FEATURE ARTICLES
Writing for Canadian Cowboy is more pleasure than work. When I run across a story I like, I send the editor, Terri Mason, and the Publisher, Rob Tanner, a note with my idea. They haven’t said no to anything so far. The only problem I’ve had was when Terri wouldn’t run a photo of me riding with the wild horses in the Bronson Forest - because I wasn’t wearing traditional cowboy gear. It was a cool picture.
BOBS CREEK RANCH
Dwayne and Carla Pole ran this Southwest Alberta ranch for five years, riding 10 to 12 hours a day. Judy and I put in some long days in the saddle with the Poles. They wore us out. We were very sad to see them leave Alberta for their own ranch near Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. But they took their love of grass with them and they are turning Saskatchewan stubble fields back into pasture. One hundred years from now, the Pole family will be a conservation legend.
CARRAIG RIDGE
In my travels I often hear how hard it is to find a balance between ranching and the chronic shortage of cash. Some days, it looks like urban sprawl and rising real estate prices will turn all the ranches into hobby farms. Ian MacGregor, the owner of the Wild Buffalo Ranch and my friend of 30 years, is creating his own beautiful solution. I took this photo of Judy’s horse and our dog as I rode back to the WBR barn one wet afternoon. Ain’t life grand!
IAN TYSON AND THE RANCHING LIFE
I have always liked Ian Tyson’s lyrics. He is more of a poet than a big hat singer and , if I had my way, Leonard Cohen should ride in the box of Ian’s pick-up. One day people will read instead of listen to this thoughtful man. The story I wrote was about Ian’s views on the encroachment of Calgary on the Alberta ranchland. Between the story’s lines, I wrote about how unusual Ian is.
Judy painted the watercolours accompanying the story.
WILD HORSES of BRONSON FOREST
After a little discussion, Terri and Rob at CCCM agreed to pay my expenses to fly to LLoydminster and find the wild horses of the Bronson Forest. I stayed with Colleen and Roy Graham of the Nothing Barred Ranch. Photographer Jan Langsner, of B&R Photography, Lloydminster, took the amazing shots, including this favourite of mine (Not CCCM’s!). My cold weather jacket was a gift from our military daughter, who was on her way to Afghanistan. The 17 hh horse belongs to the Grahams.
THE CALGARY ZOO RANCH
The staff at CCCM had never heard of the Zoo Ranch, so when I suggested this article they wondered if I had finally crossed the line and was taking the magazine into unchartered urban territory. As it turns out, the Zoo runs a conservation and breeding facility near DeWinton that, amongst zebras, marmots, and whooping cranes, is a herd of Przwalksi horses. For conservation reasons, the ranch is closed to the public.
THE LYBBERT FAMILY
The Lybbert family are the best-known farriers in southern Alberta, and have been ‘shoein’ horses’ for five generations. Besides being a hard muscled, competition winning bunch, they are devoted advocates of family values and traditions. I knew Doral for a couple of years before I realized how unique he was in our ‘me’ culture.
There’s nothing better than writing stories about people you admire.
THE GRASSLANDS
Almost every summer Judy and I drive to the south west corner of Saskatchewan to visit the Village of Val Marie and Grasslands National Park There’s a marvellous sense of being alone when you are in the centre of this circular horizon home of prairie dogs and rattlers. The land is full of ghosts, from the Blackfoot buffalo hunters to Will James. I hesitated in writing this article because I wouldn’t like to see the Grasslands become another roadside attraction like Canmore and Banff.
