Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium
“Salute to the Rodeo Cowboy” October 7th – 9th 2005
Written by Chuck Duncan • Photography by Mickey Cochran

	Ruidoso, New Mexico takes a step back in time every year to celebrate the days that made Lincoln County and indeed the entire Southwest world famous. The annals of Cowboy life are filled with stories of Cowboy poets, Chuck wagon grub and songs of life on the range, and, the Cowboy Symposium brings these hard lived but exciting days back to life in brilliant technicolor. For three days Ruidoso becomes “Rancho Ruidoso” with lots of ropes, spurs, chaps, bolos and of course hats, lots of hats.

They say that cowboys never die, they just ride away. Though there’s some truth in this, to listen to the Cowboy prose by the Country’s top Cowboy Poets at the symposium is to feel that the West and the cowboy way are still very much alive. You’ll hear recaptured just how the Cowboys felt and sense that theirs was not an easy life, but the only life they could imagine living. These wordsmiths are one of the favorite attractions at the Symposium because they tell the stories of Cowboys from yesteryear and today with a compelling style that’s been part of this craft for a hundred and fifty years or more.

	Cookie - was always the name of the Chuck Wagon chef on the trail in the old westerns and he somehow managed to feed everyone despite troubles with rustlers, varmints, bad weather, broken spokes and occasionally the Native Americans who undoubtedly felt a little imposed upon from time to time. These culinary cowboys still live and breath today on many working ranches and once a year they hitch up their horses and follow the trail to Lincoln County’s Cowboy Symposium where they compete for big prize money and the more important braggin’ rights. In fact, they are so proud of their vittles, they’ll share them with you. Pinto beans, potatoes, bread and biscuits, cobbler all cooked over open flame … and beef that melts in your mouth and reminds you why grazin’ cattle, though hard work, is well worth the payoff. This is authentic Cowboy food exactly as it was when the Chisolm Trail was the only way to market. A good thing too as Judges score mostly on authenticity. This competition is the hottest in the West and they even make dessert over that fire!

If you’re partial to Cowboy music, some call it Western, then you’re going to love the Symposium. Lots of pickin’ singin’ grinnin’ and dancin’ all weekend long. The Sons of the San Joaquin, Wylie and the Wild West and 91 year old Johnnie Cuviello are just some of the many entertainers heading to the Symposium to entertain the folks.

	There’s lots for the little cowpokes to do and see and the Symposium’s Western Trade Fair has plenty of great authentic Cowboy gear and clothing for those who still make their living working livestock and those who just want to look good “two stepping”. So come on up to the mountains and enjoy Ruidoso’s good old fashioned Western hospitality at this years Cowboy Symposium… and … oh yeah, don’t forget your hat!

There’s lots for the little cowpokes to do and see and the Symposium’s Western Trade Fair has plenty of great authentic Cowboy gear and clothing for those who still make their living working livestock and those who just want to look good “two stepping”. So come on up to the mountains and enjoy Ruidoso’s good old fashioned Western hospitality at this years Cowboy Symposium… and … oh yeah, don’t forget your hat!