This 1985 documentary is an affectionate portrait of a culture on the verge of disappearing: the Florida cowboy. They love the outdoor life with its roping and riding, but their ranches lie in the shadow of DisneyWorld.
It's wonderful to have came upon this vid. I was born in Texas but at the age of 10 to 11, I was sent to live with my father in Florida since he and my mom divorced. He had fallen in love with the sunshine state due to him rodeoing and participating in the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kisseemmee, FL. He had won the calf roing title there one year; I saw the news paper artical. As a boy, my dad knew the Dymmek's through rodeoing and being on the road with Gary. Three things stand out to me from when Gary was a young man and I was a boy. 1- he rode bulls and steer wrestled; seems like an odd combo but not for back in the 70's. 2- the big dip in his bottom lip which pressed again a scar on his lip as it almost seems to make an unintentional focal point. 3-he had to most positive attitude of anyone I knew. He'd help me in junior steer rding but my dad didn't want any part of it as he did not want me to grown up to bull ride because he started out riding bulls when he really wanted to calf rope. H'd always say bull rifding will make an old man of you fast. At the time, I diodn't know what he meant. The first time Gary helped me in the chutes was at Circle D Rodeo in Marianna, FL. He asked if I was entered in the JSR which I was not since my dad didn't enocourge it. He then tells me let's go enter which replied "I'll need to ask my dad". His reply, "don't worry about it, you have my premission". The I said, "I don't have money for the entry fee". His resopne was "I got this, your'e with me, let's go". Well he got me entered, ready and tied down on a steer. I nodded and remembered feeling like there was commotion all around me but, the steer and I were the commotion. I don't remember hearing the buzzer but I remember hitting the ground and the bull fighter running past me. As it turns out, I had the hghest score and won a buckle and a gift certificate to spend at the Circle D western sore. I bought a pair of Lee pants that were popular back then butthey were not made of cotton but some poly blend and they had these real small square like pattern on them. My JSR story alomst sounds like I didn't have a clue but I grew up in the rodeo area. My dad had me calf roping and team roping (heel) at a young age. I was always riding something that bucked in our practice arena even if it was unplanned but with Gary helping me that day and without my dad's okay, it just really felt special. I also remember Se'Belle always supportive of Gary and a very pretty lady. I grew up an moved back to Texas; it was always home to me. My dad is still in Florida but he's no longer a rodeo man. He still has a few cows and horses but father time has caught up with and he can't do much anymore. Thanks for posting this video.
I haven't been over there in a few years. But it looked like circle D was about to go out of business. At least the store. After the older generation died. I don't know if it did or not. We usto go there all the time. And for years tryed to make all the bull rides.
Wow..... It's been 37 years since this video was made. I hate to see my home state headed in this direction. I pray everyone in the video is well or resting in the ground that they love. God bless Florida
Nothing has changed but the speed of development. Driving through FL nowadays you can see rural areas disappearing.First they cut trees, then comes the bulldozer,then the big construction companies. A year later there is a new town. Makes me wander where the future food will come from. Forrest and fields are too valueable for crop or beef...
What hurts even more is that the so called “towns” they’re building are nothing more than poorly planned non communal cookie cutter coom pods that locals can’t afford and strip mall USA big box stores and poison fast food chains .
Been here since 1976 and hate the development everywhere in Florida. Can’t stop them though. The developers and politicians have all the control. Love this video and wish all the people in it the best! There are too few like them around these days.
The toothpaste has been out of the tube for too long and more and more of it keeps getting squeezed out . And we don’t have the stomachs to try and put it back in .
Well it's 2020 we are still here. How much longer I don't know. I am in North Fl. On the last part of a farm from 1823. 9th gen. On my dad's side. Mom side from the cost from the mid 1600's. Hate were Fl. Looks to be going.
One of my best friends is from Aricada Fl. He came up here in 84 trying to stay away from the development. Now it's here to. Most of the big farms now rase House's insted of cattle and crops.
