Calling all cowboy poets! 2023 contest entries are being accepted
Entries are open for the 2023 Kansas Cowboy Poetry Contest.
“We invite current and aspiring cowboy poets to enter our regional contests where they can perform their original cowboy poems in person,” said poetry contest chair Ron Wilson of the Lazy T Ranch near Manhattan, Kansas.
Regional contests will be held as follows: 7 p.m. May 5, Rollin ‘Red’ Vandever Memorial Park, home of the “Wilson County Old Iron Club,” 10392 Jade Road, Fredonia; and 6 p.m. May 19, Hays Public Library, 1205 Main Street, Hays. Contestants can enter to perform at either location or at both. All ages are welcome. Those interested in competing can enter online at www.cowboypoetrycontest.com.
Only the top qualifiers at each of the two regional contests advance to the finals which will be held at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan on June 9. State champions at the finals will receive the Saddlejack Bradrick Award, the coveted Governor’s Buckle, discounts and gift certificates from leading western wear stores, free membership in the International Western Music Association-Kansas Chapter, and two tickets to the Symphony in the Flint Hills plus an opportunity to present their poems in the story circle after the symphony.
“We appreciate the sponsors who make this possible, beginning with the International Western Music Association-Kansas Chapter,” Wilson said. “Sponsors have included the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation, the Kansas Farm Bureau, the International Western Music Association-Western Wordsmiths chapter, the Hays Public Library, Lawton Nuss, Symphony in the Flint Hills, Flint Hills Discovery Center, and our western wear donors.”
Contestants can enter online at www.cowboypoetrycontest.com. There are two categories: Serious poems or humorous poems. Contestants can recite a serious poem, humorous poem or both. Awards will be presented in both categories. Only the contestant’s original work is allowed. All poetry must be family-friendly. The finals will be held June 9, at the Discovery Center at 7 p.m. on the night before the Symphony in the Flint Hills.
There is no admission charge and the public is invited to attend all of these events. For more information or to enter a regional contest, go to www.cowboypoetrycontest.com.
State contest committee members include: Orin Friesen, President, International Western Music Association-Kansas Chapter, Benton; Jeff Davidson, Eureka; Brad Hamilton, Hoyt; Martha Farrell, Andover; and Ron Wilson, Manhattan. For more information, visit www.cowboypoetrycontest.com.
