b"National Day of the CowboyCOWBOY KEEPERS 2021By Bethany Braley, Executive Director of National Day of the Cowboy nationaldayofthecowboy.com cowboy Earl Bascom, a previous Cowboy Keeper Award recipient as well.Rodeo athletes can be T he National Day of the Cowboys Cowboythankful that Liles is also a thoughtful cowboy Keeper Award was created to recognize thosewith an engineering who demonstrate a substantial contribution tobackground. When the preservation of pioneer heritage and cowboyhe realized just how culture. The three outstanding recipients selecteddangerous all-steel to receive the 2021 Cowboy Keeper Award are Jimchutes could be to the Liles (Arizona), Wild West City (New Jersey), andcontestants, he combined The STAND Foundation (Washington, D.C.). Theirhis rodeo skills with his selection by the National Day of the Cowboy Boardengineering expertise and of Directors represents its continuing efforts toinvented the chute crash encourage the honoring of history while striving topad. The mass production cultivate participation in todays cowboy life. of that successful crash pad was eventually Jim Lilesassumed by Priefert (Arizona) Manufacturing, and to Cowboy Jim Lilesthis day it is used in the began his 20-yearchutes of PRCA rodeos career as a barebackand Professional Bull Riding, saving many Street buildings are accurate reproductions and rider around the agea cowboy from concussions or worse. are filled with antiques, including an extensive of 13. More than fiftycollection of Native American art and artifacts. You years later, he canJim Liles is currently relocating to Huachuca, AZ. will learn about late 19th-century farming tools, still recount storiesHe is looking for someone to absorb his museum period dressmaking, blacksmithing, and more.of the many timesand keep it growing. If you break the law, you may end up in one ofthose broncs broketheir circa-1890 jail cells. Once you step inside his bones, includingWild West City (New Jersey) the gates and onto the dusty streets, youll feel like some more than once.Wild West City is a family-fun, frontier-oriented,you're walking around a town very much like theStill, bareback ridingtheme park. Its based on a true-to-life model ofset of Gunsmoke complete with a saloon, has remained his lifes1880s Dodge City, Kansas, but located in Stanhope,barbershop, candy shoppe, a blacksmith, andpassion, and the broncs have remained the horsesNew Jersey. The Park opened its doors in the springa working printing press.he loves most. Today he believes teaching fans andof 1957, creating a western experience for thousands younger contestants about the history of barebackof visitors over the past six decades. The short- Wild West City presents an interactive adventure riding and honoring those who have played a part interm investment was a project built in 1956 by thebringing tales of the Wild West to life through this great event will help keep it alive. So, out of hisAmerican Foundation for the Preservation of thehistorical characters, dramatizations, Wild West love for the sport, he has opened a National BarebackOld West. And still today, grownups who visitedperforming arts, and demonstrations by period Riding Hall of Fame and Museum in Congress,Wild West City as a child are delighted to bring theircraftsmen. Their goal is to be entertaining, Arizona, which boasts perhaps the greatest collectionchildren to experience the same shows and historyeducational, and creative. Many guests observe that in the world of riggings representing the historythey remember enjoying in their youth. the actors put a lot of heart into their reenactments, of bareback bronc riding. He believes its the onlymaking you feel like youre truly stepping back into exhibit of its kind in existence. Liles describes his gearAmong the main attractions are its live-actionthe Wild Wild West.There are actors in many of the collection as a living history museum, because heshows. Reenactments continue throughout eachbuildings too, ready to give you a history lesson on encourages visitors to touch all the various saddles,day, and between the action, the cowboys, andthe aspect of western history they're representing. ropes, and riggings he has rescued and preserved overthe horses, every guest finds something to enjoy.There are short shows throughout the day, portraying the years, including one rigging that dates to 1911. They strive to engage kids interest by involvingbank robberies, pony express riders, trick roping, them in some of the skits. They offer pony rides forstagecoach holdups, and cowboy competitions. They Liles NBRHOF began as an exhibit he created, whichsmall children, a barnyard zoo, and panning forsometimes host Wild West City After Dark and invite he dubbed, Riggins-N-Rhymes; a history of rodeogold.Folks still love riding the train thats held upguests to explore a haunted ghost town at your own equipment. He set it all up in such a way that heby outlaws and kids love visiting the frontier-stylerisk. The other staff members also receive numerous could take it on the road and thus, share it with moreschool.There is a mountain man's camp to teachaccolades from guests who note that their interactions folks around the country.His other talents includeguests about different frontier items. Wild Westwith children are amazing.The kids have so much sculpting and writing cowboy poetry. Through hisCity is that rare place where you can still ride in afun because the staff and the actors appear to relish museum, his poetry, and his sculptures, he is workinghorse-drawn stagecoach. For those with a specialcreating a frontier experience. The love employees to preserve rodeo history. One of the early inducteeslove for history, the park showcases a vast collectionhave for the park and the work they are doing is into Liles Hall of Fame was artist and inventor,of authentic period memorabilia. Many of its Mainfrequently noted by visitors.8 September 2021"