National Day of the Cowboy, What does it mean to you?

As a reporter/journalist (producer, writer, busy mom, you get the point), I recently had
the tables turned on me and asked the question of what this national day means to me.
I have my fingers into several media outlets, and have the honor of co-hosting (on
occasion, when time is permitted!) a national radio show with the renowned (and
sometimes controversial) agricultural activist Trent Loos. Because he caters to a broad
range of folks across America, the roads always cross into rodeo and our western
heritage, and well, the question was turned to me.
Mr. T (as I call him) often does this and loves to hear me squirm over the airwaves when
the focus is put on me. I do my homework (as every good journalist does) on subjects that
I know are hot points. Warning to future guests… you better be on your toes or he will
pretty much eat you up and spit you out! (I have learned the hard way, and I am the co-
host!).
Because I was caught by surprise, I can honestly say I was not prepared. Oh, I have my
opinions and many hear them through the mediums I work in, but this time was different.
I found it so (very) difficult to sum up, on a Friday afternoon talk show, with only 2
minutes left in the program!
Why? I am prepared for these moments, I am a professionally trained actress, I have
worked in television, hosting events, trained with masters of improvisation (for exact
moments as this, thank you very much!) and I, Melanie Biedebach rendered speechless?
I am not sure I have ever been speechless…(ok there was the time when my daughter
chucked her apple juice at some lady in Starbucks and nailed her in the back of the head,
but that is another story for another day!).
Before I answer why I was speechless, let me give you a short (very short) history lesson
on where the National Day of the Cowboy came from. Thanks to the support of the
late Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, the National Day of the Cowboy was first passed
by the senate in 2005. Although it was American Cowboy Magazine that launched the
campaign in 2004, it was Thomas and many others who got it to Senate.
What does it mean? Well the obvious, but for many (such as myself) it truly is something
far deeper and meaningful. On this great day, cities and towns across our beautiful
country gather together and celebrate the cowboy (and cowgirl!) and their contribution to
this great nation of ours.
If you live in America, you must know and understand (grasp) how relevant the
pioneering spirit is of the fearless cowboys and cowgirls who went before us and
how that spirit has shaped us today as a nation. You can go anywhere in the world
and regardless of political affiliations, gender or geography; everyone is aware and
appreciates the special and unique qualities of the American West. Many associate John
Wayne and Gene Autry as part of our heritage, but the truth is they embodied it, but
many lived it and still do today. The western heritage is loved all over the world and I
have had the privilege, in my travels, to witness this first hand.
What constitutes a cowboy or a cowgirl? Well that means different things to many
different people.
You see it is a way of life, many find it in the music, fashion, stories, poetry, art and just
sometimes a plain old attitude that says “cowboy up” in other words, stop being a wimp
and get on with it!
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly one particular thing, but I can say for me it truly is a way
of life. The values, ethics and what it stands for, is what has always been the appeal for
me. As I say very often in radio and print, it is the spirit inside of each and everyone of
us that is inside but must be awakened and kept alive. People often think you must be
raised on a ranch or farm to be a “cowboy” or “cowgirl.” I believe this to be a myth, as
there are bikers, truckers and corporate folks that live by that same spirit regardless if
they have their cowboy boots on or not!
As a parent, I have tried to instill in my own children what was handed down to me and
I encourage each and every person who believes in that spirit of our heritage to do the
same.
I had the privilege and opportunity to cover the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo last
year for Rodeo Attitude (I only cover the West Coast, but hey I love me some Texas!
) and got to visit the National Cowgirl Museum. It was truly a special and emotional
experience. I stood in that museum and felt such a bond to all these women who had
gone before me, these women were trailblazers! I like to think that my mark within the
medium of television, radio and print will someday make a difference and I too can be
among those amazing women.
So as you can see to try and even sum up all that in a short sentence on a radio show is
a bit of a daunting task! The National Day of the Cowboy is such a special day for me,
because I feel as though I am a part of it.
My wish for this day is that more and more people will truly become a part of it, not
just on the outside but on the inside as well. We all have that spirit among us; it is just a
matter of awakening it and living it.