Summer Camp for Summer Break

Summer Camp is the perfect way for you little cowboys and cowgirls to spend all that free time during their favorite break … summer break. There are several cowboy and cowgirl summer camps throughout the country. One of the cowboy summer camps that we know about isn’t too far down the road in Humble, Texas.

Cowboy City Texas, founded by Mike and Mary Wall, is home to six cowboy and cowgirl summer camps a year. The summer camps are offered to boys and girls ages seven to fourteen and are chocked full of cowboy boot wearing activities.

Summer Camp Teaches Horsemanship

Summer camp at Cowboy City Texas is all about fun for the beginner and immediate horse riders. But don’t you worry; Cowboy City Texas provides the horses for all summer camp participants.

Cowboy and cowgirl summer camp is centered on horsemanship. Summer campers will learn and work on horse grooming, riding, barreling, cutting, roping and many other rodeo type activities. In fact, there is a summer camp rodeo at then of the summer.

Summer Camp Chocked Full of Western Fun

Other activities summer campers will enjoy while at summer camp are western theater, nature awareness trails, mud fights (be prepared to wash camper’s jeans every night), archery and more.

Attendees of cowboy and cowgirl summer camp also have the opportunity to learn western arts and crafts, play sports with other cowboys and cowgirls, go swimming (make sure you take off your cowboy boots and cowboy hats first), and even go shovel surfing. Now, we aren’t quite sure what shovel surfing is, but it sounds pretty fun.

Western Gear for Summer Camp

Before you take your little cowboy or cowgirl off to summer camp, whether at Cowboy City Texas or another western summer camp, swing by Allens Boots and we will make sure your summer campers have all the western gear they need.

*Photo by Cowboy City Texas

Mules in the Hot Sun

So it’s hot outside and you really want to wear your cowboy boots with your new jeans or your new skirt or dress; although the mere thought of having all that leather on your legs in 90 degree weather causes you to instantly break out into a sweat.

There is an answer to having the boot look without all of the boot … Mules! And we aren’t talking about the four-legged kind.

These Mules Were Made for Walking

Mules, by definition, are backless and very often close-toed shoes. The open-toe version is called a slide. They are very popular among women and are believed to have gotten their start back in the 18th century. Mules gained popularity in the 1970’s as clogs, but re-emerged in the 1990’s and haven’t looked back.

Mules, Mules, Mules

Mules come in all sorts of colors and styles, they can be dressy or casual and they are extremely comfortable. In fact, Allens Boots has yellow mules, red mules, black mules, multi-color mules made by Charlie 1, Old Gringo, Frye and Ariat. You name it; we have it to go with all your summer styles.

Mule Rules

Now before you run off with your mules, there are a few things you should know about proper mule fit.

• You need to make sure that your heel fits on the back of the mule properly. Take care that your heel isn’t hanging over the edge, sitting right on the edge or not close enough to the edge. Just a little edge showing is perfect.
• Make sure you get up and walk around in the mules you are interested in buying. That way you know they stay on your feet and that they look right with your legs.
• If you are planning on wearing socks or hosiery with your mules, make sure you bring them with you when you try them on.

Cutting Horse Adds Spice to CEO Life

There was an article in Fortune Small Business Magazine today about a woman who is CEO by day and a Rodeo Queen by night. Yes, you are reading this correctly.

According to the article, Anita Lind Janssen spends her days as CEO of a company that handles asset management for large firms in the middle of transition. This is a job that requires conservative decisions and very little risk. Wanting to add a little spice to her life, Anita put on a hat, polished up her boots, and became a cowgirl.

It also appears that cutting runs in the Lind Janssen family. Ryan Lind, Anita’s son, placed in the top ten of the youth division at the National Cutting Horse Western National Finals this past weekend. I am sure that his mother couldn’t be more proud of her cowboy son.

Cutting Horse: What is it?

Cutting is a western riding style event where a horse and rider are judged strictly on their ability to separate a calf away from a herd of cattle for a certain period of time.

