Summer Edition of Western Horse Review

INCLUDING THE CCHA FINALS & NCHA AURORA CIRCUIT FINALS

SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 2, 2023

NUTRIEN WESTERN EVENT CENTRE, STAMPEDE PARK UP TO $150,000 IN PRIZE MONEY AND AWARDS

CLASSES:

Open Futurity

Non Pro Futurity

Open Derby

Non Pro Derby

$50,000 Amateur Derby

Open Classic / Challenge

Non Pro Classic / Challenge

$50,000 Amateur Classic / Challenge

CCHA Finals

NCHA Aurora Circuit Finals

Bill Collins Youth Scholarships

Vol. 30 No. 3 SUMMER EDITORIAL editorial@westernhorsereview.com

Publishers

Clay & Jenn Webster Editor

Jenn Webster

Art Direction and Production

Kendra Roberts

Advertising (403) 250-1128 or advertising@westernhorsereview.com

Marketing & Account Executives

Laurie Price ldprice63@gmail.com

Subscriptions

$19.95 CDN - 1 year Subscription

$39.95 USD - 1 year Subscription

For SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: 1-855-464-4523 or subscriptions@westernhorsereview.com

For BACK ISSUES visit our Store at www.westernhorsereview.com

Subscribers: Your name may be made available to reputable companies with products that may interest you. If you do not want your name shared, please e-mail subscriptions@westernhorsereview.com and request OPT-OUT in the subject line.

Accounting

Laurie Price at (403) 250-1128

ldprice63@gmail.com

Contributors

BAR XP PHOTO

Mike Edgar

Johnny Hawkins

Debbie MacRae

Michael Nicola

Tara McKenzie Fotos

editorial@westernhorsereview.com www.westernhorsereview.com

A podcast created by Teddi Jevne and Jenn Webster, as a division of Western Horse Review magazine. In each episode, Jevne interviews various individuals of the horse industry and holds in-depth conversations about everything from breeding horses, to western lifestyle and design, food of the west and training tips. Come for the stories and professional tips, stay for the chemistry and intellectual journey of host, Teddi Jevne.

contents

Out West

8 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

10 LEAD LINE

Meet your everyday Under-Cover Super-Hero, and appreciate his invaluable, everyday contribution.

12 OUT WEST

How art became necessity.

14 OUT WEST

Nature is cruel. Meet two British Columbia folks who are doing what they can to save feral foals that have been abandoned in the wild.

16 FACEBOOK FEEDBACK

WHR reader reaction to an accidental braid job.

16

WESTERN INSIDER

NRHA and AQHA announce cooperative agreement between the AQHA World Championship Show and the NRHA Futurity.

Western Culture

17 GEAR & STYLE

Introducing the gear of summer.

18 GOOD WORK

Meet Dana Herr, a rancher and mother of three who is changing the boot industry in Canada, one pair at a time.

20 WESTERN FOODIE

Take the expense, the boredom and the blasé right out of the kitchen. Replace it with value and venison – this dish is a guaranteed hit!

24 EQUINE HEALTH

Managing equine asthma

Features

26 THE LAMMLE’S LEGACY

Sometimes legends arise out of the most modest beginnings – like right here at home. Lammle’s Western Wear celebrates 40 years of business in 2023.

30 MAN ON A MISSION

John Scott has brought over a billion dollars worth of movie work into the province of Alberta. Although he may need no introduction, get to know the humble man who is also a local legend.

34 SHARING THE BEAUTY OF THE WEST

Whether it’s functional, fashionable, or selective fine art, these artisans create their masterpieces with finesse. Original, innovative, and inspiring, their works are fuelled by passion.

42 PEARLS OF THE PRAIRIES

We all seem to have an appetite for travel, whether it’s just to the local rodeo or to further parts unknown. Here’s a little taste of what’s on western Canada’s travel menu.

48 STAMPEDE STYLIN’

These outfit options will take you from the barn, to brunch, to the Stampede in full western style.

54 ARTIST ON THE EDGE

Headstrong and disruptive, contrary and evocative, Emily Carr fused her emotions with her medium. A woman dedicated to her work and her own person; she demonstrated that art could be more than just a hobby. It was the evolution of her spirit.

50 WILL RIDE FOR FOOD

When a man’s best friend, isn’t always…

Original painting by Karen Coe Fine Art. Find more about her work at: www.karencoefinearts.com

So many cool elements came together to bring this publication in your hands right now. First off was the cover, painted by Karen Coe of Lethbridge, AB. Coe had a vision and in her words, that vision didn’t quite come together as planned…

“Over several days of holding flashlights under my BFF’s face and bugging the heck out of my MUCH too happy and smiley dog, I was finally able to piece together what I needed to make this happen…” she chuckles.

We love how her painting turned out

and admirers can view the original at the 2023 Calgary Stampede Western Oasis.

You’ll notice there is a large focus on western art in this edition of Western Horse Review. In this industry, we are blessed with a wide range of talented artisans and on page 34, we introduce you to several who are marking their mark on the world of art.

Then we congratulate Lammle’s Western Wear on 40 years of business and success in Canada! Read our interview with Jeff and Barry Lammle on page 26.

With ranching and family at their core, the company has kept western heritage in its sights for four decades – find out what they have in store for the future.

Next, we go to John Scott’s ranch near Longview, AB, to find out why A-list actors and blockbuster hits keep coming to Alberta. Bringing more than a billion dollars worth of movie productions to the province, John Scott is as humble as they come and a local legend.

As always, we hope you enjoy the issue!

I was honoured and blown away by his experience and knowledge, when I recently got the chance to spend a morning with John Scott.

• Livestock

• Horse

• Living Quarters

• Bumper Pulls

• Straight Loads

• Angle Hauls

• Goosenecks

• Stock Combos

PERSONAL/AGRICULTURE/COMMERCIAL FINANCING AND LEASING AVAILABLE

We take trade-ins and consignments . Parts and service upon appointment

Owned and Operated

Family

Top 10 Exiss and Sooner Dealer

Leadline

DADS

SUPERHEROES WITH ONE LINERS & SUPPORTIVE HANDS

A dad is someone that you look up to, no matter how tall you grow.

Early in life, we are surrounded by father figures that protect us, challenge us and support us in a myriad of pursuits. From our first steps to mounting a horse that may seem a tad questionable to mom, fathers coach us and push us beyond our comfort zone. Granted, this may entail doing things that don’t win mom’s approval at first, but, in the end, valuable lessons are always learned. Whether they are teaching us to cut our food, guiding us in making the “rightchoice,” or showing us how to halter a colt for the first time, father figures are a healthy blend of tough-love, bravery and skill.

Often making mom hide her eyes or turn the other way, fathers have a way of educating children unlike anyone else. Without fully knowing, they defy gravity, release fear and summon integrity. Dads have a way of putting their children in action, limiting inhibitions, securing a smile and making things happen. While it may not always seem like it, a father’s love is unconditional. Without doubt, they will do anything to ensure the safety and well-being of their “herd.” Yes, their

methods may be a bit unconventional at times, but who remembers a great story that began with, “This one time, I was eating a salad in my rocking chair and…”

“By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” -

Charles Wadsworth

Known as the heavy in many disciplinary roles, father figures are usually mom’s last resort when it comes to keeping everyone in line. Truly, the threat of punishment rarely holds a candle to the thought of disappointing dad. Father figures restore order quickly and, much to Mom’s chagrin, they are often found, mere moments later, encouraging chaos and lightening the mood.

Celebrating the father figures in our lives cultivates fond memories. Dads truly are superheroes with a wealthy bank of bad jokes, priceless skills and stories that invite a smile. Dan Zevin said it best, stating, “Lately, all my friends are worried they’re turning into their fathers. I’m worried that I’m not.”

Fathers, you truly are one in a million. Coincidentally, these are the same odds as everyone being ready in the truck when YOU are ready to leave…

A dad’s most common crime is over sharing one-liners and bad jokes! With good intentions, here are a few WHR favourites:

• Why do fathers take an extra pair of socks when they go golfing? In case they get a hole in one!

• My dad told me a joke about boxing. I guess I missed the punch line.

• What country’s capital is growing the fastest? Ireland. Every day it’s Dublin.

• I’ve got a great joke about construction, but I’m still working on it.

• What do you call a belt made of watches? A waist of time.

• Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use a honeycomb.

• What did the coffee report to the police? A mugging.

• I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.

• How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it.

• What do you call a poor Santa Claus? St. Nickel-less.

• I don’t trust those trees. They seem kind of shady.

• What did one hat say to the other? Stay here! I’m going on ahead.

• What do you call it when a snowman throws a tantrum? A meltdown.

• What kind of shoes do ninjas wear? Sneakers!

• That car looks nice but the muffler seems exhausted.

~ By Kirk Prescott – BAR XP PHOTO

HOW NECESSITY BECAME ART

The image of the cowboy is inseparable from the North American West and often associated with the cattle drive era of the late 1800s. Most cowboy gear has a much longer history though. Saddles were around for hundreds of years before leather craftsmen started to redesign them to be more conducive to working cattle. The first metal bits were made in approximately 1400 BC, and there is evidence of rawhide braiding dating as far back as 6500 BC.

In 1519, Spanish explorer Cortez introduced working horses to North America and they soon became the primary tool in managing cattle. Cortez brought with him men who braided headstalls and ropes, introducing rawhide braiding to the Americas. Vaqueros adorned their pantaloons with silver coins and decorated their saddles and bridles with silver. When cowboys started gathering to show off their skills at early versions of rodeo, they initially wore a leather kidney belt, attaching pieces of carved metal to the belt to commemorate a win in an event. Eventually the kidney belt was tossed aside and the metal plates became buckles made of silver.

After the Civil War, the cattle industry flourished and the demand for working cowboy gear increased. Dedicated craftsmen became more and more popular. Leather craftsmen built saddles and headstalls and chaps. The blacksmith made bits and spurs, rawhide braiders made headstalls, reins, ropes and hobbles and silversmiths created symbols of success for the cowboy.

“Deep in the heart of almost everyone is the desire to surround themselves with things that somehow feed our souls,” said saddle maker Cary Schwarz. “The progression of making our tools also things of beauty is a part of the human story from day one.”

Toward the end of the 20th century though, the individual craftsmen in these trades started to fade away. It was no longer a craft passed down from generation-to-generation. Bits, spurs and saddles were now being mass produced, often offshore. With mass production came a loss of hand-crafted quality and diminished design. The modern working cowboy had to settle for something less.

