The American Cowboy

A faint cry over howling winds wakes me at 2:00 a.m. Boots, coat, and hat on, I grab my lantern and head out in a blizzard to the barn to mount my horse and search for the source of the cry: a newborn calf under a fresh blanket of snow.The cowboy's way of life embraces hard work, trust, and respect in the service of a greater purpose: community service, stewardship, and faith. It's called riding for the brand. The pay is modest; the toll on the body hard and the reward great. Hours on a horse, tending fences under wide-open sky as a hawk circles overhead, calves born under starry nights that finish with conversation around a campfire, the ole cook singing while making grub-- this is my "office." I have been asked many times why we cowboys ride for our money and rope for short pay. I can't imagine any other way.My photos are a testament to the cowboy life, defined by hard work in God's glorious country. Gold- and blue-hour light convey that glory and the long hours. This is who we are. Our handshake is a promise, our word is all you need, and living for the greater good is our way of life.

-- Tanya Hamner