Mike Puhallo was a partner with his younger brother, in a cattle
ranch in Kamloops, British Columbia. Mike has just
informed me that on about May 8 of this year, he will officially
be out of the cattle business; but he will still be starting
some colts and "hiring out to do some cowboying for neighbors"
when he "ain't on the road sproutin' lies". Mike is also an artist who
sketches and paint cowboy western
art, as well as an award winning
cowboy poet and entertainer. Puhallo
had this to say about his art: "At night when the heifer's
were
calving, I'd stay up between the watches. It's a good time to
paint." He is a third generation
rancher and rodeo cowboy. He was on the rodeo circuit for twenty
years starting at the age of sixteen. Mike and his wife,
Linda, are now living on a small acreage 25 miles north of
Kamloops, B.C.
After attending his first cowboy poetry gathering in 1993, he was inspired to write his first cowboy poem
titled: "B.S." Mike's rhymes touch people because they
are genuine. This cowboy "has been there and done it all".
He now travels to western shows displaying his art and reciting
his rhymes. He has now had six of his books of poetry
published by Hancock House Publishers. Mike is teamed with
cowboy poet Brian Brannon and cowboy cartoonist Wendy Liddle in
- Rhymes on the Range, Can't Stop Rhymin'
On the Range, Still Rhymin' On The Range and Meadow Muffins . He is
teamed again with Liddle in "Piled Higher And Deeper"
and "Rhymes And Damn Lies".
Mike Puhallo is one of the most widely published
cowboy poets in Canada. Mike's poems have been published in
numerous magazines. This poet, humorist and rancher writes a weekly
newspaper column for Canadian Cowboy Country magazine, "Mike's
Meadow Muffins". This column is also carried by
several weekly newspapers in Western Canada ; and it is carried
on the air on CJKC Country 103 Radio. Doris Bircham, poet and rancher,
aptly described Mike's writing this way: "Mike Puhallo's range rhymes are true to the cowboy ranch culture
because he lives the life. He is a deep thinking historian with
a wacky sense of humor who singles out words, catches phrases in
his loop and dallies his verses to a solid snubbling post. Mixed
with an occasional bit of BS and a whole lot of common sense,
his poetry reflects the cowboy way and shows us the trails we
need to ride to keep our western culture alive and well for
future generations."
Mike Puhallo has been a working cowboy, a saddle bronc rider, a
packer, and a horse trainer. He has lived the cowboy life he
writes about. He is an avid student of the culture and history of the Old
West; and many of his poems are based on history . He was instrumental in establishing The BC Cowboy Hall of
Fame, and he has served for ten years as President of the BC Cowboy
Heritage Society. ( He was just re-elected to his eleventh
term.)
He is the
only cowboy poet to have had his work read into the official
record at a NASA launch and in the Canadian House of Commons.
In addition to these honors, the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal was
presented to him in recognition of outstanding community
service: Created by the Department of Canadian Heritage to mark
the Queen's 50th year as Queen of Canada, the award is for
"people, who over the past 50 years have helped shape the Canada
of today, as well as younger Canadians who are actively
contributing to our future.
In 2001, Mike was voted in for the third year in
a row as one of the finalists for Cowboy Poet of the Year at the
prestigious Will Rogers Awards, in Fort Worth, Texas. Mike was
also nominated for Best Cowboy Poetry Book and Best Cowboy
Poetry Album at the 2001 awards. In 1998 Mike was nominated for
Best Western Song (Cinnamon) as well as Best Cowboy Poetry Book
of the Year. Mike's book "Piled Higher and Deeper"
received the 2002 Will Rogers Medallion Award.
And he has done it again! The Academy of Western Artists has
awarded the 2007 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Outstanding
Achievement in the Publishing of Cowboy Poetry to Mike's new
book, "Rhymes & Damn Lies", published by Hancock House
Publishers; Blaine, WA , Surrey Canada.
|
Mike
Puhallo, holding his certificate, is
second from the left.This photo was taken in
Fort Worth, Texas at the Will Rogers Awards
Ceremony, July 9th, 2002. |
"Rhymes & Damn Lies" is beautifully
illustrated with 45 cartoon sketches. They
are all by award winning cowboy cartoonist, Wendy Liddle.
She is a member of Cowboy Cartoonists
International. In addition to art, horses have
also been a paramount interest of hers: She shows and
trains horses.
For more poetry and
information about Mike Puhallo, visit
http://www.cowboypoetry.com/mp.htm
or Mike's web
site:
http://www.twilightranch.com/
To contact him:
Phone: (250) 579-5667 Fax: (250) 579-5610
Mike Puhallo
8584 Westsyde Rd
Kamloops, BC
V2B 8S3
For orders and information
contact: mikepuhallo@msn.com
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