Yeah… I know, the Toby Keith song is, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” But that just didn’t work for my column this month… get over it, Toby!
A few months ago, a good friend in Tennessee invited Twila and me to travel to a friend of hers ranch in Texas to shoot some pictures of models and horses. Since we have spent years working with models and both of us think horses are one of, if not the most beautiful animal around… why not?
After a couple of failed attempts… read that life getting in the way and cancelling our trip… we got on a Southwest flight last week and winged our way to San Antonio, Texas en route to the metropolis of Beeville, Texas… population about 13,000. We rented a nice little SUV at the airport and after surviving the 100-foot walk in 100-degree heat to the truck, we were on our way to a working Texas ranch. Look at me, Ma, hanging out with cowboys.
OK. No cowboys. Just a couple of cowgirls and my wonderful wife. I am not sure what I expected but I have always been impressed with our friend from Tennessee. Keep in mind, I am married to Wonder Woman, so it takes a lot to impress me. Our friend handles and rides horses. She takes care of them while managing a department in a healthcare facility and raising her kids. To me she has always been a beautiful businesswoman cowgirl. And I’m still impressed with her… but now we’ve met a girl with a big SCG on her chest… Super CowGirl. She actually wears a T-shirt that says, “The Hell I Won’t” with a picture of a cowgirl on it.
Now, I was raised by a mother who insisted on manners and being a gentleman. If a lady was having to lift something, move something, do anything very physical – I was expected to step in and help. Sorry, Mom. This girl appreciated the offer with a tip of her cowgirl hat but, “No thanks, pardner… I’ve got this.”
I watched this girl load four… yes, four horses into a nice trailer hooked up to her big Ford pickup truck. Off we went for a two-hour drive to an island beach somewhere off Corpus Christi, Texas. She drove that truck like it was a Corvette. She ran between construction barrels and dividers at 80 miles an hour in that big, wide truck pulling that full horse trailer (the speed limit was 75) like they were not there while my knuckles on my steering wheel were white and my hands were hurting from my death grip on it. We even had to cross an ocean inlet on a ferry. She drove onto that thing and put it exactly where the guy told her while he had to spend two minutes helping me get my little truck parked.
We hit the beach without a break and before I could get my Nikons out of the back of my truck she was unloading horses and saddling them up. One of the requested images… besides the obvious… cowgirls in bikinis on horseback… was cowgirls in flowing dresses on horseback on the beach. Now, I am not so modest as to deny that I am a pretty dang good photographer. But when this cowgirl trotted her big horse down the beach in a beautiful red dress I was expecting a very lady-like pace back by me. My six-year-old grandson could shoot a great picture of that.
WHOA!!! Not on this cowgirl’s watch. She spun that big horse around about 100 yards down the beach, yelled… “Are you ready?” and I waved yes. Holy CRAP! Can you say, “Rocket on the beach!” I was just glad I was up on dry sand because she and that horse absolutely tore it up. I don’t know if it was more exciting or more beautiful. And, because I am picky and wanted to be sure I had exactly what was requested… she did it about nine more times and she and her horse… yup… they got better every time. Heck, she rode that big animal by me, looking directly at my camera and smiling. OH… did I mention that was about her only expression… a smile.
If I seem a bit impressed… then I am understating my opinion. She showed me that if cowboys are anywhere near as cool, tough and competent as cowgirls… I sure as hell can’t be a cowboy. Twila said, “She is gorgeously amazing!” My friend from Tennessee said, “She is fearless!” You know, folks, I think I will pay her the biggest compliment I can… “She’s just a down-to-earth, beautiful, real cowgirl!” Thanks, Amanda, for introducing us to Super CowGirl! It was a blast and the pictures… well, they are amazing!
