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April-May, 2008
Montana Mad Hatters: Brats Making Hats
Sheila Kirkpatrick founded Kirkpatrick Custom Hat Company in 1983 and started “cleaning and blocking hats for bread-and-butter and creating custom hats for love”, making hats “the way they used to, every piece by hand”. She also conducted seminars and workshops to help preserve the art form.
The state of Montana recognized her expertise by asking her to create a cowboy hat to present to President George Bush, Sr. during his visit to the Big Sky State. “But that wasn’t what I was about,” Sheila insists. “My dad always said ‘Never forget where you come from.’ Rather than being impressed with big names that came to my door, I wanted to make hats for plain old cowboys like the guys I grew up with – hats they could afford, and hats that would stand the wear they’d give them as a working tool of their trade.”
Sheila explains, “In the 1970’s the cowboy hat transitioned from a functional tool of the trade to a fashion statement. I felt we needed to go with that flow, and although it was new to me, I jumped right in. I was one of the first hatters to do a 2-toned hat, where the crown and brim are different. Now I do some with hair-on cowhide under or over the brims, various types of lacing, silver trim... whatever comes to mind or whatever people want.”
Read about how this little hobby grew into an exciting way of life for Sheila Kirkpatrick and her daughter.
You’ve Got to Give to Get
At the age of five and a half years old, Dixie Reger, a bright youngster with a huge smile, started her rodeo career. Her first public performance involved putting a high school horse through his paces. Shortly after that she started trick riding – doing vaults, croupers and other fancy groundwork – on a thirty-six inch Shetland pony named Tom Thumb.
The family drew attention wherever they performed... Spectators, especially children, who watched these youngsters perform were awed and, no doubt, envious of their lives. All they saw was the glamour of it all - travel, costumes, applause, and the money they made doing it! But it was not all glitz and glory. These youngsters were important ‘breadwinners’ to their family, which was important – especially in the mid thirties, when the Depression ravaged the country.
Read how Dixie Reger Mosley’s life led to her induction into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Basha O’Reilly, International Long Rider
Swiss Long Rider, Basha O’Reilly, is the epitome of an “international cowgirl.” Few people have ridden farther, accomplished more, or created a larger, more lasting literary legacy than she has in the realm of equestrian travel. She seems, however, just to be getting started.
Basha is a Founding Member of The Long Riders’ Guild (LRG), the international organization of equestrian explorers, all of whom have made continuous horseback journeys of 1,000 miles or more. The Guild now has Members in 38 countries, and these equestrian Argonauts have logged expeditions on every continent except Antarctica.
Her resume as an equestrian explorer began when, just after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Basha became the only person to ride out of Russia on a horse in the twentieth century. This 2,500-mile adventure took her across the recently collapsed Soviet Union, through Europe to her home in England. Because of this journey she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
The lady Long Rider then explored America by riding from Mexico to Wyoming along the notorious Outlaw Trail. And that’s just a smattering of the headings from her horse-heavy resume. But she hasn’t just spent her life in the saddle.
Read more about Basha and her adventures in the April/May issue.
The Horse With Wings
“If you want to see Romie one last time, I think you’d better come,” Mark said. “She fell down near the stackyard. I got her standing, but I don’t think… ,” then his voice trailed off and he turned away, heading back up the icy path.
I threw on my coveralls and snow boots, grabbed my neckerchief and hat, and ran outside. A frigid wind blew gusts of snow across the path. Deep drifts had changed the contour of the land – white ground met white sky as the storm raged. I tore up the path only to meet Mark coming back again. However, this time he held in his hand an empty halter and a limp horse blanket. The look in his eyes said it all.
Romie was gone. And I hadn’t gotten to her in time.
She lay stretched out in the snow, a gust of wind ruffling her black mane. I ran my fingers through it, remembering how, when we were young, we had raced across the prairie, leaping over yucca plants and chasing pretend buffalo.
Page Lambert’s poignant story brings tears and peace.
