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Paul Zarzyski | |
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| Born | May 25, 1951 Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | University of Montana |
| Occupation | poet |
Paul Zarzyski (born 1951) [1] [2] is a cowboy poet and educator. [3] [4] He is a former bareback bronc rider. [5]
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Paul Zarzyski | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 25, 1951 Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | University of Montana |
| Occupation | poet |
Paul Zarzyski (born 1951) [1] [2] is a cowboy poet and educator. [3] [4] He is a former bareback bronc rider. [5]
Paul Zarzyski was born on May 25, 1951, [6] and he grew up in Hurley, Wisconsin. [7] Zarzyski received his Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing in the mid-1970s at the University of Montana, where he studied with Richard Hugo, Madeline DeFrees, and John Haines, and where he later taught Hugo's classes after his passing. [1]
In the same breath in which he first pursued his poetry passion, he discovered a second unexpected calling—bareback bronc riding—and competed on the amateur, ProRodeo, and Senior circuits into his early forties.[ citation needed ]
Zarzyski has performed at the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada for the past 30 years. [8] He has toured Canada, Australia, Wales, England, and Russia, has recited at the National Book, Folk, and Storytelling Festivals, at The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage and the Library of Congress, and has appeared with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Spokane Symphony. He was also featured on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, aired from The Mother Lode Theater in BUTTE!
The author of twelve books and chapbooks, Paul's most recent collections were published by Bozeman's Bangtail Press: Steering With My Knees: Zarzyski Lite in 2014 and, in 2011, [9] his “triptych,” 51: 30 Poems, 20 Lyrics, 1 Self-Interview, the latter offering 120 pages of question-answer prose that traces his otherworldly journey from his 1950's and '60's, rural, Polish-Italian, blue-collar childhood in Hurley, Wisconsin to the poetic pages and stages of the American West.
Imbued with the belief that the music of poetry will, at times, blossom into song, Paul has applied his poetics to the art of the lyric and has co-written “western hits” recorded by Ian Tyson, Tom Russell, Wylie Gustafson, David Wilkie of Cowboy Celtic, Don Edwards, and other esteemed musicians. Two of these collaborations, one with Wylie and one with Tom, received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best song of 2010 and 2011, respectively, while another of Paul's works, “Bob Dylan Bronc Song” also earned The Spur in 2010 for poetry.
In January 2016, Paul's fifth spoken-word studio recording was released, a double CD of poems, sporting the same title as his latest book, Steering With My Knees, [5] and offering extensive, and at times “exotic,” musical compositions that include saxophone, slide/resonator guitar, didgeridoo, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, drums, blues harmonica, jaw harp, organ, tuba, accordion, piano, cello, banjo, theremin, etc. The project's elegant digibook presentation was designed by Paul's long-time friend and collaborator, Missoula artist, Larry Pirnie. Two earlier recordings, Words Growing Wild (1998) and The Glorious Commotion Of It All (2004), both produced by Jim Rooney in Nashville, offer poems with accompaniment by Duane Eddy, John Hartford, and other fine musicians, while two later disks, Rock-n-Rowel and Collisions Of Reckless Love (both, 2007), were produced by Open Path Music of San Jose, California —also at the helm of the current recording project.
Paul makes his home, “where the poetry roams,” west of Great Falls with art historian and C.M. Russell scholar, Elizabeth Dear, their Aussie dog Zeke Zarzyski, horses Pecos and Lash, and numerous other soulful fellow beings who Ol’ Charlie referred to as “Nature’s People.”
Rodeo is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States, western Canada, and northern Mexico. Today, it is a sporting event that involves horses and other livestock, designed to test the skill and speed of the cowboys and cowgirls. American-style professional rodeos generally comprise the following events: tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, Steer roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding and barrel racing. The events are divided into two basic categories: the rough stock events and the timed events. Depending on sanctioning organization and region, other events such as breakaway roping, goat tying, and pole bending may also be a part of some rodeos. The "world's first public cowboy contest" was held on July 4, 1883, in Pecos, Texas, between cattle driver Trav Windham and roper Morg Livingston.
Bronc riding, either bareback bronc or saddle bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding a bucking horse that attempts to throw or buck off the rider. Originally based on the necessary buck breaking skills of a working cowboy, the event is now a highly stylized competition that utilizes horses that often are specially bred for strength, agility, and bucking ability. It is recognized by the main rodeo organizations such as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to back up the natural aids. The spur is used in many equestrian disciplines. Most equestrian organizations have rules covering spur design and use, as well as penalties for using spurs in any manner that constitutes animal abuse.
Rodeos have long been a popular competitor and spectator sport in Australia, but were not run on an organised basis until the 1880s.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The PRCA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.
