoned their thriving businesses in Alberta and Saskatchewan to live and work on this remote ranch.

Fenced pastures on the Gang Ranch are not needed. They make use of natural boundaries such as deep canyons and rivers to keep the cattle on ranch property.

Barbed Wire Buffalo

This statue is located in Wallace, Kansas where “Do not climb” signs are unnecessary. There IS a sign made of wire that says: “Don’t Fence Me In”

Post Turtle

With the air thick with election news and political views, it’s only right to get a cowboy’s take on it all. The gist of the story is from a joke I was given.

A doctor was a-stitching the rough-looking hand
Of a guy with a dirty battered hat,
The gashes were a bull-rider's work-related wounds.
To distract his patient, Doc proceeds to chat.

The role of our leaders was a topic they discussed,
The cowboy said, “From my point of view”
They are just post turtles, they are nothing more,
What that is? Well, I'm a-tellin' you.

When you're in the country driving down a dusty road
And you come across a fence and corner post
With a turtle that is trying hard to balance on the top,
That's describes a politician most.

You know it's not for him to get there all by himself,
He really don't belong a-way up there,
'Cause how can he accomplish all his lofty-minded goals,
Not grounded and his nose is in the air.

Then don't it make you wonder how he got there on that post,
Who the heck the stupid mortals was,
Makes one hope the politician that we voted for
Is down-to-earth and works for our cause.

-composed by Jen Zollner

Cowboy Comparisons

  • a voice as sharp as a barb wire fence
  • a fence that’s as straight as an arrow
  • deaf as a fence post
  • looking at me like a cow at a new fence
  • hotter than the hinges on the gates of Hell
  • mad enough he could eat barbed wire and spit nails

Another Poem by Hugh McLennan

Before you mosey on down the trail, take a moment to enjoy one more sample of the outstanding cowboy poetry from our September event headliner, Hugh McLennan.

Western Wisdom

If there’s a hole in your story or your fence, something you rather did not get out, will.
A horse ain’t being polite when he comes to a fence and lets you go over first

Happy Trails,
Jen

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Keeping You In The Loop — MHCP Newsletter April 2025 Edition

Howdy!

Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry is all about making connections. It’s a way for Western entertainers (many live wide distances apart) to visit with each other at our annual event (this year September 26th and 27th). Their poems and songs help the audience be aware of the Western way of life and helps those with a rural background compare it to their experiences. City folk can get a taste of happenings on the ranch. Everybody has a story, and it’s through stories that we get to understand and relate to each other better.

Recently our reach has been to folks further afield. A friend from Regina connected us with Bob Ruschiensky. He has recently become a prolific poet, shared his excitement about publishing and shared many of his poems (every few days sends a new one), including the one to end this newsletter. Brian Tremblay from Ontario saw our website and asked for Full membership status (doesn’t want an Associate Member, yes, he wants to be at our AGM via Zoom). It’s always good to chat with Garnet and Marion Stacey from Cranbrook, BC. They feel Alberta Tourism should be doing much more to promote Cowboy Poetry. Invariably they attend our annual event. I wondered how to get in touch with two entertainers that performed at last year’s Open Mic. A cold call to Empress Town Office got me in touch with a talented young lady, Emma Roudeux. I mentioned Delbert Pratt’s name to Nancy (in our Suds in the Bucket Band), she gave my number and he called that very night. (He’s from Esther, NE of Oyen.) Both will be afternoon performers at our event. The Taber ‘Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Round-Up’ gave us a chance to meet-up. The enthusiasm all of these folks have for our Cowboy Poetry genre is contagious.

The purpose of our newsletter is to ‘Keep You in the Loop’. There are a number of our members/volunteers who struggle with technology. Any of us ‘older ones’ know about that all too well. In fact some don’t have internet, and keeping them ‘in the know’ is important, so we’ve been making paper copies for them. Telephone calls have also been a great way to ‘visit’. Technology is a two-sided coin. In this world of texting and Facebook etc. it is ever more important to be physically present to each other, even if it means using Zoom etc.

Dee Butterfield Documentary Screening

MHCP in partnership with the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame is pleased to announce our first of our “Women in Rodeo” series, a documentary of Dee Butterfield. Public screening is April 18, 2025 in Ponoka, AB.