Montana Mad Hatters: Brats Making Hats
Sheila Kirkpatrick founded Kirkpatrick Custom Hat Company in 1983 and started “cleaning and blocking hats for bread-and-butter and creating custom hats for love”, making hats “the way they used to, every piece by hand”. She also conducted seminars and workshops to help preserve the art form.
The state of Montana recognized her expertise by asking her to create a cowboy hat to present to President George Bush, Sr. during his visit to the Big Sky State. “But that wasn’t what I was about,” Sheila insists. “My dad always said ‘Never forget where you come from.’ Rather than being impressed with big names that came to my door, I wanted to make hats for plain old cowboys like the guys I grew up with – hats they could afford, and hats that would stand the wear they’d give them as a working tool of their trade.”
Sheila explains, “In the 1970’s the cowboy hat transitioned from a functional tool of the trade to a fashion statement. I felt we needed to go with that flow, and although it was new to me, I jumped right in. I was one of the first hatters to do a 2-toned hat, where the crown and brim are different. Now I do some with hair-on cowhide under or over the brims, various types of lacing, silver trim... whatever comes to mind or whatever people want.”
Read about how this little hobby grew into an exciting way of life for Sheila Kirkpatrick and her daughter.
You’ve Got to Give to Get
At the age of five and a half years old, Dixie Reger, a bright youngster with a huge smile, started her rodeo career. Her first public performance involved putting a high school horse through his paces. Shortly after that she started trick riding – doing vaults, croupers and other fancy groundwork – on a thirty-six inch Shetland pony named Tom Thumb.
The family drew attention wherever they performed... Spectators, especially children, who watched these youngsters perform were awed and, no doubt, envious of their lives. All they saw was the glamour of it all - travel, costumes, applause, and the money they made doing it! But it was not all glitz and glory. These youngsters were important ‘breadwinners’ to their family, which was important – especially in the mid thirties, when the Depression ravaged the country.
Read how Dixie Reger Mosley’s life led to her induction into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Basha O’Reilly, International Long Rider
Swiss Long Rider, Basha O’Reilly, is the epitome of an “international cowgirl.” Few people have ridden farther, accomplished more, or created a larger, more lasting literary legacy than she has in the realm of equestrian travel. She seems, however, just to be getting started.
Basha is a Founding Member of The Long Riders’ Guild (LRG), the international organization of equestrian explorers, all of whom have made continuous horseback journeys of 1,000 miles or more. The Guild now has Members in 38 countries, and these equestrian Argonauts have logged expeditions on every continent except Antarctica.
Her resume as an equestrian explorer began when, just after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Basha became the only person to ride out of Russia on a horse in the twentieth century. This 2,500-mile adventure took her across the recently collapsed Soviet Union, through Europe to her home in England. Because of this journey she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
The lady Long Rider then explored America by riding from Mexico to Wyoming along the notorious Outlaw Trail. And that’s just a smattering of the headings from her horse-heavy resume. But she hasn’t just spent her life in the saddle.
Read more about Basha and her adventures in the April/May issue.
The Horse With Wings
“If you want to see Romie one last time, I think you’d better come,” Mark said. “She fell down near the stackyard. I got her standing, but I don’t think… ,” then his voice trailed off and he turned away, heading back up the icy path.
I threw on my coveralls and snow boots, grabbed my neckerchief and hat, and ran outside. A frigid wind blew gusts of snow across the path. Deep drifts had changed the contour of the land – white ground met white sky as the storm raged. I tore up the path only to meet Mark coming back again. However, this time he held in his hand an empty halter and a limp horse blanket. The look in his eyes said it all.
Romie was gone. And I hadn’t gotten to her in time.
She lay stretched out in the snow, a gust of wind ruffling her black mane. I ran my fingers through it, remembering how, when we were young, we had raced across the prairie, leaping over yucca plants and chasing pretend buffalo.
Page Lambert’s poignant story brings tears and peace.
