By guest blogger Dave Kozlowski of Dallas Photoworks

“…I returned home that evening smelling like a cow and having stepped in things I don’t wish to think about.”

Fort Worth's skyline says "Big City."

Fort Worth is growing and changing.  The downtown cityscape is like most other large American cities, complete with steel and glass high-rise buildings.  Construction booms and drilling rigs compete with skyscrapers as part of the ever-changing skyline.

But, most people still think of cowboys when they think of Fort Worth.  The city earned the title of “Cowtown” over a century ago with its stockyards and railhead and there is still a “cattle drive” through the city for tourists. But what about real cattlework? Is any of that going on?

I am happy to report that in 2009, the ‘business’ of being a cowboy still takes place, unseen by the casual observer.  

Rodeo cowboy Chad Eubank invited a photographer to attend his branding.

I found out about this when Cleburne native Chad Eubank, a rodeo star in his own right, invited me to visit his ranch just south of Fort Worth to take photos of a day of cattle branding.  

Being a freelance photographer, and a Yankee transplant to Texas, I jumped at the chance!

This was not the first time I visited Chad, having been introduced to him two years ago at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo in Cleburne.  Since that time we have become good friends, texting and calling each other to see what is happening in each other’s lives.  A year ago I shot photos of Chad, his fiancé Kim and Johnson County Sheriff Bob Alvord. We moved some longhorns  that bitterly cold, rainy day.  That was an experience I will never forget, watching real cowboys do real work, with them on horseback, and me on a golf cart shadowing.

Chad understands my fascination with all things western, so he remembered me when organizing this week’s cattle branding, and quickly invited me and a photographer buddy to join him on his ranch. Little did we know by day’s end, the photographers would be on horseback, branding cattle, and wrangling calves with our bare hands, while the cowboys would be holding the cameras shooting photos!

The cowboys roping a calf in preparation for immunization and branding

Not knowing what to expect, we arrived early, the cows were quickly gathered together, and the calves were separated from the adults. The adults would be led into a cattle chute which would hold them securely during the branding process. Among other things, each cow received immunizations and a brand of the K2 Ranch. The calves seemed like more work than the adults. Each needed to be roped; skillfully done with style and technique by two of the cowboys, while the third remained on the ground to help tie the front and back legs securely. One-by-one, all 60 head of cattle were routinely immunized and branded. The adults were released into the pasture, while the calves were dragged slowly into a holding pen until the entire herd was completed.

Here, the photographers are checking out the action from behind the fence.

Being a cowboy is hard, physical work. I returned home that evening smelling like a cow and having stepped in things I don’t wish to think about, but just as excited as when I arrived early that morning!

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Chad Eubank is currently competing on “America’s Toughest Cowboy on Spike TV. The season premier is Thursday, January 29th at 10:00pm Central. Chad will also compete at “Bulls Night Out” during the annual Fort Worth Stock Show at the Will Rogers Center on Tuesday, January 20, and Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 7:30pm.

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David Kozlowski is a freelance photographer based in Keller, Texas. He specializes in Commercial Photography and Texas Landscapes. View more of his work on his website/blog, Dallas Photoworks.  You can also follow Dave on Twitter.