Every film starts with a story and Dee Butterfield gave us an inspiring story while sharing her rodeo journey. This is the first documentary produced by Cheryl Dust under the mentorship of Director, Eda Lishman. Eda has produced The Hounds of Notre Dame, The Wild Pony and directed Primo Baby and The World of Horses series with John Scott to name a few of her projects. Eda and her producing partner and sister, Nives Lever, operate Fetecine Filosophy where they create, develop and produce theatrical and television drama. Nives and her husband Barry Harvey donated the use of their home for Eda and Cheryl to edit this documentary. Peter Kennedy Smith, Eda’s partner and retired Hollywood cameraman, mentored Cheryl and assisted with the capture of the footage for this project. Don Kletke, Encore Recording, composed the music and donated the use of his song. This all started with a research grant from the Alberta Heritage Foundation to research the 15 women inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in which Jen Zollner continues to conduct the research.

Thank you to all at Fetecine Filosophy for donating all of your time and providing a location to edit. Don Kletke, thank you for donating your time and musical talent! And big thanks to MHCP’s own videographer, Cheryl Dust, for countless hours of volunteer time and steadfast dedication to bring this project to life.

Western Music and Cowboy Poetry Event

Save the Date!!!

Friday, September 26th and Saturday, September 27th for 2 full days.

Friday, at 12-noon
-a dozen or so entertainers at the Meadowlark Village Club House


Friday, at 7:00pm
-Open Mic at the Moose


Saturday, at 12-noon
-a dozen or so entertainers at the MH College Theatre

Saturday, at 7:00pm
-our headliners: Hugh McLennan and his Spirit of the West Band and Charlie Ewing and his daughter, Lonnie

Click on the link below to hear Hugh McLennan’s song and the incredible backup accompaniment from Jim McLennan and Mike Dygert.

On his March 22 weekly program, Hugh McLennan sang, “Fence Building Blues”, the perfect addend to the barb wire theme in our recent newsletters. Each week he has interviews, ranch news and incredible music choices. Hear this week’s program on the internet:

Love Story

Easter is its own love story, sacrificing His life for us and giving us hope for a life hereafter. The recent death of Dolly Parton’s husband, Carl Dean, brings their love story into the news, married for nearly 60 years. Staying out of the public eye was his nature. He was a businessman and owner of an asphalt paving business in Nashville.

Their love story began when Dolly was 18 years old. ‘I met him outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day I moved to Nashville. I was surprised and delighted when he looked at my face (a rare thing for me)’. They got married 2 years later in a small country church. Though they didn’t have children of their own, they raised several of Dolly’s younger siblings as their own providing for them when her parents and other relatives were unable to.

-from cowgirlmagazine.com

Note: Here’s where Country Music and Western Music meet. Many of Dolly Parton’s songs tell a story, and when performing, she gives a preamble to her songs which adds to their meaning.

The Library Corral

The Incredible Gang Ranch
by Dale Alsager, 1990
NF 636.201 ALS
The Gang Ranch, The Real Story
by Judy Alsager, 1994
NF 636.2 ALS

The Gang Ranch was once Canada’s oldest cattle ranch; in fact it was the largest in the world (located in the Williams Lake area of B.C.). The story is told by two members of the Alsager family who owned the ranch from 1978 to 1982, then spent the next 10 years battling courts. Dale has his side of the story in the 1990 book he published; his sister’s rebuke is “The Real Story” in the book shown below. It tells how members of the Alsager family invested everything they ever owned or earned, and lost it through illegal wrangling and unethical dealings, even within the family. Judy Alsager, who worked this ranch, describes the hard work, the humor, the joys and the heartbreak. She also takes you through breath-taking scenic images of the landscape and the real workings of a ranch.

Note: Dee Butterfield grew up in the vicinity of the Gang Ranch as did Monica Wilson, another Hall of Famer MHCP has interviewed, videoed and is working to make into another mini-documentary.

Homegrown Tribute

Lynette Brodoway

Lynette Brodoway is a Barrel Racer from Brooks, AB, a Champion at the 2023 Canadian Finals Rodeo and was named Cowgirl of the Year in 2022. We watch as her success continues. There is more to her story than winning though. She started her professional career in her mid-fifties; almost all barrel racers turn pro when in their teens or early 20’s. Her role as wife, mother and grandmother has always been of utmost importance. She’s a horsewoman first and a barrel racer second. Over the years she has been able to embrace and balance her commitment to all of these.

