A year ago, I wrote our first "March Madness" Newsletter. Didn't mention much about Basket Ball. But it was a cool lead in to all the good stuff we had going on as fears over the Covid contagion relaxed. Hope your fav teams do well this year!  Anybody looking forward to “March Madness” 2023?

Again, B-Ball isn't riding horses. But we can still get just as excited!  What if we created a “Cowboy March Madness”?  What would you like that to look like? As Spring approaches, trail rides, outdoor rodeos, horse shows & lots of fun stuff like shedding horses & cutting grass will happen.  We've seen some growing excitement in the SASS weekends too.  We're increasing stock in the Viper boots - snakes are starting to be more active. 

A year ago, we spoke of opening with R Watson Boots. This has been a great partnership. We carry in stock their waterproof lacer & pull on workboots. Hard to beat at $179.99 pr.   And several of the exotics, roughstock & cowhide boots. We stock a limited edition blue/black cape buffalo boot in matching men's & ladies. (Looks better than it probably sounds!)  Caimans & lizards seem to be favorites of our walk-in customers. Our website now shows a good many to select from.  Delivery anywhere from 3 days to 4 months, depending on the type boot.   We're excited and hope you'll be too!

Fenoglio boots, (having taken over the old Nocona Boot factory), has made Cultured Cowboy a good looking, functional "Shooter's boot". Black or brown. reg calf or wide calf. tall tops & comfortable. Fenoglio is also making our crepe sole ropers now. A great program in smooth ostrich, or cowhides - Same Vibram sole we've all come to love under the "technocrepe" moniker. One of their specialties are rough out roughout rough stock boots for rodeo. - Cutter square toe, spur ridge firm heels, and just right for winning your event!

Joes' Boots are still a huge hit with the ladies - still under $150.00.  AND - they will be making some cowboy lacers we're excited to introduce in April.  Black bullhide, Bay Apache - leather sole & rubber sole. Ladies love Joe's Boots! 

We're excited!

Black Star boots are gaining in popularity. Corral Boots have exciting new ladies styling too. -  Both for ladies with discriminating tastes and maybe ready for some excitement in footwear! And Life!    See their ads in Cowgirl Magazine. 

Twisted X, with great fit, function & tough wear-ability has become our best selling brand. Got lots of that square toe styling. I do have some rounded toe boots remaining.  Their model MABW001 All Around Waterproof Boot is very popularly replacing that Geo Strait 9018 discontinued Justin series. The MRA001 western work boot is getting even more popular. And those Twisted X Driving Mocs feel so good ya gotta have a pr for Summer. (Men's, Ladies & Children's in stock)  I can't say enough good about Twisted X company and management!  Call me,  ask me why I think they are real people!  

And, upon popular request from our ladies – We now have “Grace” jeans ($79.99) here now &   Medium rise jeans are the rage. High waists are coming on strong. (No more muffin on top of the waistline!)  All styles we ordered for stock go over a boot.  We put some “wild side” 60's looking ladies pants on the site because you told us you liked them!  Still have Colored Rockies available in a lot of sizes – higher waist. &59.99 up.

Panhandle Slim & Rock 'N Roll Denim have been a lot of fun.  - BORDER PRINTS on men's shirts are back! 

Cultured Cowboy keeps well over 100 saddles in stock, ready to ship fast.  Dakota Saddlery is now delivering saddles made for your specs in 12 – 16 weeks.   BigHorn is a longer wait. The Old Garroutte company is the same actual saddler, but they come to you with a different label. Dean retired. Company continues, but Dean Garoutte prefers no one to use his name. We have a bunch of Tucker & Circle Y saddles now - mostly trail models. If ya need any Circle Y or Tucker saddle, PLEASE go to their website Let us know. A reasonable deposit & let's get yours on order NOW!  Even their Reinsman bits & pads are sometimes taking months to get, so Cultured Cowboy is stocking a lot of them for you.  Production is still backed up with labor & material shortages.

