Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium
History of the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium
by Mark Doth © 2007 Ray Reed before a performance |
Back in the late 80's a man in Ruidoso by the name of Ray Reed had been kicking around an idea in his head -- and telling anybody who would listen -- about a festival to preserve and promote the cowboy way-of-life.
If given the chance back then, Ray would regale the listener with stories about when his family came west to New Mexico in the early 1900s in a covered wagon. Reed grew up on a small ranch outside of Clovis, NM and cowboyin' became a way of life.
Ray had musical talent and could sing as well as play guitar. In the 30's, he drifted out to California by hitching a ride in a boxcar. He would later tell me that he was good friends with actor Robert Mitchum whom he met riding trains to the west coast. For the next decade and a half, Ray became part of the music scene in Los Angeles. He would later meet western swing legend Bob Wills and became friends with many of the Texas Playboys band members.
After several musician friends died of drug overdoses, Ray decided it was time to head back to New Mexico. He told me, as he saw it, it was a way of survival. Ray said, "I knew then, if I didn't leave California, I was going to end up dead like my friends."
The owner of the horse racetrack in Ruidoso, NM, Gene Hensley, was looking for help in promoting his track to the Hollywood establishment and Ray had connections. Ray went to work for Hensley promoting his little quarter horse track. Around the same time, Hensley started the All American Futurity and Ray took to the road with a pickup truck full of bourbon whiskey, his guitar and went ranch to ranch recruiting horses for the World's Richest quarter horse race.
Music, horses, and the cowboy way of life. Ray Reed lived the culture of the American Cowboy. Reed explained, "I've been an entertainer dang near all my life. I do all the old cowboy songs from years back. I was raised a cowboy and that's what I've been."
As the years rolled on, Reed saw the culture he loved so much was disappearing. He wanted to have a week-long festival that would highlight this culture in the best possible light. By doing this, he thought it would encourage others to promote it as well as preserve it.
Early on, Ray had begun to formulate his own ideas about the Cowboy Symposium. In 1989, after performing at the inaugural National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration in Lubbock, TX he was inspired by the response he had had seen there.
Ray's visit to Lubbock convinced him that people were searching for entertainment that was good and fresh, not loud and not loaded with coarse language. He also felt it was time to bring the true romance of the West back to the public.
Although the gathering in Lubbock was good, Ray wanted so much more for his event. Location being a key ingredient, Ray wanted Lincoln County, NM to be the backdrop for his cowboy symposium. Historically, it was known for the outlaw Billy the Kid, cattleman John Chisum and the Lincoln County War. Geographically, it was situated in the beautiful mountains of south central New Mexico and embraced three distinctly different cultures involved in the settlement of the west --Indian, Hispanic and the American Cowboy.
Drawing heavily on the heritage New Mexico, Ray saw the need to bring the three different cultures together. He would showcase the American Cowboy but share the stage with Mariachi entertainers and Mescalero Apaches performing their songs and dances.
Western swing music would take center stage and to accomplish this he would bring in Johnny Gimble and revive Bob Wills' Texas Playboys. The last ingredient necessary, which was near and dear to the cowboy's stomach, was the chuckwagon. Ray dreamed that he would have the world's richest Chuckwagon Cookoff.
Above all, Ray proclaimed, "No tinhorns or drugstore cowboys at my event." Ray wanted only those authentic individuals or people who had rode the ride (walked the walk) and talked the talk. No pretenders!
With the financial contributions of current Ruidoso Downs racetrack owner, R. D. Hubbard and Hondo Oil and Gas owner, R. O. Anderson, and the assistance of countless volunteers including R. O.'s cattleman Sid Goodloe, the first Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium was held at the Glencoe Rural Events Center in 1990.
Since those early days, the Symposium outgrew its former site and moved to where it is held today at the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.
In the winter of 1998, Ray Reed passed away to that "big spread in the sky" doing what he loved to do best. He was on the road in his "winnerbager" promoting the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium.