Another day, another issue...

So the December issue of WSH is printed and ready to go out. Just in time for the Worlds.

It's a biggie--lots of info, including a look at the history of CMSA and mounted shooting. We're pretty proud of it, to say the least. It'll be interesting to catch the feedback in Amarillo.

But the next issue is now in the works. It features stories on John Clark, Tony Jardine, Whitney Vickers, and more. And it will also have the 7 Most Influential People in the Sport--as selected by the editors (Ken and me). Somebody will probably disagree with it, saying you should have included so and so or you shouldn't have listed whoever. But it's an interesting exercise, and stirring folks up a bit isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Patty and I are already getting ready for the trip to Worlds. We leave a week from today. I always look forward to these events. The people are great, and there's something very cool about the sport--even to somebody like me, who has yet to get up on the horse and fire the pistol. Yet...

But to prove that I have some experience, I include this wonderful shot of Mark Boardman, horseman. I'm guessing I was all of six or seven years old. The horse was Tex; my grandparents Boardman owned a couple of animals on their farm in Hoopeston, IL. Both of the horses were pretty sly--you had to watch out for them or they'd toss you. I know. I was tossed by each of them at various times, which was pretty exciting for a little kid.

I think it's only coincidence that I haven't ridden since then. And the fact that I live in town...

More later...

Photos for everyone...

Okay, so we promised photos. And photos you get...

This is the old barn at the Roy Rogers Double R Ranch. It now houses a couple of old carriages (as well as stables). There's also a large screen at one end; occasionally they bring groups in and show old Roy Rogers' films, TV shows, etc.
Roy used the place as a workshop, too. He had a bunch of tools, saws, power equipment, etc. Seems that Roy was more than just a reel cowboy--he was a real cowboy and rancher, too.

This shot is of the Western Shooting Horse team (minus Cynthia) at the CMSA Westerns in Idaho.
I'm in the middle, between the Amorosanos--Ken and Lucinda (you can tell which is which, I'm sure). We'd been roaming around, getting some photos of competitors out around the stables. Lucinda does great photo work, and we'd be in trouble without her (and that's just one part of her contributions to the merry gang).

The shoots are heavy work time for all of us. I do a ton of interviews. Ken handles promotion, marketing, sales, p.r., and more (in addition to riding in the competitions). And Lucinda takes photos--and keeps us in line, as much as possible. We'll do it again at the Worlds in two weeks in Amarillo.

There are more to post, but I won't push things. More to come...

Late? Yeah, I know...

Okay, I got out of the habit of blogging before I got into the habit of blogging.

I'll try to do better.


Just got back from a trip to southern California. The main objective--greet our son Eric, who's just finished a tour of duty in Iraq. He is in aviation electronics and worked at Al Asad Marine Air Base.

His flight got in very late last Friday night--about 12:05 am, which is actually Saturday morning. Hundreds of people were there, including parents, girlfriends, wives, little kids, and friends. We were each given a small American flag to wave. It was an incredibly moving experience for all of us.

For his part, Eric is in great shape. He was not exposed to any violence. His routine was very predictable and ultimately pretty boring. But if that's the worst thing that happened to him, then we are blessed.

Before Eric got in, Patty and I drove up to the old Roy Rogers ranch near Victorville, CA. It's up for sale (if you have to ask how much, then you can't afford it). The current owners have done a great job of bringing the place back from where it was in 2002, when they bought it. It was in bad shape, with buildings falling down, equipment rusting, weeds overwhelming things, etc.

Roy bought it in the 1960s. And during his time there, it was a real working horse ranch--breeding, training, etc., primarily of thoroughbred racers. There's even a half mile dirt track on site. Roy really loved the place. He used his handyman skills to build some of the structures, repair others, work on the various cars and trucks and tractors, and anything else that needed doing. Dale, on the other hand, wasn't that thrilled with it. There was nothing to do, so she preferred staying at their Apple Valley home, about 7 miles away.

Apparently, Roy's racing passion dimmed after one of his employees put a favorite mount in a claiming race--without telling the boss. The horse won, and it was claimed. And Roy was disheartened to lose the best thoroughbred he'd ever had.

