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The Festival of the West was not just a celebrity event. There were two huge tents covering scores of high-end vendors sellng artwork, jewelry, western clothing, boots, books. etc (not a T-shirt hawker in sight). Lots of great music in both tents. There was rodeo arena where a number of events, including SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) mounted shooting took place. Down below the main tests, in what someone said was a polo field, there were a lot of re-enactors with tents, and stages, many selling items for other re-enactors. There was a rock climbing wall, a petting zoo, a wagon pulled by four beautiful draft horses - Percherons I believe although they could have been Belgians. There was nothing exceptional about the food - overpriced as in most such events but not as bad as Disneyland ($2 hot dogs, small plates of stroganoff with a token salad for $6). The kettle corn was very popular - popcorn cooked in a huge kettle.
The celebrities who showed, in addition to Peter, were his two amigos Bob Fuller and Alex Cord , Clint Walker, Andrew Prine, Ben Cooper, Dennis Weaver, Buck Taylor, Mary Ellen Kay, Rusty Richards and Lynn Anderson [I Never Promised You a Rose Garden]. Bruce Boxleitner had to cancel. There were also several stuntmen including Diamond Farnsworth (Richard's son), Buck had an art booth set up next to the table where the celebrity Q&A panels were held twice a day. He participated in the panels but sold only his artwork, no autographed photos. I bought a print of Buck's wonder watercolor of himself and his father Dub Taylor. Dennis Weaver sold only his book, no photos. He also participated in the panels. [Some of the Western oriented reviewers have been disappointed in the book as only the first third deals with his acting career while the rest basically espouses his environmental/economic philosophy. Many of us found the whole book interesting but it's better to know the breakdown before buying.]
Clint Walker & wife Susan |
Andrew Prine, Alex Cord, Peter Brown, Rusty Richards, Robert Fuller |
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R; Alex Cord & Peter Brown
L: Buck Taylor, Clint Walker Dennis Weaver, Peter Brown
Clint Walker, Andrew Prine, Peter Brown
Peter Brown & Robert FullerPeter & Bob were kept especially busy having their pictures taken with fans (I profusely apologize to any of you who had me wield the camera and ended up without heads.) We'd love to scan and post any that turned out as well as the two below.
My friend Kerstin is an avid Bruce Boxleitner fan.
She was disappointed when he cancelled at the last minute.
But she found what a lot of western fans already knew,
Bob and Peter are awfully nice too.Peter, Alex Cord, Lynn Anderson, Ben Cooper, Diamond Farnsworth competed in the celebrity division of the cowboy mounted shooting. [In Lawman & Laredo Peter always rode the tallest horse - he didn't get that choice here.] Alex Cord won the celebrity shoot. It was a shame Bruce Boxleitner wasn't there to defend his title from last year.We took video of all the competitors but we admit a bias in favor of Peter & Alex for the still shots.
Below are some miscellaneous shots from their one practice and two competition runs
Alex Cord
Peter Brown
Peter & Alex
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Thanks to my friend Kerstinfor supplying more than half the pictures posted above, including those immediately above. We'd be happy to post others of this and any event if you email scans to us at outrider@peterbrown.tv
