More Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo Memories

An old friend from my childhood days, Richard Wilshire, told me he still had a signed photo of The Cisco Kid, as well as a Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo program from the 1950's. For many years, I, too, had a signed photo of The Cisco Kid on Diablo, his black-and-white paint stallion --who was rearing up in the photo. That photo was a treasured possession for many a year. 

Richard also remembered going to The Fair, the western store in Lott, every year to get new western duds specifically for the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo. The Fair Western Store in Lott --you always said it that way, so folks would know it was the western store, and not the Heart of Texas Fair--was where we all went for our western clothes--especially boots--they had many, many pairs of boots. We also went to Piazza Brothers Western Wear in Waco, located in the Westview Village Shopping Center, on the corner of Valley Mills Drive and Waco Drive. Another  childhood friend, Sandra Todd, owner and rider of the wonderful palomino horse named "Waco Joe", grew up and married Sonny Piazza--and they are still married, all these forty years later!

 (As you can see from the comment below this blog entry, Richard reminded me of one more western store, and I added it!) Another popular place to shop was Koonsman's Western Wear, first located on The Old Dallas Highway, then in Fairgate Shopping Center. My best friend when I was about fourteen was Kathy Koonsman, daughter of Rudy Koonsman and Mary Koonsman. Their fine son, Tommy Koonsman, died an untimely death from cancer when only in his forties. The horse folks back then were truly the salt of the earth and like family, and Kathy, Tommy, and all the gang were like my own brothers and sisters.   

 The western store, The Fair in Lott, was owned by the family of another old friend, Chester Springfield. It was always good to see Chester and his family while we shopped for the latest western fashions.  The Wrangler brand of jeans--cowboy cut-- were what all the real cowboys, especially the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) cowboys and cowgirls wore----not Levis!  Levis were for the James Dean "Rebel Without a Cause" punk look---oh, I had Levis, too-- but I loved my Wranglers. I remember going down to Monnigs, the big department store on Austin Avenue--Wasn't Cox's just across the street on the corner, too? My grandmother, Ann Ellison, had a charge account at Monnig's and wanted to buy my sister Sue and I some bluejeans--Well, we picked out our first pair of Wranglers at Monnig's and they cost FOUR DOLLARS a pair--that was in 1960--now, they cost what-- almost forty dollars or more, per pair?

Western shirts with big flowers or a lot of embroidery on them were also popular. The sharp-toed western boot was in, though boots were not available in many colors then. I loved a white boot the best, especially a white Leddy Brothers (Fort Worth western store), but that color was not very practical in the horse lot or arena. I was glad to see the Roper boot by Justin Boot Company come in style, as my foot is so wide from going barefoot all the time as a kid, and the Roper round toe is more comfortable than the sharp-toed boot. 

 It was absolutely just "the best thing ever"--- what you lived for all year long---to go to the HOT Fair and Rodeo and get to see all your childhood friends and horse buddies and make new acquaintances, most of whom would gather at the Coors Beer Tent-- whether they drank beer or not-- just to stand around talking --as Richard said, "Just to shoot the bull"--and some of them actually had ridden the bull, as we numbered many bullriders, bareback and saddle bronc riders, lady barrel racers, calf ropers, and bulldoggers in our local bunch, as well as several professional rodeo clowns, including Bobo Athey, Dan Willis, and his brother, Billy Willis. The Heart of Texas Fair was definitely a good excuse to get the newest, most fashionable western duds to show off to the cowboy crowd and "be styling" around the fairgrounds and the Beer Tent. 

 Sometimes our bunch would go to the Midway for the games, the rides, and the food, but the big draw for us always was and always will be the rodeo. What many wonderful memories I and my friends have of the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo, and I would not trade a one.