Digital Bug Collection

Kim Claunch Bio

Kimberlee Claunch is the new Curator of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame on the campus of the New Mexico Junior College. She has worked part time at the museum for the past three years as Curatorial Intern.

Kim received her Bachelors of Arts in History from the University of the Southwest in 2016. She graduated with a minor in Sociology. After graduation from the USW she volunteered to be the Curatorial Intern for the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of fame. She went on to get a certificate in Museum Education and Directorship from Northwestern University and in the summer of 2019, she graduated from the University of Leicester with her Masters of Arts in Museum Studies.

Growing up in Hobbs, NM and going on yearly trips across the United States helped develop the dreamer in Kim. It took a Lead America trip to Washington D.C. to make everything in Kim’s head snap together. Walking through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. Kim fell in love with the idea of making history come to life. She loved the idea of being immersed in history and realizing events actually happened. She has now made it a goal to help bring history to life with museum displays and artifacts on display.

Kim is excited to work at the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame. She views the Museum as a home away from home and a place to play in local and regional history. Her excitement starts with trying to immerse the folk of Lea County in the rich history around them while trying to help bring in history from around the globe. Kim is grateful that the Museum and the New Mexico Junior College has given her the opportunity to be in her dream job.

Erin Anderson Bio

Erin Anderson is the new Executive Director of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame on the campus of New Mexico Junior College.  She has worked at the Museum for 11 years as Museum Curator.

Erin received her Bachelors of Arts in History from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, in 2005.  She also graduated with minors in Anthropology and The Classics, and a certificate in Medieval Studies.  She went on to receive her Masters of Arts in Museum Science from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, in 2008.  During college and graduate school, Erin volunteered and worked in a number of museums:  Anthropology Museum at NIU, Museum of Texas Tech University, National Ranching Heritage Center, Lubbock Lake Landmark, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

Growing up near Chicago, IL allowed Erin the opportunity to visit some of the best museums in the country.  It was here that her love of museums began.  Researching history had always been a passion for Erin, but seeing the actual objects from history brought everything into a whole new light.  Erin knew she would pursue a career in museums during a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry in 2000 while walking through the traveling exhibition, Titanic: The Exhibition, from RMS Titanic, Inc.  Erin looked not at the artifacts, but at the exhibit as a whole and said “I can do this.”  While Museum Curator at the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, Erin looked around the Museum in 2016 during Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, from Premier Exhibitions (formally RMS Titanic, Inc) and said “I did do this.” 

Erin has lived in Hobbs, NM for 11 years and considers it home.  She is a part of the Community Players of Hobbs and New Antiquities Theatre Company where she has been an actor, costumer, stage manager, usher, and assistant director.  She is a founding member of the award winning a cappella group, Accidental Harmony.  She also serves on the board of the Southwest Symphony. Erin is a member of the American Alliance of Museums, the Mountain Plains Museum Association, the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, and the New Mexico Association of Museums where she has served on the board.  As Executive Director she hopes to bring her love of history and museums to Hobbs with world-class traveling exhibits and fun and educational permanent exhibits about Southeastern New Mexico.

2019 Award Winners

About the Awards

Scholarships

-       One of the priorities of the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame has always been to identify and help deserving students at New Mexico Junior College complete their education.  Over the years, many students have benefited from the financial support they received from the Hall of Fame’s scholarship program.

Outstanding Rancher and Working Cowboy Award

-       The Board of Directors also recognize those who are “actively preserving the fast-fading cowboy way of life.”  The Outstanding Rancher Award is presented to an individual or couple whose occupation is ranching, and is recognized as a business person(s) with ethics, integrity, and honor.  The Working Cowboy Award is bestowed upon an individual who is a wage-earning cowboy who exemplifies ability, dependability, and character.

Silver Concho Award

-       For men, women, or animals not eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, but who deserve to be remembered for their service throughout Lea County, the Board of Directors of the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame instituted a special recognition award known as the Silver Concho Award.

Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction

-       Induction into the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame is commemorated with the presentation of the Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductee Award.  This award is given annually to no more than four men and/or women who have roots in Lea County and who have distinguished themselves in the rodeo world or have contributed to the area’s ranching industry.  In addition to the individuals selected by the membership, the Board of Directors may choose no more than one person per year who meets special criteria.