Deep down, Lynnette has had ‘the itch’ to barrel race for as long as she can remember. Being raised on a ranch (in the Ranier, Alberta area) suited her fine, in fact it allowed her to be riding since she was four years old, and she’s been on the back of a horse ever since. Raised in a family of team ropers, starting with her dad, Ivan, she was a heeler with her mom, Marlene, at the All-Girl ropings. She then decided to become a header to turn steers for her brother, Dwight, and his friends. The Wigemyr family trained their own team roping horses, but Lynette would always be working them on the barrels.

When Lynette married Ken Brodoway, she began training horses on barrels and continued to compete at amateur level after started a family. She intentionally put her dream of going pro on hold to raise their two sons. She watched her brother’s professional success, and his CFR team roping championship in 2002 and 2008. She gave full support to Josie, their son who qualified to compete at the CFR in 2006. Her focus was having horsemanship training clinics, which started when she watched her dad’s special way with horses; watching how he was able to rehabilitate them. She attributes her barrel racing success to ‘Cowboy’, her sorrel gelding that was named ‘Horse With the Most Heart’ in 2023. Horses were also at the root of healing from the tragedy of losing a son, Wacey.

Lynette is proud to be a Canadian rodeo competitor. Her story is one of patience, and of constantly being open to learning from parents, books and horses, as well as learning from others and from her own experiences. She stresses the importance of having the right people around you to get you back on track when necessary. She has worked long and hard to achieve her dream and inspires us to never give up on our passions, that age is not a barrier.

At the age of 64, Lynette has a new indoor horse Poncho, and also on Cowboy is still a stiff competitor at professional rodeos. She works with and cares for horses most every day and welcomes others to come learn from her. Rodeo is her main passion at this time, but she always has a couple of young horses in training. She loves babysitting her 2 grandchildren, JR and Jack (aged 3 and 1) that live a mere 20 minutes away.

Taber Western Round-Up

On Saturday, March 29th Taber rounded up an entertaining group of poets and musicians. Two of the MHCP folks were there, Noel Burles as a performer and Jen as emcee. Val Beyer and David Woodruff from their club are always at our event to support us. There are a few things it would be good if we could replicate at our event on September 26th and 27th. They had 10 student performers, some were soloists, some sang in a group and some even had poems they had written. They had a dozen and a half sponsors, some of which were unbelievably generous. They had ‘a whole bunch’ of young guys doing the set-up and take down. And they had delicious food. I need to mention their baked potato topped with chili, cheese and sour cream. Also their cinnamon buns; the dough for them was rising in the kitchen when we got there. It would have been worth your trip to Taber for that alone. Thanks to Bud Edgar, the joker and trick roper who sent the photos.

Fence Idioms

  • fence mending — trying to end a disagreement or quarrel
  • sitting on the fence — not taking a stand
  • fence straddling — beating around the bush, weaseling, hemming and hawing
  • rush ones fences — to act in too much of a hurry (sometimes refers to a young couple)
  • from pillar to post — from one place to another

“Don’t Fence Me In”

Oh give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in,
Let me ride through the wide open prairie that I love,
Don't fence me in.

The inspiration for it came from a poem called “Open Range” by Robert Fletcher. He also wrote a non-fiction book called “Free Grass to Fences” about Montana’s cattle industry.

It was Cole Porter, in 1934, that wrote the hugely successful song “Don’t Fence Me In” using Robert Fletcher’s poem as a starting point. But he added broader dimensions. One of his
verses is about a highwayman, Wildcat Kelly, who desperately wanted to avoid being fenced in by jail or by marriage or by anything else for that matter. The popular version doesn’t use this verse, but Roy Rogers did:

Wildcat Kelly's lookin' mighty pale,
Was standin' by the sheriff's side,
And when that sheriff said I'm sending you to jail,
Wildcat raised his head and cried: Oh give me land, lots of land…

Another verse continues to touch on freedom:

I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences,
And gaze at the moon until I lose my senses,
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences,
Don't fence me in.

Ranching Before Fences

It was through the investment of British aristocracy that ranching started in Saskatchewan and Alberta (then called Assiniboia and Alberta). Huge herds of cattle were grazed on the open range, owned by big ranches who didn’t see a need to put up feed in case Chinooks failed to appear. These were the ranches that took big losses in 1886-87. During that summer there were drought conditions and prairie fires. Then came a harsh winter that started in November and didn’t end until March. It was hailed “The Big Die-Up”. The infamous winter in 1906-07 likewise saw tens of thousands of cattle die of starvation. Many of the big corporate ranches on both sides of the U.S. border collapsed.

