Western Horseman: History Since 1936, Ranching Content and Editors
Profile updated November 2026
Western Horseman magazine reached its 90th year of publication in January 2026. Founded in California at a time when tractors and cars were pushing horses off farms and into slaughterhouses, it set out to be a voice for the horse and became a pillar of ranch and Western stock-horse culture. Here is its history, profile, content and leadership.
| First issue | January 1936, Lafayette, California |
|---|---|
| Founder | Paul Albert, founding editor and publisher |
| Later homes | Reno, Nevada; Colorado Springs, Colorado (from 1948); Fort Worth, Texas (from 2010) |
| Ownership history | Speidel interests from 1943; Morris Communications from 2001 |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Honors | ProRodeo Hall of Fame (2017); Texas Trail of Fame (2021) |
| Official website | WesternHorseman.com |
History of Western Horseman
Paul Albert launched The Western Horseman near San Francisco in January 1936, watching with dismay as horses were displaced by automobiles and tractors. The magazine championed the formation of breed associations and registries; early contributor Bob Denhardt, later its editor, helped found the American Quarter Horse Association.
The magazine was sold in 1943 and, after a few years in Reno, moved to Colorado Springs in 1948, where it stayed for six decades. Legendary staff included publisher Dick Spencer, editor Pat Close, who rode for the brand for 40 years, and Randy Witte, who joined in 1977 and became publisher in 1989 before writing History of Western Horseman for its 75th anniversary.
Morris Communications acquired the magazine in 2001, and in 2010 Western Horseman moved to Fort Worth, Texas, the heart of the cutting and ranch-horse world.
Western Horseman Today
Western Horseman publishes monthly and has expanded beyond the magazine into books, video, collections and events, describing itself as connecting with Western stock-horse enthusiasts for 90 years. Its quality has earned American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards.
The Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame inducted the magazine in 2017 for its editorial support of professional rodeo, and the Texas Trail of Fame followed in 2021.
What Western Horseman Is Publishing Now
Horsemanship and training
Training lessons from top ranch-horse, cutting, reining and roping trainers.
Ranching and Western life
Ranch features, cowboy craftsmanship, saddlemakers, bitmakers and Western heritage.
Rodeo and events
Rodeo coverage and event features such as its Ready for Rodeo series, plus a long line of Western Horseman books.
Western Horseman Editors and Staff
Leaders in Western Horseman's history, per its published history and anniversary coverage:
- Paul Albert - Founding editor and publisher (1936)
- Bob Denhardt - Early contributor and later editor
- Pat Close - Longtime editor, 40 years with the magazine
- Randy Witte - Editor and publisher (from 1989); magazine historian
- Darrell Dodds - Publisher at the 75th anniversary
- Fran Smith - Editor of Western Horseman books
Current editorial contacts are listed on WesternHorseman.com's About Us page.
Who Reads Western Horseman
Readers include ranchers, horse breeders, trainers, rodeo athletes and Western lifestyle enthusiasts in the U.S. and Canada. Horses remain a working tool on cattle operations counted by the USDA Census of Agriculture, especially on the large western ranches the magazine covers.
Horse people have a saying for everything, and most of them are funny only after the bruises heal. Readers who like that cowboy wit can find more at farm.FM, where ranch humor and farm satire ride side by side with general farm humor. The farm jokes there are guaranteed to be gentler than a green-broke colt.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
Western Horseman Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Western Horseman: About Us - the magazine's 90th-year history.
- Wikipedia: Western Horseman - founding, relocations and ownership.
- ProRodeo Hall of Fame: Western Horseman - the 2017 induction.
- Texas Trail of Fame: Western Horseman - the 2021 honor.
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - data on equine and cattle operations.
Western Horseman FAQ
When was Western Horseman founded?
Paul Albert published the first issue in January 1936 in Lafayette, California.
Where is Western Horseman based?
Fort Worth, Texas, since 2010; it was in Colorado Springs from 1948.
Who owns Western Horseman?
Morris Communications acquired the magazine in 2001.
What does Western Horseman cover?
Western horsemanship, ranch horses, ranching, rodeo and Western craftsmanship and heritage.
Ninety years after Paul Albert set out to speak for the horse, Western Horseman magazine remains the standard for the stock-horse and ranching world.