78 Results for author: Bob Welch

Happy Birthday, Buster!

  On May 23, my great-uncle, Buster Welch, turned 90 years old. I’m working on a project that—during the past six months—has given me the opportunity to spend more time with him than I ever have previously. For those who might not be aware, Buster is perhaps the most influential and successful individ... More

The Ranch Rodeo Road | The WRCA Blog

Almost six months had passed since the World Championship Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas. Our team—Iron Springs Ranch/Welch Cattle Co.—hadn’t competed as a group since, so the Hi-Lo Country Ranch Rodeo in Kim, Colorado, had us all excited to get back to action. We won the rodeo last year, so we entered with some ... More

Glimpse of the Past, The JA Ranch

The old ways—the old cowboys—are endlessly intriguing to me. In working on another project, I had the opportunity to view some archival footage of the JA Ranch and an interview with their longtime employee and cowboy legend Tom Blasingame. The old footage is from the 1940s and while I’ve haven’t been able to ... More

Top 10 Cowboy Movies of All Time

The following is a list of my favorite “cowboy” movies of all time. Now, before we get into the list, let’s establish that this is “cowboy” movies, not “Western” movies. There are many Westerns that have nothing to do with cows or horses or ranching. For example, perhaps the best Western ever made, The ... More

Spring Fever | The WRCA Blog

After two-and-a-half months of wearing a Scotch cap “flaps down,” we’re entering the phase in my neck of the woods where you still better be wearing your cap—but the flaps can be up for most of the day. I’m fully aware that cow culture in the northern tier is still flaps down all day. In fact, a friend near ... More

Top 10 Jobs Cowboys Hate | The WRCA Blog

As this is written, an Arctic front has brought brutally cold temperatures to the northern tier of ranching country. Not being able to ride for an extended period of time can sure make a cowboy feel a lot more like a farmhand than a Knight of the Plains. As such, it got me to thinking about all the jobs a cowboy/rancher ... More

Cowhand Supply House

In late January, the Working Ranch Cowboys Association announced the release of its DVD of the 2017 World Championship Ranch Rodeo. Almost immediately, I ordered my copy. As I clicked through the WRCA's Cowhand Supply House, all sorts of other tempting merchandise caught my eye. I had to add a couple of the 2017 team ... More

Scholarship Time!

Early in the history of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, providing opportunities for ranching’s next generation was a priority. As such, the WRCA Foundation (WRCF) annually awards scholarships for young ranch kids and non-traditional students to pursue their dreams in agriculture and beyond. In 2017, 42 scholars ... More

Enter up!

As 2018 dawned, I checked my email to find the WRCA had sent out the 2018 Ranch Team Packets. It includes information on team qualification standards, defining what it means to be a “working ranch,” who among partners, employees and day workers are eligible to compete on a team, and regulations and expectations of team ... More

History Lesson

The cowboys on the Burns Ranch know something about history. In fact, the ranch can trace its history in Henrietta, Texas, back more than 125 years to 1890, when Aldolphus Raht first put the acreage together. The Burns/Johnson family has owned the ranch since 1928. Now, Graham Johnson represents the fourth generation of ... More