Students and Stillwater residents are working with the Edmon Low Library, Friends of the Library and OSU Rodeo Association and Rodeo Boosters club to keep cowboy poetry alive.
Library associate professor Karen Neurohr has organized the Cowboy Poetry and Songs event since 2006 with Cathryn Christensen who volunteers with the OSU Rodeo Boosters club.
The event starts at 7 p.m. in the Peggy V. Helmerich Browsing room in Edmon Low Library.
Neurohr said the event celebrates cowboy poetry and the traditional Western way of life.
“I love poetry,” she said. “My husband was a working ranch cowboy and I’ve done my share of agriculture. I’ve lived the life, and since OSU is a land-grant university, this seemed like the place to try to keep the tradition alive.”
Neurohr said she enjoys working with the rodeo groups.
“When I started this event I wanted a student group to participate with,” Neurohr said. “I have an agricultural background myself and I knew there were a lot of student groups who could help, but working with rodeo seemed natural. It’s been a great collaborative experience.”
The event features singers and poets, Neurohr said.
Rodeo Association president Laramie Debock, a mechanical engineering and technology senior, said about 12 Rodeo Association members will attend and help out with the event.
Brad Clayton, a crop sciences junior, won best performer when he first performed at the 2006 OSU Cowboy Poetry and Songs event.
Tommy Moellering, a ranch management freshman, is a member of the OSU Rodeo Association and volunteer at Turning Point Ranch, a therapeutic riding facility. This will be his first performance.
Kalyn Bischoff, an animal science junior, has written poetry since she was 8 years old.
The event also has other performers from Stillwater, Guthrie, Cyril and Chelsea.
Lyle Newman, from Stillwater, has performed at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev. Debra Coppinger Hill is an award-winning poet who manages her 4DH Ranch near Chelsea. She has recited her poetry in Ireland. Dale E. Page majored in English at OSU and has written feature stories on artists and saddlemakers in several national magazines. He has written poetry for more than 30 years.
Jay Snider is a rancher, team roper, cowboy poet, and chuckwagon cook from Cyril. Jim Garling is from Guthrie and teaches fiddle and guitar lessons at the Double Stop Fiddle Shop.
Christensen said the event exposes people to a culture they may not understand well.
“We want to show that the cowboy you see in Hollywood may not be the true reflection,” she said. “This year we expect more people. We’ve sent more formal invitations. Having students come is always interesting.”
Neurohr said the audience votes on the best performer at the end of the event.
“We give awards and the audience votes on their favorite,” she said. “It’s a fun event, it’s very casual. Most people are in jeans and boots.”
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