National Day of the Cowboy
Annual Cowboy Keeper Award™
The Board of Directors of the National Day of the Cowboy organization bestows its annual Cowboy Keeper Award on organizations, events, projects, and individuals it determines have made, or are making, a substantial contribution to the preservation of pioneer heritage, as well as to those whose efforts support the continued growth and preservation of Cowboy culture.
Although the artwork and photography for the award is contributed by a different painter or photographer each year, the Cowboy Keeper Award itself was originally conceived in memory and in honor of cowgirl and artist, the late Joelle Smith. Those who have donated their work are Naomi Offner 2006, Bob Boze Bell 2007, Jennifer M. Ward 2008, Sally Smith for Joelle Smith 2009, Jim Clements 2010, Betty Goodan Andrews for Till Goodan 2011, Phil Beck in 2012, Val Moker 2013, Charles Phillips in 2014, Sheila Cottrell in 2015, Scott Tallman Powers 2016, Burl Washington in 2018 and David Graham in 2019.
To nominate an individual, organization, event, or project, for a Cowboy Keeper Award, send an email to info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com explaining in detail and in your own words, why you feel your nominee should receive the award. Two (2) additional emails, supporting your nomination and following the same requirements, must also be received. Subject must be: “Cowboy Keeper Award Nomination.” The body of the messages should be no more than 750 words. Nominations must be received between March 31st and June 1st each year. Cowboy Keeper Award recipients are announced in July.
To offer to donate a digital image of your western related artwork for use in the Cowboy Keeper Award, send an email to info@nationaldayofthecowboy.com. Subject: Cowboy Keeper Award Image.
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2006 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
U.S. Senator Craig Thomas, Wyoming
Rancher Mrs. Dorothy Wood, Arizona
Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Committee, Wyoming
The Old Cowtown Museum, Kansas
The Golden Boot Organization, California
Naomi Offner contributed this watercolor for the 2006 Cowboy Keeper Award.
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2008 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Michael Martin Murphey,Texas
U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona
Reason to Persevere
Jennifer M. Ward contributed the artwork for the 2008 Cowboy Keeper Award,
“Reason to Persevere.”
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2009 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Dakota Livesay, Arizona
Margo Metegrano, California
Texas Trail of Fame Organization, Texas
She’s a Hand
Sally Smith contributed the artwork of her late daughter, artist Joelle Smith,
“She’s a Hand,” for the 2009 Cowboy Keeper Award.
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2010 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Don and Sharon Endsley, Missouri
Doc Stovall, Georgia
The Desert Cowboys, (Head Wrangler – SFC Russell Anderson, Jared Clark, Dustin Hash, Brandon Hawkins, Don Harbison,
Rowan Dunnaway, Matthew Coppock), in service to America
Kathleen Collins, Western Jubilee Recording Company, Colorado
Scott O’Malley, Western Jubilee Recording Company, Colorado
The Grant Harris Family, New Jersey
Simple Things
Jim Clements contributed his artwork, “Simple Things,”
for the 2010 Cowboy Keeper Award.
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2011 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Bertha Kaepernik Blancett, California
Cleo Hearn & Cowboys of Color Rodeo, Texas
Riders in the Sky, Tennessee
Tom Bishop Sr., Canada
Dubois Main Street National Day of the Cowboy, Wyoming
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Nevada
Pete Clemons, Florida
Westernaires, Colorado
Calgary Red
“Calgary Red” by Till Goodan, was contributed by his daughter, Betty Goodan Andrews,
as the image for the 2011 Cowboy Keeper Award.
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2012 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Chris LeDoux, Wyoming
J. R. Sanders, California
Cowgirls Historical Foundation, Arizona
Susan Thomas, Wyoming
The Will James Society, Nevada
Morning Lessons
Art selected for the 2012 Cowboy Keeper Award is “Morning Lessons”
by renowned Arizona western artist, Phil Beck.
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2013 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
American Chuck Wagon Association
Phil Spangenberger, California
Bob Fox, California
New Mexico History Museum, New Mexico
R.J. Vandygriff, Texas
Mary Ann Dyer Goodnight, Texas
Weathered Wheels
Canadian artist, Val Moker, contributed her image of “Weathered Wheels”
for the 2013 Cowboy Keeper Awards.
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2014 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Barb “Western Belle” Richhart, Colorado
Andy Nelson, Wyoming
Earl W. Bascom, Utah
Dodge City, Kansas
Sunrise Chill
California photographer, Charles Phillips, contributed his image,
“Sunrise Chill”
for the 2014 Cowboy Keeper Awards.
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2015 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Sheila Carlson, Arizona
Waddie Mitchell, Nevada
Ernie Sites, Idaho
David Stoecklein, Idaho
Alaire and Lyman Tenney, Arizona & Australia
Lawrence ‘Bud” Young, Mississippi
Cowboy Hitchin’ Up for a Dry Ride
Arizona artist, Sheila Cottrell, contributed this image of her painting,
“Cowboy Hitchin’ Up for a Dry RIde,”
for the 2015 Cowboy Keeper Awards.
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2016 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Donnalyn Quintana, Texas
Glenn Ohrlin, Arkansas
Cotton and Karin Rosser, California
Joseph “Jo” Mora, California
John Prather, New Mexico
The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Oklahoma
The Wyoming Storyteller
Art for the 2016 Cowboy Keeper Award, “The Wyoming Storyteller,” was
contributed by renowned artist, Scott Tallman Powers.
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2018 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
Ms.Cindy Walker, Texas
Bobby Kerr, Canada/Texas
John Sullivan, Arizona/Washington
John Ware, South Carolina/Canada
Telling of Legends
Artist, Burl Washington, contributed the image of his cowboys
around the campfire painting entitled, “Telling of Legends,”
for the 2018 Cowboy Keeper Awards.
2019 Cowboy Keeper Award Recipients
The Fencing Crew
Montana artist, David Graham, contributed the image of his painting,
“The Fencing Crew,”
for the
2019 Cowboy Keeper Award.
The 2019 Cowboy Keeper Award recipients will be announced July 19, 2019.