Saddle up, partners, as PBS presents the heroes and the hardships of the Old (and not so old) West with a series of programs that explore life on the American frontier, as well as the legends and lore that persist today. Ride with the wild stallions of the Rocky Mountains, round up your prettiest cattle and revive the days of six- shooters and sheriffs with a "range" of programming.
THE STANDARD OF PERFECTION "Show Cattle," airing on PBS Wednesday, April 26, 2006, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET, is a new documentary from director Mark Lewis (NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CHICKEN), who takes viewers behind the scenes of the Fryeburg Fair -- New England´s biggest and most prestigious show cattle competition. Held annually in October, the fair signals a time when cattle lovers across New England gather to bathe, groom, clip and show their animals over three days of intense competition. Judged against recognized standards in a variety of categories, hundreds of cattle compete for six grand champion prizes and the coveted crown of Supreme Champion. "Show Cattle" takes viewers into the world of the bovine makeover, and shows how pride, determination and a set of steel-capped boots transform barnyard cattle into regional celebrities. Program Web site: http://www.pbs.org/previews/showcows/
Departing the territory of domesticated cattle, the dusty trail heads west for an encore of NATURE "Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies," airing on PBS Sunday, April 23, 2006, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET. Filmed in the mountains of western Montana, this poignant, engrossing story focuses on a wild stallion whose life has been recorded since his moment of birth in the wild by Emmy-winning filmmaker Ginger Kathrens. Kathrens´ exceptional footage follows the striking white horse she names Cloud through a series of harrowing struggles and adventures, including expulsion from his own horse family, the rites of passage as he develops into a dominating stallion, his capture in a government roundup and subsequent release, the struggle to survive harsh winters and frequent summer lightning strikes, and the dangers posed by illegal horse shooters. As an illuminating visual record of the emergence of a natural leader, this is an unprecedented film about wild horses. Program Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/cloud/
In May, circle your wagons around the latest hands-on history series, TEXAS RANCH HOUSE, airing on PBS Monday-Thursday, May 1-4, 2006, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. This series from the producers of COLONIAL HOUSE and FRONTIER HOUSE challenges a group of intrepid time-travelers to experience the exhilaration and exhaustion of life in the Old West. Participants ranch, rope, ride and pass nights under the stars and in their haciendas as they experience life in the real west of the American cowboy. As it follows the daily challenges of the participants, the series illuminates the fascinating story of merging cultures and changing social dynamics in post-Civil War Texas, and explores the country´s diverse ancestry, including the cultures of European immigrants, Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans. Program Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ranchhouse/
Leaving the present in search of the past, travel to the heart of western history in AMERICAN EXPERIENCE "Remember the Alamo," airing on PBS Monday, May 1, 2006, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET. Long before the Alamo made heroes of Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett and spawned the well-known battle cry, Jose Antonio Navarro and a group of Tejanos -- Mexicans of Texas who had lived there for generations -- started the battle for Texas. This program explores the life of the famed Tejano leader and his efforts to protect the sovereignty of his homeland as it passed through the hands of multiple governments. Program Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/
Head off into the sunset with this collection of Wild West programs in April and May, only on PBS.
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