Ranching After the Fences

Barb wire was called “devil’s rope” by the big ranchers because it hampered the open graze method they used for their cattle herds numbering in the hundreds of thousands. It was the smaller ranches that survived because they were not controlled by absentee owners and adapted to conditions as they experienced them. They saw the need for fences to control the movement of cattle and to form enclosures to stack feed for the cattle in winter. With cross fences they could have a breeding schedule so calves weren’t born in winter. They could also improve their herd knowing which bulls were breeding their cattle.

Herding large numbers of cattle on the open range required cowboys, lots of them, young men that were skilled horsemen and cattlemen. Barb wire was a relatively inexpensive means of controlling the movement of cattle. Even an unskilled person could build a fence using posts, wire and staples. It carved the vast prairie into manageable chunks for ‘ranch farming’ as it was sometimes called. Barb wire not only changed the history of ranching, it changed the world of the cattle-trail cowboy too.

Barbed Wire and Boundaries

by Bob Ruschiensky from Regina, SK

The prairie once ran wide and free,
No posts, no lines, not locks, no key.
A cowboy rode where the sky touched land,
No fences cut, no walls to stand.

But times had changed, the borders grew,
The cattle strayed, the fights came too.
So men strung wire, mile by mile,
Through dust and sweat, through grit and trial.

And posts stood firm, the steel ran tight,
A twisting snake of rusted might.
It kept the herds where they should be,
Yet chained the land once wild and free.

Some say the wire tamed the West,
It marked the land, it drew the rest.
But every time I ride that line,
I feel the past still press in time.

For barbed wire hums a lonesome tune,
It sings of loss beneath the moon.
A cowboy rides, yet still he knows,
Some things are meant to stay unclosed.

Western Wisdom

There are three kinds of men:
– ones that learn by reading
– a few that learn by observation
– and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence.
(this must have come from a guy)

I’ll leave you with this bit of wisdom:

A fence mended is a friendship tended.

Hope Calving is Going Well!

Happy Trails,
Jen

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Keeping You In The Loop — MHCP Newsletter March 2025 Edition

Howdy!

Welcome to the month of March. As time marches on, change is inevitable. The new and younger blood that has joined our herd of Board members should make for an exciting year with fresh ideas and better technical skills. As spring approaches we’re hoping the variable weather brings us lots of moisture. But snow storms aren’t exactly what the ranchers are hoping for because that’s when the cows all decide to calve, that’s inevitable.

The members of Borderline 4-H have also shown changes, remarkable improvement in their speech giving, how they used to be nervous and now look so comfortable on stage. Even the Weavers (the members too young to be 4-Hers yet) were excited to give a speech, some using cue cards (like their older siblings) even though they don’t know how to read yet. I remember the days when kids only did ‘the speech thing’ because it was a requirement.

Likewise the cattle industry has changed from open range grazing with minimal preparation for wintering cattle, to modern ranching with fences and ‘making hay’. Barb wire has an interesting history as well. Fences divide property. There is a saying: Good Fences make Good Neighbors. You don’t want the neighbour’s bull coming to visit the heifers on your side of the fence. (Unless he’s an upgrade for your herd, in which case you might want to make an opening in the fence.) Lately I see 5′ and 6′ solid fences going around city properties. I guess they make for privacy, but fences (and walls) also divide.

Here is what Robert Frost has to say about good fences and good neighbors:

“Take my next-door neighbor and I,
Waiting eight years to put one up,
And now that we’ve actually done it
Wondering why we bothered in the first place.”

Change is Good

At MHCP we start our new year with quite a number Board changes. Penita Schnell has taken over the Treasurer duties from Carol Eisenbarth who is still looking after the Memberships. Jacquie Noerenberg is stepping aside as Secretary as Jim Koch takes on that job. Many thanks to Carol and Jacquie.

It’s only been a half year since Penella Zollner has joined us and been our webmaster. Bob Thompson and Greg Herman are the newest members to ‘step on Board’. Thanks to each for their attendance and input at the meetings, especially all the ‘newbies’.

