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Cowboy & Cowgirl Poets of the 2023 Gatherin’

Our 7th Gatherin’ was an amazing success with the first PW Conway award going to Dennis Flynn.

We are anxiously awaiting the 2024 Crossroads Cowboy Poetry Gatherin’ April 26-27, 2024.

We have added a Youth Division that any youth K-12 an enter. A mail in division and an in person division are the two division for youth. Mail-in or email entries are due by April 26, 2024.. 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 26, 2024 at the Crossroads Ranch 21186 South 465th W. Ave., Depew OK 74028.

Another division added to the contest on Saturday April 27, 2024 is the Classics division where poets recite their favorite poem from another poet.

Shout out to KC LaCourse for putting together the following video for our gatherin”!

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 poets are judges 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!

There are six different categories 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. Here are the categories for the Saturday contests. The Youth Division is listed lower on the page with all the information for youth to enter.

Green Horn, for poets who have never competed before. They can read their poems if they haven’t memorized them yet.

Top Hand– Poets who aren’t very familiar with competing in poetry contests. They must have their poem memorized for the best score.

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

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.

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. 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.

After the day’s events we have a Showcase show from 6-8PM and this years Showcase will be at Granny T’s Kitchen in Depew Oklahoma. We will do an open mic with all the competitors sharing their talent of poetry and old West Music!

Greenhorn Division

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!

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Crossroads Cowboy Youth Poetry Contest

Entries for the ‘Mail In‘ contest poems may be mailed in, hand-delivered or emailed by Friday, April 26, 2024.  Students who wish to compete ‘In Person’ must also sign up by April 26, 2024 by texting, calling or emailing Dove, and the ‘In Person’ competition will be Friday, April 26, 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.