BOOTS, BRONCS & BRINTON! SHERIDAN-WYO-RODEO!

Each July, Sheridan’s rodeo tradition comes alive — a legacy dating back to 1931 and deeply connected to the history of the Quarter Circle A Ranch. Bradford Brinton (1880–1936), owner of the ranch from 1923 to 1936, was among the founding directors of the Sheridan-Wyo-Rodeo. Archival photographs show Brinton riding his palomino, Ol’ Pal, in the rodeo parade, dressed in Western finery and clearly in his element.

This installation explores the longstanding relationship between rodeo culture and the Brinton legacy, highlighting the craftsmanship and pageantry that define the Western tradition. On view is Bradford Brinton’s silver-mounted parade saddle and matching bridle — likely California-made — engraved with his name and reflective of the ornate saddlery traditions rooted in vaquero and caballero history. These objects speak not only to personal style, but to a broader story of regional identity, celebration, and Western heritage that continues in Sheridan today.