In 1998, a group of saddle makers, rawhide braiders, bit and spur makers and silversmiths, gathered together to try to figure out how to preserve these trades. Later that year, the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association was formed by that group of 14 master craftsmen. Their mission was straightforward: “The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association is dedicated to preserving and promoting the skills of saddle making, bit and spur making silversmithing, rawhide braiding and the role of these traditional crafts in representing the Cowboy Culture of the North American West.”

So, the question remained, how do they achieve their mission? They realized they needed to get young craftsmen interested in these specific trades, then educate and assist them in perfecting their skill levels. Also, in order to accomplish this goal, they had to educate not only working cowboys but the public on the quality of individual work versus mass produced products. They needed help.

“I could be the greatest bit and spur maker in the world, but if no one knew about me or my work, it would be hard to share the pieces and skills with those interested,” said bit and spur maker Wilson Capron. “Sharing my passion is hard to do without a stage to do so.”

Don Reeves, then Curator/McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, knew a couple members of the newly formed TCAA and was invited to their first organized meeting in Elko, Nevada. Reeves in turn invited then Museum president, Ken Townsend, to join them. After two days in the back room of a Denny’s in Elko they came up with a solution. The Museum would host an annual exhibit and sale. Now the challenge that faced this group of craftsmen was producing “museum-worthy pieces” for the show, elevating their craft to art.

“The first day I started to engrave my dad said we better start talking about art and design,” said Wilson Capron. “I said ‘oh no Pop, I don’t want to be an artist; I just like making bits and spurs and engraving.’ He said, ‘what do you think that is? It’s art, and you have to embrace it whether you want to or not.’”

In the fall of 1999, the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association had its first sale and exhibition at the Museum. These cowboy craftsmen succeeded in bringing art to the show. Even though their art is meant to be displayed in homes and offices, each piece that is created is still functional for the cowboy. A saddle made by Colorado saddle maker and TCAA member John Willemsma can be displayed in a Boardroom at a major corporation one day and put on a back of a horse the next. It all starts with an idea, a pencil and a piece of paper. They have taken the necessary tools of the North American cowboy and raised them to the level of art.

“Each Traditional Cowboy Arts Association member is a master of their discipline,” said silversmith Scott Hardy. “Not only understanding function but the beauty and benefit of design and ornamentation and how, when brought together, they surpass function. In doing so they not only give the owner pleasure, but also break the barrier between function and art.”

The 25-year partnership with the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has grown strong each year because of the quality of the art. Here are a few results of the past 25 years:

• There have been 23 shows/sales (one was missed due to Covid)

• 900 one-of-a-kind pieces have been displayed

• The accumulated value of the shows was approximately $10 million

• An average sell through of 70% with two shows selling out

• 113 saddles have sold with an average value of $30,000

In addition to the annual sales and exhibits, the TCAA has conducted 40 workshops for craftsmen at the Museum. The TCAA has also awarded over $300,000 in scholarships and fellowships. In 2018, a coffee table book authored by A. J. Mangum about the history and members of the TCAA was published called “Cowboy Renaissance.”

TCAA’s 24th exhibition ands sale will be October 6-7 this year at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. If you are a cowboy, show horses, ride for pleasure or simply love western history and culture, I would encourage you to make a trip to Oklahoma City the first weekend of October to see the exhibition and meet with each of the artists.

Here’s to necessity becoming art!

For more information about the TCAA or the Museum, visit tcowboyarts.org and tcaa.nationalcowboymuseum.org.

~By Michael J. Nicola

FERAL FOAL RESCUE

There is a YouTube channel based out of Kamloops, BC, that is gaining rapid fame. To date, Jordan and Candice Camille have found and rescued several feral foals that have been abandoned, run off by their herd, or sadly, attacked by herd sires. Utilizing their own time, finances and amenities, the Camilles prepare to go out to the rangelands every May and search for potential foals who have been left behind. As they document their findings and

question, “Why does this happen?”

“In this particular herd there are probably almost 300 horses. So, for that amount of horses to be together in one rangeland, is quite a lot,” explains Candice.

“We’ve found that these incidences of feral foals are happening more often because of the stallion dynamics within that herd. When you have a lot of stallions (especially young ones,) there is always a lot of fighting and dominance issues.”

hard right after foaling, to keep up with the herd. The newborn can’t stay with her and becomes injured in the middle all of this going on,” says Camille. “Or, the worst is when they’re injured on purpose.”

On occasion, a herd stallion will actually attempt to eliminate a newborn, to gain a higher mating opportunity with the mare. This is one of the uglier sides of nature that the Camilles have witnessed.

As they have become known in the area as rescuers of foals, locals know to call Jordan or Candice, if they witness a problem. Unfortunately, there have been several foals the Camilles couldn’t save.

“For some, we have tried really hard,” chokes Candice. “Even with vet care. Some of them just can’t make it.”

particularly, the individual babies in need of help, their YouTube channel has received millions of views.

Anyone involved in the natural world, knows nature is cruel. Still, so many abandoned foals in one area begs the

This is more frequently observed, when mares are foaling out. Hormones run high and conflict ensues. The stallions seem to become their most aggressive, just as the foals are born.

“Most times, the mare is pushed really

For the ones they can save, the Camilles are all in.

To learn more about their efforts, check out @Camillehorses on YouTube.

~ By Jenn Webster

PRIME Commercial Building in Longview, AB

122 Morrison Road Longview, AB

Have you always dreamed of living and working in the heart of ranching country? Bring your business to this unique, one of a kind property with 2354 sq ft of retail on two levels, and 1260 of living space above. The 2 bdr. apt. has a beautiful open concept with a deck and a view of the mountains. Longview is waiting just for you. MLS A2038222

Roadrunner, Wilson Capron, Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition & Sale 2022

FACEBOOK FEEDBACK

We

NRHA and AQHA Announce Cooperative Agreement Between World Show & Futurity

Following discussions between American Quarter Horse Association Director of Competition Scott Neuman, National Reining Horse Association Commissioner Gary Carpenter, and NRHA Show Manager Cheryl Cody, an agreement has been reached regarding event dates. This pact will benefit the Farnam AQHA World Championship Show and the NRHA Futurity, both held at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

The two organizations tackled a problem together and, beginning in 2023, tremendous changes will be made. The World Show will finish up with its reining world championships on Thursday, November 16, and the NRHA Futurity move-in will begin on Friday, November 17.

For NRHA, enhanced growth for the

massive futurity show had created scheduling difficulties, and for AQHA, increasing participation in the reining classes was a goal. The alliance creates sponsorship support for the AQHA World Championship Show from NRHA and will enhance the added money in AQHA World Show reining classes. It is hoped that this will begin a growth in participation.

Horses will move in for the Futurity early Sunday morning, November 19, and NRHA Futurity competition will begin on Tuesday, November 21. The two additional days that will be added to the event will give relief to a schedule that has been bursting at the seams.

Further details will be forthcoming, but the new schedule is expected to have a positive impact on both events.

“Oh it would kill me to pull those, they are stunning!” ~Patricia Hydden

“This is gold!!”

~ Robyn Mulhall

“Wet it and let it dry… beachy waves vibe for the summer!” ~Amy Reeder Shaffer

“Said pleasure horse now identifies as a dressage horse. Take advantage, throw good gear on and do an impromptu photo shoot”

~Danielle Leishman

“

“ Post enter some classes!

~Amy Alves

Ya. This isn’t just a quickie job. Quick fix. Hurry up and Braid it kinda JOB. Beautiful Buttons though!

~Trisha Lynn Forrest Coyle

all had a good chuckle when a post came along, mentioning an accidental braid job. Here’s what WHR fans had to say:

THE FINER THINGS OF SUMMER.

Finally an air tag made specifically for pets!

THE YIP TRACKER is fully engraveable at PetSmart stores. There are no monthly fees (no subscriptions required) and this tag is compatible with your smart phone – making you aware of your beloved pet’s whereabouts, 24 hours a day. Locate your pet using your iPhone and other Apple devices that are in the range of your tag. These tags are water resistant and they work securely and anonymously $40 yiptracker.com

Products from MANE-LY LONG HAIR PRODUCTS are all the rage right now. Got a tangle? Get it out quickly, with no washing required using their detangler. This unique, long lasting concentrated formula helps maintain healthy hair too with just a weekly application. Ingredients include Keratin Amino Acids and Panthenol B5.

$16 for 4 oz. manelylonghair.com

FOR MY LITTLE COWGIRL... Join the adventure as a well-seasoned ranch pony is in search of a twoyear-old cowgirl to start for himself. What he finds is much better than he can imagine! This beautiful, hard-cover book is written by Jordan Glause and illustrated by Clara Smith. $24 USD www.jordanglause.com

HAND-FORGED PATINA BRACELETS

These beautiful, hand-made bracelets from JM Western are timeless pieces crafted from pure copper. Their beautiful designs are a result of “flame painting” or hand-forging with high heat. Find them on Instagram.

These limited edition, 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CHUCKWAGON BOOTS from ROPER are available at Keddie’s Tack & Western Wear in Grande Prairie, AB! As the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) celebrates a century of iconic racing, it was only fitting that proper boots were crafted to mark the occasion. $300 www.keddies.com

GoodWork

Wild Rags to Almost Riches

Dana Herr is a fifth generation rancher, who lives on her ranch south of Pincher Creek, AB. She is an absolute go-getter whose company, Rancherr Boots, recently skyrocketed to success. It wasn’t an overnight, easy triumph however. Herr has also been busy raising her three young girls and assisting with the family’s Black Angus operation throughout the entire process. This is how Herr got her start and the elements that led up to the fastest growing Canadian boot company in the country.

By JENN WEBSTER

Dana Herr has the entrepreneurial spirit in her veins. She got her true start, crafting wild rags when she was aged 18. Commercial scarves that were available to ranch folks were never large enough to keep ranchers warm enough when the Canadian temperatures really dipped low.

“We couldn’t find big enough ones for the guys on the ranch – so many of the store scarves are like, a tiny square and don’t really do anything for warmth when

calving in -20 degrees Celsius weather. So I started making the meter-square ones and bigger,” she tells.

Herr then started giving the wild rags to friends for birthdays. She finally created her own Facebook page, entitled Herr Wild Rags, approximately eight years ago. That lead to an Instagram page in 2020, which also started her website. Herr is known for her out-of-the-box and unique wild rag prints – for instance, her own personal “go-to” is a fried egg rag motif with a mint background. She also designs custom

scarves too, crafting them with individual ranch brands, pics or other ideas.

The same year, Herr additionally began with a cowhide moccasin collaboration with Posh Panda – a local maker from Lethbridge, AB.

