Do you and your outfit have a major hodown to attend? Perhaps you need to show that “other ranch” what class really means. There is no better way to be the talk of the town while arriving at your destination in style than to roll up in the Redneck Limousine.

Tonight is Nashville’s biggest night, and usually the night you see the best western wear out there: the 42nd annual Country Music Association Awards. The CMA has built an interactive website where you can make and share your award picks, participate in polls, check out photos from rehearsals, check out award winners of the past, and see where else the CMA is participating on the web.

The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will unite to host "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards." This is the first time that either artist will have hosted "Country Music’s Biggest NightTM." "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.  

"We are excited to have our reigning Male and Female Vocalist host the CMA Awards this year," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "In addition to their musical talent, Brad’s quick wit and Carrie’s gracefulness will serve them well in this role. CMA is happy to offer both of them their first opportunity to host a nationally televised network awards show. "

In addition to their hosting duties, Paisley and Underwood will also perform on "The CMA Awards." Previously announced performers include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban, with more performers to be announced soon.

If you are a country music fan, be sure and tune in tonight. It promises to be very cowboy friendly.

If there is one accessory that a cowboy needs outside of comfortable western wear and a good cowboy hat, it’s a great saddle. For over 20 years now, Wyoming resident Steve Mecum has been making handmade saddles for cowboys all across the country. Featured on CNN.com, Mr. Mecum describes his love of saddle making and why he feels like it is so important to pass on:

Micum now dedicates December through May to crafting custom saddles, some of which demand more than 350 hours of work to finish. While a basic saddle costs roughly $4,000, a high-end job that features carved, intricate designs and extra work on the seat and fenders can cost as much as $20,000.

"I have customers who collect saddles, but there is tremendous gratification in making a saddle for someone who is going to use it every day, such as a horse trainer," says Micum, who has a two-year waiting list.

"A lot of the well-known custom cowboy-gear shops are disappearing," says Micum. "We’re trying to preserve the tradition of quality and teach it to younger people so that this type of work stays alive."

Steve also can be found teaching classes on saddle making through the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association.

There is nothing more synonymous with cowboy culture than a cowboy hat. Paired with the rest of your western wear, it is the quintessential accessory for a cowboy. But what are the origins of the cowboy hat? We all know that cowboy hats go back to almost the inception of the cowboy himself, but what does your cowboy hat say about you? Have a look at this great video that dives into the history of the cowboy hat and what your hat shaping and other decorations say about you.

It’s never too early to teach children about cowboy culture, and the kindergarten students at Lydia Rippey Elementary school in Farmington, New Mexico just got a week long lesson in all things cowboy. Instead of a Halloween celebration, the children dressed in their best western wear and had some great cowboy themed competitions as well as participated in school lessons centered around cowboy and western topics.

Volunteers from the Aztec High School Future Farmers of America, the Four Corners Rodeo Team and the 4-H Club were on hand to teach the kindergartners how to lasso, barrel race, ride bareback and sit in a saddle bronc saddle. Aztec Feed and Supply provided most of the rodeo equipment. The enthralled
Advertisement
children were more than willing participants.

"It’s cool to see them get pumped up about something we do everyday," said rope-toss instructor Zach Lee, a junior at Aztec High School and a member of the Four Corners Rodeo Team.

Other children raced across the recess yard astride horses made of long cardboard tubes. The heads were made of folded and cut paper plates that the children decorated. The riders had to scream "yee-haw" before turning around and racing back when they reached a fence.

Hopefully those kids will grow up and want to continue the wester wear tradition in their own lives, Cacties style.

Photo courtesy of Lucas Ian Coshenet/The Daily Times

The Cowboys and Indians blog brought our attention to what is being called a “kim-chee Western”, South Korean movie The Good, The Bad and The Weird. Western culture being spread to other parts of the world? Maybe. We’ll let you check out the trailer below and see for yourself.

American Cowboy is offering free subscriptions for a year to all interested parties. Think you might be interested in American Cowboy? Here’s a description of the magazine for further information:

Each issue of American Cowboy reports on the contemporary western lifestyle with engaging profiles of country-western musicians, rodeo performers and western artists along with pictorials of the western landscape. Also includes feature articles on western decorating and fashion, current events affecting the West, travel, food, history, reviews and poetry.

While browsing the internet and looking for cool cowboy images I stumbled upon SASS. The Single Action Shooting Society is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Cowboy Action Shooting and competive shooting. They also seek to preserve the history of the Old West and Cowboy Culture. We here at Cacties respect and salute that cause.

SASS has some pretty strict rules to participate in their events.

One of the unique aspects of SASS approved Cowboy Action Shooting™ is the requirement placed on costuming. Each participant is required to adopt a shooting alias appropriate to a character or profession of the late 19th century, a Hollywood western star, or an appropriate character from fiction. Their costume is then developed accordingly. Many event participants gain more enjoyment from the costuming aspect of our sport than from the shooting competition, itself. Regardless of a SASS member’s individual area of interest, SASS events provide regular opportunities for fellowship and fun with like-minded folks and families.

Contestants are also required to use firearms typical of the old west and each individual event is based on legendary western incidents or scenes in western movies.

If you are interested in Old West shooting or cowboy culture they just might have a shooting club near you. Shooting events are held monthly, annually, statewide, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

What do we use as a barometer of what clothing styles are “in”? What the “kids” are wearing? What shows up during New York City’s fashion week? Or how about what ever is the hottest new look in Paris? Well we at Cacties will take what’s hot in Paris for a thousand, Alex. Fashion house Hermes just showcased it’s new summer line designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier which is all western wear themed.

Gaultier’s 2009 Spring/Summer "cowboy chic" collection offered a new interpretation of Hermes’s equestrian roots - the fashion house started as a saddle maker.

Recurring items included crocodile-skin bustiers and jackets, fringed ponchos and floppy sand-colour suede hats.

But many other accessories such as tall leather boots and soberly cut leather bags, remained faithful to the classic Hermes style.

The Parisians have spoken: western wear it is.

Image by: Gonzalo Fuentes

The perfect accessory for any western wear piece whether that be just a classic western shirt or an entire ensemble with woven dungaree pants would have to be the belt buckle. Many are given out as prizes at rodeo competitions, but even you the city slicker can have a fantastic looking belt buckle to tie that western outfit together. If you are looking for something special, look no further than silversmith Clint Orms. Clint designs very intricate and elegant belt buckles for all tastes. Named after counties in Texas, they can be found in 1”, 3/4”, and trophy buckle sizes, or you can have one custom designed to fit your exact desires. If you are in the market for a great looking belt buckle, look no further than ClintOrms.com.

And hey Clint, as a fellow Texan, how about naming your next buckle after our home county of Brazoria? You know how bad Texas pride can be.