Dude Ranch Foundation

10/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Dude Ranch Museum reception and the ‘Call of the West’ screening at the Cody Theatre this week! 🎬 🐴

Our immense gratitude goes out to Wyoming PBS for hosting the reception and giving guests a final look at ‘The Wrangle: 100 Years of Dude Ranching,’ featuring Scott T. Baxter’s extraordinary photography. It was a wonderful evening celebrating the ranch families who carry our Western traditions forward. We’re deeply grateful to Wyoming PBS, Alpheus Media, and director Mat Hames for bringing this award-winning film, and the spirit of dude ranching, to audiences near and far. Additional thanks to Catering by Rosie, The Dude Ranchers' Association, The Cody Theatre, and everyone who helped make the evening possible.

Preserving these stories, and inspiring future generations to experience the authentic West, is at the heart of our work. Thank you for being part of it!

Missed the screening? Watch 'Call of the West' on YouTube at the link below.
https://youtu.be/Zy7yN3HTQL4?si=Tt7CWh7N1HJTrUpR

10/05/2026

🎬 Tomorrow night, the West comes to the big screen in Cody!

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6, for a FREE community screening of 'Call of the West,' the Wyoming PBS documentary celebrating the stories, traditions, and future of dude ranching.

Start your evening with a free reception at the Dude Ranch Museum and one last look at 'The Wrangle: 100 Years of Dude Ranching,' featuring stunning photography by Scott T. Baxter. The exhibition has been extended especially for this event!

🖼️ 5 p.m.: Reception at the Dude Ranch Museum, 1122 12th Street
🎟️ 5:30 p.m.: Doors open at the Cody Theatre, 1171 Sheridan Avenue
🎥 6 p.m.: Film screening begins

Recently honored at the 58th annual Public Media Awards, 'Call of the West' shares the stories of seven Western ranches and the people keeping their traditions alive. Enjoy door prize giveaways from The Dude Ranchers' Association as they celebrate their centennial, too!

Free and open to the public. Bring a friend and join us for an evening celebrating our shared Western heritage. See you tomorrow! 🤠

09/30/2026

A night at the ranch, on the big screen! 🎬🐴

Join us in Cody, Wyoming, on Tuesday, October 6, for a FREE community screening of 'Call of the West,' the Wyoming PBS documentary celebrating the stories, traditions, and future of dude ranching.

Start the evening with a free reception at the Dude Ranch Museum and a final look at 'The Wrangle: 100 Years of Dude Ranching' with stunning photography by Scott T. Baxter. The exhibition has been extended specifically for this event!

🖼️ 5 p.m.: Reception at the Dude Ranch Museum, 1122 12th Street
🚪 5:30 p.m.: Doors open at the Cody Theatre, 1171 Sheridan Avenue
🎥 6 p.m.: Film screening begins

Recently honored at the 58th annual Public Media Awards, 'Call of the West' brings the stories of seven Western ranches to the big screen. Enjoy door prize giveaways from The Dude Ranchers' Association in celebration of their centennial birthday, too!

Free and open to the public. Bring a friend and help us celebrate our shared Western heritage!

09/27/2026

On September 27, 1926, ranchers, railroad partners, and friends of the West gathered in Bozeman and formed The Dude Ranchers' Association. One hundred years later, that meeting still shapes how the West is experienced and shared.

Congratulations to the Dude Ranchers’ Association on a century of Western hospitality, land stewardship, and the original ranch vacation. You have set the standard for authentic guest ranch experiences, kept working families on the land, and invited generations of guests to enjoy this unique way of life.

We exist because of that same spirit—preserving our shared history, supporting the next generation through scholarships, and helping protect the landscapes and traditions that make dude ranching possible. We are proud to stand with the DRA, its member ranches, and the families who have carried this way of life forward since 1926.

Here’s to the next hundred years of open gates, good horses, and Western welcome. 🐴🌄

Happy 100th, Dude Ranchers’ Association. 🎉

— The Dude Ranch Foundation

09/24/2026

We’re proud to continue our 2026/2027 scholarship recipient spotlights! 🌟

Meet Savannah Finnegan: Savannah is beginning her college journey at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, where she will pursue her passion for equine science and prepare for a future career as an equine veterinarian. Her connection to dude ranching deepened during a visit to Hunewill Ranch in Bridgeport, California, where horseback riding, a colt-gentling event, and experiencing ranch life firsthand strengthened her desire to one day serve dude ranches through equine veterinary medicine. 🐴

Savannah has already gained extensive hands-on experience caring for horses, from feeding and grooming to administering medications, vaccines, and basic wound care. She has also excelled academically, earning a 4.70 GPA and ranking 11th in a graduating class of 429 students.

In Savannah’s words: “All of these experiences have cemented horses as a core feature in my life. I am more sure than ever that I want to become an equine veterinarian. I know that I have already made a difference in many horses’ lives, and I look forward to making horses and their health care the most important aspect of my future.”

We’re proud to support Savannah as she takes the next step toward a career dedicated to the health and well-being of horses and the future of the dude ranching industry! 🤠

09/21/2026

Sheridan-area friends, don’t miss a special community screening of ‘Call of the West’ tomorrow night at the WYO Theater!

This award-winning Wyoming PBS documentary was filmed at seven working dude ranches, including historic Eatons’ Ranch, where the American dude ranching tradition was born. It explores how ranch families continue to preserve the traditions, values, and enduring spirit of this distinctly Western experience.

📍 WYO Theater, 42 N. Main St., Sheridan
📅 Tuesday, September 22
🚪 Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
🎥 Screening begins at 6:00 p.m.
🎫 Admission is free and open to the public.
🍿 Concessions will be available.

We hope you’ll join us for this special celebration of dude ranching and the American West!

09/17/2026

Congratulations to Wyoming PBS, Alpheus Media, director Mat Hames, and everyone who helped bring ‘Call of the West’ to life! The documentary has earned the Independent Producer Award at the 58th annual Public Media Awards. 🏆

Filmed at seven working ranches across the West, ‘Call of the West’ shares the stories of ranch families working to preserve the traditions, values, and enduring spirit that define the dude ranch experience.

The Dude Ranch Foundation was proud to join The Dude Ranchers' Association in hosting the film’s world premiere earlier this year. We are thrilled to see this important story receive national recognition. Congratulations to the entire team, and to the ranch families whose stories made this extraordinary achievement possible!

Learn more about the film and upcoming community screenings:

https://www.wyomingpbs.org/callofthewest/

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09/15/2026

Today, we celebrate National Day of the Cowgirl and the strength, confidence, and resilience of women who carry the Western way of life forward. 🤠

In honor of this special day, applications are now open for the fourth annual $30,000 National Day of the Cowgirl Scholarship, presented by Durango Boots in partnership with the Dude Ranch Foundation. 🎓⭐

The scholarship is open to first-year female college students in the United States and Canada who aspire to pursue careers in the Western, agriculture, farm and ranch, equine, or Western sports industries.

Applications close December 31, 2026.

Learn more and apply at https://nationaldayofthecowgirl.com/scholarship-application

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years after the events of September 11, 2001, we pause to remember the lives lost, honor the courage of first responders, and reflect on the unity that brought Americans together.

May we carry their memory forward and never forget the strength, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of our nation.

09/07/2026

On Labor Day, we recognize the generations of hardworking men and women who have helped build and sustain the dude ranching tradition. 🤠🐴

Their dedication, perseverance, and connection to the land continue to shape an important part of our Western heritage.

Happy Labor Day from the Dude Ranch Foundation!