Cowboys & Indians January 2023

Angel Horses After hall of fame bull rider Jonnie Jonckowski retired from the arena and Hollywood, she became a physical therapy tech and started a Montana nonprofit where rescued horses bring joy and connection to people short on both. A Half-Dozen Horsey Reads From the wild horses of Sable Island and the country’s No. 1 disabled equestrian to the Green Beret Horse Soldiers and champion rodeo rider “Cody” Bill Smith, we recommend some good books about horses and the people who love and ride them. Cowgirls And Horses Art of the Cowgirl founder Tammy Pate and 2022 fellowship recipient Audre Etsitty share their perspectives on the power of horses as art and healers. Real Estate Are you looking for your next home in the West? Search our Hot Property and On The Market listings. You’ll find plenty…

WENDY WILKINSON, Writer “Peter Ray James” on page 82 I have been covering Indigenous fine art and crafts for the magazine for almost a decade but had never been introduced to spiritual fabric dolls. Because these sculptures by Navajo artist Peter Ray James are hand-made and so tactile, I was immediately drawn to them. Each doll has faces complete with a simple bead, and all are unique in design and signed by Ray on the back; truly a one-of-a-kind piece, but soft and very accessible. HALLEY SANFORD, Writer “Rising Star Penelope Jo” on page 74 Working on this feature was fascinating because Penelope Joe is fascinating. It’s not often that you meet someone who has known from a very young age what her talent and her passion is, and then to see it manifested into…

We’re celebrating C&I’s long legacy as a print publication in 2023, marking the 30th anniversary of the magazine’s inception. Our journey and evolution continue, yet they won’t keep us from looking back on the highlights and the many unforgettable stories of the last three decades. George Strait’s confident smile on this edition’s cover says it all: The party’s just getting started. While we hope to see you regularly out on the trail and at the newsstand, there’s also a place where we can convene as enthusiasts of the Western lifestyle every day. You can get there by laptop or by smartphone (and save a little bit on fuel). At cowboysindians.com, our editors and writers are weighing in with bits of history, fashion, culture, and entertainment to enrich your life and improve…

Turquoise Tells A Story Hi! I’m responding to your October issue request regarding personal fashion stories. My go-to fashion accessory has always been my turquoise jewelry. I’m from California, and as a kid growing up, we always took driving vacations throughout the Western states. My mother would always insist we stop at the curio shops along the way. Of course, they all had beautiful turquoise jewelry! We collected many gems over the years. I am 71 years old now and my mother has passed, but I kept all of her turquoise jewelry. We collected Navajo, Zuni, and other tribes’ jewelry. To this day, I make it my fashion statement by wearing my “old” turquoise jewelry for daily or special-event wear. I am sending photos of some of our turquoise jewelry that still holds the…

It’s the first to kick off the stock show season; from January 7-22, 2023, the National Western Stock Show brings the western and agriculture communities center stage for an educational and fun event. “Stock Show 2023 promises to feature all the fan favorite events and activities, including 29 action-packed rodeos, world-class horse shows like Freestyle Reining and Grand Prix, memory making mutton bustin, the Super Bowl of livestock shows, and acres of western shopping,” says Paul Andrews, President, and CEO of the National Western. Attracting more than 700,000 visitors each year, the National Western Stock Show is one of Denver’s biggest tourist attractions. National Western works to continuously support American agriculture through its programs and education on the many facets of agriculture. To continue their pursuit of agriculture support and education, the National…