Outside the Arena with...
Ricky Bolin By Georgia Akers Visualize a cowboy. What do you see? You see someone in a cowboy hat, western belt buckle and boots. Those are the three most common items that are what everyone thinks of when you are asked to think of a cowboy. Boots have become commonplace for professionals, cowboy or not. When I was presiding in the court (for those that do not know, I was a judge) and lawyers would approach the bench, I was surprised at how many would be in their conventional lawyer suit and tie and have on boots. Some were wearing them as a fashion statement. Many had realized that a good pair of boots are really comfortable. What separates these men from a cowboy is the hat. Rarely would they come into court with a cowboy hat. I can think of only one lawyer and he deserved the hat because back in the 40’s/50’s University of Texas had a rodeo team and he went to school on a rodeo scholarship as a bull rider. He made his “ spend money” going to local rodeos around Texas.
tenth. The next year I was first. At that point I was also competing in dirt bike flat racing. My dad came to me and said I would have to choose, that he could not afford both. I started riding at the Kowbell bull riding in Mansfield. In order to pay for the equipment that I needed, my dad would pay the $3 fee but he picked the bull. If I rode him, then he would get me a piece of equipment that was needed.
The hat is as individualized as the cowboy. I had an opportunity to interview Ricky Bolin, General Manager/President of Hatco. He is the genuine article. He is a cowboy (still team ropes) and according to him has the best job in the world. It is nice to find a company that hires someone who knows about the business as a cowboy and not just a numbers guy. Hatco got it right. They got both with Ricky. Tell me about yourself. I was raised in Mesquite, Texas outside of Dallas. I have two sisters. I am married for the past 44 years to Melanie. We grew up together, went to school. We married at 18. Melanie back then showed horses. Her brother was world champion saddle bronc rider Monty Hensen. We have two daughters, Paige and Blair, and three granddaughters. No one in my family rodeoed. I lived close to the Mesquite Rodeo and when young would ride in the grand entry. Each year they would have a Junior Rodeo. I entered the steer riding and the first time came in
Humps-Horns.com · 9 · November 2021
