Cowboy Country Magazine

Joyce Barkhouse, the Nova Scotia-based children's author who wrote Pit Pony, has died. She was 98.

Nate Crawford, executive director of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, said Barkhouse died on Thursday in Bridgewater, N.S., following a heart attack.

Pit Pony, the story of a boy and his horse working in the coal mines of Cape Breton, was her most popular book, drawing letters from people living in mining communities and from horse lovers across Canada. It was published in 1990.

Joyce Barkhouse, who was inducted into the Order of Nova Scotia in 2009, wrote eight books and many children's stories.(Order of Nova Scotia)

The book was a notable one named by the Canadian Library Association, received the first Ann Connor Brimer Award in 1991 for "outstanding contribution to children's literature in Atlantic Canada" and had international distribution.

Barkhouse had been interested in the wild horses of Sable Island and conceived the story after learning that they were used in coal mines in Cape Breton because of their small stature.

In 1997, it was made into a CBC-TV film that co-starred Ellen Page and garnered three Gemini Awards, including best writing in a dramatic program or mini-series.

In 1999, the movie was spun off into a 44-episode mini-series, also for children.

Barkhouse was born Joyce Killam on May 3, 1913, in Nova Scotia. She attended a two-room village school in Woodville, Annapolis Valley, and grew up surrounded by horses.

She studied at teachers college and taught all subjects in a one-room school with students in grades 1 to 11 in her early years.

She gave up teaching when she married and later lived in Halifax, Charlelottetown and Montreal, before returning to live in Bridgewater.

Boys worked alongside the horses in Cape Breton mines in Pit Pony. (CBC)

In her youth, Barkhouse wrote for a Sunday school newspaper and later published in teachers' publications and the Family Herald and Weekly Star, a national newspaper.

She published her first book George Dawson: The Little Giant in 1974, at age 61, when she was already a grandmother. The non-fiction children’s book told the story of Dawson, a tiny hunchback who contributed to early knowledge of the geology, biology and ethnology of Canada's Northwest.

She also wrote books about two other Nova Scotians, Abraham Gesner (a geologist who developed a process for manufacturing kerosene) and Thomas Raddall (an author of historical fiction about Nova Scotia).

She wrote many short stories for young readers in The Northern Messenger and other publications and frequently spoke to young people.

Barkhouse believed in engaging young readers by telling them true stories about their own communities. Many of her works reflected Nova Scotia life.

Joyce Barkhouse was an honorary life member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia and of the Writers' Union of Canada. (Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia)

"Joyce was Nova Scotia through and through. She really was," said Janet Lunn, a children's author and Barkhouse's longtime friend. "She loved Nova Scotia like no other place all her life."

Barkhouse's other books include Anna's Pet, which she co-wrote with Margaret Atwood, as well asYesterday's Children, The Witch of Port LaJoye and Smallest Rabbit.

In 2007, Barkhouse received the Order of Nova Scotia and in 2009 she became a member of the Order of Canada. She was also an honorary life member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia and of the Writers' Union of Canada.

Barkhouse is survived by her two children, Janet and Murray, and several grand-children and great-grandchildren.

Source: CBC News

Spiritwood, SK: About one year ago now, nearly to the day, 2007 Canadian Champion Bull Rider Nathan Roy made his way out of a three week partially drug induced coma.

After seeing his wife Dee right at his bedside, where she had been 18 hours a day for the entire three weeks, he wondered where his son Walker was.

Not long after Walker was there to play with his Dad.

"Dee said I had a big smile on my face and played with him for an hour or two. I think I even had a nap with him in my bed there too." Nate said in an interview yesterday.

What happened to Nate last January took place while he was on his way to work on January 5th, 2011, the day before his son Walker's first birthday. Nate was driving and his theory (because he and no one else knows for sure) is that he slightly hit a Moose which deployed the airbag and knocked him out. His truck then went into and knocked over a number of trees over before coming to a stop at a big spruce tree.

It was nearly two hours before anyone was there to help him.

Nate said that "I don't remember much about that day or what really happened. I remember the night before a bit but that's about it. It's probably one of those things that's forgot on purpose. Not that it would bother me much."

His wife Dee wouldn't quite agree, she wasn't thinking it was as easy for her to wait that long even though Nate said he was just a little tired, that's why he slept so long.

Recovery

After coming out f the coma the trouble wasn't quite over as Nate said "The doctors told Dee what the worst case scenario was so she was worried that way."

