Campaign Status & Volunteers

2013 National Day of the Cowboy Campaign

The 2013 National Day of the Cowboy resolution crusade is ramping up early in order to capitalize on the momentum gained as a result of Wyoming and California becoming the first and second states to pass the NDOC bill in perpetuity. We have a race on to see what states will be among the first ten states to make the NDOC permanent. On March 4, 2013, New Mexico became the third state to make history by awarding permanent status to the National Day of the Cowboy bill. On April 3, 2013 Arizona took the fourth slot with unanimous passage of Senator Gail Griffin’s NDOC bill by the Arizona Senate. Within a few hours, on April 4, Oklahoma announced it too had passed the NDOC bill with the support of Senator Don Barrington, which gave Oklahoma the fifth slot. We also have a committment from  Kansas working toward permanent passage in 2013. We need more state volunteers willing to enlist resolution sponsors in their state legislatures in 2013, with an emphasis on seeking permanent passage of our bill making the 4th Saturday in July a day to celebrate cowboy culture and pioneer heritage. The bold action of Wyoming (#1),California (#2), New Mexico (#3), Arizona (#4), Oklahoma (#5), and Oregon #6, should clear the trail for other states to join in passing the resolution in perpetuity.

If your state does not have a volunteer listed below and you’d like to help, or if you’d like to help a volunteer who is already on board, please email us at info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com. It’s not a difficult or complicated process to enlist a senator or representative as a resolution sponsor in your state legislature, and it never involves petitions or letter campaigns. We’ll send you all of the information you need to seek and gain passage. We now have twenty-eight states flying the NDOC flag too, so we should have at least that many states on board with the resolution as well. Don’t forget we’d also love to have other countries join in this celebration so please contact us if you’d like to promote it in a country other than the United States.

  • Alabama -
  • Alaska -
  • Arizona – #4 state to pass the NDOC bill in PERPETUITY. Senator Gail Griffin April 3, 2013
  • Arkansas -
  • California – #2 state to pass NDOC bill in PERPETUITY. Senator Ted Gaines. June 2012
  • Colorado – Jim Ratthel, Debbie Koop, Patty Helberg, John Pontius -
  • Connecticut -
  • Delaware -
  • Florida – Tom Bass
  • Georgia -
  • Hawaii -
  • Idaho – Kerri Ellis, Kraig Sundberg  -
  • Illinois -
  • Indiana – Jerry Betley – Senator John Waterman
  • Iowa -
  • Kansas – Ron Wilson, Sandie Masden - Representative Brian Weber
  • Kentucky – Jim Pinson – Rep Tom McKee – NDOC Resolution passed March 25, 2013
  • Louisiana -
  • Maine -
  • Maryland -
  • Michigan -
  • Minnesota -
  • Mississippi – Rip Copeland – Representative Nolan Mettetal
  • Missouri – Mike Burk -
  • Montana -
  • Nebraska -
  • Nevada – Vi Tara, Debbie Hoover, Bob Fox -
  • New Hampshire -
  • New Jersey -
  • New Mexico – #3 state to pass the bill in PERPETUITY. Volunteer Richard Beal. Rep Brian Egolf. March 4, 2013
  • New York -
  • North Carolina -
  • North Dakota – Ray Morrell (NDCHF)
  • Ohio – Bob Orth, Eddie Landry
  • Oklahoma – #5 state to pass the NDOC bill in PERPETUITY. Volunteer Ed Pewitt – Senator Don Barrington April 4, 2013
  • Oregon – #6 state to pass NDOC in PERPETUITY - May 7, 2013 – Senator Doug Whitsett, Representative Mike McLane
  • Pennsylvania-
  • Rhode Island -
  • South Carolina -
  • South Dakota – Slim McNaught
  • Tennessee – Jim Crutchfield – Reps Jeremy Durham, Glen Casada & Charles Sargent, Senator Jack Johnson April 18, 2013
  • Texas – Bernie Sargent – Representative Joe Pickett, Senator Donna Campbell
  • Utah – Tyler Guy -
  • Vermont -
  • Virginia -
  • Washington - Greg Martin – Senator Sharon Brown
  • West Virginia -
  • Wisconsin -
  • Wyoming - #1 state to pass the NDOC in PERPETUITY. March 2012 – Senator Jim Anderson
  • Canada – Judi Wilson, Bronco Bill Cameron, Tom Bishop Sr., Jan Bishop, Sally Bishop

2012 National Day of the Cowboy Quest

The 2012 National Day of the Cowboy resolution crusade is in full swing, but we still need state volunteers willing to enlist resolution sponsors in their state legislatures. Wouldn’t it be great if this was our last year of going to state legislatures and perhaps in 2012, Congress would make the resolution permanent at last? On March 13th, 2012, thanks to Governor Matt Mead, Senator Jim Anderson, Representative Tom Lockhart, and volunteer Susan Thomas, Wyoming became the first state in history to pass the NDOC in perpetuity. On June 7, 2012, California became the second state to award permanent status to the fourth Saturday in July as the National Day of the Cowboy. This vote was the result of a concerted effort by dedicated NDOC volunteers, Vi Tara, Janet Slutsky, Bob Fox, Larry Brady, Brent Slutsky, Belinda Gail, and Bob Lorbeer. The bold action of Wyoming and California should clear the trail for other states to join in passing the resolution in perpetuity. Here’s a video of the California Senate presentation with California Senator Ted Gaines. https://vimeo.com/45099474

The governors of Indiana, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, and Idaho have also signed an NDOC proclamation and the legislatures of AZ, TX, AL, and MO have also passed it in 2012.

If your state does not have a volunteer listed and you’d like to help, or if you’d like to help a volunteer who is already on board, please email us at info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com. It’s not a difficult or complicated process to enlist a senator or representative as a resolution sponsor in your state legislature and it never involves petitions or letter campaigns.

  • Alabama – Hub & Kat Hubbard – Senator Brewbaker – Passed June 26, 2012
  • Alaska -
  • Arizona – Bethany Braley - Sponsor Senator Steve Pierce – Passed Feb 15, 2012
  • Arkansas -
  • California – Brent Slutsky, Belinda Gail, Vi Tara – Passed CA Senate March 21, 2012.
    On June 7th, California became the second state to proclaim the NDOC in Perpetuity.
  • Colorado – Jim Ratthel, Debbie Koop, Patty Helberg, John Pontius – Proclamation from Governor Hickenlooper June 11, 2012.
  • Connecticut -
  • Delaware -
  • Florida – Tom Bass
  • Georgia – Jim Dorsett in honor of Doc Stovall
  • Hawaii -
  • Idaho – Kerri Ellis, Kraig Sundberg – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter NDOC Proclamation April 20, 2012
  • Illinois – Frank Bowman Horse Council of Illinois
  • Indiana – Jerry Betley – Governor Mitch Daniels Proclamation April 18th, 2012
  • Iowa -
  • Kansas – Ron Wilson -Governor Sam Brownback signed the NDOC Proclamation June 15, 2012
  • Kentucky – Jim Pinson – Rep Tom McKee – NDOC Joint Resolution of Ag Committee July 21.
  • Louisiana -
  • Maine -
  • Maryland – Karl Baake
  • Michigan -
  • Minnesota – Christopher L. Watson
  • Mississippi -
  • Missouri – Mike Burk – Sponsor Rep Dave Schatz – Passed March 20, 2012
  • Montana -
  • Nebraska -
  • Nevada – Vi Tara, Debbie Hoover – Governor Sandoval Proclamation July 16, 2012
  • New Hampshire -
  • New Jersey – Miles Dean (Black Heritage Riders)
  • New Mexico – Richard Beal (Beal’s Cowboy Buckles) NM Legislature does not meet in 2012.
  • New York – Jim Navarra
  • North Carolina -
  • North Dakota -
  • Ohio – Bob Orth
  • Oklahoma – Ed Pewitt
  • Oregon – Charley Engel
  • Pennsylvania-
  • Rhode Island -
  • South Carolina -
  • South Dakota – Slim McNaught – Gov Dennis Daugaard Proclamation July 13, 2012.
  • Tennessee -
  • Texas – Bethany Braley – Senator Jeff Wentworth – Passed March 7, 2011 for two years.
  • Utah -
  • Vermont -
  • Virginia – Valerie Crowder
  • Washington – Jeremy Joe Larsen, Brenda Pense, Jim Pense
  • West Virginia -
  • Wisconsin -
  • Wyoming – Susan Thomas – We are proud to have Mrs. Thomas support the NDOC in Wyoming. Susan is the widow of the late WY U.S. Senator, Craig Thomas, the original sponsor of the Cowboy Resolution. The Wyoming NDOC Resolution passed in PERPETUITY March 13, 2012. Thank you Wyoming!
  •  Canada – Judi Wilson, Bronco Bill Cameron, Tom Bishop Sr., Jan Bishop, Sally Bishop

 

2011 Campaign Volunteers

The following volunteers are working to achieve passage of the National Day of the Cowboy resolution in their state legislatures in 2011. We want to secure an official Cowboy Day resolution from at least 26 states in 2011. The 7th Annual National Day of the Cowboy is July 23, 2011.

