History Main / Cowboy

Mexican and Mexican-American cowboys, called ''Vaqueros'', tended to fare better in media presentations, known for their riding and roping skills. Vaqueros are in fact the precursors to what we consider cowboys. It's from them that we get the equipment and the word "rodeo" and many of the events included in it, after all. This used to be mixed with unfortunate negative stereotypes, however. Many early vaqueros were Indians who worked in missions colonial New Spain.

----

* ''Series/HorribleHistories'' had a musical number describing what the life of a working cowboy was actually like.

* Being a {{Western}}, the manga ''{{Miriam}}'' has its share. Douglas and Miriam both work on a ranch, as do Douglas' friends Card and Joel.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' has Woody, and the sequel introduces his DistaffCounterpart Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl.

Subtypes include:

'''Rodeo Rider:''' This fellow is a working cowboy on the off-season, but whenever there's a rodeo, he's off to show off his riding and roping skills. Rodeo riders tend to be more boastful and concerned with winning trophies than other cowboys. Stories about rodeo riders often play up the difficulties their nomadic lifestyle causes with relationships.

'''Dude Ranch Cowboy:''' Similar to the working cowboy, but whose job is to give "dudes" (tourists) a taste of TheThemeParkVersion of ranch life. Generally more careful of his appearance than the working cowboy, many in fiction being ruggedly handsome. Often has to rescue a tenderfoot who is TooDumbToLive, and can be the TemporaryLoveInterest for a female character. More serious-minded cowboys may be embarrassed by having to work on a dude ranch.

Geography plays an important role in determining cowboy characters.

On the Plains, larger ranches based around the water holes are to be expected with a significant number of working cowboys, with a scattering of Rodeo Riders.

In the Mountains expect smaller ranches, with the result of more Lone Cowboys, Philosopher Cowboys (they like smaller operations where their intellect can be appreciated), and the ranches are more open to a Drifter Cowboy.

In the Desert/Badlands, expect cowboys to be [[MightyWhitey closer to the Indians]], with two or three characters referred to as Apache, or raised by Apache. A lot more emphasis on water scarcity, similar to the mountains in character composition, but expect more Outlaws, both as The Rustlers, but also among the legitimate Working Cowboys. This is a land for [[TheStoic Hard Men]] and if you do the work people don't ask questions.

Singing Cowboys might be anywhere, but are less likely in the Badlands, although they appear there too, sometimes as a way of showing the softer side of men.

This character type often overlaps with:

* '''{{Outlaw}}.''' The EvilCounterpart of the Cowboy is TheRustler, who uses the same skills to steal cattle and horses.

Compare the CowboyCop, who keeps the frontier attitude towards law enforcement; and the SpaceCowboy, who is the SpeculativeFiction version.

[[AC:Advertising]]

* "Le Cowboy" of Le Heroes des Paris in the MarvelUniverse is a French appropriation of American stereotypes, in homage to TheWildWest.

* ''ToyStory'' has Woody, and the sequel introduces his DistaffCounterpart Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl.

* On ''MalcolmInTheMiddle'' Francis worked as a dude ranch cowboy for a while. One episode had Francis and Otto (the ranch's German owner) run afoul of a pair of working cowboys who kept tearing down the Grotto's fence to let their cattle through.

<<|WesternCharacters|>>

* Quickstrike from ''BeastWars'', a villainous metal [[MixAndMatchCritters scorpion/cobra hybrid]] has the personality if not the looks, with a generous helping of Redneck added to the mix.

* "Calico" Yorki of ''OnePiece'' plays on the singing cowboy trope as the leader of a band of adventurous musical pirates.

[[quoteright:326:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/everyone-together-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-29790647-813-606_3280.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:326:Yee-haw!]]

* Being a {{Western}}, the manga ''Miriam'' has its share. Douglas and Miriam both work on a ranch, as do Douglas' friends Card and Joel.

* "Calico" Yorki of OnePiece plays on the singing cowboy trope as the leader of a band of adventurous musical pirates.

* Joe in ATownLikeAlice

* ''Iron King'', an {{Ultraman}} ripoff from the 1970s, has a singing cowboy as one of the characters.

* ''Have Gun Will Travel'' often featured cowboys as guest characters. In one particularly memorable episode, Paladin befriends a lone cowboy who happens to be Native American--then accepts a fee from [[CorruptHick a big spread rancher]] to force the small rancher to sell his land. [[spoiler:Paladin had spotted that metal deposits on the land were slowly poisoning the cattle, making the spread worthless for ranching.]]

* ''ToyStory'' has Woody, and the sequel introduces his DistaffCounterpart Jesse, the Yodeling Cowgirl.

* Applejack from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' lassos wayward critters, herds stampeding cattle, eagerly gets into fights, and is seldom seen without her hat. The only thing she ''doesn't'' do is ride horses, [[AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal for obvious reasons.]]

* Applejack from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' lassos wayward critters, rustles stampeding cattle, eagerly gets into fights, and is seldom seen without her hat. The only thing she ''doesn't'' do is ride horses, [[AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal for obvious reasons.]]

The Cowboy is the archetypical character of the {{Western}}, perhaps the quintessential American hero. In the simplest terms, a "cowboy" is someone whose primary job is tending a herd of cattle on a ranch. In more general terms, it can be any character that has the appearance and mannerisms of a cowboy. Note that many WesternCharacters have similar garb to the {{Cowboy}}, so some caution should be taken in placing them in this category.

* ''Iron King'', an {{Ultraman}} ripoff from the 1970s, has a singing cowboy as one of the characters, [[OrSoIHeard Or so we gather]].

The Cowboy is the archetypical character of the {{Western}}, perhaps the quintessential American hero. In the simplest terms, a "cowboy" is someone whose primary job is tending a herd of cattle on a ranch. In ages past, "cowboy" referred to a very specific profession. In modern usage, the term has broadened to include anything related to the Old West or the American West in general. Virtually any WesternCharacters may be referred to as a "cowboy" whether or not they actually tend cattle.

The Cowboy is the archetypical character of the {{Western}}, perhaps the quintessential American hero. In the simplest terms, a "cowboy" is someone whose primary job is tending a herd of cattle on a ranch. In more general terms, it can be any character that has the appearance and mannerisms of a cowboy. Note that many WesternCharacters have similar garb to the {{Cowboy}}, so some caution should be taken in placing them in this category.