This latest publication of brand inspectors' articles, poetry and the occasional tall tale continues to delve into the personal experiences of those who lived through the last century of Alberta’s livestock industry. ‘Bulls Brands and BS’ is both entertaining and informative, and reads much like the tales told by wizend cowboys sitting around a campfire rather than chapters of a dusty ol’ textbook.
A Century of Cowboy History, Poetry and Tall Tales
Reading the historical narratives in this anthology, one gets the sense that the author Hank Pallister knew that the changes of the last century would continue to define the fortitude and character of southern Alberta for many years to come. Many of his articles were on the ranchers who adapted to the changing demographics of open ranching, men who then went on to be the very mavericks of the Alberta we know today. Mavericks like the owners of the Bar U Ranch who stayed solvent by replacing their cattle herds with Percheron horses which they sold to the incoming settlers and farmers. His telling of how the Calgary Stampede came to fruition is akin to the shrewdness of today’s modern business dealings.
Technology and the Livestock Industry
Hank Pallister passed away just as micro-chipping cattle was introduced, and he speculates on how future technology and land use will affect both the livestock producer and the brand inspector. He was sentimental towards his youth spent riding the range, and admits that even his cowboy experiences were different from his father’s. However, some things never change, and that includes a young person’s fascination with the lure of riding the open range.
Among Pallister's memorabilia were were letters written to him from area characters, along with correspondence from ranchers, cowboys and fellow brand inspectors about their personal experiences in the cattle industry. Some of these letters were anecdotal recollections of questionable actions between so-called good neighbours, others about legal infractions of both a serious and humorous nature, as well as the occasional poem reminiscing about a lost way of life or a loved one.
Folklore, Fact, or Romantic Poetry?
A poem by cowboy poet Morrie Goetjen and titled ‘The Virginian’ is reminiscent of an old western novel and subsequent television series of the same name. The Virginian’s real identity is never revealed in either the novel or the television program, but not so in the poem. Included in this book is the poem and the fruits of Goetjen’s research of the man known as The Virginian. Was he really married in Calgary? Did he really ride with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Was the Virginain folk lore, fact, romantic fiction or pure poetry? You will have to read Bulls, Brands, and B.S. and decide for yourself.
Author: Hank Pallister with Joyce Pallister-Bronsch
ISBN: 978-0-9810034-2-9
Published and Printed in Canada by Friesens Book Division, 2009
Cover Design & Layout Freehouse8 Media
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