Alberta, Canada apparently is in the midst of a labor crunch. The Calgary Stampede Rodeo ran into a hard time filling enough cowboy boots to keep the rodeo running.

The Rodeo ran Ad campaigns with promises of high wages for positions in building maintenance and food service. Boots were not a requirement of the job, but were preferred.

The Calgary Stampede even accepted applications at their website. So keep that in mind next summer . . . if you’re looking for a job where you can wear your cowboy boots and Wranglers, head on up to Calgary and get a job at the rodeo.

Western cowboy boots have become as fashionable as they are practical. A recent article by the Denver Post discusses how cowboy boots are making a statement on Capitol Hill. The past couple of decades have seen the cowboy boot trend shift genres, from being a practical mainstay for ranchers and farmers to becoming fashionable footwear for city slickers to now serving a political purpose. Politicians wearing cowboy boots, such as Justin Cowboy Boots or Lucchese Cowboy Boots aren’t novel by any means. Presidents Reagen, Clinton, and both Bushes have donned cowboy boots. The “Republican revolution” of 1994 certainly saw more western cowboy boots than previously. But many Congressional historians cite the turning point for cowboy boots when the first President Bush was in office. When the President of the United States began wearing cowboy boots to work on a frequent basis, it was seen as more acceptable for doctors and lawyers to follow their personal preferences. From there, the trend has accelerated. The western cowboy boot trend has even caught enough attention to label the group of Congressmen who wear a pair (from both sides of the aisle) the “Cowboy Caucus.”

But what is it about a pair of handmade cowboy boots that appeals to lawmakers and businessmen, teenagers and urbanites? Looking at the trend in terms of a fashion metaphor, western cowboy boots can symbolize an emphasis on personal character, strength, and being the change that one is looking to create. And on today’s Capitol Hill, cowboy boots are a great way to signal their regional identity or a rebellious spirit from the conventional. But it could simply be that a pair of handmade cowboy boots look great on. The Congressmen interviewed by the Denver Post gave reasons ranging from comfort to the ease at which the wearer can slip them on and off (especially important when going through airport security) to keeping your ankles warm. Other reasons given for wearing a pair of cowboy boots (whether off the shelf or handmade) are concealing hairy legs and making the wearer taller.

Whether your looking to stand out from your coworkers, compliment a clubbing outfit, or just to own a comfortable pair of cowboy boots, Allen’s Boots has what you need. We have a large selection of Justin and Lucchese boots as well as many other brands. Who knows, you may even decide to take style to the next step when you see all of the western wear that Allen’s has.

I hate to start our new Boot Blog off with bad news, but it’s important to take a moment to remember Pro Rodeo Champion Jim Shoulders, who passed away from heart complications on June 20. He was 79.

Shoulders still holds the record of winning 16 Pro Rodeo World Championships in just 10 years, beginning with his first World Championship win in 1949. He was a master of most rodeo events, and won seven Pro Rodeo World Championships in bull riding, four in bareback and five all-around Championships.

Other notable achievements, of many, include winning the Calgary Stampede seven times and being the only person to ever win the famous Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo “all-around” title four times. He was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of fame in 1955, and was presented their prestigious Ben Johnson Award in 2004. In an interview shortly after that, Shoulders compared the old days to Rodeo today, saying “The biggest difference is money. You still ride a bronc or bull in eight seconds…”.

Shoulders also played a big part in bringing Pro Rodeo into the mainstream. His domination of the sport led to popularity that led him to represent Wrangler Western Wear since 1948 and appear in Miller Lite ads with Yankees manager Billy Martin.

We couldn’t put it any better than his son, Marvin Shoulders, who said “He was the Babe Ruth of rodeo . . . besides being one of the greatest rodeo cowboys, he was a great man.”