This last Wednesday was a special day in New Mexico. Two years ago I first wrote about the National Day of the Cowboy. Since then I’ve become good friends with Bethany Bradley who is Executive Director of that effort and wanted to get more involved.
In the Fall of 2010 I began working with my New Mexico State Representative Brian F. Egolf so that National Cowboy Day could be recognized in New Mexico.
Wednesday March 2, at the State Capitol Roundhouse in Santa Fe, a resolution was introduced by horse owner Rep. Brian Egolf (D) and co-sponsored by rancher Rep. Candy Ezzell (R) declaring July 23, 2011 will be National Day of the Cowboy in New Mexico.
After discussion, mostly focused on how the Representatives thought this was a great idea, it passed on a 70-0 vote. And then most amazingly Rep. Egolf led the entire legislature and gallery in singing “Home on the Range”. It was very moving.
New Mexico was the first state in 2011 to declare National Day of the Cowboy. Texas will be doing so this coming week followed by other states.
Cowboys have been part of New Mexico history even before it became a state so it seemed very appropriate to honor the past and current contributions and encourage events to commemorative them.
There are 6,800 livestock producing ranches in New Mexico and with the support organizations and services collectively they employ 18,000 people and produce about $2.1 billion in economic activity each year.
The National Day of the Cowboy is a day Congress has set aside for Americans to celebrate and honor their pioneer heritage and the contributions of the Cowboy and Cowgirl to America’s culture and economy. This resolution, naming the fourth Saturday in July as a national day to honor the Cowboy, has passed in the U.S. Senate for five consecutive years, beginning July 23, 2005.
In 2008, for the first time, the National Day of the Cowboy resolution was sponsored and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, by Arizona U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords (yes, Gabby). In June 2008, the National Day of the Cowboy resolution also passed in the Arizona State Legislature, making Arizona the first state to pass a Cowboy Day resolution. In 2009, it passed in the state legislatures of Texas, Arizona, New York, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
In the words of the President of the United States, “We celebrate the Cowboy as a symbol of the grand history of the American West. The Cowboy’s love of the land and love of the country are examples for all Americans.”
The mission of the National Day of the Cowboy nonprofit organization is to contribute to the preservation of America’s Cowboy heritage so that the history and culture which the National Day of the Cowboy resolution honors, can be shared and perpetuated for the public good, through education, the arts, celebrations, gatherings, rodeos, and community activities.
You can get more information at the National Day Of The Cowboy website by clicking HERE.
I hope you will get involved with the effort and get your state to join in. And regardless, please talk to your friends about doing a local event to celebrate that day. A BBQ with friends, a roping or branding, a parade, a square dance, maybe some cowboy singing and food. It’s going to be a special day across America.