Bar W Guest Ranch 

Summer Fun for the Entire Family 

The Bar W Guest Ranch is a great place to spend time together, enjoy the outdoors, and just have fun this summer!  At the Bar W Guest Ranch, they make it a point to ensure that all of their guests get to try everything they want. There is so much to do- trail rides, rodeo games, cattle work, hiking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, skeet shooting, and archery.

Horses are the center of attention at the Bar W, and riding is their main activity. Every guest has their own horse for the week. Bar W staff will choose a horse for you based on your riding ability. They offer rides ranging from one hour to all day, as well as horsemanship lessons and the chance to learn to barrel race. You can go on various rides varying from scenic walking rides to exciting loping rides, all led by DRA certified wranglers.

Kids are the heart of the Bar W Ranch. They begin with learning to groom, saddle, feed, and take care of their own horse. Throughout the week, there are rides and games in the arena just for the kids. The Bar W also has pony rides and babysitting for the smaller cowpokes under seven.

If cows are your thing, they have that covered, too! Whether you are a seasoned rider or a beginner, Bar W wranglers will show you the ropes of rounding up the cows in the pasture and work with you, teaching you about team penning.

The Bar W is a small ranch with about 30 guests per week. Being a smaller ranch gives them the ability to tailor their riding and activities to the guests that are there. The ranch is just 3.5 miles from downtown Whitefish, which was named one of the "Top Ten Cool Towns" by Frommer's Budget Travel. It is surrounded by Stillwater State Park, and they have permits to ride on over a million acres of Flathead and Kootenai National Forests.

The Bar W is a member of the Dude Ranchers Association, and they encourage you to check out what other guests have said about them on Trip Advisor. They also have a guest reference program where they will send you the email address of former guests! These guests have agreed to help out by telling you about their experience at the ranch and answering your questions from a guest's point of view. 

Bar W Guest Ranch

Whitefish, Montana

406-863-9099 

Dave Alexander

A Ride with Bob and Big Texas Swing School- Fun for All Ages 

Dave Alexander's got something for both you and the kids this summer, too! Join Dave on A Ride with Bob: The Bob Wills Musical throughout the summer. A Ride With Bob is the first-ever play about the life and music of Bob Wills. Written by Ray Benson and Anne Rapp and performed by twenty-five actors and musicians with several dozen costume changes on a colorful theatrical set, A Ride With Bob includes the live performance of 15 of Wills' most well-known songs in a plot that interweaves Ray Benson's present day with various stages in Wills' storied career. 

A Ride with Bob: The Bob Wills Musical

July 8th-10th

The Grand, Galveston TX

August 25th-27th

Spencer Theater, Ruidoso NM

December 27th-31st

Eismann Center, Richardson TX 

For the kids, check out Dave's Big Texas Swing School taking place July 19-23 at North Central Texas College in Gainesville, Texas. The Big Texas Swing School is a five-day music camp  for students ages 12 to 17 (some exceptions may apply) to learn to play in a Western Swing Band. Instruments include fiddle, bass, drums, guitar, vocalists, steel guitar, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and clarinet. (Other instruments welcomed).  

The mission of the Big Texas Swing School is to promote and continue the art of Western Swing and to teach young musicians to perform to the best of their ability and to experience the art of improvisation. The Big Texas Swing School Grand Concert is Saturday July 23rd. Staff will include Dave Alexander, Dick Gimble, Randy Elmore, Brook Wallace Deaton, Valerie O'Brien, Maurice Anderson, Teresa Anderson, and other members of the Big Texas Swing Band.

Dave Alexander 

Era, Texas  

972-393-1586

Bear Paws Trading Post

A Western Trading Post with a Little Something for Everyone 

Bear Paws Trading Post is a long time dream for Caren Williams that is now becoming a reality. In 2009, she started Bear Paws Pottery. She wanted to make and sell beautiful, unique, artisan ceramic pottery at affordable prices. Many of her designs are reminiscent of western skies, Texas wildflowers, sunsets, and desert panoramas. She includes raw materials such as feathers, stones, silver beads, and leather to complete the pottery.

In 2010, she added Bear Paws Antiques and Antique Firearms. This part of the business embraces her love of western antiques and antique firearms. You will find authentic Colt pistols and Winchester rifles- the guns that truly "won the West". Most of the antique furniture she offers for sale comes from the oil boom days of Central Texas. These items have been in estates that hit it rich in the early years and are now collected from ranch and estate auctions all over Texas.

In 2011, she launched her dream of an online western trading post that has a little something for everyone. Real Texas antiques from Texas ranches, authentic cowboy antique firearms, one of a kind western jewelry and accessories, unique Texas pottery, real cowgirl clothes, and home decor for your western home. Many of the items like purses, jewelry, and some home décor items are hand-crafted by local artists right here in Central Texas. These are one of a kind items that only you will own for your home.

Bear Paws Trading Post 

Brookesmith, Texas
325-642-3277

Texas Ridem

Western Vintage Boots with a Level of Artistry Never Achieved Before 

Texas Ridem Cowboy Boots is the result of a lifelong dream of Daniel Mendoza to create a collection of western vintage boots with a level of artistry that has never been achieved before. These boots are truly a piece of wearable leather art! Daniel is the latest in line of leather artisans and works with the best  leather workers in the country to transform his intricate and complex designs into inlayed leather masterpieces. Using only the finest leather components, they assemble each piece by hand to create boots that last a lifetime. Once you experience hand-crafted boots, you will never settle for less.

Texas Ridem offers a spectacular array of handmade exclusive boot designs in luxurious leathers. With superior craftsmanship and innovative designs, there is nothing Texas Ridem can not do for you! Their products will exceed your quality expectations and will give you the opportunity to own and wear a true piece of leather art!

Texas Ridem 

Texas Music Chart

Your Guide to Texas and Red Dirt Music

The Texas Music Chart has a new #1 this week! James Lann's "Halfway to Houston" took over the top spot and Cory Morrow's "Lead Me On" is at #2. Previously at the top, Eli Young Band now sits at #3 with "Crazy Girl." Bleu Edmondson's "Blood Red Lincoln" drops to #4, and Cody Canada and the Departed jump up three spots to round out the top 5.

Mark McKinney saw the biggest move this week with his summertime single "The River Song" moving up 12 spots from #28 to #16.  

New this week are Steve Helms Band with "Chasin' Amy" at #48, Brian Keane's "90 Miles An Hour" at #49, and Band of Heathens closing the Chart with "Polaroid" at #50.

News, Sales, & Events

Things to Do Comin' up Soon

Here is a short list of things comin' up soon. Be sure to check out the entire event calendar on TheWesternVault.com for a complete list of great western events all over the United States! 

• June 16-25: Reno Rodeo- Reno, Nevada
• June 24- 26: Brian Lebel's Old West Show & Auction- Denver, Colorado
• June 24- 26: End of Trail World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting & Wild West Jubilee- Edgewood, New Mexico
• June 24- July 4: Greeley Stampede- Greeley, Colorado
• June 27- July 3: 75th Annual Ponoka Stampede- Ponoka, Alberta   
• June 28- July 4: Prescott Frontier Days- Prescott, Arizona  
• June 30- July 4: 76th Annual 4th of July Rodeo- St. Paul, Oregon
• July 8- 10: "A Ride with Bob"- The Bob Wills Musical featuring Dave Alexander- Galveston, Texas 
• July 8- 17: Calgary Stampede- Calgary, Alberta
• July 19- 23: Big Texas Swing School Hosted by Dave Alexander- Gainesville, Texas
• July 22- 31: Cheyenne Frontier Days- Cheyenne, Wyoming