Sports Realm

The white cowboy hat is an icon of North American Western culture and is most closely associated with the cowboys of the old west. Here is a quick overview of the history of this fascinating–and highly symbolic–fashion accessory.

Symbolism of the White Cowboy Hat

Calgary, Canada has a custom of putting a white cowboy hat on every guest that is greeted warmly to the city by the mayor. (Rather than a key to the city, guests obtain the hat.)

It is a picture of Western hospitality and every mayor of Calgary has given it to visiting superstars, officials and athletes since the Second World War.

The white cowboy hat is likewise a symbol for the nice in people. The hero in Western films puts on a white hat and the bad fella puts on a black one.

White Cowboy Hat and the PBR

Every year the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) issues a calendar that generally highlights their professional riders sporting white hats. The late Lane Frost really loved wearing a white hat with a turkey feature on it when he rode and his closest friend and fellow bull riding champ, Tuff Tedeman frequently wears a white when riding also.

2009 PBR World Champion Kody Lostroh used the white hat all through most of his rides in his final season win as did two time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers. It is really a favourite bull riding gear accessory for the bull rider because it signifies everything good in a western champion.

Basis of the White Cowboy Hat

Cowboy hats were originally designed to protect ranch workers from the rain and sun while working outdoors. John Batterson Stetson was the son of an American hat maker who grew up working in the family business.

Right after being diagnosed with tuberculosis during his early age, he left the family business to see the Wild West before he was too sick to travel. He met gold miners, ranch hands and livestock drovers towards his journey and noticed that they were wearing top hats, coonskin caps, derbies and even old military caps to keep the suns heat and rain from their heads.

Making use of his familiarity with hat industry, he created a hat that had a straight-sided crown and a broad flat brim with circular corners. In 1865 he transferred to Philadelphia were he manufactured a hat known as “Boss of the plains” but soon, the ones he sold it to simply called it a Stetson.

It was a significant piece of equipment for the working cowboy. The Stetson had been a symbol of top quality and many Old West figures wore it. Buffalo Bill, Will Rogers, Tom Mix and also Annie Oakley wore Stetsons, however it was the Lone Ranger who caused the white cowboy hat popular. He was never without it as he battled the bad guys and he always won.

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