Tom Harrower grew up surrounded by sagebrush and old cowboys. His family’s ranch was north of Kemmerer on Fontenelle Creek and it was there he became fascinated with the dying traditions of cowboying.
“We had guys working for us when I was real young, and they were old time cowboys,” Harrower said. “They were the real deal.”
Harrower, 79, said these cowboys wore high-crowned hats, high-heeled boots and big-roweled spurs. He would spend hours watching them break saddle horses and working in the hay fields, where they were still using horses rather than tractors.
“That era of cowboy has kind of disappeared and some of those things got lost,” Harrower said. “I was pretty fortunate to have lived the life that I have.”
This love of the west led Harrower to auctioneer school right after graduating from high school.
Beginning in 1965, and for the next 42 years, Harrower traveled the countryside as an auctioneer for his H and B Horse Sales. Even though they sold plenty of horses and mules over the years, Harrower said their main business was selling antiques.
“We had a lot of farm and ranch sales,” Harrower said. “We were in the business of selling cowboy collectibles, farm and ranch antiques, wagons, buggies, sleighs, and carriages.”
Tom Harrower was recently inducted into the 2026 National Bit, Spur and Saddle Collectors Association for his dedication of saving Wyoming’s history and creating historical displays with his collections ranging from plastic saddles to bronc riding equipment. For the past 25 years, his passion has been to preserve the plastic saddles Roy Rogers loved that were made in Lusk. (J.R. Study) 
Tom Harrower spent a lifetime protecting cowboy collectibles and before selling his collection in 2011, had a large historic wagon and buggy collection. One of those wagons was from Gunsmoke and by having this story attached to his wagon, it increased its historical value over monetary. 
Tom Harrower of Cheyenne has devoted his life to rescuing cowboy collectibles and finding their story. He created a bronc riding display that featured a bucking rig from the 1960s. This is an example of a bucking rig that was used during rodeos for bronc competitions. 
Tom Harrower of Cheyenne has devoted his life to rescuing cowboy collectibles and finding their story. He created a bronc riding display that featured a bucking rig from the 1960s. This example shows what was used during rodeos for bronc competitions. 
By the time Tom Harrower was born in 1947, the old ways of cowboying was beginning to fade away. He now collects the bits, saddles and other cowboy collectibles from this bygone era. (Photo by W.J. Carpenter, Wyoming State Archives) 
From the 1930s through the 1950s, the cowboy culture was celebrated even by city kids. The cowboy collectibles and their stories are now being preserved by historians such as Tom Harrower. (Photo by Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archives) 
By the time Tom Harrower was born in 1947, the old ways of cowboying was beginning to fade away. He now collects the bits, saddles and other cowboy collectibles from this by-gone era. (Photo by Charles Belden, Wyoming State Archives)
A Lifetime Of Protecting History
Harrower was recently honored for his work as both a collector and a historian.
For more than 60 years, he preserved cowboy collectibles and was inducted into the 2026 National Bit, Spur and Saddle Collectors Association for his dedication of saving Wyoming’s history.
The association was formed in 1982 to preserve American’s cowboy history and culture.
Harrower has been a member for years because he was in the business of selling cowboy collectibles but also because he had his own massive collection of wagons, buggies, sleighs, and carriages.
According to Harrower, the historical value of a buggy or other item is the backstory. When that is lost, the cowboy collectible is not as valuable.
Harrower has dedicated his life to saving and finding those unique stories. An example is a stagecoach Harrower bought at auction in Indiana.
“The stagecoach came out of California where it was used in a lot of Gunsmoke movies,” he said. “I would see it all the time whenever I watch those shows.”
Harrower sold most of his wagons in 2011 and began collecting in earnest unique plastic saddles crafted in Lusk.
He created portable historical displays of his various collections and has taken them to county fairs, the Wyoming State Fair and other cowboy events.
Tom Harrower of Cheyenne began collecting the plastic saddles and accessories of the All-Western Plastic Company in 1982. He put together a traveling display and seeks to preserve the stories of the plastic cowboy collectibles. The saddles were all made in Lusk, Wyoming, and Harrower said they are an important part of our state’s history. (Courtesy Tom Harrower) 
Tom Harrower of Cheyenne began collecting the plastic saddles and accessories of the All-Western Plastic Company in 1982. He put together a traveling display and seeks to preserve the stories of the plastic cowboy collectibles. The saddles were all made in Lusk, Wyoming, and Harrower said they are an important part of our state’s history. (Courtesy Tom Harrower) 
Tom Harrower of Cheyenne began collecting the plastic saddles and accessories of the All-Western Plastic Company in 1982. He put together a traveling display and seeks to preserve the stories of the plastic cowboy collectibles. The saddles were all made in Lusk, Wyoming, and Harrower said they are an important part of our state’s history. (Courtesy Tom Harrower) 
Actor Roy Rogers, the 'King of Cowboys', riding his horse Trigger in front of a group of school children at Harringay Stadium, London, March 20 1954. He's on his favorite of his own brand of plastic saddles. (Getty Images; Courtesy Tom Harrower)
Portable Bucking Chute
One of Harrower’s displays features a portable bucking chute he built and a bareback rigging that belonged to Jim Houston, a world champion bareback rider in 1964 and 65.
“He was there with us so that was exciting as another preservation project,” Harrower said.
The display caught the attention of several retired bronc riders who stopped by with their stories from back in the day.
“I do these temporary displays with the purpose of gathering more information from those people that are left who know about these items,” Harrower said. “I’ve done this for 25 years and it's gotten to be real challenging because many of those people with first-hand information are no longer with us.”
Harrower said he is now dependent on the next generation to help him save these stories that have been written down. He said he has binders full of pictures and books of stories.
“This is about preserving our stories before they are lost,” Harrower said. “I try to dig up history on all of the collectibles that I have but sometimes you will never know the full story because of the lapse of time.
“People disappear before we asked them.”
Contact Jackie Dorothy at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
