C&I is celebrating the legacy of the Cowboy with some of our favorite Western greats in cinema, sports, art, and beyond.
Originally founded in June of 2005, the National Day of the Cowboy has been celebrated on the fourth Saturday of July across the U.S. for almost 20 years. But the cowboy tradition has existed, persisted, and been celebrated for centuries prior.
C&I celebrates this year’s National Day of the Cowboy by looking back at some of our favorite cowboy coverage, from legacy ranches run by tried-and-true cowboys to rodeo legends to cowboys of the silver screen and beyond.
Cowboys In Character
A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse.
— William James
Cowboy is not a singular job description. It is a mindset, tradition, and heritage. Celebrate the Day of the Cowboy by paying homage to some of the West’s most prominent movers and shakers.
Ranchers like acclaimed horseman Buster Welch and the leaders of Wyoming’s legacy Diamond Cross Ranch have reshaped the West through their preservation of the ranching tradition. Philanthropists like the big-hearted folks at Cowboys Who Care, veteran and horseman Mark Nutsch, and iconic politician, activist, and artist Ben Nighthorse Campbell reflect the cowboy hallmark of generosity through their work.
Learn about the wisdom, character, and perseverance of these cowboys.
Cowboys In The Arena
True cowboys are the ones who aren’t afraid to get dirty.
— Lane Frost
Nothing says resilience like getting bucked off a bull only to get right back up again. Through courage, skill, and character, legends of rodeo like Lane Frost, Larry Mahan, and Trevor Brazile have paved the way for today’s top rodeo athletes like Arizona Ridge Riders Keyshawn Whitehorse and JaCauy Hale as well as award-winning horseman Adan Banuelos.
Read the triumphant stories of these rodeo legends.
Cowboys On The Big Screen
It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live.
— Robert Duvall as Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove
The West was brought to the rest of the world through the beauty and romance of Western film and television. Watching The Duke ride off into the sunset on a large screen invokes a sense of awe and respect that only the cowboy can achieve.
Check out some of our favorite Western actors, old and new, who have helped shape the image of the cowboy on the big screen.
Riding For The Brand: The Ballad Of Bob Fuge
This cowboy saga, immortalized in song, comes from the true-life adventures of a Texas trail driver and Montana-Wyoming cowboy who wrote it all down. This is the story of “The Ballad of Bob Fudge.”
Celebrating Robert Duvall
Every day is a great day to celebrate the wonder that is Robert Duvall. We’re sharing some memories about the Oscar-winning living legend — and happily noting that he’s still with us and still working.
Chief Dan George: Icon, Oscar Nominee, Native American Groundbreaker
After living a full and prosperous tribal life, Chief Dan George took up acting in his 60s and scored a historic Oscar nod for Little Big Man. We recommend a few of his greatest screen performances.
No Bull, No Compromises With Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner tells C&I about his quest to make Horizon, the multipart big-screen western epic— and sets the record straight on his relationship with Yellowstone.
Mo Brings Plenty's Quest For Coexistence
From an abusive boarding school to standing alongside Taylor Sheridan on the set of Yellowstone, Native actor and activist Mo Brings Plenty clues us in to where his insatiable love and compassion comes from.
Clint Eastwood: An Unforgettable Stranger
The actor gained his first taste of international fame in Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, released in the U.S. 50 years ago. We’re celebrating the actor’s iconic role and the impressive legacy he’s amassed since.
Jimmy Stewart: From War Hero To Western Hero
One of the most honored and beloved stars in film history, screen legend Jimmy Stewart returned from World War II a changed man who would change westerns.
Cowboys On The Canvas
There’s nothin’ in life that’s worth doin’, if it cain’t be done from a horse.
— Red Steagall
Capturing the West through art requires a level of understanding that only a select few can achieve. The cowboy artist is the cornerstone of Western heritage, as he uses his canvas to bring the nuances of the Wild West and the cowboys who ran it to life.
Cowboy poet Red Steagall has been celebrated for decades for preserving the cowboy tradition of storytelling. Western painter Charles M. Russell remains one of the most renowned Western artists in the country for his oil paintings depicting the vibrance, life, and conflict of the Old West. Western photographers like Ivan McClellan and Beau Simmons, as well as the late Kurt Markus and David Stoecklein, have since taken up the mantle, capturing snapshots that say a thousand words.
Check out some of our favorite cowboy artists.
Cowboys On The Runway
Cowboys and men are two totally different breeds.
— Cowboy Proverb
You can walk the walk, and you can talk the talk, but it’s the hat and boots that make the cowboy. Legacy western brands like Resistol have set the standard of Western fashion that experts like bootmaker Zephan Parker uphold, enhance, and expand.
True Western fashion brands are about more than clothes. They’re about preserving the Western tradition and letting the cowboy take center stage. Western fashion icons like the historic HYER, Wrangler, and Timberland protect the cowboy way of life through their classic looks and exciting collaborations.
Let us know who your favorite cowboy is on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