Borderline 4-H Club

Members of the club are proudly displaying the tack boxes they finished, the ones Jim Koch built for them, complete with dove-tailed corners. Plans are being made for members of Borderline to serve food as a fund-raiser at our next Western Music and Cowboy Poetry event on September 26th and 27th. They have had connections with MHCP since it’s beginning. In 2019 at our event at the Redcliff Harmony Hall they served snacks and drinks (and smiles). MHCP has coached five different 4-H members to write poems, some of which have been on our stage reciting them.

The Taber Round-Up

You don’t want to miss this day of down-home Western entertainment. Bud Edgar always has tricks up his sleeve and Larry Krause has been invited to MN, SK. AB. BC and the East Coast. He also entertained at our very first event in 2019. Raffles are always fun and the food is delicious (especially the homemade pies last year).

MHCP and Taber share our resources and skills. Val Beyer shared poetry at our Open Mic and ran the computer at our event (David Woodruff supported us too). Jen offered to MC their ‘Round Up” this year. The bales at our event belong to Val, and we are sharing the sandwich-board signs Jim Koch has made for both organizations.

Western Wisdom

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull strong.

Translating Cowboy Lingo

In a half-ton a cowboy asks one of his partners, “Do want to ride ‘girlfriend’ or ‘shotgun’?”

What does he mean?

Do you want to ride in the middle or by the window (the window is more comfortable, but he’s the one gettin’ the gates).

The Barbwire Fence

When Greg Herman recited his poem about barb wire at the Folk Club jam, it came to mind how important fences were in the history of ranching. It signaled the end of the days of vast areas of free grassland and the beginning of ranching as we see it today. It ended the trail drives and allowed the expansion of farming.

Hometown Tribute

Do you have someone local you’d like to acknowledge? Just let us know.

Dale Rose

He is remembered as a legendary bull rider and one of rodeo’s most colorful and entertaining cowboys. His nickname was “Hoot” because his hat was shaped like Hoot Gibson’s, a western movie star at the time. Calf roping and bullriding were his rodeo sports, an unusual combination. He was a crowd favorite for his various quirks and his unconventional white shirt and necktie attire in the arena. They watched for the cigar he smoked when he rode, the judges even giving him an extra point if he was still puffing on it at the end of the bull ride.

His career started when he entered his first rodeo in Medicine Hat in 1955 and his first pro rodeo was in Taber in 1961. The highlight of his career was in 1974 when he competed in the first Canadian Finals Rodeo, won the Guy Weadick Award and scored the highest marked ride on the Hall of Fame bull named Stubby.

Locally, anyone interested in becoming a cowboy knew about Dale Rose and his indoor arena along the #1 highway just outside Redcliff, Alberta. It was one of the first indoor arenas around, dug in the ground with wood sides that were maybe 4 or 5 feet high and a roof. It was always a little damp down there, but in the winter it was a bit warmer than outside. He had it set up with a roping box to practice calf roping and some bucking chutes with steers and bulls to ride. There was always something going on there and Dale was the kind of guy that promoted it.

Bull riding is a dangerous sport at the best of times, and in Dale’s arena it was even more so. After you got bucked off, you had to be the bull fighter for the next guy. There wasn’t anybody else there to protect you other than your buddies. The arena was relatively narrow, so when you came off of a bull you didn’t have very many places to go. Other draws to ‘Hoot’s Place’ were the alternate activities that came along with the rodeoing there.

Credit to Dale Rose that so many young guys have gone on with the cowboy lifestyle and done extremely well. All the successful bull riders that this part of the country turned out (and there were many) got their start in Hoot’s arena. At age 14 World Champion Cody Snyder was already riding a half dozen bulls there every night. In 2008 Dale Rose was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in the Legend category.

-thanks to Don Thompson and various internet site for the information

The Library Corral

Yellowstone
Season 1, DVD – 2018 YEL
Season 2, DVD – 2019 YEL
Season 3, DVD – 2020 YEL
Season 4, DVD – 2022 YEL
Season 5 Pt. 1, DVD – 2023 YEL

It’s the adult show everyone’s talking about, and the Medicine Hat Library has multiple copies of each season. It revolves around the Dutton family that controls the larges ranch in the United States. It is constantly being attacked by land developers, and Indian Reservation and America’s first National Park.

Some Secrets are Hard to Keep

The details in this poem are true, well, almost true. Phil tells the story:

Promises made are promises kept,
One exception I'm sure you'd agree,
If a question is asked, only one choice is left,
To tell them the truth it would be.

