WAY-MAKERS
Generations ago, the esteem of the American cowboy and the romance of the west were as popular as baseball and apple pie. As well, it should have been. After all, the Spanish Vaquero leading to the American Cowboy won the American West, and let’s face it, the west truly did make America.
We often relegate this romanticism to the great men. The Cowboys, who created the vision and brought the undeniable feel of the cowboy culture to the forefront of the American dream. What little kid never played cowboys and Indians, or dressed up as a cowboy on Halloween?
In the quiet background of the cowboy culture and the West were the women. The women of the American West played as much of a role in its creation as the men. In many cases, more. In the plains, many women traveled west to “stake their claims” and create Ranching empires that would push forward multiple generations. One such woman was my great great grandmother, Lela Wright, who brought her six young children west as a young widow. Of course, many women helped their husbands build ranching empires, and cowboy’d along side for a lifetime.
There were also women like Annie, Oakley, Mary Fields, Lucille Mullhall, Calamity Jane, and Belle Starr who all helped bring the culture and understanding of western lore to the public. In more recent times, it was women like Sandra Day O’Connor, Charmayne James, Erin Toarmino, Lindy Burch, Mitzi, Riley, Tad Lucas, Kirsten Vold and others, who have played a vital role in perpetuating the cowboy culture for the history of our country.
However, somewhere in the last generations, until about 10 years ago, the American ranch women got lost in the shuffle. Her importance in the history of our culture wained a bit and she was often forgotten. Now, I’m not talking about women who make sure they post photos of their family branding day with their perfectly creased hats. Their custom order leggings, and their Texas-influenced handcrafted boots with all the silver accoutrements. All of that is nice and fine and has its place in our culture. But, I’m talking about the women who were cowgirls when it wasn’t cool to be a cowgirl. Before the reemergence of the fad and the popularity of impressionism.
These are the women who cowboy for their pay. It’s what they were born to do, and to hell with the popularity of it! It was, and is their lifestyle. I call them the real deal. They are the real Way-maker‘s. The Cowgirl‘s that are out on the range when the wind is howling at 40 mph and it’s 20°. The ones that get up and feed their animals first, before themselves, and don’t quit until the job is done. They don’t mind climbing a windmill, stretching fence or stitching up wounds. They don’t mind trailing 500 cows 40 miles. They are humble yet proud, tough and gentle, kind yet stern, rough and delicate, sweet and bitter. They are the only people that understand the importance of that balance.
They are the women who set the standard in modern-day ranching. They set an example to young girls with a dream and opened the door for it to be OK to strive to be ranchers, cattle-women, horse trainers, and showmen. They picked the locks to modern day-ranching heritage programs, ranch horse shows, show teams, and ranch rodeo’s.
They paved the way, with an understanding that this was more than glamour, popularity, and prominence. They paved the way, with an understanding that this is about a way of life, a livelihood, and the history of our culture. They paved the way with an understanding that this is about the past… and the future.
There are many of these way-making women spread all across this country. But, few can be found. Thankfully I know some and they are all damn good American Cowgirls.
Copyright © Shad Sullivan