AQHA September/October 2015 Magazine | Page 40

Recipients Excel as 2015 Cowboy Keepers

decided to marry, and wed the day after
Big Chino to Ashfork, all the ranches
Each year, as the National Day of the
he won the Dewey Saddle Bronc money.
on the Verde to Clarkdale, Cottonwood
Cowboy approaches, members of the
to Flagstaff, Mingus Mountain to Orme
Board of Directors for the National
Lyman went to work on the DK then
Ranch, Camp Verde to Dewey, Prescott
Day of the Cowboy organisation have
the DuBois Ranch, until Alaire’s father
to Crown King, down the Hassayampa
the privilege of reviewing the many
and up Yarnell to Wickenburg. He worked bought the Bar HL south of Willcox.
nominations submitted for its annual
They worked the Bar HL from 1942 to
cattle from Skull Valley to Williamson
Cowboy Keeper Awards©. It is always
1951 when they bought the Muleshoe
Valley, Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Pima
an uplifting experience. The award
Ranch, selling it when drought forced
Counties, the Graham, Winchester and
is bestowed upon those who make
them out. They moved
a significant
to California, running
contribution to
6,500 head of cattle
the preservation
in Imperial Valley. In
of cowboy culture
1963, Alaire, who was
and pioneer
an expert cowhand, was
heritage. This year
badly injured when her
there were more
horse tripped in a hole
nominations than
and rolled on her. She
ever, each one
was unconscious for 77
raising the bar for
hours. Recovery took
future nominees.
far longer as she had to
Those selected to
learn to walk again.
receive the award

share, among
In 1966, Al Stansbury
other things,
asked the Tenneys
an impeccable
to run his ranch in
character, a
Australia's Northern
joyful work ethic,
Territory. Their
a broad range
accomplishments in
of talents and
Australia alone could
skills, a love for
fill volumes. On the
educating the
Woollogorang “Station,”
public about
in Australia, they
cowboys, a sense
managed the largest
of leadership, and
cattle operation they
a high degree of
had ever run - 2,225
creativity. We are Alaire and Lyman Tenney on their property overlooking Rosewood, Queensland, in
1975.
square miles, 1,650,000
proud to name
acres, 10,000 head of
Sheila Carson,
cattle. It was 500 miles
Waddie Mitchell,
to the nearest grocery
Ernie Sites,
store and the closest rail
David Stoecklein,
point. Cattle drives to the
Bud Young, and
railhead took 11 weeks.
husband wife
Lyman soon arranged
team, Lyman &
to haul cattle by semi,
Alaire Tenney, as
shortening the drive to
our 2015 Cowboy
18 days.
Keeper Award
recipients.
One day, Lyman and
son, Todd, gave a team
Alaire & Lyman
roping demonstration at
Tenney
the Mount Isa Rodeo. It
Lyman "C" Tenney,
soon became a popular
was born one of
and widespread rodeo
ten children on
event. Lyman has since
his family's cattle
been called the "Father of
ranch near Willcox,
Australian Team Roping,"
Arizona. His wife,
because he introduced it
Alaire, born in
Lyman showed Mr Cutter Kay * to his ROM in cutting.
to the continent. Lyman
El Paso, Texas,
and Alaire took part
was the daughter
in an experimental program for Nelson
Galiuros Mountains, the slopes of the
of Quarter Horse Association founder
Hunt, to domesticate water buffalo.
Rincons, Whetstones, Huachucas, and
and QHA Hall of Fame inductee, J.E.
Lyman helped form the CeeTeeGee
more. He was a rodeo cowboy in the US,
Browning. Together, Lyman and Alaire
left a deep cowboy mark on the American Australia and Tasmania, in Saddle Bronc, Saddle Tree Company, making saddle
trees for American-style roping saddles
Bareback and Bull Riding, and the Timed
Southwest and Australia.
and hornless bronc riding saddles.
Events of Steer Roping, Calf Roping and
Team Roping and a contestant at the
Lyman started cowboying as soon as
They staged the first roping school
Prescott Rodeo for 22 years straight.
he could climb on a horse and spent 60
in Australia and helped establish the
During July 4th weekend, in 1941, he
years in the saddle. At 15 he left home
first rodeo club, started the Western
drove to Prescott to enter the rodeo.
to cowboy on his own. "I wanted to see
Performance Horse Club and the Sierra
There he met 18 year-old cowgirl, Alaire
all the ranches I could and work for ‘em
Bonita Roping Club, trained Quarter
Browning. The next summer, they
all.” In Arizona, he worked ranches from

Page 40 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • September • October 2015