Come As You Are
The cowboy is having a moment. It’s not the first time, but this time feels different, likely because this time it’s driven by media, social media and the unspoken opinion of outsiders. In many ways, the cowboy lifestyle movement is more of the outside world’s commentary on cowboys and cowboying than an internal dialogue from within the community itself.
No one here will speak on behalf of gatekeeping the Great American Cowboy. Still, for those who cowboy for a living, it can be frustrating to be poorly misrepresented, seeing Instagram cowboys rewarded for portraying themselves in a dishonest light to sell their book or new album, making a quick buck without concern for authenticity while positioning themselves well amongst those dealing in the newest major currency: attention.
It is easy to understand the plight of the hired hand without the time or ability to pull out a camera or phone on the job, who comes home from a long day to see posed and curated photos of folks who don’t live the life defining what it is to live the life in the eyes of the rest of the world. There is an unrecognized victim here, though, one rarely spoken of. That unrecognized victim is the newcomer.
A wave of new excitement and interest has come back to the cowboy world. This excitement is beneficial to the community in many ways, but social media and advertising are foregoing the reality of cowboying in favor of photo ops and romance. This is all fine when selling shirts, but what about when selling the dream? A new generation enters the cowboy world, only to suddenly encounter an obstacle upon crossing the threshold. Cowboying is hard. It requires a tremendous number of skills, many of which outsiders underestimate or completely overlook. Cowboying doesn’t pay well and is often removed from the conveniences of the modern world. Some outfits are even made to function without the critical internet services needed to curate a proper social media feed. How barbaric!
Cowboying is often anything but pretty and romantic, and newbies are accosted by these truths upon arrival and the hard truth that cowboys can be difficult to get in with. While cowboying is not easy, it is a pursuit unlike any other, drawing folks in with the sweet promise of freedom and the sense of accomplishment that comes with earning one’s place in a difficult profession rewarded by skill, knowledge and pride rather than financial gain. It is, in its own way, an art form. It is not for everyone, but to some, it’s everything. What is the advice of other outsiders who have earned their place in the cowboy world? Work hard and be yourself.
Dakota May came in from the outside, but over time, he established himself not only as a hand within the buckaroo community but also as a skilled craftsman, making saddles and eventually emerging as one of the most talented young rawhide braiders in the country. His take is straightforward.
“Be honest about how little you know, because it’s a journey. Some people who have been doing it for a lifetime are still learning. This lifestyle has a way of humiliating and humbling you on levels you couldn’t imagine, so just be prepared for that,” May says. “Practice makes progress; it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Whatever skills or path you pursue, these are things you refine over a lifetime, not overnight.”
Dakota May. Photography by Jason Kent.
Shortcuts are the enemy of the traditions and rites of passage long held sacred to The West. Learning takes time and is difficult, but it also gives goals to last a lifetime and a sense of self-reliance that cannot be bought, sold or faked. Cowboys recognize other cowboys on sight, not because of a hat and some Wranglers, but because of the number of subtle indicators that can only be found in the dress, composure and speak of someone who has spent significant time working cattle horseback.
Until a person knows, they don’t know, so it is always best to not oversell. After all, a true hand would never say he’s a hand. In the cowboy world, passing yourself off as something you are not is disrespectful. When you come as you are, you may not avoid every lecture, lament and holler, but you will find the respect of those who can appreciate your honesty and try.
Admitting what you don’t know can be scary sometimes, especially when entering a new world alone, and the knee-jerk response of many cowboy pledges is bluff — to immediately buy as much fancy gear as can be afforded with the expectation gear will cover up any inadequacies. Spoiler alert: it will not. A spotless lid, chaps noticeably void of blood splatter and a groove-less horn wrap have already exposed the truth. Now, whilst struggling to tail down a calf from the wrong side of the rope, it begins.
“Well, I just assumed with all that fancy gear, you’d know how to tail a calf down. Would it be too much to assume you know how to give a shot?”
Sound unsavory? There is good news: it is avoidable. One can bypass this type of scrutiny by being forthcoming and truthful, coming to this space hat in hand and working like hell. With a little effort, it is possible to find mentorship, help, learning opportunities, community and even a paycheck.
Celeste Turconi is an ex-railroad worker and musician who gave up life on the rails to try her hand at cowboy work outside Winnemucca, Nevada. No stranger to the challenges of being a rookie on a crew, she is empathetic to the aim of folks desperate to learn.
Celeste Turconi. Photography by Kailey Klein
“My advice would be to be honest with yourself, dedicated and not entitled. Being humble and dedicated, I think, helps the most. As long as you’re working hard and trying to learn, you can’t go wrong,” Turconi says.
If it seems there is a similarity in Dakota’s and Celeste’s responses, it’s because there is. Most cowboys tell newcomers the same things: work hard, be humble, show up early, leave late, always do more than what is asked of you, don’t expect shortcuts and don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Social media be damned. It’s a great life if a person has the grit to make it so. It’s not an easy life, but it’s a great life. While navigating the media’s ideas about a world alien to them, remember the cowboy still exists — more than a myth, more than a legend, more than an aesthetic or a vibe you bring to the function. The cowboy is a living, breathing thing with its own life force, and the true working cowboy is all but facing extinction.
Come as you are and bring along all the grit you can muster. The path will show itself with time. The cowboy way is nothing if not a reciprocating mystery. Bring your talents and gifts. The cowboy world needs them more than ever.
Nicole Grady is a day working cowboy and leathersmith who raises ranch horses and working dogs in rural Kansas. Early life was spent in an English saddle following the bay of fox hounds. A few twists and turns would find her packing mules in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, where she was first exposed to the buckaroo style of horsemanship that would ultimately lead to cowboying for a living. For the last 9 years, she has been a managing partner of The Outside Circle, an organization built around supporting working cowboys and maintaining authenticity in cowboy music. She is deeply committed to the strengthening of community ties within the ranch world and preservation of working cowboy culture.
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