- Bob Welch
- May 12, 2020
- No comments
There’s a universal human drive—especially here inAmerica—to make our mark. We want to matter, we want to make a difference, andwe want to be remembered. Some build multinational companies, some seekpolitical office, some create art.
Ranchers brand their cattle.
The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum traces the practice as far back as Egyptian and later Roman times. The practice is simple: a hot iron in a particular design burns an identifying mark on the animal. The most practical use was in the days before barbed wire when cattle under different ownership mingled on the range. The only way to sort and market them was to read brands, cut each owners’ cattle into their own herds, and take them back home.
Of course, the practice has survived and remains the most permanent and effective way to identify ownership. Each year, one of the most significant times on a ranch is branding time. Some ranchers put the same mark on their cattle that their great-great-grandfather did. For some, they’re the first generation to put a mark on, signifying the realization of an American dream.
Whether carrying on a legacy or building a new one, brandsare a rancher’s mark on the world. That symbol signifies who he is and what hisranch is to the rest of his contemporaries.
On a regional level, there are cattle brands withreputations all across the West. When a critter wearing a certain mark comesthrough a sale ring or video auction, buyers know what they’re getting. Andthere are cattle brands—or at least one—with global reputations. The Running Wof the King Ranch is found marketing cattle, horses, fruit, sod, trucks, andeven planes.
And brands go on much more than just cattle. Ranchers haveit stamped on saddles and briefcases, engraved on spurs and jewelry, carvedinto boot tops, printed on letterhead, and welded on signs at ranch entrances.
What’s unique to cowboy culture, I think, is it’s not justranch owners who take pride in their brand. The term, “Ride for the Brand”implies the loyalty of an employee to his employer. There are thousands ofcowboys who have the brand of the ranch they work for emblazoned on theirclothes and tack—voluntarily.
Brands, by definition, have meaning. Wherever that hidecarrying his brand goes, it represents him, his work, his ideals, and hishopes. While the brand doesn’t define him, he hopes to define the brand as asymbol of whatever virtues he holds dear, like honesty or quality. That is whyto a cowboy, a brand isn’t merely a symbol on a cow, it’s his mark on the world.
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the world of ranching and cowboy culture, I can attest to the rich history and significance of cattle branding. The practice, as described in the article by Bob Welch on May 12, 2020, captures a fundamental aspect of the American spirit—the desire to make a lasting impact and be remembered.
Cattle branding, with its roots traced back to Egyptian and Roman times, serves as a tangible and enduring method of identifying ownership. The hot iron, bearing a specific design, leaves an indelible mark on the animal. In the absence of barbed wire, branding was crucial for sorting and marketing cattle, ensuring each owner's livestock could be distinguished and returned home. This historical context highlights the practical necessity that gave rise to the tradition of branding.
Welch's article emphasizes the timeless importance of branding in the ranching world, particularly during branding time—an annual event of great significance. The continuity of using the same mark, passed down through generations, reflects a connection to heritage and the realization of the American dream for some ranchers.
Beyond cattle, brands extend to various aspects of ranchers' lives. The Running W of the King Ranch, for example, is a brand recognized globally, marketing not only cattle but also horses, fruit, sod, trucks, and even planes. Brands are not confined to livestock alone; they find expression on saddles, briefcases, spurs, jewelry, boot tops, letterhead, and signs at ranch entrances, showcasing their pervasive influence in cowboy culture.
What sets cowboy culture apart is the pride that individuals, not just ranch owners, take in their brands. The notion of "Ride for the Brand" signifies the loyalty of employees to their employers, with many cowboys voluntarily emblazoning the brand of the ranch they work for on their clothes and tack.
The deeper significance lies in the meaning brands carry. A brand represents not only the individual but also their work, ideals, and hopes. It becomes a symbol of virtues such as honesty or quality. While the brand doesn't define the cowboy, there is a sincere aspiration to define the brand as a reflection of cherished values.
In essence, a brand for a cowboy is more than just a mark on a cow; it is a personal mark on the world. The article eloquently captures the cultural and symbolic importance of cattle branding within the broader context of cowboy life and ranching traditions.
