Cowboy Poetry & Western Entertainment

I thought now how in the hell do ya write a cowboy poem
About four women ya don’t even know
Who sit around doing arts ‘n crafts
On the Good Things Utah show

I mean cowboy poetry tells a story
And hopefully it will bring some laughs
About the distorted views of buckaroos
But never ‘bout arts ‘n crafts

So I started gettin’ kinda nervous
Matter of fact I was really startin’ to fret
Wishin’ I’d a never offered to write that thing
I was workin’ up a sweat

I needed some information fast
Cause I was runnin’ out of time
I needed points of views that I could use
And somehow make it rhyme

So I guess I did what most would do
If they were in this kind of fix
I went on line with this computer of mine
And googled these four chicks

But I was unprepared for what happened next
In fact it took me by surprise
When I saw a picture of these four gals
I couldn’t believe my eyes

Now I know this poem I’m writing here
It won’t sit well with my wife
But I wondered when I saw these four
Where have they been all my life

Now I’ve never been a big fan of television
Until a few days ago
But I’ve since become a great big fan
Of the Good Things Utah show

HEBER CITY, Utah – Heber City will celebrate its 15th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair, November 3-8, by bringing in top cowboy legends in western entertainment. This years gathering will feature Michael Martin Murphey, Don Edwards, Gary McMahan, Baxter Black, Asleep at the Wheel, Riders in the Sky, Sons of the San Joaquin, the Bar J Wranglers and renowned cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell as the host.

What began 15 years ago as a one-night gathering with local cowboy poets sharing poems in the Midway Town Hall is now six nights at six different venues in Heber Valley with top western entertainers from all over the country including many from Utah. The first gathering attracted a few hundred locals. Now more than 12,000 people attend to see and hear the art of poetry and song of the Western genre.

“This event was created for the sole purpose to promote the cowboy way of life through poetry, music and art,” said Tom Whitaker, event creator and trail boss. “We don’t want people to forget the heritage that not only established Utah but the west.”

A retired businessman and now local rancher and farmer in the Heber Valley, Whitaker met up with a few cowboy friends and discovered they all new some poems. They decided to print up a few flyers, post them and see if anyone would show. More than 300 people attended the first gathering. After a couple years, the event out grew the Midway Town Hall and moved to Wasatch High School in Heber City. Now, on the brink of out growing the old high school, the 15th annual gathering will move to the new Wasatch High School being completed in summer of 2009. The new school offers a larger auditorium, more space and open areas to host the multiple events of Heber City’s Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair.

The 15th annual gathering will feature 12 main concerts and shows; nonstop cowboy poetry and entertainment; more than 40 western booths with arts, crafts and cowboy gear; mountain man camp; cowboy church; Extreme Mustang Makeover; Horse Extravaganza Wild West Show; fiddle, guitar and mule driving clinics; Cowboy Express Train; and Cowboy Buckaroo Ball with Michael Martin Murphey and Asleep at the Wheel. Souvenirs include the Heber City’s 15th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair poster painted by Morgan Weistling, a membership pin and a CD with poems and songs from all the artists.

Tickets for the Buckaroo Fair and continuous music and poetry are $10 at the door. A cowboy BBQ lunch and dinner is $13 for adults and $7 for children if purchased in advance, or $14 and $7 at the door. Concert tickets range from $20-$43 and are available online at www.hebercitycowboypoetry.com or Day’s Market Place in Heber City, (435) 654-2352. For more information on event times and locations visit www.hebercitycowboypoetry.com.