“She creates the most amazing mocs!” exclaims Herr. “I had a few pairs from her that I loved and and BEGGED her for three years to make me some in cowhide, as I knew I could sell them (or at the very least, I wanted some for myself.)

“So now my moccasin with her has its

The cowhide Lecharas are Dana Herr’s signature boot, although there is no shortage of creativity in her other models.

own space on her website and every pair is branded Posh Panda x Herr Wild Rags to signify the collab of ours. This is also why my website was started – between my wild rag orders and the Mocs, I couldn’t keep up anymore with people messaging me their addresses and e-transferring me!” she chuckles.

From there, Herr transitioned into carrying a few items on her website that she used and loved. Many of the products were things that couldn’t be found easily in her area and were unique finds, or handmade from friends. These included branded denim jeans, waxed cotton ropes, crotchet “calving cow” stuffed animals, handmade soaps, etc.

“That grew the site and really started to establish my ‘brand,’” she says.

The year 2020 was a pinnacle time for Herr, on many levels. Through what she describes as a “wild series of events,” Herr stumbled across a company in Mexico. A few preliminary conversations took place and the young mother took home some hide and leather samples.

“Long story short, I fell in love. I took a pre-order from a shady guy… it then took four months to get my customers their boots I promised. And then I had a big meeting with the guy I first contacted and we decided I had too many great ideas for designs to stop, so we branched off to making our own boots. With our own employees and space and I started my own brand, ‘Rancherr Boots.’”

Herr had to order a minimum of 1,000 boxes of boots to initiate the company.

“I thought about it for five minutes and said, ‘Okay let’s go!’ and we haven’t looked back since,” she exclaims.

Originally, Herr had two ideas. The first was what evolved into the Cowhide Lechera; a Blundstone-style boot, with a crepe sole and full cowhide outer finish. (Incidentally, Herr is the first person to create this style of footwear in full cowhide.) The second concept was a bubblegumpink pair of suede cowboy boots.

“I had been dreaming of pink boots for years. Good, working, raw suede boots that would just give that little ‘pop of colour’ when worn,” she tells.

Whether they were paired with dark-wash, flare jeans and a blazer, or Wranglers and manure in the branding pen, Herr envisioned that her pink boot concept would add the perfect amount of

femininity to a working cowgirl’s day. Or for the lady who wants to pair them with jeans and go to the city, or to the cabaret at a rodeo.

“Those were one of the first designs I made. And I’m still as obsessed with them today, as I was in my dreams,” Herr says. “I have so many ideas for boots. Honestly, I can’t say which ones I have designed would even be my favourite at this point…”

In the past three months, Herr’s brand has grown exponentially. Yet, it’s not without a lot work and sacrifice.

“It’s literally been blood (stapling and folding boots boxes); sweat (stacking boots, rolling boxes of 100+ pairs of boots into the back of my car, in town after getting them from the salon I have them UPSed them to…); and tears (dealing with the yucky customer service stuff, hard business decisions, not knowing how I’m going to pay for the next order…” she admits.

With all the success and excitement, a lot of hard days have also come into the picture – especially as the younger entrepreneur tries to negotiate her way through a relatively, new venture. One thing is clear however, Herr’s customers

are genuinely sold on the legitimacy of her products. They love how trendy, stylish and perfect her footwear are built for life on the ranch. In her few short years of business, she has received hundreds of messages from happy customers who have told her they never take them off their feet. The Lecharas, especially, are her clientele’s first choice at the door – for dressing up, or doing chores.

“And that’s what I love about them so much - they are literally for everything!”

Additionally, the beauty of the hairon-hide Lecharas is, if the boots get dirty, clients can simply hose them off, let them dry and return them for regular wear without worrying about any damage they may have incurred in the cleaning process. This is a concept many ranch wives can get behind.

“I was a dental assistant before this, and a ranch wife – I still am,” she smiles. “So when I say my brand means the world to me, I really mean it. I have given it my all since I started. To figure this out on my own, especially with no background in marketing – I truly believe in what I’m creating.” WHR

If Herr is not busy on the back end placing and fulfilling boot orders, you can find her hard at work on her ranch.

Pan Roasted Venison

BY MIKE EDGAR PHOTOS BY BAR XP PHOTO

Served with crispy potato pavé, roasted pearl onions, and Saskatoon berry chimichurri – this melt-inyour-mouth dish is hearty and will allow you to savour the hunt, long after the season has ended.

Roasted

Venison is one of the leanest, high in protein and most economical meats available – especially if you live with an avid hunter. This exquisite dish takes venison tenderloin to a new level. Plated atop the most elegant scalloped potatoes (although not exactly, we’ll get into that later…) this meal will leave everyone satisfied and asking for more.

POTATO PAVÉ

Pavé, is a French word for “paving stones” and as the potatoes are prepared for this dish and sliced into rectangular portions, thus the recipe name Potato Pavé. This side dish is similar to a refined version of scalloped potatoes and requires two days to complete. As such, this part of the meal is the first component to make.

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 Tsp Kosher Salt

2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

4 oz. Melted Fat of Your Choosing (Duck, Goose, Beef, Olive Oil, or Butter) and Melted

Canola Oil for Frying

Slice the potatoes up with a mandolin, to garner very thin slices.

METHOD

1) Wash and peel potatoes.

2) Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes lengthwise to about 1/16th of an inch.

3) Place the potatoes in a bowl. Toss with fat, salt, and pepper.

4) In a loaf pan, lay down the potato piece by piece. Evenly layer until all the potatoes are used.

5) Preheat oven to 250-degrees Fahrenheit.

6) Bake the potatoes for three hours.

7) Remove from oven, cover with parchment paper, place another loaf pan on top and place weight onto the top of the loaf pan. The weight can be anything –canned vegetables, actual weights, or even rocks.

8) Place the weighted potato dish in the fridge overnight.

9) The next day, cut the potato side dish into desired portions. For this recipe, we did a two-inch length with a 1-inch width slice of potatoes.

10) Heat oil to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the potato slices

11) Remove from oil and season with a pinch of salt.

PEARL ONIONS INGREDIENTS

8 Oz Pearl Onions, Peeled

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves

1 Pinch of Salt

1 Pinch of Ground Black Pepper

METHOD

1) Toss onions with oil, thyme, salt, pepper.

2) Pre heat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit.

3) Place onions in oven and roast for 15 minutes or until soft and golden, or fry until soft and golden.

SASKATOON BERRY CHIMICHURRI INGREDIENTS

1 Bunch Chopped Parsley

1 Bunch Chopped Cilantro

1 Cup Chopped Chives

1 Cup Chopped Oregano

1 Cup Chopped Saskatoon Berries

4 Cloves of Garlic Minced Juice of 3 Lemons

3 Tbsp Raspberry Vinegar

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1 Tbsp Crushed Pink Peppercorns

1 Tsp Crushed Chili Flakes

After they are prepared, cut your Potato Pavé into slices.

Chopping up the parsley.

About the Chef:

Mike Edgar graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in the Culinary Arts. He stayed in Calgary, AB working at some of the city’s top restaurants. In 2007, he opened his own restaurant in Calgary’s east end. After eight years of being a chef there, Edgar decided to take a step back and left the industry to spend more time with his son. His son has now expressed an interest in learning his father’s skills and in horses simultaneously.

METHOD

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cover and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

PLATING

Cook the venison via your preferred method and to your preferred doneness. For this dish we used the tenderloin and seared it at high heat to an internal temperature of 125-degrees Fahrenheit (rare). Then we allowed the meat to rest, covered for 15 minutes.

In the middle of the plate, place your crispy potato pavé, slice your meat to expose its beautiful color and arrange around the potato. Carefully place the roasted onions wherever you feel they should go. Top with the huge spoonful of the chimichurri and enjoy!

Cook the venison to your preferred doneness.

Equine Asthma:

Recognizing and managing respiratory issues in horses

Environmental determinants, especially in Canada, can trigger equine asthma. Here’s what you need to know about managing this disease.

By BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

Many of us have probably felt the discomfort of being struck with a nagging cough and at some points, even being short of breath. These respiratory experiences may be

signs of more serious conditions – and the situation is no different for horses.

Every cough means something, and for horses, coughing and wheezing may mean equine asthma.

UNDERSTANDING EQUINE ASTHMA

Equine asthma is the blanket term for several lung-related diseases and conditions that affect a horse’s breathing. A relatively new term, equine asthma, encompasses all the prior-used terms for respiratory diseases in horses, including heaves, inflammatory airway disease (IAD), equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Researchers and veterinarians now treat IAD as mildmoderate equine asthma, while RAO is now known as severe equine asthma.

DOES MY HORSE HAVE EQUINE ASTHMA?

If you’re at all familiar with how humans experience asthma, the symptoms of equine asthma likely won’t come as a surprise. Persistent coughing, flaring nostrils and laboured breathing are common signs of severe equine asthma.

The impact equine asthma has on a horse’s quality of life and the potential to train or compete, varies depending on the severity of symptoms. In severe equine asthma cases, horses will have periods of respiratory distress, even when they’re not exercising. Horses with moderate equine asthma, on the other hand, may have no symptoms at rest but may show symptoms like coughing while exercising or eating. Finally, horses with no symptoms at rest, but exercise intolerance (meaning they can’t work at full capacity), may have mild equine asthma.

Keep in mind that these respiratory signs may also be the consequences of infectious diseases, such as equine influenza. Staying on top of vaccinations is important for protecting horses from viruses that cause respiratory illnesses.

So, if you think your horse has equine asthma. Now what?

Diagnosing equine asthma can be tricky because the symptoms come and go, depending on the time of year and other environmental factors, such as the dust level of the barn. It’s also easy to chalk a horse’s symptoms, such as laboured breathing or a single cough, up to a particularly tough workout. However, there are ways that veterinary professionals can narrow down a diagnosis.

After a thorough physical examination, the veterinarian might perform an airway endoscopy and look down the horse’s windpipe and into its lungs. They may also perform a “lung wash,” putting a small amount of sterile saline into the horse’s lung before sucking it back out. That allows them to analyze the cells and mucus, to diagnose possible equine asthma, or potential lung infections.

WHAT CAUSES EQUINE ASTHMA?

Genetics play a major role in whether a horse develops equine asthma. However, environmental triggers also tip the scales toward equine asthma developing in horses who are already predisposed to having it.

