NATIONAL DAY OF COWBOY

North American culture hasn’t a long history but gived enough time to create some of our society’s most influential cultural icons. Without a doubt, one of them is the unbreakable figure of the cowboy, that the epic and romanticism from the literature, cinema and television have magnified even more.

Heir from the mexican ranchers that breed livestock in Texas since Spaniard’s introdution on the 16th Century, the cowboys, the “vaqueros”, were the men (and women, called cowgirls) in charge of all the work related to the ranching along what is was known as the Wild West: Mexico northern states , southern Union states from Texas to Utah and going north, also in several Canada provinces.

The golden age was the second half of 19th Century with the rise of the livestock routes fron northen Mexico and Texas to the north of United States after the Civil War, when moving longhorns (the awesome cows with long horns that appear at the movies) by land required skilled and tough riders.

But things have changed a lot and the modern cowboy, still dedicated to cattle breed, now has other tasks out of the horse, working with tractors, trucks or even helicopters so the equine skills are in part reserved for rodeos.

The essence of Far West lifestyle

Cowboy life represents the core of Far West. The long journeys traveling with livestock through the vast trails to the north were exciting but extremely tough. Moving groups of longhorns that could go from 2000 to 5000 heads and facing many dangers such as stampedes, storms, wildlife and bandit or Native American attacks.

An epic experience so far from the conventionalism that soon would receive a much romantic treatment to convert the cowboy in a idealized figure: the wild lands colonization hero. In more modern times, the cinema and television converted it into a cultural icon, an authentic example of what living in the Wild West represented.

Who forget his past forget his identity and the americans refuse to forget their rich heritage related to the cowboy. For that reason, in 2004 the American Cowboy Magazine engaged a campaign to promote an iniciative at United States Senate to recognise The National Day of Cowboy as a day to honor and celebrate cowboy’s and cowgirl’s contribution to american culture and heritage.

Bureaucracy is something slow, so provisionally, in June 2005 was officially founded the National Day of the Cowboy non-profit organization and during July’ same year the first edition was celebrated in Wyoming.

In the year 2008 Arizona state officially recognised that celebration and a permanent date was settled for July’s fourth saturday each year. In short time more states adhered to finally obtain fully recognition in 2015.

With this national celebration it is expected to remember those pioneers, men and women, considered a symbol of honesty, courage, trustworthiness and determination, heirs and transmitters of a very important part of american culture.

So every year, July’s fourth saturday many different events for the whole family and celebrations related to cowboy and cowgirl world take place around the country, including activities to interact with the livestock, horse riding, rodeos, country music concerts and many others.

If you want to know more about that celebration and The National Day of the Cowboy non-profit organization, check their web site www.nationaldayofthecowboy.com

Live the National Day of the Cowboy with Corbeto’s

As you will realize , this saturday will coincide with the 14th National Day of the Cowboy and is a unique chance to dress as a genuine cowboy or cowgirl, and with good reason!

Of course, you can find all the necessary at our shop in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas and at our online store www.corbetosboots.com What do you need? Here we have all the essentials: men and women western shirts, cowboy and cowgirl boots (yes, you can also wear them in summer), the new straw and canvas cowboy hats, belts, buckles, and many other accessories.