Pecos Coy Wilson - by Stewart

Railroad Pens in Kenna NM, 1990

Running N shipping day at the old railroad pens in Kenna NM, 1990. That's Pecos Coy Wilson on the black horse, Tim Bob Wilson behind Coy, Monte Howard on the fence, and Tommy Haley on the right looking over the fence. Photo by the Fort Chile Flash, Scot Stinnett.

I first became acquainted with Coy Wilson in the mid 1970's. I was just a green kid trying to learn the game. I figured out right quick that Coy was special. He was an expert at handling any type of cattle in any situation, plenty ropey, and a good hand with a horse. The whole enchilada. Best of all, Coy was fun! Coy was entertaining to work with, and to visit with in a social setting.

One time, probably in the late 1980's, Coy, Mack Ainsworth, and myself were sitting in my living room having a cold one or two. Coy was telling stories, Blackie and I were soaking them up like a sponge. In the middle of the session, Coy says: "waal, there was 60 sections in the West Lit, they fed it with a wagon." Then he jumped onto another story. In a little bit Coy left to go home. The instant he was out the door, Blackie and I looked at each other and asked the same question. If there was 60 sections in the West Lit, how big was the East Lit? And did they feed it with a wagon too? Blackie and I joked about that for years. Looking back now I wonder if the West Lit might have been a ranch, instead of just a pasture. For some reason that never occurred to Blackie and me. Our consumption of Coors Light wasn't always conducive to cognizant behavior lol. Back to the story, feeding 60 sections with a wagon would have been no small feat!

Coy was something of a cowboy philosopher, and he is still quoted today from time to time. Coy on banking: "waal, banks will lend you more than you can pay back, but they won't lend you enough to make the deal work." A rather profound statement. My personal favorite Coyism: "waal, everyone says they want a good little ranch....... I'd just like to have a big sorry one." If I had a dollar for every time Coy said "waal," I'd have a lot of dollars lol.
Coy was a top hand at the art of tantalizing. Quite a few of the cowboys I grew up around were pretty handy at it. Coy was the champ. Coy was so masterful at it and approached it in such a good natured way that the tantalizee couldn't help but be amused and roll along with it. Ask me how I know this lol.

Coy and I were both pallbearers at Top Preuit's funeral. There was a meal before the service, and Coy and I wound up outside visiting. He proceeded to tell me what would become one of my all time favorite stories. Coy, Top, and Harry Strain had hauled some cattle to Clovis the evening before the sale. Then they eased down to a watering hole to quench their thirst. They're in there having a cold one and shooting pool. Two gals approach and ask if they would care to dance. Coy and Harry politely declined. So one of the gals asks Top. Top replies: "well, I'd love to but I can't. You see, I'm a preacher.......and it's against my religion to dance". The gal was kind of taken back. She told Top: "you mean to tell me that you are a preacher...... and you are in here drinking and smoking....... but you won't dance? To which Top replied: "well ma'am, I've got to draw the line somewhere." You can't make this stuff up lol

I miss the good ole days!