Dust, pollen, mold and urine in the barn aggravate equine asthma symptoms. That means hay presents a problem, since horses inhale more of these irritants as they eat, and bedding can also trigger equine asthma symptoms. Sweeping the barn may also cause equine asthma symptoms to worsen since it moves dust, pollen and other irritants around.

PREVENTING & TREATING EQUINE ASTHMA

Unsurprisingly, stabled horses – com-

mon in colder climates like Canada – may lead horses to develop equine asthma (that’s why rates of severe equine asthma are higher here than in, say, California). Managing equine asthma begins with limiting the environmental factors that aggravate the condition in the first place. Researchers suggest putting horses on pasture, to limit their exposure to triggers like dust. That said, giving a horse more outdoor breathing room isn’t always practical, especially during Canadian winter, for example.

Changing bedding and feeding may also help manage equine asthma symptoms. For bedding, choose low-dust options, such as paper or cardboard, over straw. Feeding horses hay alternatives, such as pelleted foods is also recommended for asthmatic horses.

Changing the environment may not be effective on its own, though. And unfortunately, there is no cure for equine asthma – so treatment is all about managing symptoms effectively. A veterinarian can help determine what treatment is the best course of action for your horse. Ask your veterinarian about new treatments in equine asthma.

Rest assured that managing equine asthma symptoms is possible. Even when an equine asthma diagnosis is unavoidable, with the right veterinary expertise at your side, you and your horse will breathe easier. WHR

The threat you can’t see, but can likely smell. Ammonia build up and tiny dust particles can be incredibly damaging to your horse’s respiratory system. Luckily, air quality problems are largely preventable with proper barn management.

YEARS 4 0

There’s something about success that historical icons have known for a long time: at the end of the day, what matters most is neither prestige, nor money – but instead, pure joy in the work. It’s a concept with which, the people at the reins of Lammle’s Western Wear are very familiar. A retailer centered around goods for the western lifestyle and family, Lammle’s Western Wear is a Canadian success story to inspire us all. In 2023, Lammle’s will celebrate 40 years of business in Canada, in addition to four decades of dedicated employees and loyal customers.

By JENN WEBSTER

Barry (left) and Jeff (right) Lammle.

Photos provided by Lammle’s Western Wear

AA little bit of humble, a little bit of fierce tenacity and a whole lot of commitment to his family, Barry Lammle is a passionate entrepreneur who always gravitates towards what truly ignites him. Hailing from modest beginnings, Barry’s mother was a hairdresser and his father drove busses initially for Brewster Inc. He was born in Banff, AB, and after a brief stint working in the mines of Field, BC, Barry’s father moved the family out to the little town of Trochu, AB, where they began a small farming operation.

AN AUTHENTIC BRAND

Deriving from a ranching background, Barry Lammle already had his feet firmly rooted in the western lifestyle, but the world of retail intrigued him. As a young man, he obtained a formal education from SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) in Merchandising Admin and he worked at The Bay, part time. Once he acquired his degree, Barry was hired full time and went on to take the high level, Personal Management Certificate training course for retail that The Bay offered.

Then in 1983, Barry recognized an opportunity in the retail market… It led him to take over three leases in some popular Calgary shopping centers and before he knew it, Barry had plunged feet first into the world of western products, clothing and gear which would become known as Lammle’s Western Wear.

“Retail is retail. If you have the retail

Fast forward to 2023. Alongside his own son, Jeff poised as his successor, Barry remains at the helm of Lammle’s Western Wear – a company he created 40 years ago. With 23 stores across the western provinces and a 24th currently under construction, Lammle’s is a Canadian company that has never looked backwards, constantly expanding their bootprint. While continuing to modernize their stores and merchandise, Lammle’s offers an appreciation for the customs and family values of their clients that may have long been ignored by other retailers.

They understand the mindset of their audience, those who were born in wideopen spaces or people who yearn to swap urban gridlock for the freedoms of rural life. Either way, Lammle’s has held steadfast to their original mission; providing a welcoming customer experience for all.

With ranching and family at its core, Lammle’s understands how important it is to keep western heritage in its sights. It’s a conviction that has kept them in business for 40 years.

Here’s their story...

A flag bearer takes the Lammle’s brand for a rip around the Canadian Finals Rodeo arena.

2018 BRAND RELAUNCH WITH NEW LOGO

LAMMLE’S BECOMES OFFICIAL APPAREL RETAILER FOR CALGARY STAMPEDE.

Barry and Marie Lammle at the Calgary Stampede. experience, I don’t think it matters. I chose the western lifestyle, subconsciously I believe, because that’s the lifestyle I love and I live,” he states. “With my family supporting me, we bought merchandise

and got those stores ready.”

Barry and his team considered all kinds of names as they worked to develop the stores – everything horse related – but unfortunately, a lot of the things they

came up were already being used by other companies.

“It was suggested we use our own surname in the interim of landing on a permanent one. As fate would have it, ‘Lammle’s’ stuck,” he tells.

In fact, it became so popular that the family centred much of their early marketing around the spelling and pronunciation of their last name.

“One day, an old, down-and-out cowboy walked in with a guitar in hand and wanted us to hear a jingle he had created,” Barry relays. “He sang the ‘L - A - Double M - LE - S’ tune and we loved it! He only wanted a token for it, so we used that jingle on the radio almost since the beginning.”

The radio jingle was a brilliant campaign that helped get the Lammle’s name out there and in the process, left a tune in client’s heads they couldn’t shake. For the generation of customers shopping for western lifestyle products in the early 1990s – Lammle’s became the go-to destination. The company continued on that trajectory and although hurdles have occurred over the years, Lammle’s has become a household name.

In 2023, a 24th signature, flagship store will open in Calgary, AB, unlike any of the others. The prominent corner of Macleod Trail and Glenmore Trail, will see a new Lammle’s concept that will cater to the brands of rural or urban western life and clients yearning for an upscale slice of the modern west. The storefront will boast an entirely new Lammle’s idea with exclusive clothing items (many, one-of-a-kind), a

2013 LAMMLE’S EXPANDS TO SASKATCHEWAN (PRINCE ALBERT, REGINA, SASKATOON). 2015 CALGARY BULLFIGHTER PARTNERSHIP

2009

EXPANDS TO BRITISH COLUMBIA (KAMLOOPS AND KELOWNA).

2010 CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION – RETAILER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY.

luxury boot department, a fireplace and a corporate area that can be reserved for company parties.

The new flagship store is the brainchild of Barry’s eldest son, Jeff.

With stores all across British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Lammle’s has stood through decades of good times and difficulties alike, and become the destination to acquire all your western lifestyle needs.

When queried about when he realized they had “made it” as a company, Barry responds with a pause.

“That’s a hard question.”

He continues, “When we first started, I remember being hopeful for the day a single store would make $1,000. Finally, we cracked that first $1,000. And then I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to do $10,000 in a day…’”

Barry’s quiet demeanor and humble personality goes hand-in-hand with what many successful people probably realize at this stage in the game – most only discover they have made it, when they arrive.

“Ultimately everything we do here is a team effort,” states Jeff. “The whole Lammle’s crew pulls together on a daily basis and that’s what makes us run.”

The loyalty of their employees is another of both Barry’s and Jeff’s proudest accomplishments. They have many team members who have been with the company for decades. Some have become career employees. In fact, Brian Gamberg, a staff member they

fondly refer to as “Employee #4,” has been working for Lammle’s since 1983.

“He was my first hire and he’s still here!” Barry explains. “He’s still with the brand after 40 years. We have a lot of good staff and loyal staff. We try to make it exciting and pleasant to work here –it helps us retain our employees and we really try hard to look after them.”

In 2004, Lammle’s Western Wear was awarded the prestigious honour of being one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies.

“I wasn’t expecting it, and it was a very meaningful award to me,” says Barry.

Then in 2019, the company was also awarded the Family Enterprise of the Year, by Family Enterprise Canada. Lammle’s has always prided itself on being family-focused, both for its customers and within the corporation. Which is why, Barry is extremely pleased to have Jeff next at the reins for the growth of the business.

“I’m very happy that my son will be my successor. He’s grown up with the company and he’s doing a great job. Having him take over is a strong indication of the importance I place on family and what family means to me,” Barry exclaims.

Married to his devoted wife, Marie, of 46 years, the Lammles have three children and four grandchildren.

All three kids grew up on a ranch south of Calgary that Barry and Marie continue to farm, to this day. All three have been given the freedom to choose

their own paths in life and their father couldn’t be any prouder. The family remains down to earth and as in love with the western lifestyle as they always were – thus, the reason that Lammle’s Western Wear continues to serve people of the western lifestyle and promote western heritage.

Having been involved in some fashion for the last 25 years or so, Jeff remembers when the significance of his surname really hit him.

“It was maybe 10 or 15 years ago but there was a country music star accepting an award on stage at the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) and they mentioned how they had purchased all their clothing for the event, from us! That was the first time I realized, the grasp the name has,” he says.

From his perspective, Jeff is extremely proud of what Lammle’s has accomplished over the last 40 years and the team who continues to put in the work to keep business rolling for the western retailer.

“We’re also extremely grateful to the loyal Lammle’s customers who keep coming back and the new customers who are getting involved in the western lifestyle. We wouldn’t be here for 40 years without our great customers.” WHR

MAN ON A MISSION

He has brought over a billion dollars worth of movie production work to the province of Alberta and has worked with numerous A-list actors and directors. Here’s why John Scott is the go-to man when it comes to creating movie magic in Canada.

By Jenn Webster Photos by BAR XP PHOTO

From Hallmark films, to indies, to episodic television and blockbusters, Alberta has seen a great deal of movie making in the province lately. Thanks to Alberta’s Film and Television Tax

Credit (FTTC) created in 2020, Alberta is now on a level playing field with other Canadian provinces, making it an attractive place for movie productions. With all its beautiful mountainsides and diverse settings, the province is considered

what is known as a “Goldilocks” zone environmentally.

Then, there is the talent and opportunity here and one man with the moxie for promoting Alberta to Hollywood. That gentleman is John Scott.

FEATHER IN ALBERTA’S CAP

“1 week after the tax credit kicked in, over $500 million in movie business occurred in Alberta,” says John Scott. Standing in the alleyway of one of his barns, Scott’s land in Longview, AB, has hosted many film productions over

the years. In fact, Brad Pitt has been to Scott’s home twice, so has Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood, once. And whether you’re an A-list actor, or someone simply interested in talking about movies, Scott’s treats everyone with respect and his salt-of-the-earth demeanour puts you right at ease.

“They cleaned all the rental cars out of Calgary and once those were gone, filming companies had to start getting them from Edmonton. The fuel account on some movie sets is astronomical –for instance, the set of Billy The Kid requires $50,000 in fuel per week,” he explains.

