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10th Annual Crossroads Cowboy Poetry Gatherin’

April 23-26, 2026

As you mark your calendars for April of 2026, the Gatherin’ will be our 10th year, so it’ll be our biggest one yet. With that in mind, next year’s Gatherin’ will actually be an extra day longer, as we plan Thursday of that week, to take whoever CAN go, on a fun trip to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in OKC. We will be able to get the first ten guests in at no charge, and the rest of the crew will get in with a great discount. So, that would be Thursday, April 23rd, and the Youth Poetry Contest will be Friday, April 24th, with the Adult Cowboy Poetry competition being all day, April 25th. We thought it would be a fun trip for those that can join us early, as we all gather to help in ‘keeping the old West alive and well!’

Youth participants in our Youth Division K-12 grades can enter free of charge. A mail in division and an in person division are the two divisions for youth. Mail-in or email entries are due by April 20, 2026 You can get the email address or snail mail address in the Youth Division information below. Youth presenting their work will perform at 6 PM on April 24, 2026 at the Crossroads Ranch 21186 South 465th W. Ave., Depew OK 74028.

We had great success with the Chosen Topic division in 2025 and hope to continue that with our topic being “What is a Cowboy Poet”. We have also added another division calle Duet Poetry (Check out the guidelines on that below.).

Billy Tumbleweed

What is Cowboy Poetry?

Cowboy poetry grew from the tradition of cowboys telling stories and songs sung around the campfire that transformed into performance poetry which rhymes and has a rhythm or cadence.  It is family friendly poetry so the whole family can enjoy the performances!

Cowboy poetry exemplifies the Cowboy Lifestyle and honors those who work or have worked in the cowboy world and agricultural world and those who have moved on up to the Greener Pastures of the Lord.

Poetry Contest & Showcase

In addition to being a gathering of like-minded folks, the Crossroads Poetry Gatherin’ has a contest, where poets present their original work, to compete for a belt buckle or award. The contest helps poets become better performers and we watch the growth of our contestants from year to year.

The poets are judged on the topic of their poem, rhyme and rhythm of the poem as well as the presentation, which includes dress and action. It is performance poetry at its best!

After the day’s events we have a Showcase show from 6-8PM and this years Showcase venue is Kohler Villa Event Center right next to Granny T’s, 305 Main Street, Depew OK.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

There are eight different categories for 2026 plus the youth division, that poets can compete in and a couple are based upon the experience of the poet, and others include a division specifically for the cowgirl or cowboy. There is a $25 entry fee for each division to help offset cost of buckles and trophies. Here are the categories for the Saturday contests. The Youth Division is free to enter and is listed lower on the page with all the information for youth to enter.

Each division gets a 5 minute time limit from time they step up to the microphone to end of poem. This includes an introduction with name and a bit about the performer. A 1 minute left sign will be given.

Green Horn, for poets who have never competed before. They can read their poems if they haven’t memorized them yet. Can be an original poem or by another poet.

Top Hand– Poets who aren’t very familiar with competing in poetry contests. They must have their poem memorized for the best score. Can be either written by performer or by another poet.

Cow Boss – This is the Cowboy Division (men’s) and their work must be memorized and must be original work.

Dawn Anita Cowgirl Poet– This is the Cowgirl Poet division and the winner wins the coveted Dawn Anita Award. This award is to memorialize Dawn Anita Plumlee who was a Cowgirl poet and country western singer and MS Senior Oklahoma. Must be original work.

Shootout at the OK Corral– Is open to male and female competitors reciting their best original memorized work.

Classics– A new division in 2024! Open to both the cowboys and cowgirls, this division allows a poet to recite works from another poet who is no longer with us but their works have stood the test of time. They must share a bit about the original poet and how this poet has influenced the reciter’s cowboy poetry journey. The poem must be memorized.

Chosen Topic– 2026 topic is What is a Cowboy Poetry? Must be original work. Mail in and In person entries must be received by April 20, 2026.

Duet Poetry- New for 2026! Two Poets perform one poem together. Can be an original or another poet’s work.

Youth Poetry– Information is below.

PW Conway Award

The PW Conway Award is awarded to the Cowboy or Cowgirl Poet that best exemplifies the old West Cowboy. They must compete on Saturday and must share an original poem and honor the ‘cowboy way of life in dress mannerisms and content of poem.’ Dennis Flynn was first recipient of the PW Conway Award in April 2023. Congratulations Dennis!

Dennis Flynn

Crossroads Cowboy Youth Poetry Contest

Entries for the ‘Mail In‘ contest poems may be mailed in, hand-delivered or emailed by Friday, April 20, 2025.  Students who wish to compete ‘In Person’ must also sign up by April 20, 2025 by texting, calling or emailing Dove, and the ‘In Person’ competition will be Friday, April 25, 2024, at 6 PM at Crossroads Ranch, 21186 South 465th W Avenue, Depew, Oklahoma.  All ‘In Person‘ entries do not have to show us your poetry, and reading your poetry is allowed at the competition. Please contact Dove Morgan Schmidt as soon as possible if you have any questions or if you just want to sign up at: Ph# 918-939-9085, or dove.morgan@yahoo.com . 

Mail in submissions can be emailed to dove.morgan@yahoo.com, hand delivered or mailed to:

Crossroads Cowboy Poetry Gatherin’

Youth Contest

P.O. Box 928

Bristow, OK 74010

Trophies will be awarded for first through fifth place (depending on if there are enough entries)  in 2 categories: 1.Mail In or 2.In Person.

All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

To Enter: Students must write their own original poem.

Contest is open to all public, private, and home schooled students, grade Kindergarten through 12th grade from anywhere in the U.S.A.   Poems must be about the cowboy way of life, ranch life, cowboys, cowgirls, livestock, rodeo, or anything that is directly related (the barn cat, working dogs, riding horses, the environment of the ranch such as hot summers and riding horses.)

    • Poems must be a minimum of eight lines and maximum of 2 pages long.

    • Poems can be handwritten or typed and must be the student’s own work.

    • One entry per student.

    • Poems written in language other than English MUST have a translation attached.

    • Poems are judged on creativity, originality, figurative language, appropriateness of content, and structure (traditional form-rhyme, voice, stanzaic pattern and other elements that comprise poetry). ‘In Person’ contestants should dress in cowboy attire.