NMJC Scholarship Recipients

-       The Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame board is pleased to sponsor academic scholarships for the 2019/2020 school year for the following students:

o   Colter Figg – Kenny Smith Memorial Scholarship

o   Madison Rice – Wayne Smith Memorial Scholarship

o   Grady Ross Kirkes – J.E. Teague Memorial Scholarship

o   Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame Scholarships

§  Colton Able

§  Cheyenne Gonzales

§  Justin Long

§  Zerrick Ponder

§  Hunter Salter

§  Mackenzie Watkins

§  Colette Wilson

Mike Wilson – 2019 Working Cowboy

Born in 1969 to Larry and Margie Wilson, Mike grew up in Roswell, New Mexico. He started his first paying job at ten years old working alongside his dad at the local sale barn. At 16 he went to work for LC “Buck” Pounds riding and training horses. Mike attended Goddard High School and after finishing school was employed by The Broken Heart Ranch in Wilcox, Arizona as a horse trainer. He has been blessed to work for some good outfits with great horses including Indian Bluff Ranch and Scharbauer Cattle Company. In 1990 he married his wife Stacie and in May of 1991 they planted roots at the headquarters of the Turkey Track Ranch owned by Bogle Ltd. Mike has worked for Bogle Ltd for 28 years. He was first hired as a colt starter and ranch hand and spent many years showing and promoting Bogle’s remuda. After 13 years at the Turkey Track Ranch, Mike, Stacie, and their two children Garret and Colette moved to Lea County where he has been the foreman at Bogle’s historic 4-Lakes Ranch for the past 15 years. The 4-Lakes ranch is home to Bogle’s mare herd and also runs approximately 450 mother cows and depending on the rain 1000-1500 yearlings.

 Garth Coombes – 2019 Outstanding Rancher

Garth Coombes was born in Lovington, New Mexico on May 6, 1966 to Malcolm and Harriet Coombes.  They lived northwest of town near the Anderson Ranch.  Garth and his folks moved to Elida, New Mexico when Garth was a year old.  Malcolm was transferred to Elida and worked in the oilfield on the Bob Crosby Ranch south of Kenna.  Garth's parents had several ranches leased from south of Kenna to Milensand.  Garth grew up working with his Daddy and helping friends and neighbors.  Garth had the pleasure of being exposed to many great and talented ranchers, cattlemen, and cowboys.  These people were his role models, mentors, and heroes.  Garth and his dad started a trucking company in 1980.  Garth worked, drove trucks and went to school in Elida until he finally graduated in 1984.  In 1988 he moved to Hobbs where he would have more opportunities.  In 2008 he bought his first ranch at Crossroads NM, which included the Tips Barnes place, the Duncan Gaynor place, and the Lovejoy place. In 2015 he also purchased the Underwood place.  Garth is living his dream of ranching, hauling cattle, helping his neighbors and enjoying his family.

2019 Silver Concho Award

Dr. Darrell Beauchamp is the Executive Director of the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX. Prior to assuming the position in Texas in April, Beauchamp was, for seven years, the Executive Director of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame in Hobbs.

Darrell grew up in central Texas, with five brothers.  Upon graduation from high school, he attended Temple Junior College and East Texas State University where he met his future wife, Jan.   He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from East Texas State University and an earned doctorate from Texas A&M University - Commerce.  During his career he has served as a photo-journalist, a graphic designer, a University professor (University of Central Arkansas), a Librarian (Navarro College) and a Museum Director. 

Dr. Beauchamp served as the Executive Director of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame on the campus of New Mexico Junior College from 2012-2019.  During this time, he fostered a tight relationship between the Museum and the Hall of Fame, allowing both entities to work toward a common goal.  He switched the roles of the South and North Gallery providing extra space needed to bring in quality exhibits, including:  “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,”  “Bigger than T-Rex,” “Bugs Outside the Box,” and “Selected works of Andy Warhol.”  He increased visitor attendance through creating a Staked Plains Roundup event for the public, bringing in Bonnie Moran’s North Pole Village at Christmas, and much more.  His tenure saw many improvements to the building and grounds, and unprecedented growth to the Museum and Hall of Fame.

In his spare time, Darrell is an avid fly fisherman, camper, and photography enthusiast.  He is an Eagle Scout and was a Boy Scout leader and Scoutmaster for fifteen years.  He and his wife, Jan, are the parents of three grown children, Cody, Casey, and Emily all of whom live in Central Texas.

