These photographs of the contemporary cowboy are the best that I have ever seen. To those who believe the cowboy is a creature of myth and imagination, these pictures should be a revelation—for here they are, the working cowboys of today, doing the same things they did yesterday and in much the same manner.

Although we have heard lately of something called the “urban cowboy,” there is no such thing. The very name is a contradiction in terms, for there is no place in the city for a working cowboy except as a casual visitor.

A cowboy is, literally, a man who works with cows. The saddle is his workbench, designed for the job of working cattle or horses. Wearing boots and a wide-brimmed hat does not make one a cowboy, and no one who has not worked the trade is entitled to the name.