Cowboy Spur Maker: The Story of Ed Blanchard

Muchas Gracias

MUCHAS GRACIAS This is the story of Ed Blanchard, but it is also the story of the people and times and the country that molded him. It is a story that has come together with the help of many of Ed’s family and friends as well as the users and collectors of Blanchard bits and spurs. We give our thanks to them for both their time and their generosity in sharing their knowledge, photos, and spurs. All have added to this story of the noted cowboy spur maker and the times that molded him. A. C. “Ace” Cook, living in New Mexico but a resident of Denton, Texas, when I first met him in 1994, had a pair of early-day Blanchard spurs that were made for a cowman named Tipton who ranched near Luna, New Mexico. I first saw and admired them at the annual Bit and Spur Show in Abilene, Texas. They were nothing like the more familiar, sleek, modernistic Blanchard styles of later years. Since I was interested in Blanchard’s early spurs, Ace suggested that I contact Mary K. and Dale Gallaher of Magdalena, New Mexico, who also had a pair of Blanchard spurs of a similar vintage. I made a trip to Magdalena, and through the Gallahers, I met rancher Tom Kelly of Water Canyon, a cousin of Ed Blanchard’s. The result was our collaboration on this book. Without Tom Kelly and his personal knowledge and contacts and his cowboy way of spinning a yarn, this book would never have come about. My thanks to Tom for his photos and tales of Water Canyon and the intertwined family of Blanchard/Tinguely/Kelly. I will always remember the fun we had making tracks on and around Mount Baldy and across Blanchard country. A special thanks to both Tom and Hilda Kelly for their hospitality and time away from busy days. Much credit for this book goes to William “Billy” Cook of Sparks, Nevada, who grew up around Ed Blanchard and was close to him until Ed’s death. It was Billy Cook who recalled the stories of Ed’s Muchas Gracias [ x ] years at the Currycomb Ranch in New Mexico as well as his later years in Arizona. Tom joins me in thanking the Rueben Pankeys of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who made their family spur collection available for photographing . They have George Latham’s spurs, some of the first Ed built. Thanks also go to the Clay Hendersons for making available Drew Henderson’s spurs and bit and to Bern Henderson for allowing us to photograph his Blanchard spurs. Thanks to Felix Martinez of southern New Mexico, who shared his Hugh Pankey spurs. It was Hugh Pankey who gave Ed Blanchard his first lessons in spur making at the original Rueben Pankey ranch north of Monticello, New Mexico. We also photographed the spurs of Ira Sullivan, Eddie Henderson, Fred Martin, Frank Tucker, and Pete Segulia. And thanks also go to Bill Swope of Cherokee, Texas, whose spur collection includes two outstanding pairs of Ed’s workmanship. We are also indebted to Blanchard kinfolk—one of Ed’s nieces, Linda Blanchard Whitaker of Clovis, New Mexico, and a nephew, Richard Prince of Saint Joseph, Missouri, and Prince’s daughter, Judy Boyce of Bullard, Texas. Thanks also go to Suzanne Smith Dean of Socorro, New Mexico, for use of the outstanding photos from her J. E. Smith Collection of early-day scenes of the Socorro-Magdalena area. Our thanks also to Blanchard afficionado Mel Gnatkowski of Carrizozo, New Mexico, for allowing us to use his images of Ed’s spurs. Mel is not only a fine photographer, but he also hammers out spurs in the Blanchard tradition. Tom and I hope that this book of tales about Ed Blanchard country adds meaning to the jingling spurs on your boot heels, especially if they are stamped E.F.B. inside the heel bands. Ol’ Ed would like that. ...