 2019 Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductee

Albert “Suckerod” Ozborn

Albert Ozborn was born on March 4, 1935.  He left home at 15 to work on the historic Matador Ranch near Lubbock, TX.  He also worked on the historic Pitchfork Ranch, also near Lubbock, as straw boss at age 17.  He moved to Lea County in 1964, where he began working for the Charlie Martin Ranch, founded by W. S. “Colonel” Williams.  At 29 years old, Albert worked as a foreman for the Martin Ranch and retained that position for 53 years.  In 2000, Albert purchased and operated the Breaks Ranch on the edge of the Caprock. While ranching, Albert earned the nickname “Suckerod” due to his thin physique.

Albert considered working cattle to be both his job and his hobby.  He is recorded as saying, “Some people like to go fishing; I like to work cattle.  There ain’t nothing more pleasant than to go down and saddle a horse and work cattle.”  Albert also built bits, spurs, belts, chaps, bull whips, bull ropes, trailers, and made boots for his family.

Albert was a successful team roper and known for being left handed and using a short rope.  He was on the cover of the Quarter Horse Journal in 1958 and in the Saturday Evening Post in 1959 where he was featured roping cattle on the Pitchfork Ranch.

Albert believed there was no better life, than living and working on a ranch.  He was awarded as Working Cowboy at the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2004.  Albert passed away on January 3, 2017.  His wife, Marion, and son, Jim, are also deceased, but he is survived by son, Phillip and wife Troy Lee; grandchildren, Zach, Makayla, Chad, and Crystal; and great-grandson, Zane.

2019 Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductee

J.E. Teague

Born to Hattie and “Cowboy” Teague, J.E. Teague’s family has an established history in Lea County.  His grandparents homesteaded 160 acres at the corner of Stiles and Knowles Rd, northwest of Knowles, NM, and he lived on the southwest corner of the original land until his death.

“Cowboy” was a roper and had roped in Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX, but J.E. didn’t start roping until he was out of high school.  J.E. went to South Plains Junior College on a rodeo scholarship and rodeoed as much as possible to keep up with the very competitive rodeo scene in southeastern New Mexico.  J.E. was the leader in points for Rodeo Cowboy Association Rookie of the Year when he was drafted into the US Army.  He couldn’t rodeo while stationed in Georgia, but when he transferred to Washington state, he eventually was able to find time to rodeo on the weekends if he could find somewhere to board his horse, “Ole Woody”.  Finding an empty barn with stalls and a big yard, he took a chance and asked the family about boarding his horse.  The Crate family welcomed J.E. with open arms. becoming his home away from home.  By the time J.E. got back into roping he’d lost his standing for Rookie of the Year.

J.E. left roping for a few years and started cutting.  He did well as a weekender in the non-pro class in New Mexico and Texas, and went to the NCHA finals in Fort Worth, TX several times.  Roping associations began to form, creating numbered classification systems, and J.E. was again able to successfully compete on the weekends.  J.E. continued to compete right up until the weekend before he passed away at age 81.  He was #13 in the Ultimate Calf Roping Series.  He once said “I rope against other old guys AND against their grandsons and granddaughters.”

J.E. was a proud member of the Board of Directors for the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame and the New Mexico Junior College Athletic Booster Club.  He was often found at the NMJC rodeo practice arena where he would work with college students on honing their skills as ropers.

J.E. is survived by wife, Virginia; sister, Janice; and step daughters, Mandy Duncan Sayre with husband Chad and daughter Sadie, and Katie Duncan Summers with husband C.J. and daughter Kenzie.

Creepy Candy Crawl

Join us for the first ever Creepy Candy Crawl at the Museum!!  Monday, October 28, put on your costume and come on down to the Museum for some FREE candy and Halloween games!  All ages are welcome, but adults, please no full masks.

Do you have a really cool group costume?  Take a pic in front of the green screen!

It's sure to be a fun night.  Don't miss it!

Distinguished Author - Jack Loeffler

Jack Loeffler Jr.

A man with a lifetime of adventures, Jack Loeffler has been a professional jazz trumpeter and classical recorder artist, an environmental activist, “aural historian,” accomplished author, folklorist,  practical anthropologist, sound engineer, and radio producer.

Jack Loeffler lives and loves what he does.  As an “a-u-r-a-l historian” he devotes his life to working with indigenous cultures and recording their relationship to the land. He  believes that the knowledge and wisdom of people who live on the land close to the earth--such as the Hopis, Navajos, Pueblo Indians as well as tribes from Mexico--can help our species survive. Jack records the nature sounds, the music, the stories of these groups to develop an environmental consciousness for the world.  As his Navajo friend Shonto Begay wrote, “by documenting the voices and stories of the land Jack, moves us and helps us to rediscover our own voices”

From his rich recordings, Jack creates sound collages for CDs and radio programs we hear on National Public Radio, such as the Turquoise Trail, the Lore of the Land, and a special production on Aldo Leopold.   Jack has also recorded the largest collection of New Mexican Hispanic folklore and folk music. La Musica de los Viejitos is one  collection of this music. His recordings are housed in the Smithsonian and will be available at the New Mexico History Museum as well.  Jack has also published five critically acclaimed books.

