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A unique event takes place in late summer in beautiful and friendly Kanab, Utah: the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, conceived and produced by our past Lariat Laureate Sam Jackson, held in conjunction with the popular Western Legends Roundup. Beginning with a day-long writing workshop and followed by a day and a half of intense competition before standing-room-only audiences, the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo's focus and accomplishment is "excellence through competition." The accompanying Western Legends Roundup event offers days and evenings full of entertainment that included well produced evening shows, open mic sessions, an outdoor fair with Western arts and craft booths, demonstrations from blacksmithing to Navajo dancing, daily free outdoor stage shows, Western movie star events, an exciting parade down Main Street, and more.
You can read more about beautiful Kanab and more background on the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo and the Western Legends Roundup in other features here at CowboyPoetry.com, including: More
About the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo What is Cowboy
Poetry and How do You Write It? Competition
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Below:
The 2004 Cowboy Poetry Rodeo and Western Legends Roundup
photo by Jeri L. Dobrowski
It's become the place to be: The world's one and only Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, conceived and produced by poet Sam Jackson and presented in Kanab, Utah, in conjunction with the popular Western Legends Roundup the weekend before Labor Day each year. Headed for its 9th year, the event draws competitors and its audience from across the country.
The winners received buckles, trophies, plaques, and their share of a purse of more than $5000. They appear on the Western Legends Roundup evening shows, along with headliners such as this year's Red Steagall, R. W. Hampton, and Ian Tyson.
Linda Kirkpatrick photo by Sandra Herl
Linda Kirkpatrick of Leakey, Texas, took home a silver buckle for Serious Poetry and Serious Reciter in the Rising Star Division. DW Groethe took home the Humorous Poetry award and Jay Snider won the Humorous Reciter buckle.
In the Silver Buckle Division, which includes previous winners and those willing to challenge them, Yvonne Hollenbeck
of Clearfield, South Dakota took first in both Serious Poetry and Humorous Poetry (last year she won the same two categories in the Rising Star Division). Ed Nesselhuf was the Serious Reciter winner and Jerry Brooks won the Humorous Reciter event.A special award was given to Rick Pitt of Lander, Wyoming, as Most Improved Poet.
The Winners: Ed Nesselhuf, Jerry Brooks, DW Groethe, Yvonne Hollenbeck, Jay Snider , and Linda Kirkpatrick
photo by Sandra Herl
The focus of the event is "excellence through competition," and past competitors such as Pat Richardson and Doris Daley, are examples of poets who competed and didn't win their first time out. Both say they became better poets because of the competition. Pat Richardson became the AWA Male Poet of the Year in 2003 and Doris Daley was named AWA Female Poet of the Year in 2004.
2004 Cowboy Poetry Rodeo Participants
photo by Jeri Dobrowski
Among this year's competitors were:Linda Kirkpatrick, Clint Nielson, J. D. Kunze, Bill Black, Robert Dennis, D. W. Groethe, Byrd Woodward, Charley Sierra, Doug Keller, Delores Tozer, Jane Morton, Jay Snider, Janice Gilbertson, Rick Pitt, Verlin Pitt, Brent De Shon, Dick Morton, Smoke Wade, Lucky Whipple, Yvonne Hollenbeck, Jerry Brooks, Ed Nesselhuf, Sam DeLeeuw, and Michael Robinson.
The 2004 judges were Brad Hainsworth, Doris Daley, Charles Williams, Pat Richardson, Merlin Bundy, and Colen Sweeten (alternate).
There's always a great spirit of camaraderie among the poets. Winner Jay Snider said, "...had I not won at all, I would still have considered myself a winner just by association with such wonderful folks. We had such a great time in Kanab. It was a real pleasure to be associated with such a class event. It is always great to go somewhere far from home and be treated just like part of a big family. We were much impressed by the professionalism shown by all who were involved with the rodeo. It is such a treat to come away from an event like the Western Legends Roundup with a warm feeling in
your heart and whole host of new friends. Our hats off to Sam Jackson, and all the folks who made Kanab and the cowboy poetry rodeo such a great success."
For more on the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo, see the Western Legends Roundup web site: www.westernlegends.com.
Visit the Western Legends Roundup site for more information about the Cowboy Poetry Rodeo and other festivities at their annual gathering.
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