HISTORY OF THE GATHERING
On a crystal clear day in the fall of 1994, Tom Whitaker was driving his pickup truck across Midway Lane. Ben Quinters and Kim Cutler were working some colts and had stopped to have a chat. Tom pulled over and joined them. During the conversation that ensued, all three admitted to having a few Cowboy Poems up their sleeve. Tom suggested that they pool their talent, invite a few other local musicians and poets and have a “Cowboy Poetry Gathering.” The Town Hall in Midway was reserved for the first weekend in November. Brent Kelly was asked to M.C. the evening and John Burns and his family cooked up some dutch oven chili. In fact, the dutch oven dinner was five bucks and the entertainment was free. Some posters were stuck around town, poems were brushed up and they all waited for the night.
Ben, Kim , and Tom weren’t sure if 15 or 50 would show up. When 250 people came, and more chairs had to be drug out from under the stage, they knew they had provided something the town was looking for! It grew each year until the town hall wouldn’t hold any more people and the gathering was moved to Wasatch High School. Heber’s gathering is now attracting people from all across the country and has become a premier event in the state of Utah.

COWBOY COMMITTEE

Ted Caldwell
Director
Brent Kelly
Executive Board
Mary Kelly
Producer
Diane Pope
Co-Producer
Jessica Broadhead
Marketing & Event Mgr.
Jeff Smith
Heber City Council
Mark Nelson
Wasatch County Council, Heber Valley Railroad
Tom Hansen
Wasatch County Schools
Lisa Orme
Midway City, Zermatt Shows
Dallin Koecher
Tourism and Development
Shelly Olsen
Community Rep, Hospitality
Joel and LuAnn Kohler
WOW Women of Wasatch, Staff Hospitality
Janet Carson and Nancy Daybell
Ticketing
Brent and Jean North
Memberships, Info
Scott and Belle Rhees, Colleen Bonner, Dan and Teresa Armed, Drexel Davis
Hospitality Committee
Ken McConnell
Chuckwagon Stage
Doug and Diane Pope
Cow Camp Stage, Emcee, Executive Board
Glade and Kathy Symes
Senior Groups
Casey Zillig and Adam Jenkins
Setup, Stages, Tear Down
Nancy Wade
Cowboy Kickoff Show
Mike Thurber, Ken Evans and Nate Cox
Financial
Garth Rasband
Tax Consultant
Kathy Carr
Selection Committee
Mike Kirkwood, JoLynne Kirkwood
Tombstone Stage, Selection Committee
Gary, Brenda, Justin, Amanda and Jason Carlile
Buckaroo Fair Vendors
Susy Epperson
Mountain Men Traders
Nick and Julee Nichols
Cowboy Auction
Cary Hobbs
VIP Campfire Stage/ PR/Schools
Kevin Koyle and Richard Tree
Mounted Horseman Association
Hoyt Atkinson
Sound
Beverly Jones
Ushers
Lynnie Casper
Open Mic/Roundup Stage
Hayley DeJong and Linzee Bonner
Buckaroo Ball, Dance Class & Competition
Stephen Watts
Insurance, Transportation
Tim Tanner
Main Stage Manager
Kody Clyde, Malcolm Rose and Matt Zierenberg
FFA, Setup & Takedown
Richard Boulter
Sponsorships
Tim and Lisa Graham
CD Sales
Richard and Carol Bonner
Tom’s Cabin
Edith Mair
Ticket Taker
Ignition Creative Group
Marketing, Print Media
On Your Marketing
Marketing, Digital Media
Tom and Marilyn Fowler
Finance, Souvenirs, Soldier Hollow