How to get even with Tyler, my friend,
He's a darn good ranch hand, I must say,
But tricks played on me, I must amend,
I knew it was payback time one of these days.

Tempers can flare all too easy with Ty,
Has got him in many a fix,
Caught him red-handed as I'm passing by,
To help him or laugh was a terrible mix.

He discovered his yearlings had gone through the fence,
At the corner was fixing the gate,
Herding them back wouldn't make him that tense,
But for fencing he had an absolute hate.

Tyler had almost completed the job___
When a nail on the post grabbed his shirt,
That got Ty feeling like he's a lynch mob,
Had a gash but my presence is what really hurt.

Ty got to hacking that spike with his might,
He's determined to take off its head,
The long-handled pincher would work just right,
I heard the wail, novel words were said.

His manhood was where the handles slammed shut,
Ty's jumping in anguish and hurt,
I kind of felt guilty, I felt like a nut,
So a promise to secrecy quickly I'd blurt.

Finally Ty got his breath back and sighed,
Please help me to get on my horse,
Going back was a slow walk, no joyride,
I helped him get home, sorry for him, of course___

But something was nagging, wish that Ty I could roast,
Keep my word and still get him back,
Ah! Nutcracker Corner; that's a sign I could post,
When folks ask about it, I'd describe Tyler's whack.

A story like that could spread 'cross the land,
Tourists visit Nutcracker Corner,
See the nail that's beheaded, and try their hand
At fixing the fence just like Tyler Warner.

by Jen Zollner, February, 2025

Happy Trails,
Jen

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Keeping You In The Loop — MHCP May Newsletter

May, 2024

Howdy Y’all!!!

I was pondering, is it possible to earn a living doing ‘the Arts’? The western singers and cowboy poets I know have other incomes, or else they’re retired. I wish we could give bigger honorariums to the artists we’re in the process of inviting to perform at our upcoming event on October 5th .

What is this Alternative text
The 2024 edition the the Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Show is an event you won’t want to miss … mark your calendar!!!

Though we can’t afford to ‘hire’ him, Ben Crane is a multi-talented artist that does manage to make a living by performing and by having a recording studio. Watch for his name on the back of many Leaning Tree cards.

Me, I could never make a living sewing memory blankets. I guess my wage would also come in pennies for the poetry and other writing I do. How exciting it is though to make discoveries when exploring and researching something of interest! Presently our focus is rodeo (in general), and the equestrian feats and the independent spirit of rodeo women, starting in the early 1900’s. I’m looking forward to sharing their stories. I didn’t realize that women’s participation in rodeo changed so drastically, and that since the 1940’s, it’s been a long hard struggle for women to be treated as equals in rodeo.

Taber Round-Up

It was a one-day program from 10:00 until 5:00 on April 13th. Entertainment was supplied by western singers (one was a junior), poets (one was a junior), a story teller (about a pioneer family) and a book reading (by the author who wrote a fictional western novel). They had 3 top notch entertainers: Charlie Ewing, Doc Mehl and Doris Daley. Cheryl ended up being their MC when they didn’t have one and it was only a week before their event date. She brought Peter who was the prolific photographer.

Their lunch was reasonably priced, a hot dog or delicious chili on a homemade bun as well as dessert (the best puffed wheat cake and giant homemade cinnamon buns). The use of the large auditorium was donated by the town, and though the sound was better than last year, a smaller room would be better. Many sponsor posters were on display and a rotating slides on a large screen gave ample advertising. With that kind of sponsorship, they were able to give honorariums (superior to what we can give) to the entertainers and the MC. The small audience looked even more sparse in such a large room. Admission was by donation. Hats off to the community around Taber and the town for their generous support.

New on the Website

Harry Forbes Remembers:

We’ve added two stories to our “Harry Forbes Remembers” series:

Yarns by Ol’ Ugly

We’re privileged to have this well-known storyteller inventing interesting characters that live around here and has them getting into unusual situations in places you can almost recognize. Ol’ Ugly has shared three new stories with us this month:

Hilda Barns Stories


Under the guidance of Cindy and Ross Straub, Cheryl Dust (MHCP’s videographer and
photographer) took pictures of all the old barns in the Hilda area to include in Hilda’s 100 th
anniversary history book. It was me that compiled stories as well as the history of the barns
based on interview with their owners. We waited until the history book was distributed before proceeding to post them as a series on our website.

