The rodeo announcer introduced the next team, Jim and Paulette Moss. As they got into position, he built up the excitement of the crowd and kept the event rolling along. Country music blared across the loudspeaker, and the chute was open.
A small steer bolted out with the riders positioned on either side. Lassoes were high above both riders’ heads as they chased after the steer, their adrenalin pumping and their focus on their target.
Paulette snagged the steer’s horns, and her husband lassoed the hind feet. They let the steer go and exited the arena as their time was announced.
Beginning in the 1980s, Jim and Paulette Moss were a strong competitive team, both inside and outside the arena. In their early years, they competed across the Rocky Mountain Region in team roping and hosted jackpots in their own backyard.
This love of the cowboy life led them to develop a popular magazine, The WRANGLER, which evolved from sharing events across the region to featuring the cowboys and cowgirls they had come to know after years on the roping circuit.
Super Hosts
Even before they married, the Mosses produced roping jackpots of their own when they weren’t traveling across the countryside competing. Jim’s dad owned a Riverton store, called Moss Saddles Boots and Tack, and had an arena behind his building that the couple used for their events.
“We always liked to host events and parties,” Paulette said. “I guess it was just in our blood to do it.”
They hired the best producers they could afford, which wasn’t much to begin with. Their first events were announced and timed from the tailgate of a pickup truck before the events progressively got bigger and better.
In 1983, the young couple built their own arena on Eight Mile Road, east of Riverton and continued to host roping competitions, sometimes two a week.Their events drew contestants from all over Wyoming and the national qualifying events drew contestants from all across the United States.
With their priorities aligned to roping, the couple had built their arena first and not a home for themselves. They lived in a tiny camper and then built a crow’s nest for announcing and lived it that.
“It was really nice and cute,” Paulette said. “Plenty big enough, especially since we figured that we were going to be gone a lot.”
However, they quickly outgrew their crow’s nest when they started their family and the WRANGLER in 1987.
A Scary Idea
The Mosses had gone to Arizona to spend the winter roping that year, but didn’t know where to go. After asking around, they discovered that all the event information was in an Arizona-based magazine that ropers and barrel racers relied on.
They found the tabloid super helpful and were able to find jackpots to compete in.
They left Arizona to rope with friends in California. After asking about the state jackpots there, they were again directed to a magazine featuring the roping and barrel racing events. It was on the way home that Jim suggested that Wyoming needed its own publication, too, and that Paulette was just the person to do it.
“I was real scared because Wyoming is a huge state,” Paulette said.
She also didn’t know the first thing about publishing, but Jim was persistent and talked her into at least giving it a try.
Their original goal was to make people aware of events and their first edition, called the Wyoming Wrangler, was pounded out on a Mac Plus computer in their tiny crow’s nest living quarters.
The first issue was 16 pages long and continued to grow until the biggest edition was 180 pages. The goal was to serve everyone of all ages and talent, from beginner to pro, that compete in any aspect of the equine industry.
“We initially called it Wyoming Wrangler, and we were just going to feature Wyoming team roping jackpots and rodeos,” Paulette said. “Soon after publishing the first issue, associations from other states wanted included.
They would ask, ‘Is this only for Wyoming?’”
The Moss’s dropped the Wyoming in their name and distribution grew. The WRANGLER became the official paper of 52 associations in the Rocky Mountain region.
There were bumps in the road as time and technology progressed. With the growing popularity of Facebook, readers could find the results of the events they attended almost instantly. Instead of giving up, the Moss’s pivoted.
“We started hiring more freelance writers and publishing more feature stories about the people our readers knew and were interested in,” Paulette said.
From that point on, the The WRANGLER became more of a feature magazine, and the couple continued publishing while still traveling to ropings across the region.
However, Jim’s health had taken a turn for the worse. First, he had torn his shoulder during a roping competition, and he was no longer able to compete in ropings. Then, his chronic kidney failure lead to a kidney transplant.
When Jim Moss desperately needed a new kidney, it was his daughter, Carla, who became his donor on Jan. 16, 2018. Shown here with their mutual kidney doctor, Dr. Casey Cotant. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
When Paulette Moss didn’t know what to do with her abandoned granary, her daughter, Carla, suggested she convert it into a vacation rental. The JMA Granary has become a popular place to stay. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
Paulette Moss and her daughter, Carla Rae, would dress alike for the lead line class at horse shows. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
In 2017, Jim and Paulette Moss named the last event in their arena Chasin’ the Eclipse. Jim was becoming too ill to continue hosting events and this was their last hurrah. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
The Wyoming Office of Tourism sent representatives to four locations across Wyoming to cover the total eclipse. The Jim Moss Arena was chosen as one of those four places. Picture are, from left, Abigail Smith, Wyoming Office of Tourism representative; Olie Moss; Deryl Sweat; and Jim Moss. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
Raising a new generation of ropers. Jim and Paula Moss raised their kids in the arena and on the road. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
Within a year of starting their magazine, originally called Wyoming Wrangler, Jim and Paulette Moss were featured in the Western Horseman’s April 1988 issue. (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss) 
Left, the JMA Tipi was the first Airbnb that started the new chapter in the Moss legacy. They rented it out in 2017 during the total eclipse. Right, the Mosses were one of three in their community using this advanced technology (for the time). (Courtesy Jim and Paulette Moss)
Last Event Turned Into A New Career
As they prayed for a kidney, the 2017 Great American Eclipse brought an opportunity to the Mosses that they never anticipated.
“We were hoping Jim would still be alive by the time the eclipse came,” Paulette admitted. “We couldn’t pull off a big event because Jim was sick, but I said, I can pull off a barrel race.”
Paulette hired her favorite producer, and they hosted a two night barrel race. Ultimately, they ended up with 550 guests from all over the world, including television crews and the Wyoming Office of Tourism.
“They eclipse chasers were so nice,” Paulette said. “I looked at Jim and I said that I could do more of that.”
That was the beginning of a new chapter. The couple turned their place into the Jim Moss Arena campground.
Less than a year later, their daughter, Carla, donated her kidney to her dad and he began the long road to recovery.
Vacation Rentals
As Jim regained his health, their arena was transformed into a unique campground that not only has RV sites but also featured unique vacation rentals which can be rented through Airbnb or on their website.
After 36 years, in 2021 they sold The WRANGLER, which is now owned by Alice Werner and continues its mission of celebrating Wyoming’s equine industry. The Moss’s now work together on their new passion, an eclectic collection of vacation rentals
“I'm kind of busier than ever, in a way,” Paulette said. “At least more physical stuff which I enjoy because sitting by the computer all day isn't quite exactly the best thing to do all the time.”
The Mosses are proof that you when you pursue your passions, you don’t always know what that dream will be until it finds you.
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
