ountry C cres A
A Supplement to the Star Shopper
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
Friday, June 16, 2017 • Edition 9
PHOTO BY LAURA HINTZEN
Two rodeo-bred bulls graze the pastures at MT Ranch near Long Prairie.
Life on MT Ranch Traxlers raise bulls for rodeo circuit By LAURA HINTZEN Staff Writer
PHOTO BY LAURA HINTZEN
Mike Traxler Sr. watches bulls on his ranch, MT Ranch, near Long Prairie. Traxler has 120 bulls he trains for bull riding.
LONG PRAIRIE – MT Ranch in Long Prairie makes no secret of the fact that in their business, it’s all about bulls. Forty-five years ago, Mike Traxler Sr. started working for the owner of the Dakota Rodeo, Joe Simon – one of the biggest rodeo companies in the United
States. Since then, Traxler pursued his passion with bull riding and has been owner of the MT Ranch for 10 years. His son, Mike Jr., is co-owner, working full time on the ranch. “We hired a few guys that will work part time when we’re on the road heading to shows,” Traxler said. Their breeding program has produced bulls of some notori-
ety over the years. One of them, Mr. Mean, competed at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals in Las Vegas, Nev. The Traxlers currently raise 120 bulls on the ranch, each of them put through a training process before they are ready to perform in a rodeo.
TRAXLER continued on page 4
Little business, big film Lietzaus provided leather goods for “Dances with Wolves” By HERMAN LENSING Staff Writer COSMOS – Epic may be a good word to describe the film, “Dances with Wolves.” Most people know it as having won seven Academy Awards – including Best Picture – in 1991, grossing over $400 million in the box office. Many have watched it multiple times, never realizing the supporting role played by Chuck and Twyla Lietzau from Cosmos. A supporting role to the costume designer, that is. Frontier Era Trade Goods was borne naturally from Lietzau Taxidermy and the love they had for American history. From its start in 1960, the business was strictly custom
taxidermy, including North American and African game animals. In the early 1980s, things related to American History entered the scene. Today the business is family owned and operated by Chuck and Twyla, along with sons, Adam and Matthew, becoming involved since high school graduation in 2002 and 2003, respectively. In the early 80s, Chuck was approached by a man who was a dyed-in-the-wool buckskinner. Buckskinning is a reenactment of the early fur trappers and the highpoint of their year was a rendezvous, where furs, tools and other items were swapped or sold. It was also a time to get together with people they hadn’t seen for a year, to tell stories. This man suggested they advertise some of the extra
leather and furs they kept on hand, saying buckskinners would “buy that stuff.” “I took his advice and actually hired him to promote that part of the business. Several years later, we extended our name on our letterhead and advertising to “Frontier Era Trade Goods by Lietzau Taxidermy.” Interest grew as they supplied leather and other items for a growing number of buckskinners and their needs. “It was in about 1983 we had a rendezvous reenactment downtown,” said Twyla. “That kind of started it.” From that year and for 20 years thereafter, our business sponsored our own rendezvous held in Cosmos in conjunction with the town's yearly Space Festival celebration. About this same time, movie producers occasionally began
LIETZAU continued on page 6
PHOTO BY HERMAN LENSING
Chuck Lietzau co-owns Frontier Era Trade Goods in Cosmos with his wife, Twyla, and sons, Adam and Matthew. Deer hides like this are used to make garments and other items similar to those hanging in the store.