Scott explains that movie productions have a large trickle-down effect on the economy of Alberta. Film sets require people, thus creating employment.

“There’s truly nothing like this business to keep people employed,” he states.

In fact, he says the spin-off of a movie dollar is roughly five or six, to one. That money goes to local hotels, restaurants, candy stores, western stores, hay dealers, farriers, fuel, lumber yards (because movie sets are always building things) and more.

“It all trickles down to help our

economy,” Scott explains. “Things like propane. We have one picture that fills up work trucks twice a week with propane. One picture is using a lot skidoos, so local companies are seeing increased skidoo rentals. Hay sales. Horse shoes to go on the horses’ feet… Movie productions benefit everyone.”

Scott evens recalls the day he took a make-up artist into town and she spent $13,000 on products required for a picture in one afternoon.

HBO’s limited series, The Last of Us was filmed almost entirely in Alberta and as Scott describes it, “…put Calgary on the map.” It had a budget of $300 million.

Aside from the financial benefits, Scott say the film industry is also an environmentally friendly business and another form of tourism for the province. Especially in the case of The Last of Us, people from all over the world have started traveling in, to see where the popular series was filmed.Out of curiosity for a television show, tourists have chosen Alberta for a holiday.

“Years ago, they came in here in throngs after Legends of the Fall was filmed. It’s the cheapest form of tourism advertising that I can imagine and it’s

One of the many movie set buildings on Scott’s property.

John Scott stands with Roy Rogers.

exported across the world,” Scott states. Unfortunately, an ongoing labor dispute resulting in a writer’s strike that began on May 2, 2023 between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has thrown an unforeseen obstacle into Alberta’s current prosperity. A potential actor’s strike is also looming on the horizon, which will affect productions everywhere. However, Alberta remains an optimal location for movie productions, especially westerns. And once again, that’s where John Scott is an incredible asset.

Not only does the man have a large piece of land and idyllic river valley for crews to shoot, he also has a huge variety of actor-safe horses, museum-quality period tack, white bison and a diverse range of wagons, buggies, carriages,

stagecoaches and chuckwagons from which to choose for shooting. He’s also been in the game since 1969. Scott first got his start as a wrangler, training and caring for horses on the set. Since then, he’s had more than 250 productions to his credit.

These have included six Academy Award winners; Unforgiven, Legends of the Fall, The Assassination of Jesse James, The Revenant, Days of Heaven and Shanghai Noon. Alberta can also claim another Academy Award in Brokeback Mountain, however during filming, Scott was in New Zealand working for The Lord of the Rings at the time.

Despite all the inspiring honours and places his work has taken him, Scott credits his success to the people and the horses by which he is surrounded.

“A lot of input goes into making a picture,” he says. “From the people

responsible for food, to make-up, to stunt coordinators, to actors… they’re all important. They all have to work together in the background to make things work. And if they aren’t doing the job – then, the major actors have to reshoot.”

He explains that the process is similar to throwing a bunch of people into a melting pot and “hoping,” versus “making” things happen.

“The fact that Albertans have been willing and resilient enough to work long hours, in harsh temperatures do whatever is necessary to get the shot, speaks volumes about us,” Scott expresses. “We’ve been lucky to produce so many wonderful pictures and we’ve got some major accomplishments in the process. Which, will hopefully translate into future projects.”

Scott has several unique buildings on his property, adding to the value he can provide for movie crews.

Wind River: The Next Chapter was recently filmed at John Scott’s ranch.

A setting for Wind River: The Next Chapter.

THE HORSE CREW

Standing in the middle of his large equine herd (anywhere between 130 and 150 head), with the odd crunchy in his pocket for an affectionate few, Scott is quiet and undeniably proud of his horses. He has been building his herd to accommodate motion pictures since 1972. Ranging in colours, the group mostly consists of geldings and every one of them has a hoof number.

“I hoof number every horse, because sometimes you can have six black horses that really just look the same. And then you send a wrangler to grab a black horse… it’s easier just to give them the hoof number,” he chuckles

He divides his horses into four main categories. These consist of; cast horses (those specified for actors); doubles, (similarlooking horses to the ones cast as actor horses); teamsters; and stunt horses .

“Cast horses need to be extremely safe and are strictly designated for actors (these ones must be nearly ‘bombproof,’ to be really safe.) Teamsters are the ones used to pull wagons and such, and finally, some are stunt horses. Double horses are the horses assigned to duplicate the cast horses – they might require make-up or prosthetics – whatever it takes to make them look like the first one,” Scott explains.

“For Billy The Kid we have a gray horse. He’s the hero-coloured horse. With lighter coloured mounts, your eye is drawn to them on screen. And if it’s an outlaw picture, you really want to put your characters on dark horses.”

The horses that Scott can provide are a major asset for film productions in Alberta. In combination with the scenery on his land and the western towns, corrals and medley of other buildings, he has everything a film crew could possibly dream of to make a movie.

“If we do things right and don’t overcharge, we will hopefully bring other big productions to Alberta in 2023. There is a very big western looking at us for next year! If so, it will employee a lot of people,” says Scott. WHR

Scott’s massive inventory of museum-quality tack, chuckwagons, buggies etc. make him an incredible asset for movie productions.

SHARING THE BEAUTY OF THE WEST

Preserving the fabric of the west by creating iconic images, unique pieces and delectables is the specialty of these 8 artisans.

By WHR WRITERS

There are certain elements of design and culture that keep the western lifestyle carved out from the mainstream. Some western art may be highly stereotypical, featuring days of the old west and long-lost traditions, while others are modernly abstract and minimal. Detailed silver work, to commissioned portraits of beloved equines, to masterpieces created in the kitchen, to collections of tack from master craftsmen… many different aspects fit under the umbrella of “western art.”

Here, we introduce you to eight talented artisans who are keeping the tradition of the west alive and thriving.

TRIPLE G CUSTOM LEATHER VICKI GARNER

Williamson Valley, AZ

A long career as a banker provided Vicki Garner with a schedule that afforded her five days a week in a corporate job and two days to perfect her other talent, leather working. Truthfully, she’s been honing her craft since the days of high school. However, now that she’s retired from the bank, Garner has the time and skill for her second occupation as a western craftswoman, years later.

“I am self-taught, but this is a work of love,” Garner states.

Formally starting her Triple G Custom Leather business in 2006, the quality is obvious in each and every one of her pieces. Beginning with a hide of leather, Garner designs as she goes along to create the items you’ll find in her USA Made Cowboy Market store, or in one of her specialty kiosks at such pinnacle western events as Art of the Cowgirl each year. Everything is handmade by Garner and usually, her purses are one-of-a-kinds.

Western hornbags, saddle bags (of her own design), cantle bags, purses and leather visors remain as some of her most popular items. Turning these functional items into absolute works of art – some of which can personalized with brands etc. –have allowed her clients to keep the sun off their brows and items neatly stored for trail rides, for years. Some are very unique, utilizing hair on hide pieces, or plainer for the ‘non-fussy’ cowboys and girls.

Garner also applies very creative finishings to her purses and horn bags,

items like chink leathers, rope ends, handwoven Zapatec or beautiful conchos.

“My biggest sellers are probably the leather visors,” she relays. “I made the band lower so you don’t get ‘hat head,’ and the bill longer so you get good shade. It’s something I prefer to wear as opposed to a hat, especially on a hot day.”

With each piece, Garner finds a great deal of enjoyment in the creative process. She continuously strives to preserve the western way of life and loves building custom pieces for her clients. Find her on Facebook @Triple G Custom Leather or 928.300.5678.

SCOTT HARDY

Longview, AB

Scott Hardy of Longview, Alberta, has spent four decades as a silversmith. The fifth-generation stockman was raised in Saskatchewan and came to Alberta in the 1970s, and he began working with silver to supplement ranching. A jewelry-making course led him to the world of silversmithing, and he never looked back, resolving to become the best he could be.

Hardy has created silverwork for celebrities and working cowboys alike, and his work has been exhibited around the world to great acclaim. His achievements are extensive, from receiving the Will Rogers Award for Engraver of the Year from the Academy of Western Artists in 2001 to being selected to represent western heritage and craftsmanship at the Smithsonian

Western hornbags, saddle bags (of her own design),

cantle bags, purses and leather visors remain as some of Vicki Garner’s most popular items.

Here, Scott Hardy starts to get the depth he is looking for on this flask he is hand-sculpting and engraving for the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA). Hardy is a founding member and has served as a past-president.

“I am selftaught, but this is a work of love,”

VICKI GARNER

Institute in Washington, D.C. in 2006. An image of the special buckle he designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede became the first buckle to appear on a Canada Post stamp. Reaching these heights didn’t happen immediately. In a time of instant gratification, where artists are pressured to constantly share new work on social media and overnight sensations are lauded, Hardy’s outlook on the years of sustained effort necessary to mastering a trade are a refreshing reality check. Dedicating yourself to a profession requires you to develop a passion for the work in a purposeful manner,” he explained. “You learn to fall in love with it. You learn about the intricacies. You learn why it’s important to you, but only if you open your mind to it.”

scotthardy.com

ALBERTA WHISKY CAKE & COWBOY COOKIES

KAMLA MCGONIGAL

Calgary, AB

It took baker Kamla McGonigal of Calgary, Alberta, four years to perfect her recipe. The fourth generation Calgary native wanted to use whisky, locally distilled from grain at nearby farms as one of the main ingredients in her delectable cakes. Finally after countless hours over an oven, McGonigal developed one of the best tasting and most unique baked-goods available to those with discerning palates: the Alberta Whisky Cake (AWC). The result was edible art.

Using only the finest Wild Rose ingredients, Alberta Whisky Cakes offer a seductive flavor. You will be able to smell it’s sweet, distinct goodness before you will ever taste it, but as whisky advocates know – this is a desirable trait. Its flavors evolve on your palate and linger, even after you’ve devoured the last bite. Incorporating Highwood Whisky from High River, Alberta, McGonigal baked cakes solidly every weekend for four years to create her two tantalizing flavors, Canadian Maple and Chocolate. Slices of AWC can be warmed

and served plainly, drizzled with liqueur, or with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

However you choose to enjoy it, the AWC is as much an adventure as it is a cake. McGonigal has made her passion for artistry and specifically, young, local artisans a part of each of every AWC as inside every package is a lithographed artist post card, suitable for framing or writing a personal note. One taste of the cake and you will most certainly ask yourself: is McGonigal a baker, or a virtuoso?

