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Cowboy Country Television

Host: Ash Cooper

When folks question artist-bullfighter-rodeo clown Ash Cooper about his unusual career path, he offers this ready response: "What I do for a living is not crazy. Crazy is if someone were to break into your home and iron all your clothes!"

The personable cowboy simply couldn't decide whether he wanted to be an athlete or an artist, so he chose both. "I couldn't take sitting in front of an easel year-round; it wasn't rough enough for me," he states matter-of-factly. Bullfighting, clowning and cartooning are a winning combination for Cooper. "My artwork and rodeoing complement each other." he says. "I'm able to draw from a never-ending amount of ideas as I'm immersed in the cowboy culture all year round."

Cooper's witty cartoons are regularly featured in Canadian Cowboy Country magazine and his limited edition graphite prints, pen and ink and watercolor paintings have garnered international acclaim.

Cooper has no plans to give up clowning or art, and will keep both careers. "I love to travel and make people laugh so it's the perfect combo. After all, what can't I get away with being an artist and a clown?"

Visit Ash online

David Poulsen

In 2005, when Children’s author, rodeo/Bull Riding announcer and television personality David Poulsen was awarded an Alberta Centennial Medal for “longtime service to Alberta and Albertans” it took the foothills resident by surprise.

“I’ve always just felt tremendously fortunate to be doing several things that I love, David comments. He visits between 80 to 100 schools across Canada where he talks to kids from 9 to 15 about the importance of reading and how he became the unlikely combination of cowboy and author. As well David conducts writing workshops for kids during which he shares the strategies that have made him successful, leading to 19 published books.

As well, David continues to announce over 100 rodeo/bull riding performances each year resulting in some 1500 North American rodeo performances as “the man behind the microphone”. 2006 marked Dave’s 20th year announcing rodeo at the Calgary Stampede where he also serves as colour commentator for CTV Television’s annual Calgary Stampede nightly coverage. He appeared in two episodes of The Black Stallion television series and in the movie The Convict Cowboy with Jon Voigt.

One of Canada’s most sought after guest speakers, Poulsen is often asked if he and Cowboy Country Television host Ash Cooper “really don’t like each other.”

And though the two are good friends both on and off the set, David is quick to tell people…”everyone needs a challenge in this life and Ash is mine.”

David and wife Barb live on a picturesque ranch in southwestern Alberta’s Porcupine Hills.

Barb Poulsen

Barb Poulsen is the brains behind the popular cooking segments on Cowboy Country Television. She assembles, prepares and, while the cameras are rolling, creates the delicious fare that is a part of every Cowboy Country Television episode. Off screen, the former high school teacher is a communications specialist - a business owner responsible for graphic/web/print design for a tremendous variety of clients, a number of whom of are rodeo/western lifestyle/tourism/event-based.

Barb is also a columnist and free-lance writer for Western Horse Review Magazine and Barrel Horse News (Cowboy Publishing Group, Texas).

A horse trainer and Barrel Racer, Barb’s passion for the western lifestyle (including its food) are evident on Cowboy Country television as she whips up her weekly western delicacies while managing to display remarkable tolerance as she deals with the ongoing antics of her two kitchen ‘partners.’

“I love the show and I love to cook so having the opportunity to create recipes that come from such a wonderful array of people who reside in and love the west is a real treat for me. Ash and Dave are less of a treat but I’ll continue to try to whip the two of them into shape,” she laughs.

 

 

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