Cowboys & Indians

December 2011
Out of print

Cowboys & Indians is the voice and the vision of the modern American West with a passion for the lifestyle, the attitude, the outlook. American Cowboy is the cultural chronicler of the West, covering the stories, voices, and values that define the cowboy way. Both honored Roy Rogers with a cover articles and will most likely be the last national magazines to feature the King of the Cowboys so prominently. 

“Although Rogers’ main mount appeared in every single film and all the TV episodes, there were two other Triggers that helped carry the load. Little Trigger mastered many tricks and Trigger Jr. performed many of the dance routines. Both traveled with Rogers on the road. ‘In Roy’s view and to the public eye, it was like all three horses were one,’ says Leo Pando, author of An Illustrated History of Trigger (McFarland, 2007). ‘Whatever horse he was riding, whatever horse he was on – that was Trigger. Although neither Trigger Jr. nor Little Trigger was sired by the original Trigger, Rogers worked closely with horse trainer Glenn Randall to train all three. One result of Triggers fame,’ Pando says, ‘was that Randall became Hollywood’s go-to guy when it came to horses,’ earning accolades for his involvement in many films like Ben-Hur (1959) and The Black Stallion (1979). —From an article by editorial director Dana Joseph, Cowboys & Indians magazine, 2011 marking the 100th anniversary of Roy Rogers’ birth.

“It would seem American Cowboy was the only magazine that had the good taste to give the King of the Cowboys his due. Roy Rogers wasn’t just another movie and television celebrity. He was special. His loss is even sadder given the state of the world today. We live in cynical times. With Rogers there was a sweet innocence and tenderness that unfortunately does not exist anymore. But I will always have wonderful memories of Saturday morning double features and the excitement I felt when they raced across the silver screen. The King of the Cowboys is with me whenever I want, mine to cherish as I remember him best. I know that on Monday, July 6, the morning the King of the Cowboys died, Roy’s trusty sidekick Gabby Hayes was waiting with Trigger all saddled and ready. Gabby, in his inimitable style, probably shouted, ‘Thar’s some bad hombres up to no good and we’ve gotta stop ‘em!’ Roy mounted up, Trigger reared beautifully on his two hind legs and they were off into that never-ending sunset.” —Leo Pando, American Cowboy magazine (November/December, 1998). “Letters” column on the occasion of Roy Rogers’ passing.