Then in the spring of 2021, McGonigal’s brand new line of Canadian Cowboy Cookie Mix came into being after she, now a grandmother, wanted a more nutritious cookie recipe to bake with her grandkids. However, it still had to be one they’d want to eat! She created a versatile nutritious cookie mix, based on the traditional cowboy cookie (the original power bar of the prairies). Interpreted for today’s needs, this recipe has less sugar, more flavour and is more wholesome than most cookies. The mix includes six different aromatic spices and is customizable - add in whatever you want, be it chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, seeds, even protein powder and puréed fruit - resulting in cookies as unique as you.

www.albertawhiskycake.com

LEAH LUCAS

Okotoks, AB

Leah Lucas was raised in southern Alberta, Canada. From early childhood she revelled in the freedom to explore her world on horseback. She would forever be inspired by miles of flat unending 360-degree views, covered with expansive blue skies, butted against the imposing Rockies in the distance. Developing a deep connection with the natural world, fostered by a profound love and understanding of horses, led to her life’s passion.

“I am not sure when most artists start out, they can verbalize the “style” they will eventually embrace. To describe my work even now, feels restrictive, as it has only grown out of a journey of self-discovery. However,

The Cowboy Cookie mix is the original power bar of the prairies.

“Grit” by Leah Lucas portrays a rider in the fast-paced, relay race.

“Soul Mates,” by Leah Lucas.

“To describe my work even now, feels restrictive,”

LEAH LUCAS

The contrast between the nitre blued steel and silver show off Dominic Valine’s recognizable style of work.

for those that need to describe my workrealistic impressionism - probably comes close,” says Lucas.

Just as writers aspire to find their “voice,” Lucas is instinctively led to be true to her expression.

“There is no accident, I am informed by growing up in the west and its history – where there are unreachable horizons, expanses of untameable land, definitive noisy seasons, and constantly changing weather,” she states.

“There are turbulent rivers, valleys carved out of flat prairies, mountains that sprout like historic plants and lie under blankets of ever-shifting light, providing unstoppable and fecund stimulus.”

As she evolves, Lucas sees that the universe has continued to lead her to her next challenge – which as of the printing of this issue will find Lucas exhibiting July 7 to 16th at the world-famous Calgary Stampede. International appreciators of western themed art will be able to enjoy and acquire her new paintings which have been especially curated for the prestigious Stampede Artists’ Studios.

R is for RODEO. One of Karen Coe’s original pieces done for the children’s book, S is for STAMPEDE.

DOMINIC VALINE

Pritchard, BC

Preserving the western lifestyle and crafting quintessential ranching and training items is the specialty of artisan, Dominic Valine. Recently relocated from northern Alberta to Pritchard, British Columbia, where ranches, orchards and wineries dot the landscape, Valine’s modest home-based shop overlooks the beautiful Niskonlith Lake. He has been a bit and spur maker for over 10 years with interests in western heritage, fabrication and art. His functional hardworking gear is used by trainers, cutters, working cowboys, recreational riders and rodeo athletes alike.

Valine crafts his bits or spurs from

carbon steel. He then forms, files and polishes them. Sometimes referred to as “sweet iron,” his pieces develop their own timeless, patina as they age. His ornamentation stems from a variety of art styles, from western bright cut to traditional European renaissance style scrolls and leaves. Silver, copper, brass and gold accents a variety of his bits, spurs, bridle hardware and jewellery. Hand drawn scrolls, initials and brands personalized for the client, are sawn from sheet silver. Then they are either overlayed or inlayed into the steel, polished and engraved. The contrast between the nitre blued steel and silver show off his recognizable style of art. Find him on Facebook @Dominic’s Spurs & Silver or call / text 780-831-4439.

KAREN COE

Lethbridge, AB

Art is a deeply-rooted passion for Karen Coe; one that she has continued to foster and grow throughout her years of painting. As a young girl, Karen’s creative fire was ignited by her neighbor, James Watling, the noted children’s book illustrator and McGill University Professor. She would spend her time with Watling and later, continued on to study Art at the University of Lethbridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Coe grew up on the back of a horse and that has not changed to this day. She shares her life with her husband, their four beautiful children, dogs and Quarter Horse, all of whom she is thankful to call her own.

The artist considers her multiple appearances at the Calgary Stampede Art Auction and Studio her greatest artistic accomplishment to date, along with illustrating the Calgary Stampede’s S is for Stampede children’s book in 2021.

www.karencoefinearts.com

Tag Me, by Karen Coe.

“The collection of western art is highly personal and a powerful way to celebrate our way of life.”

“A Kinship,” (Sold) is a 25” x 31” in antique frame, Oil and Joy on hardboard by Stefanie Travers.

STEFANIE TRAVERS

The Bumble Bee Jasper ring from Bar WW Silversmith is meant to cultivate positive energies and protect against the negatives.

Why Do People Collect Western Art?

It’s been said that artist Stefanie Travers doesn’t paint the animal so much, as she draws you into their soul. Born on Vancouver Island, BC, middle child to a pair of highly entrepreneurial parents, Travers ‘immigrated’ to the southern interior of BC 15 years ago to near Kamloops, where sagebrush, pines, and rocks inhabit the high lonesome corners and where her passion for horses, cattle and inspiration would flourish.

Travers paints predominately in oils with a deep love and awe for her subjects and the wonderful metaphors and lessons they reflect back to us as wisdom. Drawing on her lifetime of knowledge, whether it’s a hand forged shoe applied to a living hoof, initiating a baby horse into a ridden one, watching people develop a greater sensitivity and feel, refining her own appreciation for the art of equitation… it all influences her work.

Commissions have given her an incredible opportunity for “on the job” education, but she has also been deeply moved by the work of Greg Beecham and Canadian icon, David Langevin, and has been graciously nudged along by both artists. Travers is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and Women Artists of the West with three solo shows, multiple group shows and awards in several. Her work has found homes in not only Canada, but also several US States and Portugal.

www.stefanietravers.ca

Kamloops, BC You can support local. Buying art supports your local artists directly, allowing them to continue on with their creative processes.

BAR WW SILVERSMITH WILLIAM WINSNES

Ryley, AB

Bar WW Silversmith is an up-and-coming talent with the ability to create stand-out jewelry pieces you’re likely to style your next big outfit around. Ultimately, what matters most in the pursuit of western couture –fashion, being wearable art – is whether or not a piece resonates with you well enough to want to wear it. This goes for both clothing and jewelry. If you are looking for something a little outside of the box, or a personalized piece that remains true to tradition – Bar WW Silversmith has it for you.

William Winsnes of Bar WW Silversmith has a keen eye for the “modern west.” Using only unique turquoise pieces, 925 Sterling silver, fine silver and copper, his genuine works of art are timeless, on point and inspiring. It sets Winsnes apart in an age when western jewelry and silversmithing are being threatened by mass production.

With his intricate designs and eye for beauty in stones, Mr. Winsnes’ work is like a breath of fresh air. His handcrafted work is of the utmost quality and creativity. Born and bred in the freedom of rural life, Winsnes perpetuates the western lifestyle, culture, and art. We expect he will become a household name in the future and we will all be on his wait list for custom-made pieces soon. barwwsilversmith.ca

Art Tells a Story.

Western art is as equally emotive to the collector who wishes they’d been born a cowboy, as it is to the rancher who has seen many a harvest moon.

Create Heirlooms.

Some collectors also look further than the benefits of now and consider deeply, the effect a piece will have as an heirloom for their children.

PEARLS OF THE PRAIRIES

serves up the best of the West! Are you wanting to jump into your truck, horse and saddle in tow, and strike out for parts unknown? Whether you prefer drifting along on the summer breeze, riding up a mountain trail, taking in a small-town rodeo or looking for that perfect spot to blend into the landscape, the opportunities are endless. Hand-plucked by province, these selections are just teasers. Try them as appetizers and get into the full menu before the summer’s over!

by DEBBIE MACRAE

CLEARWATER LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK

With white sandy beaches, hiking trails, fabulous flora and fauna and water so clear you can see the bottom 35 feet below, Clearwater Lake Provincial Park, is a camper’s paradise. Hiking, fishing, boating, swimming and camping make this a Manitoba favourite. Lose the boat keys and you can stay out here forever! Located 40 kilometers north east of The Pas, Manitoba.

Manitoba’s only pro rodeo offers something for everyone, in addition to some of the top names on the Canadian rodeo circuit. Kids can compete in mutton bustin’ or gymkhana events – ever heard of Bribe-a-horse 22? Then, the event’s sharing of Indigenous culture through the traditional teachings of beading, dancing, wildlife tanning and leather working is extremely educational for guests. Finally, shopping, a midway, live music and time lapse escape rooms add another level of entertainment. manitobastampede.ca

Manitoba

POLAR BEAR EXPEDITION

From the waterfront to the holding compound, Churchill will broaden your perspective. It has a living history on land, by sea, from the air and through the night (the northern lights here are spectacular!). Known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World, the northerly port of Churchill is perfectly poised to view polar bears in the wild as they congregate and wait for the ice to freeze on Hudson Bay. travelmanitoba.com

MURALS OF CHURCHILL

If you want to escape from your everyday existence and see some of the most remarkable treasures of the Canadian North, board Canada’s Via Rail and visit Churchill, Manitoba.

Churchill is Manitoba’s most remote destination, with travel accessible by only plane or rail. In 2017 after the town’s port had closed, and flooding took out the rails, Churchill was marooned without train access, leaving its residents isolated and abandoned. In an effort to revitalize and unite the community, 18 artists from all over the world travelled to Churchill to paint murals on abandoned buildings and stimulate the tourism industry. The outcome was remarkable.

Trent Andres

A mural of a polar bear in Churchill, MB by mural artist: Arlin.

Saskatchewan

CASTLE BUTTE

Continuing our journey into southern Saskatchewan, we drift into the Badlands of the Big Muddy. Known to hide more than a few of the province’s most unsavory secrets, this topography is distinct. From Castle Butte to Mexico, this architectural landscape comprised part of the Outlaw Trail. Used by Chief Sitting Bull and his people as they sought refuge in the north, and by Butch Cassidy and the Hole in the Wall Gang, this little piece of history lays the groundwork for a fascinating getaway.

CYPRESS HILLS PROVINCIAL PARK

Heading west, you can trail on into one of Canada’s most unusual geographical gems. Rising more than 2,000 feet above the prairie grasslands surrounding, the Cypress Hills rise to a summit of 4,810 feet. Mimicking the climate of the mountains south of the Canada/US border, the area is host to a wide variety of alpine flora and fauna.

