When the wind blows and the snow flurries, find a good book, or video, get in front of a fire and enjoy yourself. I have a couple of suggestions to recommend.
“THE BULLCATCHERS, A UNIQUE JOURNEY INTO THE WILD HEART OF OZ” , by Jim Sayles. Adventures from ‘Down Under’. A young expatriate from Texas, motivated by the impending sale of the family ranch, leaves the security of home and family to make a new life for himself in the Australian outback.
Station owner, Max Sargent, and an outrageous character of the Northern Territory took the young Texan under his wing. At first he had the author breaking horses until he learned Sayles was very much an adventurer, like himself. Max introduced him to the dangerous profession of bull catching, capturing wild bulls and water buffalos on the open range, much like the west shortly after the Civil War here in the United States. The difference being this was in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the author did it barefoot, used Toyotas instead of horses, and threw down the prey by the tail, instead of roping them.
This era has now gone as much of those remote areas of Australia are now fenced and the bulls are no longer wild. The author encountered some very colorful characters, communed with Australia’s indigenous people, faced danger in a multitude of ways, and seized the humor of many instances. His telling of the experiences is vivid and spellbinding.
The book is a fascinating read that cowboys and cowgirls will enjoy as it is full of excitement and adrenalin rushes. The author has a way of writing that allows the reader to envision the setting and feel the excitement of his Australian adventure. You can almost feel the heat and smell the animals they pursued.
The author was raised in Abilene, Texas, and his adventurous mother used to take him out of town to the family ranch on Friday evenings after school, leave him to hunt and scour the woods, and would come back on Sunday evening and pick him up in time for school the next morning. As he was growing up his father began selling parcels of the ranch. He became saddened realizing the time would come when the ranch, he loved so much, might be gone. On graduation from high school he joined the Marines and eventually asked to be released from active duty to go to Australia, as he planned to move there permanently. Sayles is a cowboy that wished he had lived a hundred years earlier in the frontier days of the western United States. In his lifetime Australia, to him, was the closest thing to a frontier.
Sayles’ adventures and experiences in the outback are so intriguing and unique they will pique any westerner’s interest. Think of deadly snakes, man-eating crocodiles and charging animals that can maim or kill you. He encounters them all.
Phil Lyne, 1971 and 1972 PRCA All Around World Champion, of Cotulla, Texas, said after reading it, “ I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think any cowboy and/or hunter would, too.” (Coming from Phil, this is a mouthful).
You can order directly from the author at Logos Publishing Company, P. O. Box 2465, Cedar Park, TX 78630-2465 or e-mail: jsayles@yahoo.com. Price: $19.95 plus $3.00 shipping. Wevsite http://www.logospubco.com.
“THE CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS/ THE STORY OF LANE FROST AND RED ROCK,” is an 80 minute film by award-winning film maker Davod Wittkower. Frost was a World Champion Bull Rider who had a charismatic personality and spent hours with his fans. The seven event matches between Frost and Red Rock were well known in rodeo circles as both had their long list of fans. Unfortunately, Frost lost his life in the arena at Cheyenne Frontier Days, when he was hit by a bull, at the age of twenty-five. The documentary not only shows much footage of the handsome young cowboy, it also shows interviews with people who knew him best; Elsie and Clyde Frost, his parents, journalist Kendra Santos; photographer Sue Rosoff, stock contractor and owner of Red Rock, John Growney; traveling partners, Tuf Hedeman and Cody Lambert, and actor Luke Perry who portrayed Frost in the movie, 8 SECONDS.
All rodeo fans and followers will want to have this DVD for their collection It can be purchased through website: www.lanefrost.com for $24.95 plus $5.00 for priority shipping.
“MONTY THE BULL” by Christie Teuteberg, is a hardcover children’s book, that tells the story of a young bucking bull, who’s father ia a famous bucker, and he wants to be ‘just like dad’. The story is cleverly written and gives simplistic information about requirements of a good bucking bull and what happens to Monty.
The author and her family (three children) actually own Monty with H. D. Page, who is a top stock contractor of bucking bulls. Monty won 5th place in the Futurity for two year-old bulls, at the PBR Finals this year. It will be fun to see how Monty grows and learns to buck better and better. Monty’s fans can go to his website listed below.
For those wee cowboys and cowgirls that love bull riding you will enjoy this book. It sells for $16.99 in the United States, and $20.99 in Canada. Shipping cost is $3.99, unless you buy three or more, then shipping is free. You can order by going to: www.MontyTheBull.com or mail the cost and shipping fee to: Christie Teuteburg, 3225 Canterbury Lane, Oconomowoc, WI 53066.
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