Cowboys in Wisconsin (Madison, Stevens Point, Oregon: for sale, home, to buy)

[mikeandaija2009]

Currently living in the Northeast, but always looking to escape with the family. We've moved a couple times over the years, but returned to our native Connecticut a few years back to care for in-laws. We have been dreaming of our exit since day 2 of our arrival! We are horse people (own 4 currently) and are looking for horse friendly areas where we can have a hobby farm. Obvious choices would be your southern states for more of a "Cowboy Culture", but my wife and I can not do heat and humidity anymore. 5 years in Florida finished it for us. I see so many beautiful farms for sale all over Wisconsin. I was pleasantly surprised to see rodeos and the cowboy culture when researching Wisconsin. Is there areas of Wisconsin where I can finally take my cowboy hat and boots out of the moving boxes and wear them proudly without sticking out like a sore thumb?

[everwinter]

Driftless area has lots of trail ride get togethers, horse trails, horse camping etc. Other areas of the state are probably similar. A lot of the state parks have horse camp sites & horse trails. I know Governor Dodge State park does. Farms in this area (driftless area) aren't doing well right now & many of the smaller farms are selling, so it may be a good time to buy a hobby farm.

https://driftlesswisconsin.com/thing...seback-riding/

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/park...creation/horse

[EllieKay56]

We live in Central WI. There are a lot of horse farms in our area. FYI it does get humid here in the summer.

[Milwaukee City]

Rodeo Schedule


Don't think of down south for cowboy culture, think Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma. Think West not south, there is a big difference between Cowboy and hillbilly.



https://wrca.org/


https://www.facebook.com/10841018585...943905/?type=3


https://www.facebook.com/BigHatRodeo/


Rodeoz | Wisconsin Rodeos - Search nearby rodeos, PRCA and PBR bull riding events and riding schools. Wisconsin

[Milwaukee City]

Eagle, WI is horse country and Northern Wisconsin near Hwy 10 and the driftless area. Nothing in Wisconsin really screams cowboy, it's still very rare to met someone who rodeo's or even watches or attends rodeo much less someone even wearing a cowboy hat.



Ask the guys over at South 40 Western Wear where to get plugged in or any tack shop like West 20.

[Milwaukee City]

Sorry forgot another great link...


https://welcome.ridepass.com/


https://wcrarodeo.com/


https://pbr.com/


As you can tell, I'm into western sports.

[germaine2626]

Originally Posted by EllieKay56

We live in Central WI. There are a lot of horse farms in our area. FYI it does get humid here in the summer.

I'm from central Wisconsin and I agree that there are a lot of horse farms in the area. However, IMHO, the type of humidity that we have in the summer is not very bad at all (except, perhaps, during a mid summer heat wave).

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by germaine2626

I'm from central Wisconsin and I agree that there are a lot of horse farms in the area. However, IMHO, the type of humidity that we have in the summer is not very bad at all (except, perhaps, during a mid summer heat wave).

North-central Wisconsin has some of the nicer summer weather anywhere in the US east of the Mississippi River during certain summers years. I think Stevens Point had a 8-9 year stretch where it didn't reach 90 degrees at all. Once you go further to the south even to the Ohio Valley the summer humidity becomes absolutely atrocious.

[guidoLaMoto]

Midwest Horse Fair is a big event every year in Madison drawing spectator & participants from several states
https://midwesthorsefair.com/

Several small rodeos around the state, such as SAUK COUNTY RODEO CLUB - Home


While cowboy hats & boots aren't exactly the uniform of the day, you wouldn't be completely out of place dressing that way in public anywhere in WI.

Maggie Mae ( as seen on RFD-TV) plays frequently around WI Maggie Mae Country

BTW-- I'm getting too old to ride, so I have a very well mannered, excellent trail horse (19y/o mare) to give to anyone who can offer a good home (and her 2 cute Mini- buddies).

[mikeandaija2009]

Thanks for all the great responses! Gives me a lot to research. I was very impressed by the beauty of the Driftless area just from the pictures of a Google image search. We have been looking for our special place for a while, and Covid definitely put a damper on those plans. We had very much considered heading to Northern Maine, NH, or VT, but with everything that is going on in the cities, it seems everyone else has the same idea. Prices for descent size...not huge...hobby farms has gone through the roof! So time to start looking elsewhere. My wife lived in Michigan for a short time several years ago before we met, and she said Northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are all beautiful areas. Wisconsin has some very good deals it appears, and maybe I'm wrong, but seems Wisconsin tilts more to the right politically than Minn. or Michigan?

I know Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, would be more of the "cowboy culture", but just can't do the heat. With or without the humidity doesn't matter. I remember asking a friend from the Phoenix area about the heat once. He said it had reached 115 degrees one day, and I asked him if it was different because it was a "dry heat". He said 115 degrees is 115 degrees, and it's hot. Doesn't matter what the humidity is! Not sure I would care for the lack of water in those states either. I love freshwater fishing. Would miss the lack of ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. Seems Wisconsin checks that box.