The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, present and future." It is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and only inducts Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women's Professional Rodeo Association members. It is the "only museum in the world devoted exclusively to the sport of professional rodeo."
Earl Wesley Bascom was an American painter, printmaker, sculptor, cowboy, rodeo performer, inventor, and Hollywood actor. Raised in Canada, he portrayed in works of fine art his own experiences of cowboying and rodeoing across the American and Canadian West. Bascom was awarded the Pioneer Award by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2016 and inducted into several halls of fame including the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1984. Bascom was called the "Cowboy of Cowboy Artists," the "Dean of Rodeo Cowboy Sculpture" and the "Father of Modern Rodeo." He was a participant member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Ty Monroe Murray, is an American nine-time World Champion professional rodeo cowboy. He was one of the top rodeo contestants in the world from the late 1980s to early 2000s. He is one of the co-founders and a board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). From 2005 to 2020, he was also a regular color commentator for several televised PBR events.
The International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), founded in 1985, is the sanctioning body for gay rodeos held throughout the United States and Canada. They are the largest group coordinating rodeo events specifically welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) as well as heterosexual participants and spectators. IGRA is composed of many regional gay rodeo associations, and sanctions a season of rodeo events which culminates in an annual World Gay Rodeo Finals. IGRA events are intended to allow all competitors, regardless of sexual and gender identity, to compete in rodeo sports without discrimination. The organization helps spread appreciation for Western culture and the sport of rodeo, while serving as a fundraising vehicle benefiting many charitable organizations.
Benny Reynolds was an American rodeo champion. Born in Twin Bridges, Montana, he was of English descent. Both his mother and father rode saddle broncs and his brothers also competed in rodeo.
The All-Around is an award given to a rodeo competitor who is most successful in two or more events. Most individual rodeos and championships determine the winner of this award at the conclusion of the other events or championships.
S. Omar Barker, was an American cowboy poet, politician rancher, and teacher in New Mexico. He published many books, including Vientos de las Sierras (1924), Buckaroo Ballads (1928) and Rawhide Rhymes: Singing Poems of the Old West.
William Stobb is an American poet and professor. He is the author of the National Poetry Series selection, Nervous Systems, Absentia, and You Are Still Alive as well as three chapbooks.
William E. Linderman was an American rodeo cowboy who competed on the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) circuit in the 1940s and 1950s. During his career, he won RCA All-Around Cowboy titles in 1950 and 1953, along with an unofficial All-Around Cowboy championship in 1945; in addition, he earned season championships in rodeo disciplines four times. Linderman was the first cowboy with three RCA world championships in a year, a feat he accomplished in 1950. A native of Montana, he joined the RCA in the early 1940s, winning his first discipline world championship in 1943 before beating out his brother for the 1945 unofficial All-Around Cowboy title. After injuries and health issues ended his 1946 and 1947 seasons, Linderman added two more All-Around Cowboy championships in the next six years.
Henry Real Bird, a member of the Crow Nation, is a poet.
A stock contractor is an individual or business that provides animals for rodeo competition. Stock contractors supply roughstock - horses for saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding and bulls for the bull riding event, plus steers for steer wrestling and team roping, plus calves for calf roping events. Use of stock contractors who specialize in providing these animals has produced a more uniform range of bucking stock which are also quieter to handle.
Gary McMahan is an American Western music singer-songwriter, yodeler, humorist and cowboy poet, known for his wide-ranging influence in post-19th century Western music and poetry, and for writing "The Old Double Diamond", which members of the Western Writers of America chose as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
Phil Lyne is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who competed in the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA)/Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Lyne was the RCA Rookie of the Year in 1969. Two seasons later at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), in 1971, he won the all-around cowboy world championship and the tie-down roping world championship. At the NFR in 1972, he repeated as the all-around world champion cowboy and added a second tie-down roping world championship. Lyne won his first and only steer roping world championship at the National Finals Steer Roping (NFSR) in 1990. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.
Gene Rambo was an American rodeo cowboy who competed in International Rodeo Association (IRA) events in the 1940s and 1950s. Rambo won the IRA's all-around cowboy season championship four times between 1946 and 1950. He took part in numerous disciplines, including saddle bronc riding, steer roping, steer wrestling, and tie-down roping. Rambo was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1989.
Virgil F13 is a rodeo bucking horse. He is specialized mainly in bareback bronc riding, but is sometimes used in saddle bronc riding. Although born in North Dakota, United States, he has lived most of his life in Alberta, Canada. Virgil is a two-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bareback Horse of the Year, as well as a two-time Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Bareback Bucking Horse of the Year. He won the award in both organizations in the same years; 2017 and 2018. He was also awarded the Bareback Horse of the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) four times from 2015 to 2018, as well as the Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2017. He is also the horse that was ridden for the highest-scored bareback ride in PRCA history, which occurred in 2022.
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