CONTACT: Julie Martinez

512-593-2590

SOUTH TEXAS RANCHING HERITAGE FESTIVAL

GIVES VISITORS A LOOK AT COWBOY LIFE

KINGSVILLE (Oct. 27, 1998) -- Many youngsters dream of being a cowboy or cowgirl. They turn broom handles into stick horses to ride the range and round up their stuffed animals instead of cattle.

At the seventh annual South Texas Ranching Heritage Festival in Kingsville, children of all ages can get a glimpse at what is it like to be a real life cowboy.

Visitors to the festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19-21, can see cowboys in action in the ranch rodeo, hear cowboy storytellers regale tales of life in the saddle, taste food from an authentic chuck wagon and listen to fiddle music.

The event starts Friday at the John E. Conner Museum on the Texas A&M University-Kingsville campus. Folk artists, including horse hair braiders and saddle makers, will demonstrate their crafts while cowboy storytellers and poets entertain the audience. Scholars will present their papers on ranch life in South Texas.

The action moves to the J.K. Northway Exposition Center Saturday and Sunday. The ranch rodeo pits real working cowboys from ranches across South Texas in events that reflect what they do in their jobs -- team penning, trailer backing, calf doctoring and branding, steer tying and the famous stampede race where contestants go through a mock emergency situation

Long-time South Texas ranchers and cowboys will be honored with awards and the chuck wagon and cow camp cook offs are underway Saturday. There are events for kids taking place both days including mutton busting and stick horse races.

Sunday's events begin with a cowboy church service under the pavilion. They continue with more events for kids and the finals of the fiddler's contest.

The $5 admission Saturday is good for Sunday also. Those attending only Sunday's events pay only $3. Admission is free to the events Friday at the museum.

For more information call 512-593-2810.

-TAMUK-