In addition to front-country camping, the Centre Block of Cypress Hills Provincial Park features exceptional amenities including a resort, swimming pool, hiking trails, ziplining and one of the largest Dark Sky Preserves in the world. There’s also an equestrian campground in the rustic West Block wilderness area.

AUST’S GENERAL STORE BIG BEAVER, SK

It’s not very often that a local general store hits the destination page of the Tourism market, however, Aust’s General Store in Big Beaver, SK, does just that! Parts of their building have been in operation since 1928, and the current business has been in the family since 1959. With everything you could possibly want, from soup to machinery nuts, this venue is a journey unto itself.

FORT WALSH MAPLE CREEK, SK

This area has a disquieting and complex history. Visit the Fort Walsh National Historic site and discover the chronicle of events that led to the Northwest Mounted Police migration to the west. Absorb the narrative behind the Cypress Hills Massacre and the impact on the Nakoda people. Walk within the walls of an active living fort from the 1870s and breathe the northwest reality.

MOOSE MOUNTAIN PRO RODEO KENNEDY, SK

JULY 21-23, 2023

The 90th edition of the Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo is sanctioned by the CPRA, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).The event features a parade, trick riders, wild ponies and the highly anticipated demolition derby. This year, the rodeo will also showcase entertainers Eli Barsi, Heidi Munro, Lane Easton and Blake Berglund on stage directly in the rodeo arena for the “All Roads Lead Home Concert.”

HEART OF THE HORSE BROOKS, AB

AUGUST 24-27, 2023

Heart of the Horse is an event designed to recognize the heart and unbelievable abilities of both horse and trainer. It showcases the true art of horsemanship through a colt starting competition, demonstrations and mini clinics to spread knowledge. Top notch featured entertainment, a trade show and equine industry guests round out the events that is guaranteed to delight all avid equine enthusiasts. theheartofthehorse.ca

WORLD FAMOUS GOPHER HOLE MUSEUM TORRINGTON, AB

Looking for something different? It does not get any more unusual than the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in the little community of Torrington. Initially perceived as a joke, this world-renowned museum is a must-see, with over 70 dioramas of daily life – depicted with stuffed gophers. worldfamousgopherholemuseum.ca

You can also take an Instagram selfie with a mural by locally-born artist, Wayne Schneider, who has worked with Disney, Warner Bros. and SCTV to name a few!

BROOKS AQUEDUCT, BROOKS, AB

As we saunter across the Alberta border, make your way to a local ‘watering hole’…literally. Check out the Brooks Aqueduct National and Provincial Historic site, built between 1912 and 1914. This engineering marvel was the genesis of south-eastern Alberta’s irrigation system and the supporting foundation for the agricultural achievements in southern Alberta.

Stretching 3.1 kilometers, Alberta had its own liquid gold. This Historic site tells a compelling story of foresight and determination, and resourceful ingenuity. It is located on the eastern outskirts of Brooks, Alberta, and admission is free. brooksaqueduct.ca

PATRICIA HOTEL PATRICIA, AB

Experience the relaxed, down home, rustic western charm of the Patricia Hotel in Patricia, Alberta. As one guest remarked, you will feel as though you have travelled through time! Built in 1915 the Patricia Hotel has experienced three additions to the original structure, including their famous Steak Pit. Swing into their eclectic western dining room and order a Grade AAA steak. It comes on the slab, ready for you to prepare it exactly as you like it!

HERITAGE PARK CALGARY, AB

From dry-lander to boatswain, you can share the adventurous spirit of the Klondike gold-seekers rushed to seek their fortune. Boasting the only paddle-wheeler in the province, Heritage Park has a replica of the original S.S. Moyie, which was intended to transport early miners to the goldrush. Instead, the Canadian Pacific Railroad utilized her as a ferry boat on Kootenay Lake from its rail terminal in Nelson, BC. Take a journey back to the gold rush on this half size working model! heritagepark.ca

RAYMOND STAMPEDE RAYMOND, AB JUNE 29 - JULY 1, 2023

This year features the 121st year of the Raymond Stampede, held June 29 to July 1. Come catch the action of the wild horse grand entry, kid’s wild pony racing and steer riding (in addition to all the other major rodeo events!) Sadly, following this year’s Stampede, the historic Raymond grandstand will be demolished and the rodeo grounds will be moved to a new site on the north side of town – so this will be the last chance to come experience the magnificent setting that town pioneers originally created.

STAMPEDE Stylin’

Shot

on location at

Mucky

Duck Pub, High River, AB & Okotoks Country Living, Okotoks, AB

Custom Hat by Smithbilt Hats $517, www.smithbilthats.com; White lace dress by Aniina $32, from Rein

It In Tack and Boutique, www.reinitin.ca; 100% wool hand-woven saddle blanket purse with leather straps $95, Genuine Turquoise Slab belt buckle $105 from Saddle Bum, www.saddlebum.ca.

Photos by Tara McKenze Fotos

The Delilah Dress from Vintage Buckskin Boutique, $73, www.vintagebuckskinboutique.com; Hat, $50, from Classic Rodeo Boutique, www.classicrodeoboutique.com.

The 2023 Calgary Stamped First Nations Princess, Alayiah Wolf Child, stands with her mount “Montana,” owned by Faythe Webster, sporting the custom saddle by Eamor’s Saddlery.

Long Live Cowboys sweater from Prairie Girl Couture, $72, prairiegirlcouture.myshopify.com; Turquoise Fringe earrings from Tumbleweed Brand, $24, www.tumbleweedbrand.ca; Custom Hat by Smithbilt Hats, $543, www.smithbilthats.com.

Handmade Distressed Elsa hat $275, Handmade leather fringed vest with antler buttons by Juan Antonio $825, Dress by Papillon

, Bison Necklace $220, Old Gringo Boots $700, from Classic Rodeo Boutique, www.classicrodeoboutique.com.

Leather vest $32, Denim shorts $20, both from Rein It In Tack and Boutique, www.reinitin.ca

Maxi dress with front slits and pockets $99, Concho belt $175, 60” Sterling silver Navajo pearls $1,100, Double D Ranch velvet top $615, Juan

$110

www.classicrodeoboutique.com

Bamboo tank $31; Mermaid skirt $325; Cast of Characters Jacket, by Double D Ranch $495; all from Classic Rodeo Boutique, www.classicrodeoboutique.com Custom Hat by Smithbilt Hats, $543, www.smithbilthats.com

on her White Pullover with Ombre Tassel sweater $95, from Saddle Bum, Genuine Turquoise Slab belt buckle $105 from Saddle Bum, www.saddlebum. ca. Handmade Navajo pearl necklace $4,000, Double D Ranch shorts $230, from Classic Rodeo Boutique,

on him The ‘Bernie’ Flannel Over Shirt $75, from Rein It In Tack and Boutique, www.reinitin.ca. Panama Straw Hat by Smithbilt Hats, $150, www.smithbilthats.com

Antonio belt $250, Felt flat top by Vern Elliott/Gold Springs Hat $700 all from Classic Rodeo Boutique, www.classicrodeoboutique.com.

ARTIST ON THE EDGE

She weathered wicked storms, battled blackflies and mosquitoes, walked for miles and rode her faithful horse in all the elements. She suffered health issues, fear and loneliness. She was ridiculed and criticized, often shunned and ostracized for her appearance, her mannerisms and her contemporary perspectives. She was alone in her physical world, alone in her ideologies, and alone in her geographic configuration. Isolated from fellow artists and artistic influences, with her own ideas and persona, exploring the furthest western shores, Emily Carr was truly ahead of her time.

By Debbie MacRae

OPPOSITE PAGE: In her late 20s, Emily Carr began to travel on her horse with her companions, her monkey, and dog, to the First Nations villages on the Canadian West Coast, painting its people and nature. THIS PAGE:- Kitwancool, by Emily Carr 1928.

Richard Carr was a migrant worker, working as a deck hand, boatswain, ice fisherman, and crop harvester. Educated only at an elementary level, he drifted from his origins in England to the perimeters of Switzerland, Poland, Panama and South America. He traversed the landscapes of Mexico on horseback, where he tried his hand at photography multiple times before relinquishing it to the more adventurous pursuit of the gold in California and the Cariboo.

Emily Saunders, was born illegitimately and travelled to California at 18, remaining in the care of a boarding house matron until she met Carr at the age of 18. They were married in 1855 at Ensham Church, England. Saunders would give birth to five daughters and four sons, of whom only one son would survive to adulthood.

Daughter, Emily Carr was named after her mother, and although there was some physical resemblance, her contrary nature and strongwilled character contradicted the prim, proper upbringing imparted by her parents. She would pride herself on being the “disturbing element of the family.” As the youngest, she demanded a lot of attention, and in her younger years, was admittedly her father’s favourite.

It was a drawing of her father’s dog, that first brought her talent to his attention. She was only eight-years-old, and he was immensely impressed with her talent. He arranged her first art lessons. Her father would die before he could know that those lessons, intended to be a “ladylike pastime,” would launch the career of one of Canada’s most iconic painters – the “Mother of Modern Arts.”

RESTRAINTS

Emily’s childhood was rigid and fettered by rules. In an effort to escape, she would often abscond into the woods on an old circus pony who took her to another world. She loved the outdoors. She mourned the early death of her mother from tuberculosis. Her father died two years later, leaving her in the stern, and often abusive, care of her elder sister.

Emily’s desire was to travel abroad to study art, but her overbearing sister would have nothing of it. She pleaded on deaf ears. Ultimately, she focused her sights on the family trustee persuading him to allow her to study in San Francisco, with fewer miles and less cost to the family coffers.

However, after three years of study, Emily returned home, as uninspired as the still life representations she depicted. With dwindling finances and loss of motivation, Emily returned to Victoria, only to find her family home converted to a YWCA and children’s Sunday school.

Seeking escape and inspiration once again, Emily commenced art instruction for neighborhood children to provide funding for travel to Europe. She converted the loft in the cow barn into a studio, later recalling that history fondly in her memoirs, Growing Pains, “No studio has ever been so dear to me as that old loft smelling of hay and apples…”

The spring of 1899 brought with it an invita-

tion to visit the west coast village of Ucluelet, a Nuu-Chah-Nulth reserve on Vancouver Island. During that visit Emily would first encounter the Indigenous peoples who were to become her lifelong intrigue. Although she did not understand the language, she communicated with patience, gestures, and smiles. They called her “the laughing one” – Klee Wyck, a name she would later employ for her first collection of short stories.