After Roy died back in the '90s, his son Dusty kept the place going. The Roy Rogers Museum was located there, but the place is way off the beaten track and it didn't attract a lot of visitors. So Dusty moved most of the museum--including the stuffed bodies of Roy's horse Trigger and Dale's horse Buttermilk--to Branson, MO, where he's got a good business going. Then Dale was more than happy to sell it.

Originally, the ranch was purchased by one of Dusty's friends in Indiana, a guy who had big plans to open a guest ranch. But for various and sundry reasons, it just didn't work out. The place had been going to seed in the last years of Roy's life; it just got worse. Finally, a local family decided to buy it. The patriarch, who owned a ranch about 5 or 6 miles away, had worked with Roy on training horses and he wanted to keep the place in solid, caring hands.

And for six years, they've worked on bringing it back, at the same time keeping it as a working horse operation. I don't know how much money they've poured into it, but it's in the millions. It's now owned by the son and daughter-in-law of the family patriarch.

But they live in Orange County, and they've got three young kids, and it's tough to run a place at a distance (even as the old patriarch and his wife live at the ranch). So it's on the market.

Anyway, I'll post some pix. We bought a new digital camera just before heading to CA, so I've got to figure out what to do. Of course, that could take years and cost thousands of lives...to quote Animal House.

More later...

Back so soon...?

Wow. It's been just five days since the last post.

I must be improving--or the reminders are too strong to ignore.

Interesting interview today, with the realtor handling the sale of Roy Rogers' Double R Ranch in CA.

It's about 67 acres, in the hills northeast of L.A. near Victorville. Roy bought the place in 1965, primarily for breeding and raising Thoroughbreds. It includes a half-mile track.

I won't spoil the article too much. But Roy's son Dusty sold it to a friend after his dad died. The friend then sold it to the current owners in 2002. And they've pumped big bucks into the place, restoring things to their condition when Roy and Dale lived there. I've seen pix, and it looks wonderful. Not that I'm interested in buying; a $12 million plus pricetag is a bit out of my league.

This is the second interview I've done that had a Roy Rogers aspect. I talked with trainer and bit maker Dave Robart a couple of months ago. His father trained Roy's racehorses, I think at Roy's earlier ranch at Chatsworth. Dave knew Roy very well, since the old cowboy came around each Saturday morning for a visit--and to bring a bunch of candy for the kids. Roy apparently was a gentle and kind man who lived his Christian faith. Not a bad role model for all those youngsters who watched him in the '50s and '60s.

I certainly remember seeing Roy and Dale on TV. Those were the days when so many prime time shows were Westerns. I have tremendous memories of watching many of them with my dad. That certainly is the genesis of my fascination with all things Old (and increasingly New) West.

Cripe. I can hear myself now--"Well, back in my time..." Must be old age rapidly creeping on me.

Or not.

More later.

Back in the saddle again...

I guess I never knew how tough it is to do a blog on a regular basis. You really need to make some time each day or so to do it. And I tend to forget, bogged down in other things. Gotta do a better job on that.

Maybe some sort of reminder, posted on my work desk...

Wrapped up my articles for the next issue...I think. There's always last minute stuff, and I'm prepared for just about anything that Ken might throw my way. I actually like those "get it done ASAP" assignments. Very challenging. Especially when you're trying to write something just as good as the piece you spent a couple of weeks on.

Was supposed to go out to AZ later this month for professional and personal things. It looks like that's off. The expense is a major barrier, especially with the economy tanking. But Patty is being required to put in additional hours at Rolls Royce--including weekends--and I don't really want to make the trip without her. So...the Grand Canyon will have to wait.

But we will go to the CMSA Worlds, just before Thanksgiving. That's pretty much a done deal. Stepson Eric might go with us; he's supposed to get back stateside from Iraq on Nov. 1, and we hope he'll have plenty of leave time to spend with us.

I am constantly impressed by the folks I write about. Their stories are remarkable, each one unique but compelling. Larry Townsend and daughter Tammy--great trainers and riders, living on the same land Larry's great grandpa settled in 1876. Strong tradition there.

The Ducks of Georgia. Eleven family members are mounted shooters, and they are a close knit bunch. When they show up for a Peach State shoot, their sheer numbers overwhelm.

Diane Purcelli--and husband Ernie--and her dedication to equine assisted therapy for the disabled. She's found a real calling there, one that she has shared with a number of other riders. They're doing more than just giving back to the sport; they're making a huge contribution to society.

And those are just some of the folks that are in the upcoming issue. Each one, I get to meet new and fascinating people. It's a joy, I must say. I'm lucky I get to do something I like, that I get to hear great stories. The challenge is to tell those stories in such a way that not only grabs the reader's attention, but that they stay with the reader for a long time after.

It's hard to explain.

But I'll keep trying.

Note to self--blog more often....

More later.

Fall is a'comin'....

It's one of those gray and cool days that show that fall is pretty much here. Cold weather is around the corner--which means I've gotta find reasons to head West for more sunshine and warmth.

I seem to be more drawn to that as I get older (and with my birthday on Thursday, I guess I am getting older). At some point, we'll have to get a place in NM or AZ or some such place. Of course, if the economy doesn't improve...that just might be a pipedream.

Speaking of the economy, it's likely that rising costs and dropping investments/retirement accounts will impact mounted shooting. It's unclear just how much. It might put more importance on local and regional shoots. But for a lot of folks, making regular trips across the country for matches will be a problem.

I spoke with the CMSA board members for the upcoming issue (Nov-Dec 2008), and they're certainly aware of that problem. I get the sense that they're looking for strategies to deal with it--ride sharing, travel deals, etc.--but they're not ready to say anything publicly.

We all hope something can be done. It would be a shame if the economy put a damper on the growth of mounted shooting. It's a great sport and deserves expansion.

I'm sort of celebrating two anniversaries this week. A year ago, I began working with Ken Amorosano on Western Shooting Horse. I knew nothing about mounted shooting (still got lots to learn), or the people involved. A year later, I can't believe all I've learned about horses, guns, equipment, etc.--and about the sport. I really enjoy going to the shoots and talking with folks. You just don't run into a better bunch of people--even accepting of a Hoosier writer who hasn't been on a horse in....well, too many years to count (memo to self--this is the year I learn to ride and shoot).

And three years ago--on my birthday, no less--I began working for True West magazine as Features Editor. It was a gig that I'd wanted for some time, since it really suited my interest in Old West history. And it led to my work with WSH, too. It's amazing sometimes how things work out. Who'd a thunk that a radio station exec--my career 20 years ago--would end up writing about the West, horses, and shooting? Not me...

More later...

TGIF! For whatever good that is....

So it's a Friday, supposedly the work week is coming to an end.

Not hardly.

Deadline is less than a week away with tons of stuff to finish. We're doing a history of the CMSA (Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association) and it's going to be the biggest piece we've done. Many different angles. More than a dozen interviews. Statistics. Photos.

And some great stories to tell. Like how Jim Rodgers got the idea for the sport of mounted shooting. And a first hand account of what it was like to ride in one of the very first competitions (hint: it wasn't easy, pretty, or as professional as things are today. In fact, for the rider in question, it was more than a bit hazardous to her health).

Not only am I putting that together, but I've got several other articles to write. And a few to edit.

To make matters more complicated, I'm planning to go to the Indiana state mounted shooting championships on Sunday. It's about 90 minutes south of here (in Edinburgh, a town best known for the discount mall readily visible from I-65). A lot of top shooters will be there. And I can start working on interviews for future issues.

I haven't blogged since the Easterns in Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. Good time had by all. A big shout out to Tammy Sronce and Rock Clark, the overall winners. They were really on top of their games.

Tammy went back to TX afterwards, then had turn around and head for Ft. Worth to avoid the worst of the hurricane. She says the ranch didn't get hit too bad--thank goodness. Of course, if you know any of the Sronces, you'll know that a little storm won't keep them down. And Matt and Tammy will be ready for Worlds; you can count on that.

On a personal note, our son (actually my stepson) Eric is due to get back from Iraq in early November (God willin' and the creek don't rise). Patty and I may take him out to Amarillo for the Worlds. He'd probably enjoy it. And we haven't gotten to do too much with him in the last three years; he went into the Marines on the day Patty and I were married--and no, the two weren't really linked; it's just the way it worked out, timing-wise. Anyway, he'll probably find mounted shooting pretty interesting. Besides, he always loves to show off the bulging muscles and big Marine tatoo on his arm...

More to come....