Larry J. Martin, Craig Johnson, and more honored at annual celebration in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Long live the cowboy poet. The Fort Worth Stockyards was brimming with appreciation for the arts at this year’s Will Rogers Medallion Awards October 20 – 21. Originally created to recognize excellence in cowboy poetry, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards (WRMA) has expanded to honor Western artists who embody the Will Rogers heritage through multiple disciplines within literature and film.
Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, great-granddaughter of Will Rogers, speaks at the Will Rogers Medallion Awards.
The weekend-long celebration took place at the Aloft Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas,and involved a plethora of events, including a meet-and-greet for authors and publishers to connect and enjoy each other’s company, a panel discussion, and a dazzling awards ceremony during which the coveted WRMA Lifetime Achievement Award and Golden Lariat were presented.
Shane Clouse performing at the Will Rogers Medallion Awards Ceremony 2023.
Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award was Western author Larry J. Martin. The California native currently resides in Missoula, Montana, where he writes compelling Western thrillers and crime and adventure novels along with a variety of nonfiction, including cookbooks, memoirs, musings, and advice books on topics from writing to making money to navigating the workforce. Since his first novel in 1988, Martin has published over 30 Western novels detailing the grit and glory of the Old West.
Larry J. Martin with wife Kat Martin (courtesy Larry J. Martin).
Taking home the WRMA’s Golden Lariat was West Virginia native Craig Johnson for “outstanding service and dedication to the art of storytelling about the American West.” Widely known for his mysteries, he made a name for himself — and worldwide fans — with his Longmire novels. The series, first published in 2004, has since been adapted into C&I favorite crime drama television series Longmire. A New York Times bestselling author, Johnson has also produced a slew of successful stand-alone novels engaging with the modern West as well as the Old West.
Craig Johnson receiving the WRMA Golden Lariat.
Submissions are officially open for aspiring authors who wish to be considered for one of the WRMA’s 2024 awards. Learn more about next year’s awards ceremony and check out the full list of WRMA award recipients below.
Illustrator of the Year: Bob Adams.
Western Fiction — Modern (Post-1900): The Texas Job, Reavis Z. Wortham, Prosper, Texas, Poisoned Pen Press.
Western Fiction — Traditional (Pre-1900): Rio Hondo, Preston Lewis, San Angelo, Texas, Five Star.
Western Humor — Written: Outlaw West of the Pecos, Preston Lewis, San Angelo, Texas, Wolfpack Publishing.
Western Romance: In Honor’s Defense, Karen Witemeyer, Abilene, Texas, Bethany House/Baker Books.
Western Mystery: The Secret in the Wall, Ann Parker, Livermore, California, Sourcebooks.
Inspirational Western Fiction: Texas Faith, Andrew Roth, Bakersfield, California, Elk Lake Publishing.
Western Short Story: “Irish Kelly and the Heartbreak Kid” from Rebel Hearts Anthology, Sharon Sala, Wolfpack Publishing.
Western Nonfiction (TIE): Billy the Kid: El Bandido Simpático, James B. Mills, Australia, University of North Texas Press, and From Sand Creek to Summit Springs: Colorado’s Indian Wars, Linda Wommack, Littleton, Colorado, Caxton Press.
Western Short Nonfiction: “The Kid’s Mom,” Melody Groves, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wild West Magazine.
Western Biography & Memoir: Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody: Plainsmen of the Legendary West, Bill Markley, Pierre, South Dakota, TwoDot.
Western Maverick: Blood West, Thomas D. Clagett, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Five Star.
Young Readers — Western Fiction: Tenmile, Sandra Dallas, Denver, Sleeping Bear Press.
Young Readers — Western Fiction/Illustrated: The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show, Casey Rislov and Illustrator: Zachary Pullen, Casper, Wyoming, Mountain Stars Press.
Young Readers — Western Nonfiction: Woopaa!, Joy K. Gallegos, Anthony, New Mexico, Lil’ Bit of Heaven Book.
Young Readers — Western Nonfiction/Illustrated: The River That Wolves Moved: A True Tale From Yellowstone, Mary Kay Carson, Cincinnati and Illustrator: David Hohn, Portland, Oregon, Sleeping Bear Press.
Western Photographic Essay: Face to Face with the American West, Editor: CJ Hadley, Carson City, Nevada, Writer/Editor: Carolyn Dufurrena; Designer: John Bardwell; RANGE Magazine and Range Conservation Foundation.
Western Cookbook: The Tombstone Cookbook: Recipes and Lore From the Town Too Tough to Die, Sherry Monahan Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, TwoDot.
Western Film — Drama: Dead For a Dollar, Writer: Walter Hill; Producers: Carolyn McMaster, Neil Dunn, Jeremy Wall, Calgary, Alberta; Production Co: CHAOS & Polaris Pictures.
Western Film — Documentary: Battle of Red Buttes, Writers: Candy Moulton and Bob Noll; Producer: Candy Moulton, Encampment, Wyoming; Boston Productions (BPI).
Cowboy Poetry — Recorded: Wisdom in the Wind, Sherl Cederburg, Hot Spirngs, South Dakota; Producer: Butch Hause.
Cowboy Poetry — Written: A Bard in Boots, Darrell Arnold, Colorado City, Arizona, Arizona Cowboy Connection.
Images: Courtesy Will Rogers Medallion Award