Attractions
Red Lyon & Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company
By Judy Wade
From Madison Square Garden in New York City to the Tex Rickard Arena in Henrietta, Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company produced top-notch rodeos across the country in the 1930s and 1940s.
Ask any rodeo old-timer if they knew Kyle Powson Lyon, and they will probably give you a puzzled look and answer, “No.” But ask if they remember “Red” Lyon, and their faces will light up with memories of days gone by.
Red’s dad was from New York, and his mother came from England to Ontario. After they married, they moved to Colorado, where Red was born in Steamboat Springs, Aug. 9, 1886. His dad worked in the syrup fields, copper mines and did some farming. Later the family moved to Texas in a covered wagon. The family also included son Bill, a daughter Mildred and a daughter who died at age two and is buried in Montague.
They eventually moved to Byers, Texas, where the dad worked for Lone Star Gas, and the family lived at the pump station on Dobbs Creek Road.
Red and Bill began rodeoing on the weekends during the depression to make money. Entry fees were 25 cents per event. Red had even been a bronc rider in Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok’s Wild West Shows.
The brothers began buying cattle and horses when they had enough money and eventually had enough stock to form Lyon Brothers Rodeo Company.
Red had met Ruby Chumley at a rodeo in Bowie, and they were soon married. By the time the rodeo company was formed, they had two children, Delbert and Kyle, Jr. Bill also married and had three daughters, Lorraine, Betty and Mary Margaret.
To read more pick up a copy of the July 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
Bob Brown, Bill’s son-in-law, rides one of the Lyon Brothers’ broncs. (Courtesy of Delnita Lyon Bray)
Red on “Old Pal” with Ruby at his side. (Courtesy of Delnita Lyon Bray)
On The Road With Dave Alexander
Rarely will you find an event center that includes a music venue, a steakhouse and a wildlife refuge all rolled into one.
Oak Meadow Ranch has been welcoming guests for over two decades with one thing in mind, your complete happy experience.
The Chef Dinner and Exotic Animal Experience includes a four-course meal followed by a hands-on experience with exotic animals.
You can catch up with Dave at the Birthplace of Western Swing Festival in Fort Worth, Texas on November 7, or at the Irving Symphony Orchestra in Irving, Texas on November 9. To read more about his experience at Oak Meadow Ranch, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print.
To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Lindsey Monk
On Aug. 22, 2024 at 11:40 p.m., the Remington fire jumped the line in Wyoming to burn towards Montana at a high rate of speed. The fire burned 194,459 acres and over 41 miles from one end to the other in a span of two days. Livestock producers will be feeling the effects for years to come.
Pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Hannah Claxton | Editor
The GO TEXAN program is a Texas Department of Agriculture initiative dedicated to showcasing and supporting Texas based busi- nesses. During the State Fair of Texas, held in Dallas each year, the program puts together the GO TEXAN pavilion. Within the pavilion, presented by Southwest Dairy Farmers, visitors have the opportunity to sample and shop Texas-based products, learn more about agriculture and participate in family-friendly activities.
In 2023, more than $1 million in revenue was generated across nearly 67,000 products sold. Businesses with products produced or processed in Texas are invited to apply to join the program, and can visit http:// www.gotexan.org/JOIN to apply.
When visiting the State Fair of Texas, make sure to visit the GO TEXAN pavilion to support businesses driving agricultural commerce and explore Texas agricultural commodities outside of North Texas.
The State Fair of Texas is held each year in the fall, and is considered to be the first of the “majors” shows for many students involved in showing livestock. Cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, and even llamas all have a class to enter at the fair.
For those not showing livestock, over a hundred creative arts classes are available to enter. Canned goods, photography, quilts, paintings, and butter sculptures are all displayed throughout the fair’s duration. Another contest judges a variety of antique collections and keeps them on display throughout the duration of the fair.
It’s not the State Fair of Texas without world-renowned food. The Big Tex Choice Awards contest has solidified the State Fair of Texas as the top Fair for great food creations. Each year, State Fair concessionaires fry up tasty and unique foods for a chance to become a finalist in the annual Big Tex Choice Awards competition.
The 2024 Finalists in the Savory category are: Dominican Fritura Dog (by Justin Martinez), The Drowning Taquitos (by Tony & Terry Bednar), Hippie Chips (by Rose and Tom Deschenes), Hot Chick-In- Pancake Poppers (by Palmer and Amanda Fortune), Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs (by Nick and Vera Burt).
In the Sweet category, the 2024 Finalists are: Nevins Nutty Bar- Laska (by Tami Nevins Mayes & Josie Mayes), Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon On A Stick (by Isaac Rousso), Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignettfle (by Justin Martinez), Texas Sugar Rush Pickles (by Heather Perkins), and Tropical Two-Step Punch (by Binh Tran).
Livestock & contests schedule of events is available in the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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