"I recognized everyone right off the bat, so that was a good sign. Even if I couldn't say their names, I knew who they were. I think we all have that trouble sometimes though. " Roy joked.

When asked about what the first few weeks were like "I don't remember a whole bunch of it." He replied.

However after a few weeks in the hospital he got a bit stir crazy wanting to get out of the hospital because he thought he was fine.

He got out of the Royal Alexandra hospital finally after four weeks and was then sent across the street to the Glenrose rehab center for another four weeks.

After the precautions took in the hospital he was darn sure ready to get moving again.

"They were surprised with what I could do in such a short time." Nate said

If there was anything that helped him in the rehab process it was being in such great shape before the accident as one doctor noted.

"You don't know how lucky you are." Another doctor told Nate throughout his recovery.

To this day Nate say his balance still isn't quite 100%.

However he did say "It's getting better every day and I'm gaining more strength and energy every day too."

Thank You

Nate and Dee wanted to add this section to take the time to Thank everyone along the way who helped them through their tough time last year as well.

Here's a video of Canadian Tie-Down Roping Champion Tyson Durfey testing out a new roping horse on his recent trip to Australia!

CALGARY — Retired Price is Right host Bob Barker is speaking out against the Calgary Stampede after a contestant on Wednesday’s episode won a trip to the event.

The prize, valued at $25,329, included airfare to Calgary, five days at a hotel with car rental, two days at the Stampede, tickets to the rodeo and chuckwagon races, six pairs of leather boots and a Toyota Tacoma truck.

Mr. Barker was anything but thrilled by the win.

“I’m concerned about the Calgary Stampede’s history of animals dying and animals being abused on a regular basis, not unlike every rodeo here in the U.S. They’re all cruel,” he said from his home in Los Angeles. “They don’t represent the glory of the Old West, or the glory of the Canadian West, they are just cruel and unsavoury forms of entertainment that should be stopped altogether.”

Peter J. Thompson / National Post

Bob Barker speaks at Toronto's Sutton Place Hotel April 15, 2011

Mr. Barker, who retired from the show in 2007, said he first became concerned about the direction of The Price is Rightwhen the show gave away tickets to SeaWorld in Florida last month. He said he called the executive producer to complain, but never got a call back.

When Mr. Barker headed the longtime program beloved by canny consumers, “we didn’t do anything that could be described as harmful for animals. We didn’t have fur coats on the show, we didn’t give away leather on the show. We didn’t give away anything objectionable, we were very careful.”

Mr. Barker hosted the price-guessing game show since it was revamped in 1972. He passed the microphone on to its new host, comedian Drew Carey, shortly after retirement.

“I don’t blame Drew Carey, I don’t know if he had anything to do with the selection of the prizes, or if he is able to reject the prize,” Mr. Barker said. “I think Drew does have a concern for animals. He may not understand or may not be well-informed on what the Calgary Stampede is and he may not be in a position to do anything about it . . . but someone should know and somebody should have frowned on this immediately.”

The Stampede is preparing for its centennial celebration this year and recently made the list of CNN’s top places to visit in 2012.

Last year, two horses died during the chuckwagon races. In 2010, a particularly bad year for the event, the show lost six horses.

But spokesman Doug Fraser said the Stampede does everything it can to care for the lives of its animals.

“During the Stampede, we have 7,500 animals that will take part in our exhibition in education and competition events,” he said. “We take the care of these animals very seriously.”

Several independent groups, including the Alberta SPCA and the Calgary Humane Society, oversee the event, he added. Rodeo animals are bred for the event.

Mr. Fraser said the Stampede has a record for a “progressive and responsible approach to animal care.”

Mr. Barker has advocated for animal rights for decades, a passion born of a childhood love of strays and injured creatures, he said.

“I’d like to see the Stampede disappear completely, I’d like to see rodeos in the U.S. disappear. I’d like to see circuses disappear, I’d like to see all forms of animal cruelty disappear,” he said.

As for The Price is Right, “I hope the people who select the prizes for the show become much, much more careful.”

To readers, lastly, he added: “Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered. I close everything with that.”

Source: National Post

Join the conversation... What are your thoughts on Bob Barker speaking out against rodeo? 

Today, Canada Post released a special stamp to commemorate Alberta's first black Cowboy - John Ware. The stamp is released in connection with Black History Month and serves as a tribute to this influencial Canadian. You can order this stamp by clicking here.

We featured John Ware as a Trailblazer in Season 1 of Cowboy Country TV. Below is the clip of the segment, which tells a little bit of John's story, and the influence he has had on the Cowboy community.