I first met Dave Thornbury at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at William S. Hart Park. Dressed in leather chaps, cowboy boots, a Western shirt, red scarf and straw hat, he is the real McCoy. He is as comfortable working with leather hides, as he is swinging a rope. The cowboy and custom chapmaker grew up in the Midwest and moved to California in the 1970’s.
“I grew up in a rodeo family,” said Dave Thornbury. “As a trick rider and roman rider, our whole family worked the southern state area working rodeos and wild west shows and I’m still trick roping.”
Thornbury captivated the crowds with his trick roping skills and lassoed a few buckaroos, and this cowgirl, as we walked the streets of William S. Hart Park. If you enjoy the wild west, chuck wagon cooking, live music and hanging out with cowboys, come take the walk of western stars in old town Newhall, California.
You can find Dave Thornbury on his Facebook page. If you attend the Cowboy Festival, be sure to save time for a visit to the William S. Hart Museum located on the top of the hill. You might see a Buffalo and you’ll certainly see some wonderful Western art. For additional insider tips follow Northern California Travel Writer @Nancydbrown on Twitter, @ridinghorseback, @CowboyFestSC and @SeeSantaClarita.
If You Go:
Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival (661) 250-3735
William S. Hart Park
Old Town Newhall, California 90069
Article, photos and YouTube video by Equine Writer Nancy D. Brown. I was a guest of the City of Santa Clarita will covering this event, however, all opinions are my own.
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