Academy of Western Artists (AWA) Awards Ceremony, 2002 Cowboy Poetry at the BAR-D Ranch www.CowboyPoetry.com

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The Academy of Western Artists' Seventh Annual Will Rogers Awards for Outstanding Achievement of Contemporary Cowboy Skills in Fort Worth, July 9, 2002,were a great success. The show was flawlessly produced, and included top entertainment and an impressive display of Cowboy artists' work, from spur makers to saddle makers.

Among the highlights:

The over 140 BAR-D poets in The Big Roundup won the Buck Ramsey Award for Cowboy Poetry Book of the Year !
The award was presented by R. W. Hampton and accepted by editor and CowboyPoetry.com managing editor Margo Metegrano, on behalf of all the poets. Some of the contributing poets were in attendance: Featured Guest Red Steagall, Honored Guests Debra Coppinger Hill (named Best Female Poet), Dennis Gaines, and Mike Puhallo; old pards Tim Graham, Scott Bumgardner, and Jerry "Jake" White; past Lariat Laureate Jay Snider, and Lariat Laureate runners up Linda Kirkpatrick and Lloyd Shelby. Also in attendance was friend of the BAR-D, nominee for best DJ, Jo Hargave, whose Keepin' it Cowboy radio show celebrates the Cowboy Way and brings the best in poetry and music to her audience. Also at the shwo were: Honored Guest and Best Male Poet nominee Ray Owens and his wife Verna; Honored Guest and Best Female Poet nominee Ann Sochat, and Special Music Guest Kerry Grombacher were also at the show.
Honored Guest and best BAR-D pal Debra Coppinger Hill was named Best Female Poet and gave a moving and eloquent speech honoring her grandfather and her family traditions.
Honored Guest Chris Isaacs -- the "Cowboys' Favorite Cowboy Poet" -- won the Cowboy Poetry Album of the Year Award for his great Out With the Crew CD.
And in a special moment not on the program, Honored Guest Dennis Gaines, past winner and nominee for Best Storyteller/Humorist, made a romantic marriage proposal from the stage to the lovely Karen Chesky.

Photo courtesy of Mike Puhallo
The previously-awarded Will Rogers Medallion Award was presented to the winners of the five honored books, pictured above from left to right, Mike Puhallo, Dennis Flynn (accepting for Chris Isaacs) Red Steagall, Margo Metegrano, and Lloyd Shelby. At the far left is Charles Williams, poet and Executive Vice President of the Academy of Western Artists.
A great party at Big Balls of Cowtown in the Stockyards area followed the event, where the band Cowjazz entertained all night long, with many of the evening's award-winning musicians joining in.
In the wee hours, Jay Snider, Debra Coppinger Hill, Lloyd Shelby, and Mike Puhallo took their turns on stage with recitations of some of their best poetry.
Mark Lowry wrote a nice Fort Worth Star-Telegram article about the event, and there was another article in the Dallas Morning News (articles don't stay posted there).

Below:
The complete list of winners
More about the Academy of Western Artists
More about the 2002 Awards show and more photos
The 2003 Awards show and Convention (separate page)