Vaquero Four - HOULIHAN, The Northern Range Cowboy

As the buckaroos brought cattle up from the Great Basin, Texas punchers drove longhorns up the Goodnight Loving Trail. The two cultures met in Wyoming/Montana territory and the Northern Range Cowboy was born. To make a hand here, you must be able to ride rough horses with plenty of buck in em’ and stick it out through long, cold winters. Houlihan takes you on the next leg of the Vaquero Trail and introduces you to a different breed of cowboy.

Houlihan traces the journey of the vaqueros and buckaroos to the Northern Range, where they met up with the Texas Punchers. Horses in this country were wild, tough and mean enough to eat you alive. So it's no wonder this country turns out the best bronc riders. To make a hand here, you have to be able to ride anything with hair on it. That, coupled with the rigors of winter make the Northern Range Cowboy a breed of it own. Houlihan DVD is 96 minutes.

A few Highlites:

Miles City, End of the Texas trail Montana has always been known for its bronc riders. The horses are big and stout with plenty of buck in them. The Miles City Bucking Horse Sale features Matched Bronc Riding, where broncs and cowboys get to show their stuff.

Gentling colts with Randy Reiman The Northern Range is not all about bucking horses. Randy spent a lot of time with Bill Dorrance, who taught him how to listen to his horse and look inside himself. The result: a horse that is a true partner.

Burch Brothers Broncs They breed some the of the rankiest bucking horses. Big league PRCA horses, many who go to the NFR. But on their home turf, they are gentle as lambs. Chad Burch brings them in by just whistling.