Due to so many costs escalating, we expanded our offering of imported saddles. There are a couple of really nice for the under $1000.00 saddles available. European leathers, India labor. (India has some great leather craftsmen)  5 yr warrantees – JTI Ropers  for under $800 new.  Pleasure saddles even under $650.00.  Circle J has some snazzy looking barrel saddles we can deliver packages for about $1100.00 on saddles that would compare to $2500.00 on the top side.

Hats are still in short supply and prices escalated last year, but seem to have now stopped rising in price. We're working with Stetson & Resistol as much as possible, but we have to have some substitutions. For $229.99 we have a nice felt hat marked 8X that compares to Stetson 6X, in 4 colors. 6 5/8 - 7 5/8 sizing.  There are more Shantung Straws at our store than last year. YES, we have Geo Strait straw hats in stock.  Many cowboys are wearing  Bangora & Bandera rather than Shantung straws because of availability.  Cultured Cowboy does have some Black Gold in stock, several other black and some charcoal gray, silverbelly & tan felts.  WE ordered heavily for Fall and hope to receive lots of rodeo & horseman styles.  

Bailey Hat & Akubra are still important to us. American Hat Co is still not even taking new orders for a couple years. (till they catch up.)  So Cultured Cowboy is adding heavy lacquer to straws for you, to get that tough type hat. (Just ask us. 

Wrangler promises I'll get better deliveries soon!  So we'll hope!  Key is still a great work jean. Delivery is great!   Our kids are now mostly wearing Rock N Roll Denim. 

Tack – Weaver has cut my margins to the bone – they compete with their dealers heavily. Still they have a great ½ inch set of reins – roper & split that we'll carry. And anything else they make we'll get for you too.  Reinsman is pretty much all merged into Tucker. No Reinsman saddles. Your fav styles are now labeled Circle Y.  Bits selection is greatly reduced.  Still their quality is supreme.  AND - They are making the wool Sharon Camarillo pads for me again!  

And that brings Supreme Leather to mind. Still a great company for basic tack. And cotton rope leads. Good side pulls. Practice & farm ropes at about $30.00. (Kids ropes too.)  Pro ropes – Cactus seems to be our customer's preferences.  Plenty of saddle bags and halters are ready to ship for this Spring. Big Horn, Reinsman, South Bay.

Custom blankets from Mayatex. Don't wait till you need them. Great quality. Vibrant colors. Just taking time to get. We're keeping specialty pads & wool pads in stock as best we can. Prices on imported better wools start at $79.99. Most at $200.00 - $300.00.  We'll have the 5Star line this year too.  Had a great meeting of the hearts with them!

Never sold as many holsters as we have in the past year. Stocking side arm type with rear bullet keepers - Right, left, cross-draw, single & double holsters. Also - holsters to fit onto your belt & for conceal carry too. 

Our Amish made leather belts are holding up great. And the ones made in Texas too. We're going to put a good many of them on our site in May for Father's Day. 

And that's the beginning!  SO much change, so much fun! WE still don't use buy buttons. Call or email.  Till you get us.  Like everyone else, we have about half of the help we need. I apologize for not being as responsive as we wish, in answering calls.  The phone messages are filling up in half days. Over 500 emails a day that people really need answers, not counting the junk. It's because we really try to research & answer questions for you all.

I turn 67 in a few days (Mar14) and our store celebrates 50 yrs in business.  I couldn't be legal till 17 in SC.  We could argue the start in '73, but I like to remember it as a great Birthday gift to me and the world of Cowboys!  Ridiculous how many changes I've been thru in these short years. SO don't be discouraged by our “NEWS MEDIA”.  Things have always been a little crazy!

God is still in control. You are a person of worth & value, God loves you and I love you!  Another side thought: re-tirement  - I was tired yesterday & I'll be re-tired again tomorrow!  Kinda got huffy with Social security when they suggested I retire at 62.    Why retire when ya love what ya do? 

On a personal note: The cancer is all cut out or gone for now. Chemo is over. Thanks for the thousands, maybe millions of prayers during the past couple years. I've had it better than most on chemo. 

As I write this, I'm listening to some soft country music. And I'm thinking: life has opportuned me with more than most men would dream about. Maybe because my dreams are so big! I've already lived the life of 3 men. Accomplished a lot. Failed at much. Strange how the fails are necessary to grow you into who you're meant to be!

