Amarillo – If you’ve never seen the Panhandle Plains of Texas, you really are missing out on some of the most serene scenery in the Lone Star State. Palo Duro Canyon alone is worth the drive to this part of Texas. But right on the edge of the second largest canyon system in the United States, you’ll find Los Cedros Ranch, Home to some beautiful horses. “All of our horses, we let them free-range, so this is their ranch,” said Phyllis Nickum Golden. “We just get to come visit.”
Phyllis owns this 1000-acre ranch that happens to be her happy place. “Oh, it’s heaven,” said Phyllis. “It’s my ranch, my rules.”
Phyllis didn’t grow up on this piece of property, nor is she a native Texan. She made her way to Amarillo through her former career in the hospitality industry. “A man who I used to work for asked me if I’d come to Amarillo to take over four hotels that he bought,” said Phyllis. “And I said, ‘Where?’”
When she arrived, she found out ranching is such a way of life you can’t help but get a whiff of it in the whipping winds of the panhandle. “That’s the smell of money around here,” said Phyllis.
Now Phyllis has always had a love for horses and would always talk about her passion to people at the hotel. Eventually, it took a Beatle to make her saddle up on this adventure. “Matter of fact, Paul McCartney gave me the idea for this,” said Phyllis. “Yeah, our hotel was the only one with private concierge. It was one of the top 100 in the nation for seven years. And Paul McCartney came through here and he was going down Route 66 with his then girlfriend, now wife, and he was coming out to the ranch to ride and he said, ‘You need to start a business like that.’ And that was 2008. And I sat on it for three years, just the thought.”
In 2011, she created Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West, a riding outfit that takes folks from all over the world through some of the most majestic Texas scenery you’ll find. “You talk about the Texas bucket list,” said Phyllis. “This is the world’s bucket list is to ride a horse in Texas.”
These incredible animals traverse the Texas terrain with ease. “Our horses are incredible,” said Phyllis. “They are sons and grandsons of American quarter horses. They’re working cattle horses. This is a cattle ranch, and we allow guests to come out here and experience what it’s like to ride a horse in Texas, but also experience the western way of life.”
But it’s not just the horses that deserve the credit for this incredibly relaxing and easy experience, it’s also the cowgirls leading the way. “Our horses are incredible, but the cowgirls make them feel so, so comfortable, and they take care of them too,” said Phyllis.
You won’t find one cowboy taking lead on this little adventure because, well… “Because girls rock,” said Phyllis. “Most of my wranglers are students at West Texas A&M University. And the deal is they can work here while they’re going to school. I will let them work so many hours, but not enough to get into their studies, so it doesn’t compromise their education at all. When they graduate, they’re expected to go get a big girl job. And it’s kind of sad because I love them. They’re like second daughters to me.”
These ladies in denim and leather aren’t all full-time cowgirls, in fact they come from all sorts of incredible backgrounds with a few common characteristics. “I have girls who are dancers, who are actors, who are veterinarians, who are dentists, who are business owners, who are accountants, who just do so many things, but the common thread that they have is that they love horses, and they love people, and they love the western way of life,” said Phyllis.
Phyllis cuts right to the chase as to why cowgirls are in charge at her ranch. “They’re very hospitable, number one,” said Phyllis. “They’re good eye candy, but they’re more tender with the horses. I notice the different nuances with male and female, and all of our horses are boys, so they’re Goldings. But women are just more gentle and tender. And when you’re riding a horse, you want to make sure that a horse does not have any kind of traumatic imprint.”
Of course, one has to point out that cowboys still make an appearance on her riding outfit’s name. “We had some guys who had to come out and do some heavy lifting, so I thought to honor them, we needed to put their name in there,” said Phyllis.
Whether you’re a cowboy or cowgirl or don’t consider yourself a cow person at all, getting to ride these magnificent horses is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List. “We love what we do,” said Phyllis. “We don’t need to do this business. We have others, but we just love showing people our home, our culture, our horses, and the west.”