Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Why We Love Cowboys by Patricia Knoll/Patricia Forsythe

Last week was Fiesta De Los Vaqueros in Tucson, Arizona – better known as Rodeo Days. Every year for the past eighty-nine years, the city of Tucson has spent several days in February remembering -- and sometimes reinventing -- its Wild West roots with a parade and a full program of old-fashioned rodeo events like bronc riding and roping. My dad was a cowboy – that’s his hat in the picture – and I attended many rodeos with him when I was a little girl. Nowadays, new twists have been added to rodeos with events for kids and a full day of activities promoting breast cancer awareness. Yes, some things have changed, but one thing that endures is the American love for cowboys.



In the 1800’s novels with Old West settings and themes were popular because they were often sensationalized accounts of the activities of real cowboys or western lawmen – basically a cowboy with a badge -- who had a code of honor that they followed strictly. It consisted of doing right for others by protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers. This attractive stereotype carried over into the early days of silent pictures, then into the serialized westerns and full length movies without -- and then with -- sound, and it still carries on today to a limited degree. Few western-themed movies and television shows are made today, but the cowboy carries on. Today’s cowboy may not be dressed in jeans, hat, or boots. He may be a superhero with cape, mask, and the ability to fly, but beneath the leotard and tights beats the heart of a cowboy. He’s still protecting the innocent and punishing evildoers.

One place that cowboys still show up in their original version, though, is in the romance novel. Whether it is one set in the Wild West, or in a modern western setting, they remain popular heroes. I’ve written several romance novels with cowboy heroes and they are a major feature in my Lucky Break, Arizona series of romances. There is something attractive about a businessman who owns a large piece of land like a ranch and has employees, and often families, depending on him. In one way these men are loners, but in other ways they’re the heads of big corporations. Their pursuits can be as basic as shoeing a horse, or as complex as negotiating a multi-million dollar deal for the sale of land or cattle. Either way, we love them and the spirit of independence and self-sufficiency they represent.

~*~


Patricia Knoll tells people she is that rarest of all creatures, a native Arizonan of ‘a certain age’. She writes books set in the west in order to shamelessly take advantage of the colorful characters, traditions, and history of her native state. Contact her at www.patriciaknoll.com

11 comments:

  1. I love the West, and really enjoyed your post, Patricia!

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  2. Great post! I so enjoy the West, and books set there!

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  3. I lived in Tucson for a few years (just recently moved from there) and have a daughter who still lives there and teaches 3rd grade! SO, Rodeo days means school is out and time to go to a parade and enjoy western times! We used to love that time of year...thanks for the post!

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  4. When I was a little girl, we lived on the outskirts of Billings, Montana.Our neighbor was a cowboy. He even had mini-rodeos on his place. We used to go down and watch him rope calves.

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  5. I would love to see a rodeo. They are very exciting to a Brit who has never even seen a cowboy in the flesh!

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  6. Thanks for the comments, everyone. Being around cowboys, cattlemen, and ranchers is always interesting because they usually have a different perspective on things. I think it's because they often spends lots of time alone with time to think as they work cattle, ride around their property. I hope you get to meet a real cowboy, Helen. My dad was quite a character -- used to keep up his roping skills by running my two sisters and me through the house or the yard and roping us. We loved it.

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  7. Great post. Since the Dallas Series, we haven't seen many Western or Rodeo shows on TV.

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  8. Come on, let's all confess. We also love them for their 6-pack abs. :)

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  9. I've written a few cowboy heroes. Of course we love a man that rides high in the saddle!

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  10. My daughter's friend is running for Rodeo Queen. I never knew there was such a thing or that it was tied to their productivity gaining sponsorships and selling tickets to the rodeo. It's more than a beauty contest or horsemanship event. It teaches young girls how to be confident and goal oriented. Love cowboys and cowgirls stories!

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  11. Cowboys make awesome heroes. Totally agree. What a great post, and how neat about your dad!

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