If your state does not have a volunteer listed and you’d like to help, or if you’d like to help a volunteer who is already listed, please email us at info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com. It’s not a difficult or complicated process to enlist a senator or representative as a resolution sponsor in your state legislature, and it never involves petitions or letter campaigns.

  • Alabama – Stan & Susu Challiss
  • Alaska -
  • Arizona – Bethany Braley – Senator Steve Pierce – Passed unanimously in AZ Senate April 19, 2011
  • Arkansas -
  • California – Brent Slutsky, Belinda Gail, Vi Tara – Senators Fuller, Gaines, LaMalfa – Passed July 1, 2011
  • Colorado -
  • Connecticut -
  • Delaware -
  • Florida – Tom Bass, Osceola County & Florida NDOC Proclamation
  • Georgia – Doc Stovall – Proclaimed by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal
  • Hawaii -
  • Idaho- Kraig Sundberg
  • Illinois – Frank Bowman, Horsemen’s Council of Illinois -Passed in Illinois House May 31, 2011.
  • Indiana -
  • Iowa – Scott & Kim Thomas
  • Kansas – Sandie Masden (Dodge City CVB)
  • Kentucky-
  • Louisiana – Van Slaugter (Crossbar SASS #85242)
  • Maine -
  • Maryland – Karl Baake (Carol’s Western Wear)
  • Michigan -
  • Minnesota – Christopher L. Watson
  • Mississippi -
  • Missouri – Mike Burk
  • Montana – Kim & Kari Baker
  • Nebraska – NDOC Proclamation issued by Governor Heineman
  • Nevada -
  • New Hampshire -
  • New Jersey – Miles Dean (Black Heritage Riders)
  • New Mexico – Richard Beal (Beal’s Cowboy Buckles) – Rep Brian F. Egolf -Passed in New Mexico State Legislature March 2, 2011
  • New York -
  • North Carolina – Governor Perdue Day of the Cowboy proclamation
  • North Dakota -
  • Ohio – Bob Orth
  • Oklahoma -
  • Oregon – Charley Engel, Anthony Arnautov
  • Pennsylvania-
  • Rhode Island -
  • South Carolina -
  • South Dakota -
  • Tennessee -
  • Texas – Bethany Braley – Senator Jeff Wentworth, Passed for two years in Texas State Legislature March 7, 2011
  • Vermont -
  • Virginia -
  • Washington – Jeremy Joe Larsen, Brenda Pense, Jim Pense
  • West Virginia -
  • Wisconsin -
  • Wyoming -
  • Canada – Judi Wilson, Bronco Bill Cameron

Volunteer Deb Skinner obtained a National Day of the Cowboy proclamation from Governor Heineman, in Nebraska, in 2010.

2009 State Legislature Campaign Volunteers

In 2009, we acheived passage of the National Day of the Cowboy resolution in five state legislatures. If you would like to volunteer to locate a sponsor for the National Day of the Cowboy resolution in your state legislature in 2011, email info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com and we’ll send you the information and the steps you’ll need to facilitate the process. Contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, this quest does NOT involve petitions in any way. Not one sponsor, including the first one, Wyoming’s late U.S. Senator Craig Thomas, has ever asked for a petition or for any letters from constituents. All that’s needed is a constituent willing to make the request and to provide a copy of the resolution, along with a few of the pertinent facts for the sponsor.

The following NDOC supporters and volunteers achieved passage of the National Day of the Cowboy in their state legislatures in 2009.

  • Arizona – Bethany Braley – Senator Rebecca Rios – passage June 29.
  • Kansas – Sandie Masden(Dodge City CVB)- Rep Pat George – passage April 6th.
  • New York – Robert DeMitry – Senator George Masiarz – passage January 13.
  • Oklahoma – Angie Maynor (Rte66 Interpretive Center) – Rep Danny Morgan – passage in the OK House April 29.
  • Texas – Bethany Braley – Senator Jeff Wentworth – passage in the Texas Senate March 30.

WANTED – INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS

We are seeking volunteers willing to pursue passage of a National Day of the Cowboy resolution or proclamation in International communities. The following supporters are already seeking sponsors in the countries listed.

Volunteer Support Staff

  • Brochure – Ron Southwick, Arizona
  • Desert Cowboys‘ Marshal – SFC Russell J. Anderson, US Army
  • Website Foreman – Bethany Braley, Arizona
  • Website Graphics – Diamond D Graphics, Iowa
  • Event Calendar Wrangler - Cindy Longoria, Washington
  • Bookkeeper – Larra Atwater, Colorado
  • Radio Wranglers – Barb Richhart, Colorado, Rhonda Stewart, Texas