Since its founding in 1930, the Texas Cowboy Reunion has stood as a proud tribute to the early-day traditions of Texas ranching, honoring the cowboys who built the foundation of the cattle industry. In 2001, the Reunion took that purpose one step further by formally recognizing those who have committed their lives to the working cowboy lifestyle. Each year, one deserving individual is named the Working Ranch Cowboy—a title reserved for those who exemplify the values, toughness, and heritage of the profession.
This year, at the 95th Texas Cowboy Reunion, that honor is awarded to Ike Good of Seymour, Texas.
Born on March 31, 1954, to Stanley and Margie Good, Ike was raised in the ranch country of New Mexico, where his family had deep Texas roots tracing back to the early 1900s. Although raised in New Mexico, Ike always felt Texas in his blood—and eventually came full circle, returning to the Lone Star State in the early 2000s, completing what he calls a “100-year ranching odyssey.”
A fourth-generation cattleman and cowboy, Ike hails from Kenna, New Mexico—once the largest cattle shipping point in the country. In fact, Ike and his father loaded the last cattle onto a train from Kenna in 1968, marking the end of an era in western history.
After graduating from Elida High School in 1972, Ike earned a degree in education with a minor in history from Eastern New Mexico University. But despite his academic accomplishments, Ike couldn’t ignore the pull of the land and the lifestyle. He traded desks for saddles, choosing cowboy work over the classroom and never looked back.
Over the years, Ike has worked on ranches across both New Mexico and Texas, from day work to management, and today he still spends his summers caring for a ranch back in New Mexico—where, as he puts it, “the landscape is beautiful, and it’s 20 degrees cooler!”
His first job at 18 was under Ron Bronson, earning $450 a month. But it was cowboy Bob Bird who made the greatest impression. “He had a way of correcting you that didn’t make you feel bad but left you wanting to be better,” Ike recalls.
A true family man, Ike beams with pride when talking about his three sons—Billy, Tell, and Brad—all of whom have followed in his cowboy footsteps. His influence extends to his seven grandchildren, and alongside his wife Robbie, he now calls Seymour, Texas, home.
When asked what makes a good cowboy, Ike says, “You have to have the desire first of all. Then you must be tough to do this job. Finally, you must be able to listen.” Those who know him best say he embodies these very traits. Bruce Ford, a previous award recipient, describes Ike as “a good cowboy, super nice guy and knows everybody in the cowboy world.” Cody Ender echoes that sentiment, calling Ike “a good, upstanding man, a God-fearing man.”
But perhaps the most meaningful words come from Ike’s son, Tell:
“Something that he passed on to us, his sons, was to put God first, work hard, and treat everyone right, and everything else will work out. He not only taught us this, but he lived it.”
In the cowboy world, compliments don’t come easy. So when men of the same grit and caliber speak so highly of someone, you know it means something. Ike Good isn’t just a cowboy—he’s the cowboy that defines what the Working Ranch Cowboy Award is all about.
Congratulations, Ike. You’ve earned this moment.