National Day of the Cowboy :: Preserving Pioneer Heritage

Hats Off to the Cowboy

Thanks to all of you who supported our work by attending our celebration and charity fundraiser on Saturday, October 22. It was indeed a perfect desert evening and a good time was had by all. We had friends from Texas, California, Colorado, and New Mexico, as well as old friends from all over Arizona. Rockin' Ron came all the way from Payson to DJ for us and everyone loved the great country band too; Kenny Breshears, Don Gibson, and Ron Gibson.

The spectacular image contributed for this event, "Moonlight Bronc" (shown above) is the work of Arizona photographer, Bev Pettit, from Skull Valley. A limited number of 12"X18" prints of this image are available for purchase for $20 each unsigned and $30 each signed by Ms Pettit.

Everyone had such a good time that we've decided to make Hats Off to the Cowboy an annual October event, but to hold it in a different community each time and hope to hold it in Cave Creek, AZ in 2012. We'll keep you posted on the details as they develop.

We owe a huge cowboy thank you to the wonderful, hard-working members of the Hats Off to the Cowboy benefit committee which included John and Pat Manes from the Arizona Horse Council, Dakota and Sunny Livesay, who publish Chronicle of the Old West, Babs Sanders from the Black Canyon Saddle Club, Moonlight Mesa Publisher, Becky Coffield from Wickenburg, the ever recognizable Arizona Duuude in his Arizona flag shirt, living historian Lee Anderson, and Kelsee Bradshaw from the Cowgirl Historical Foundation. Lee and Kelsee are also official spokesperson for the NDOC. Also thanks to Brent & Janet Slutsky, and Larry & Jan Brady, who came all the way from California and took complete care of the National Day of the Cowboy tables during the entire evening!

Hats Off to the Cowboy Committee Members