Cowboy John’s Story

Hi! I’m John Collett, “Cowboy John.”

You’re probably wondering where this name “Cowboy John” came from. Well, when I was a young boy living in Elko, Nevada, I’d bring my horse from the ranch into town at summer’s end, and give children along the street, rides on the back of my horse. I’d see them watching, longing for a ride. I remember sitting on a curb, wishing someone would give me a ride. So, I’d put them on my horse. They called me “Cowboy John.”

At the end of the summer when I rode in the Fair parade, the kids all knew me, “There’s Cowboy John.” That’s how I got the name. When we started this touring business I thought it would be a good name to keep. Just call me, “Cowboy John,” because that’s what I’ve been called for a long time.

For eight years, from age 7, I spent summers on a secluded cattle ranch in northern Nevada. I rounded up wild horses, mustangs, on the Diamond A desert, drove 30 miles with Golden to pick up our mail once a week, and cut wild hay with horse teams in meadows along the Bruneau River. We rarely had visitors at this ranch since it was so remote. When the generator and the lights went off at night, it was quiet.

To hear Cowboy John tell you the story of “Squeaky Saddle” click here.