Cutting, which is becoming quite a popular equine sport these days, is special in that once the calf is separated from the herd, the cowboy or cowgirl loosens up on the reigns and the horse then takes over in keeping the calf separated. These horses are known as a cutting horse.

Cutting Horse Queen is One of Many

After reading about Anita, we did some poking around into the careers of the members of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. We found out that Anita isn’t the only corporate big wig that likes to compete with their horses for stress relief. We found an owner of a women’s western store, a President/owner of a drilling company, a ranch owner, a Chief of Staff of a state assembly, and a CEO of a golf construction company.

Who would have ever thought that participating in adrenaline pumping rodeo events could be so relaxing?

*Photo by Mike Murrow

Cowboy Museum’s Annual Memorial Day Event

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, located in Oklahoma City, will be celebrating its 18th Annual Chuck Wagon Gathering and Children’s Cowboy Festival this Memorial Day weekend. The festival will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on both Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th.

Dressing like a Cowboy More than Alright at Cowboy Museum

Grab your kids, put on your jeans, boots and cowboy hats and head on down to what the American Bus Association has named one of the Top 100 events in North America. You, your family and more than 10,000 other Old West fans will sure to be pleased with all the exciting activities and food planned for this jam-packed weekend.

Chuck Wagons Circle the Cowboy Museum

There will be authentic chuck wagons present offering up some of the finest wrangler food from Oklahoma and Texas. Festival goers even receive their very own tasting bowl to fill up with cowboy favorites such as brisket, biscuits and gravy, stew, and cobbler.

Children’s Cowboy Festival Events at the Cowboy Museum

There will be plenty of good ‘ol western entertainment for the family at the festival. Little Cowboys and Cowgirls can get pony rides, stagecoach and wagon rides, learn how to make a rope, design a bandana, and even pet a Longhorn steer. For the older cowboys and cowgirls, there will be entertainment from the likes of Don Edwards and Red Steagall.

There is even a cowboy bootmaking demonstration, which we here at Allens Boots are the most excited about.

Cowboy Museum has More to Offer than the Festival

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was founded in 1961 and is considered an institution of Western history, culture, and art. More than 9 million visitors a year come to see the Cowboy museum’s collection of Western art and artifacts and to garnish an insight into the Old West.

*Photo by National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Lucchese Boots History

Sam Lucchese, the founder of Lucchese boots, was just 17 years old when he decided that he was going to be a bootmaker. When he was 20, just three short years later, he opened the Lucchese Boot Company in San Antonio, Texas. Then in the 1960’s, Sam Lucchese, Jr. (grandson of the founder) took over the company and turned it into the nationally renowned boot company of today.

Lucchese Boots Celebrates 125 Years

Lucchese boots are known for their superior fit, quality and comfort. They may take more time to create and cost more than most other boots, but these hand-finished boots are worth every penny; which is something you will figure out the minute you slip your foot into one of these works of art. Founded in 1883, this year marks the 125th year that Lucchese has been outfitting America’s cowboys with high-quality boots; and to celebrate, they have created a limited edition anniversary boot.

Lucchese Boots Limited Edition 125th Anniversary Boot.

The Lucchese Limited Edition 125th Anniversary Boot will be made with the finest American Belly Alligator that is available. The boot will be made in the Lucchese matador construction with covered sideseams and fully hand-tooled and hand-painted quarters. Lucchese logos, stars and hand-tooled scrolls will adorn the tops of each of these beautiful anniversary boots. The scallops will be hand-laced and the torero pullstraps will be overlaid in alligator. The inside of each boot will be lined with Lucchese’s premier grimini linings.

Get Your Lucchese 125th Anniversary Boots Today

Lucchese is only making 125 pairs of the anniversary boots. Each boot will be hand-signed and numbered by its creator. To ensure the authenticity of this piece of Lucchese history, an embossed seal will be on a numbered certificate; and each boot will come in a matching numbered 125th anniversary edition hand-tooled leather boot box. And to top it off, each purchased pair will be recorded in a dedicated 125th anniversary edition log book.

We here at Allens Boots are proud to be a part of this celebration. Happy Anniversary, Lucchese!!