Hear Some Tall Cowboy Tales at the WCRR

If there’s one thing that life as a cowboy gives you, it’s lots of stories. When you’re dealing with wild cattle and snorty colts—as well as the characters who live their lives as cowboys—you’re sure to stockpile some good tales.

At the World Championship Ranch Rodeo on Saturday, Nov. 10, two legendary cowboys/ranchers will share their true stories of Western living during a Legends Panel at 1:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Amarillo Civic Center. We are pleased to welcome Apache Adams and Ed Ashurst.

Apache Adams

Apache Adams is described as “somewhat of a living legend out in the Big Bend country of Texas. Born in 1937 and raised on the Rio Grande, he has lived the cowboy life most people believe ended in the 1800s. He has been inducted into the Big Bend Cowboy Hall of Fame, given the Working Cowboy Award by the National Cowboy Symposium, the Heritage Award by the Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and won more buckles and saddles then he can count.”

That’s what amazon.com says about the book Don Cadden wrote of Apache’s stories, titled “Tied Hard and Fast: Apache Adams, Big Bend Cowboy.”

Apache describes his life like this: “I’ve never really had a real steady job. About all I’ve ever done is ranch work.”

Not that that’s a bad thing at all.

Reading from his book, Apache says, “I guess I’m one of the luckiest fellers alive. I’ve pretty much done something I’ve enjoyed for a living every day of my life… I’ve had good horses, good friends, good times and very few regrets.”

He has been married to his wife, Joy, for 61 years, and his bride figures into some of the stories in the book, as do wrecks—lots of wrecks. In one particular story he shared with us, those two things come together.

Apache had been hurt badly, with a broken pelvis being just one of his injuries, and he was in bed for nearly a year, testing his wife’s patience. As he was recovering and starting to get around, though, he drove down to the arena where his grandson, Dusty,  was riding some young horses. The colt Dusty was on seemed gentle enough, but he didn’t want to turn around.

Apache told Dusty to go get on one of the wilder colts, and he’d take this gentle one to see if he could help him. So up he went. He’d been horseback for only about five minutes before Joy drove up.

“She honked the horn and waved at Dusty to come here. She told him, ‘Dusty, if that old SOB gets bucked off and hurt, don’t take him to the doctor. Take him to the vet and put him down!’ ”

Apache chuckles at the memory. At 81, still running a small bunch of cattle and getting horseback a couple of times a week, he’s collecting more stories.

 

Ed Ashurst

Ed Ashurst is an Arizona cowboy and author who writes what he knows.

“For whatever reason,” Ed says, “I seem to have a better than normal memory, and I have seen a lot of stuff. I’ve punched cows on big ranches and worked with a lot of really good cowboys. I’ve got lots of memories.”

For the past two decades, he has been in southeast Arizona, where he manages a ranch.

But he has also cowboyed in northern Arizona, where he grew up, as well as Nevada and New Mexico. “I guess I’ve been at it steady for 50 years,” says Ed, who’s 67.

“I have a very large, deep well of stories,” he says. “I could tell stories for two or three days and never tell the same one twice.”

Ed’s books include one fiction piece, “Stealin’ From the Neighbors,” which is also available as an audiobook read by actor Wilford Brimley. His nonfiction books include “Real Cowboys, Grand Canyon to Mexico,” “Wagon Boss: A True Cowboy Story” and the biographic “The Life and Times of Warner Glenn.” 

Most of Ed’s books are illustrated by Mike Capron, a Big Bend cowboy.

A few years ago, Ed and Mike, along with cowboy poet Ross Knox and legendary cowboy Boots O’Neal, told stories during an event at the Trappings of Texas Cowboy Gear and Western Art Exhibit at the Museum of the Big Bend.

“We just told stories, and we had them rolling on the ground laughing,” Ed says.

Make sure to come join us Nov. 10 to hear some of them. WRCA board member John Welch will be moderating the panel discussion.