As an “old fart”, I'd advise – live life. Never sit on the sidelines for long – just enough to get into the groove of things.  I have more stories than “Carter” has pills!  My memory is not as it was, but I'll always relish what I do remember. And what I remember most is the love you have given me for 50 years in this industry, so I in turn can pass that love forward, back to you!

Reflecting over the past few years, friends and some family members who were much younger than I, are in their resting place. And too many more customers, and friends. But I'll dance with them in Heaven.  Wonder if they do the "Cotton-eyed Joe" or "Boot Scoot Boogie" in the clouds? Imagine dancing with angels, with saints, with Jesus! Guess I gotta brush up on some of that fancy Hebrew dancing I see on YouTube videos. 

(Seems if it's not Covid, it's cancer or a heart attack or something. - Prayers to all of you who have lost loved ones.)    

God Bless & Let's have some fun this month!

PS: On the Moto side, some perforated leather motorcycle jackets are now in stock. And flow thu vented jackets. - Gotta get ready for warm weather, don't we?  Still got the Schott 141 models too! Made in NJ & NYC.  Need new chaps? Lots in stock, XS to 5X.  First Manufacturing has great product. And Cultured Cowboy can cut & re-stitch belts or bottoms for you.

First Mfg vests are doing great. I like the models you can lift the liner to sew patches. A little more work, but worth it in looks.  Call us with any models you might like. They fit true on up to XL,  but as you get larger - above 2X,  go an extra size. 

{March Madness Sidebar – Seems the whole world is in midst of madness. The war between Russia & Ukraine threatens WW3. We're closer to world conflict than I'd like to even imagine.  It's gonna interfere even more with better felt hat deliveries because so much of our felt comes as a side product of fur coat markets in Eastern Europe.  Petrol is way up in price. Uncertainty is everywhere.

So, aren't ya glad yer a cowboy/cowgirtl?  As Hank Wms Jr sang: “A Country Boy Can Survive”.

What if hot heads could simmer down? What if the opposing factions could have talks about how each could support each other rather than extending the fear and the threats, the escalations, caused by fear?  In every war, is it strange that the wars have to be financed? That the same sources seem to like to lend to both sides?  Who stands to profit?  Not so much the soldiers fighting! - They don't split “booty” anymore. Not the families of soldiers or civilians killed. Who really owns the munitions factories?

In our USA '49ers gold rush, those who really benefited were those who supplied the miners!  Duh!

Has someone's profits or debt control fallen since we de-escalated from the Middleast conflicts? Who are the pressuring forces controlling the “Hawks” in governments? Could someone explain to all the elected and dictatorial “officials”,  that the real heroes will be those that resolve conflicts peacefully?

My other job is as a life coach, specializing in relationships. Now certified - Coaching Leadership in Healthcare from HarvardU. and obtaining another advanced certification in team coaching. I was honored to be selected in the World Business & Executive Coaching Summit as a top 15 facilitator. (thousands of professional members worldwide) 

“Boy Howdy, world leadership could use some professional coaching! Team coaching is all about opening relationships with team members & their stakeholders for the better benefit of all. The entire world, people & planet are stakeholders in the decisions being made. Present forward & future back role plays are part of the mix. With the right coach, amazing what can be co-created together, even among people that are not getting along all the time.  Listening is key! New options are available – unlimited resourcefulness will out-perform resources every time.

Kind'a like a relationship I have with one neighbor. He needed help watching out for a large property next to me. Twice fires “popped up” in his woodlands from "visitor" abuse. I watch after the property. I'm allowed to ride trails, grow some corn or oats if want,  Made a muddy clay track, 2 tractor widths wide, 100 ft straight-aways and 60 ft radius ends in the midst of an 8 ft tall blackberry bramble for those "tough to break" horses..  Works wonders!  He pays the property taxes. I keep the property in shape and safe.  Everybody wins!  { Maybe I should send a proposal to Putin & Ukraine. }

 C Taylor, Jr
03/11/2023