What it means to be a cowboy like many other things has changed throughout time.
Dick Granell a Havre local Cowboy recently inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame explains the unique differences about being a cowboy today in comparison to the 1960s.
“Today they have professional cowboy schools going on and then they got machines…. artificial bucking machines. Everything has changed considerably. The equipment has changed a lot….and the ropes of today, it’s all so much higher quality than back in the old days.”– Dick Granell
But it’s not just the equipment that’s changed. Dick Granell explains the different ways business operated in Havre Montana, not so long ago.
“Well back in the days when I was just trying to be a rancher or grow into one, Jack Norman had the GI Store on 1st Street and it was full of GI clothing in the basement and all kinds of western tac on top, saddles and everything imaginable for the cowboy life or rancher life. Back in them days you could go in there and buy a new saddle and a new wardrobe of new clothes and spurs and bridles and everything and just pay for it in the fall. That was just pretty unique, but of course Jack knew you was gonna sell some calves and bring in the money later on, anyway he’s 94 years old I believe, and he has always been just a great person.”- Dick Granell