RETURN

On the return to Victoria, she inspired a suitor who fell madly in love with her. The emotion unreciprocated, she traveled to England, hoping to avoid his amorous intent. He followed, begging her hand in marriage. She would decline his attentions and declare her lifelong dedication to herself and her art, refusing to submit to the Victorian ideologies that ladies were destined only for marriage and motherhood –a sacrifice she was not prepared to make. She would keep that pledge for the rest of her days.

Emily embarked on her artistic training in England, only to realize that the confines of London, with its crowded streets and smoggy air, was “unbearable.” She turned to the southern coast, painting land and seascapes, while her health declined with acute anaemia. Hospitalized, demoralized, and her resources again depleted, she returned to Canada, after losing almost two years of health and work, much of which she would eventually destroy.

On her way home, she made a stop in the Cariboo to visit friends – a stopover that greatly enhanced the value of her health and her freedom. Riding horses daily, and roaming the ranch in the fresh air, Emily regenerated her body and her bond with her environment, revitalizing her passion for her Canadian homeland.

Ironically, when she returned to Victoria, she received some exaggerated press about her studies “under the English Masters.” She was offered part-time work as a political cartoonist, and another facet of her incorrigible personality emerged.

RESISTANCE

She was, however, still very much her own person. “My sister owned a beautiful mare which she permitted me to ride. On the mare, astride as I had ridden in the Cariboo, my sheep-dog following, I went into the woods. No woman had ever ridden cross-saddle before in Victoria! Victoria was shocked!” - Excerpt from Growing Pains

She was invited to teach at the Vancouver Studio Club, but the attendees were not as dedicated as she thought they should be, and her tenure was short-lived. She needed younger, more dedicated students willing to get into the

outdoors and merge with nature. She was instinctively drawn to the composition and comfort of the forest, and much of her work reflects the solace she found in that environment.

Although she spent much of her time studying abroad, and teaching, she continued to be drawn to the Indigenous world. In 1907, she and her sister Alice took a cruise to Alaska stopping along the way at an American naval base. She stumbled upon an old village on the outskirts, of Tlingit origin, with totem carvings that adorned the pathways in their primal setting. Inspired, she tried to capture their authenticity with colour and intensity.

RENEWAL

Praised for her efforts by an American artist, she came to the realization she had a new focus. She resolved that she would “…picture totem poles in their own village settings and create as complete a collection of them as [she]could.”

(Growing Pains by Emily Carr.)

She found that her technique and mediums did not exemplify the subject. Dissatisfied, she needed something more, and set off to find a bigger, broader palette in the “new art” forms evolving in Paris.

In 1910, with her sister Alice as her interpreter, Emily again ventured into unknown territory seeking to develop her talent in a louder, Avant Garde fashion. She was prudish, and working with live nude models shocked her. She turned again to the landscapes. She varied watercolors with oils, and revelled in her artistic rejuvenation when two of her paintings were selected for a juried exhibition of New Art.

Returning to Canada, her audiences were not

as indulging, failing to comprehend her nouveau approach. Impressionism was not widely understood, nor embraced, and Emily did not receive the gratification she had experienced abroad.

Drawn back to her commitment to complete the totem collection, she set out to explore coastal villages and record their history. It was the spirit she sought to capture – not just a reproduction on a page. She wanted to personify the emotions of the carving in such a way that it would be immortalized.

RELATIONSHIPS

In the summer of 1912, she would visit 15 villages, many abandoned, some of which acknowledged her presence with hostility. She would produce close to 200 works of art, mostly sketches and watercolors. Of these, many would be her final works, but some would be transformed into brilliant, evocative oil paintings, more closely embodying the vitality and essence of spirit she experienced. She was deeply moved by her travels and her observations. She feared for the demise of the artform and the culture, failing to comprehend the continuing evolution of its people.

Going this time by boat, instead of her trusty horse, she was accompanied only by her boat captain and her dog, Billy. On one occasion, she almost lost her beloved canine when a sudden storm erupted, and the boatman focused his efforts on their survival. Billy weathered the night in the sea on the boat, enjoying a joyous reunion the next morning.

Emily’s world may have been restricted in its human relationships however, it lacked

Totem Walk at Sitka, 1907, Art Canada Institute.

A mural featuring Emily Carr, in 100 Mile House, BC.

nothing in terms of her animal companionship. Her family consisted of multiple dogs, a white rat, parrots, racoons, chipmunks, birds, and her devoted companion, Woo, a Javanese monkey.

Adopted by Emily in 1923, Woo was like the child she never had. Woo was separated from her own mother at a very young age and needed a maternal relationship. She often acted out if she didn’t feel she was getting enough attention. She would urinate in Emily’s shoes, or eat her paints, and became deathly ill on several occasions. Emily would dress her up in frilly girls clothing and take her in a baby carriage along the streets of Victoria, exciting the children, and inciting the disparagement of her local middle-class contemporaries.

Sadly, Emily suffered a heart attack and a stroke, and was unable to look after her friends. Woo was dispatched to the Stanley Park Zoo

in Vancouver, where she would throw herself from side to side in her cage. She died a year later, confined, and devastated by the separation after almost 20 years together.

REWARDS

Carr’s career was mediocre and her accomplishments lean, until a turning point in 1927 when she received an invitation to participate in an exhibition of Canadian West Coast Art – Native and Modern, which was being hosted in Ottawa. Amongst a group of peers which included First Nations artists, as well as members of the Group of Seven – Canada’s most notable artists of the time, Carr would feature the most significant number of pieces – 26 paintings, several pieces of pottery decorated with Indigenous-styled artwork, and four hooked rugs. She was 56-years-old.

This show, and her resulting association

with the Group of Seven, in particular, Lawren Harris, would be the catalyst that inaugurated her place in Canadian history. She returned to her First Nations sketches from 1912. She had found the spiritual connection to her work, and for the next 15 years, would devote herself to the collection of totems and Indigenous representations for which she is acclaimed.

REDEMPTION

On March 2, 1945, Emily Carr passed into her next life. Before she died, she spent the last few years of her life writing short stories and memoirs, Klee Wyck, The Book of Small, The House of All Sorts and Growing Pains – stories of her real-life experiences.

It has been “suggested” on occasion, that she plagiarized the traditional First Nations culture – a form of cultural appropriation, so to speak. But to most, including the First Nations people she lived and worked amongst, she afforded the highest of honours – the embodiment of passion and sincerity; portraying the power of a culture so strong and captivating, she sought to immortalize it in her work. There can be no higher honour.

In 2013 and again in 2021, Emily Carr paintings were auctioned for more than $3 Million dollars each. Her books are considered classics. She is recognized as “a central figure obviously in West Coast art and Canadian art, but she can also be thought of as central to early modern North American art and to 20th century women painters worldwide,” says Robert Heffel, Vice-President of Heffel Canadian Fine Art Auction House. She was, and remains, an artist on the edge.

LEFT: The Indian Church, renamed Church at Yuquot Village in 2018 by the Art Gallery of Ontario is a 1929 painting by Emily Carr.

ABOVE: Stamp printed by Canada, shows Big Raven, by Emily Carr, circa 1971.

NOTHING SURPRISES US ANYMORE

Livin’ the dream. Livin’ the dream...

By Bronco Betty

He was a black-and-white bovine missile. He was good at keeping his distance from the strike of a back hoof. He moved in unison with the herd. And he carried the odd tick or flea.

The ol’ dog had a great deal of will power – and on some days, even more, “won’t” power. Still, the cowpuncher had a soft spot for Gus, and Gus liked the T-bones he was brought on occasion.

They made it work.

Gus was a diligent farm dog, except when he wasn’t: All Collie, but, he didn’t take a liking much to borders. In fact, one hot summer day while trailing cattle through the dense forestry brush with his cowpuncher, there was that line and Ol’ Gus dared to tread a paw over it – silently sneaking off for a delicious dip in the river instead. After all, his cowboy had other dogs…

Surely they could assist with bringing those cows in??

With the pairs safely corralled, a couple hours later the cowpuncher realized Gus was missing. As the daylight faded into dusk and finally, darkness, Gus stayed missing.

Meanwhile, a group of campers down near the river were having the time of their lives. Fresh from the city, they sported flip-flops, Carhartt hoodies and toques. Bowls of quinoa and kale (and other things the cowpuncher had probably never heard of in his life,) sat in bowls on fold-up tables, awaiting the dinner rush. Patio lanterns swayed in the wind, held fast to the awning of an Airstream trailer. A fierce game of beer-pong was in its championship round.

And in the middle of it all – out trod Gus!

Those campers flocked to him. The beer-pong halted. Dinner was detained indefinitely.

Gus was offered food (a serving of soy treats, at which, he turned up his nose). The campers took off his collar. He was bathed in the river with the finest of natural soaps and finally, someone found a brush to groom out his ebony and ivory coat.

Gus was a new man. They all lived happily ever after…

Well, at least until the next day. That’s when the cowpuncher came rolling into the campground with his truck’n trailer. Wearing his signature leather cuffs, a dusty straw lid and his moustache curled up at the ends – the man was a sharp contrast to the campers in rubber footwear and shorts. And low and behold, there was Gus!

The black-and-white canine was now sporting a new collar, a fresh coat and a slightly smug look on his face. He knew his true owner’s distinct voice but pretended not to hear when the cowpuncher called out. “Hey Gus, come!” Not that he could, however – Gus was tied to a camper.

It took a wee bit of discussion to convince the urban humans to let Gus go. Not to mention, a heated detailed summation of the text on Gus’ previous collar, plus a referral to his microchip that would identify the dog at any veterinary clinic.

“City-diots!” The cowpuncher chuckled under his breath, as he and Gus walked towards the truck.

“Hick!” the campers countered back, having heard the cowboy clear as day.

Yet, it was one teary-eyed female camper, who had the final say – “Be sure to tuck him under the covers when he sleeps with you tonight!” She called after them. “He likes that.”

Thinking of all the back-country pests Gus could possibly have in his coat, while he slept in the bed of the campers, made the cowpuncher boil over with laughter.

It would almost be funny – if it weren’t for the fact that over the years, Gus would not be the first, nor the only of the cowboy’s dogs to be “rescued” by bleeding hearts.

Legacy isn’t written, it’s lived. There’s nothing more essential to a cowboy or cowgirl’s wardrobe than a hard-working pair of Wrangler jeans. Whether it’s days on the ranch, enjoying a rodeo, concert or night on the town – we’ve got you covered. No matter what your vision is, we’ll help you define your look so you can ‘live your own west’.