Wyoming Cowboy bronze sculpture by Chris Navarro height 19 inches length 10 inches

‘’ Wyoming Cowboy’’

Artist statement.

The silhouette of a cowboy riding a bucking horse has long been the symbol of the state of Wyoming. The cowboy astride a bucking horse represents the toughness, pride, spirit and independence of the people, animals, and land of Wyoming.

My sculpture has been modeled on the great bucking horse Steamboat. This famous bucker bred in Wyoming was voted worst bucking horse of the year at the Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration 1906 and 1907. The horse was jet black with three white socks and had a powerful build. When he was a colt he sustained a broken bone in his nose that caused him to make a whistling sound when he bucked and that is why the cowboys gave him the name Steamboat. The old-time cowboys said the horse would buck his heart out and wouldn’t quit.

 I wanted to show the determination and spirit of both the horse and the rider in a contest of one man against one horse. In the early days of rodeo to make a qualified ride a cowboy had to stay aboard his horse until it came to a standstill. The rider was not allowed to pull leather or grab any portion of the saddle. He was allowed to fan the horse with his hat which dressed the ride up and made the horse buck harder. The sculpture carries the brand and symbol of the University of Wyoming. Both represent our western heritage and the best of Wyoming. This sculpture will become a bronze monument 16 foot in height dedicated at the entrance of the New Rochelle Gateway Center at the University of Wyoming in October 2014.