New Ten Gallon Hat

Getting a new hat is a ritual - not only the size matters, but the shape, the wideness of the brim, the height of the crown.

Did you know that a ten gallon hat is big enough to hold ten gallons of water for your horse, is nothing but a myth.

It's a word mix-up. As so many things cowboy (vaquero), its origin is Spanish. Galón means braid translated to English and a huge hat with a big crown can adorn more than one braid. So if it's a ten braided hat - it's a ten galón hat. Developed from the Sombrero (literally shadow giver), hats with a big brim to cover neck and part of the face are common for horsemen in sunny climates and came to the Southwestern US states via Mexico.
But the whole hat wearing thing can even be traced back into Asia, where the Mongolian horsemen were the first ones to wear something that years later evolved into a cowboy hat.
Popularized in the US during the 20's and 30's with the B movies and the protagonista, the singing cowboys wearing cowboy hats, they became a cultural phenomenon, that emerges and re-emerges to the "general" consumer in cycles like every fashion thing does.
Only the people that still work out there in the sun, look at it as relief from the sun and mostly as a needed utensil.

This shot and others are available for publication through Dispatch Press Images, a photo agency.

72 - Gettin' Ready

This cowgirl is getting ready outside of the Fort Worth Coliseum (the first indoor rodeo arena) to Barrel Race, while an earlier contest is leaving head down.

Goal is to ride in the fastest time around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. When they enter the arena, they are at full speed, "attacking" the first barrel, circle it, hitting the other barrels (2 & 3) and then gallop as fast as possible back to the starting line.

The riders pay an entry-fee and according to the number of contestants riding, the winning money is either won alone or split up to place four, if there are a huge number of riders. The rodeo, which also features cowboy events as bull and bare bronc riding and roping takes place every Friday and Saturday in the Stockyards of Fort Worth. Not all events take place on the same day, for more information check out their official Website, Stockyardsrodeo.com.

Sources: barrelhorseworld.com, stockyardsrodeo.com
This shot and other photography of mine are available through Dispatch Press Images for publication.

Donald Lee - Fort Worth Drover

While strolling through the stockyards in Fort Worth, I ran into drover Donald Lee. Dressed in vintage looking western outfits, he helps twice daily (11:30am and 4pm) to drive a herd of longhorn cattle through East Exchange Avenue. Easy job, somebody may perceive quite quickly, well not that fast.

Besides riding out there in everything from ice and snow to 110 (43C) degree weather, there is also the upkeep (like shoveling manure) of the horse, the stable, the cattle herd and the pens. And if this is not enough, like all the other drovers, they are also ambassadors, spreading goodwill about the old traditions, the history of the cattle drives and why they disappeared as well as educating kids about the daily life and chores, like branding.

The big cattle drives are long gone, their heyday being between 1860 - 1890. The only cattle being auctioned off these days is by satellite video conference. So go out, visit the Stockyards in Fort Worth and learn something from the past. For more information visit the Visitor Center online or in person.

He also rides in his spare time, below you can see him and Molly, a paint.

Sources: Branding Picture & Video courtesy of Donald Lee, http://www.fortworthstockyards.org/, Fortworth.com
This shot and other photography of mine are available through Dispatch Press Images for publication.

Sold

It's part of the American landscape and happens in almost every small town, several times a month, sometimes once a week. Farmers converge to sell their cows, heifers, calves and bulls. Buyers investing for breeding purposes or to satisfy our demand for meat. (No, it doesn't come pre-packaged from the super market, as you city slickers want to believe.)

And it's somehow mesmerizing to listen to the sing-song, as the auctioneer chant prices. And as the rhythm fastens and the prices may go up, the bidders bidding; only then you realize that there is a livelihood intrinsically related to the survival of a whole family. So while you are looking at my picture, finding all the details, listen to the auctioneer. "gezortenplotz" put a great shareable audio-file on freesound.org



This shot and other photography of mine are available through Dispatch Press Images for publication.
Sources: freesound.org

Howdy Y'All

Close to Lyndon B. Johnson's birth place Stonewall, is a small ghost town called Albert. Once a town with a post office (1877 - 86) it's now unincorporated. You may have heard the name of Albert because in 2007 it was up for sale on eBay, according to a CBS/AP article it wasn't the first town for sale on the internet bidding site. 

According to the towns own website it was originally called Martinsburg but changed name to Albert, when "Albert Luckenbach" (aka August Engel) and his sister Minnie (or Sophie) sold the general store in Luckenbach and moved in 1892 20 miles east to Martinsburg and renamed the town Albert. The renovated dancehall, a new watering hole and pecan and peach trees were bought in 2009 by Easley family who still run the town. 

The dancehall still holds concerts and dances and the watering hole is open Wednesdays through Sundays and also offers on a smaller scale live music entertainment. 

Friendly people and y'all are greeted with a fine "Howdy Y'All"  

This shot and other photography of mine are available through Dispatch Press Images for publication.

Sources: CBS/AP, AlbertTexas.com