  • Story #3: Wm Austin *** Coming Soon! ***
  • Story #4: Gordan Diebert *** Coming Soon! ***
  • Story #5: Durr Barn *** Coming Soon! ***

Old Recipes are Ties That Bind


“Dog-eared and loved, recipe collecting is not a hobby, it’s a cultural phenomenon,” says Bev Biggeman. Below is the link to her article in the Western Producer. Her writings after interviewing Rosalie Reinbolt will be posted on our website in the months to come.

https://www.producer.com/farmliving/dog-eared-and-loved-old-recipes-are-ties-that-bind/

Farm Crime — A Documentary Series on CBC Gem

You might find these mini-documentaries interesting, each one is only 15-20 minutes long.
Watch them by clicking the link below or google this address: gem.cbc.ca/farm-crime.

Library Corner

What I’m reading is available at the Medicine Hat Public Library:

The Cowgirl Way, Hat’s Off to America’s Women of the West

by Holly George- Warren

NF-Cb791.84 GEO

The author briefly highlights the history of trailblazing cowgirls, from those that helped settle the Wild West to the cowgirls of the 21st century.

Western Wisdom (from a cat’s perspective)

It’s the month of graduations, when we as parents and grandparents want to give guidance to fledgling young adults. The best way to give lasting advice (without having to do the preaching), is to stitch it on aida cloth and make it into a cozy memory blanket. Here are the pieces of wisdom we thought would be useful for a family member graduating from high school:

  • pounce when the op-purr-tuna-ty presents itself
  • anything is paw-sible
  • be curious, explore everything
  • always land on your feet
  • a cat chasing two mice catches neither
  • when you find sunshine, bask in it
  • eyes have the power to speak
  • you only live once, unless you’re a cat
  • catitude, have a mind of your own
  • never be too old fur play
  • don’t judge a cat by its coat
  • nap like no one is watching

Empty Saddles: Remembrance Day Every Day

We say goodbye to George Hope. I interviewed him at his home in Medicine Hat, but he and his wife Ruth were very much at home in Redcliff, especially at the Legion there. As a war veteran he helped me realize that those experiences live with you every day and into old age. On our website under “Country Stories” see him talking about it on video. In our book by that name and posted at the Redcliff Legion you can find the poem about him, “Our Veteran and Holland’s Liberation”.

Two Cowboy Poets to Remember:

We were hoping these two cowboys, Harold Webber and Bryn Thiessen would one day be able to bring their poetry to our event, but both have recently ridden into glory. I’ve been on stage with both of them at various times at Maple Creek and High River.

Harold Webber encouraged many budding entertainers like myself to perform. We appreciated him also being a member of MHCP.  Harold Webber was an honest-to-goodness guy.

We’ll miss the regular page Bryn had in the Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine in which he gave a gospel lesson from a cowboy’s perspective. Bryn’s obituary captures the kind of character he was.

A poet’s words live on as proven with the poem below and the song from it on YouTube. Ben Crane’s music, “Sunlight on Silver” to one of Bryn’s poems is a tribute to both cowboys.  


The Look by Bryn Thiessen

It's the look of sunlight on silver,
And the smell of frost in the air,
The sound of a tired horse blowing,
That keeps them riding out there.

It's horses jingled by starlight,
A herd held up for the cut,
The pride of the young cowboys riding,
And the warmth of the sun coming up.

For the memories are the rhymes that bring back the times,
And the places a cowboy has rode,
They seem to hang in the wind, then come back again,
To warm him when he gets old.

He'll remember the friendship and laughter,
And the feel of a horse working right,
The sunsets when the day's work is over,
And the times 'round the fire at night.

The sound of good cowboy singing,
The words of the poems that he said,
And the coolness of the night air he's breathing,
As he lays in his old canvas bed.
	
For if memories are rhymes, it's comes to the time,
When upwards his soul has soared,
He's standin' there amazed, where the star herds now graze,
As he stares 'round his heavenly home.

It's the look of sunlight on silver,
And the smell of frost in the air,
The sound of a tired horse blowing,
We'll meet him as he's riding out there.

Some Parting Wisdom

Friends shared these two pieces of wisdom with me:

“The brain can only absorb as much as the butt can stand.”

“No matter where you travel, your memories always follow, some in the baggage car.” — August Strindberg

Take care,          

Jen, for short