In 2008 Jack received the Governor’s Award for Excellence for his writing and his ethnomusicology work. This year he received the Edgar Lee Hewett Award for Outstanding Public Service from the New Mexico Historical Society.

Jack ‘s daughter Celestia writes about her Dad and “best pal.”  “He makes friends everywhere he goes, because he cares.  He empathizes and connects with every living being he encounters.  From the child sitting across from him at a restaurant to the Navajo elder, and the great horned owl to the spiny cholla cactus, he cares about it all.”  A good friend wrote about Jack: he lives every day “in the moment, while creating a legacy for posterity that will have resonance in Santa Fe and far

Jack Loeffler is a true Renaissance man 

During the 1950s and early 1960s, Loeffler was a jazz trumpeter who performed throughout the United States. He has written numerous books, including "Adventures with Ed: A Portrait of Abbey," which was published in 2002 and recounts his experiences with writer and pioneering environmentalist Ed Abbey.

Loeffler moved to New Mexico in 1962 and has spent the last 40 years devoted to preserving and sharing the arts and stories of the people of his adopted state. He has interviewed and recorded writers, visual artists, traditional indigenous people, musicians and ordinary people who live in every region of the state. As a master artist in ethnomusicology, Loeffler has set extremely high standards for sound quality and editing. Through his artistic recordings, he has exposed the world to traditional Hispano and Native American music and culture.

Loeffler's personal archive of interviews, music and environmental sounds has been fully digitized onto archival gold CDs and hard drives to be saved for future generations. The collection is already being used in current exhibitions and programs at the Palace of the Governors which will share this outstanding ethnographic collection in the new State History Museum, which is set for a public opening on Memorial Day weekend 2009. Loeffler's radio shows, which include the ongoing "Lore of the Land" and "Moving Waters - the Colorado River and the West," are legendary, not only for the information they impart but for the inspiration they engender.

"Loeffler is a National Treasure who is revered in his field from the Folklore Center at the Library of Congress to small villages in rural New Mexico," said nominator Sue Sturtevant. "While very few people deserve the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, Jack Loeffler is one who does!"

Museum Day 2019

The Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame on the campus of New Mexico Junior College is participating in Smithsonianmagazine’s Museum Day, this Saturday.  Smithsonian magazine has designated Saturday, September 21, 2019 as the 15^thannual Museum Day, an initiative in which participating museums across the United States open their doors for free to those who download a branded ticket.  The annual event allows museums, zoos and cultural centers from all 50 states to emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities, which offer free admission every day.  Museum Day represents a national commitment to access, equity and inclusion.

“We have participated in Museum Day for 8 years now,” says Erin Anderson, Interim Executive Director of the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.  “It is important to offer opportunities like this for patrons to experience cultural and historical activities without worrying about cost.”

This year, Museum Day will celebrate the Smithsonian Year of Music, an institution-wide initiative celebrating the Smithsonian’s vast musical collections and resources.  Music is not only a reflection of human creativity and innovation, but also a key method of communication and cross-cultural exchange and understanding.  

“Our most recent event, Staked Plains Roundup on campus, tied into the Smithsonian’s Year of Music,” explains Anderson.  “The Native American dancers performed traditional dances, Maciolek School of Dance dancers taught patrons to line dance, and Gary Nix and West Texas performed a wonderful concert on the patio.  If, by chance, you missed this event, don’t worry, you can see musical instruments from our permanent collection on display, and you can see how music has touched many lives in our traveling exhibits, National Geographic’s Greatest Photographs of the American Westand E Pluribus Unum.”

Museums in all 50 states have signed up to participate in Smithsonianmagazine’s 2019 Museum Day, the largest event of its kind.  More than 1,500 museums are expected to participate this year.  Those wishing to attend any of the participating museums can visit Smithsonian.com/museumday to learn more and download a Museum Day ticket.  Each ticket grants the holder and one guest free access to any participating museum on September 21, 2019.  One ticket is permitted per email address.  A list of participating museums can be found on the website as well.