2011 Cowboy Poetry Gathering – Tom Sharpe

Tom Sharpe. Photo by Wes Allen, Museum of Western Colorado

Tom was born and raised in Trinidad, Colorado and spent much of his youth riding day labor and breaking colts for area ranchers. After graduation from college in 1971 with a degree in Animal Nutrition and Reproduction, Tom drifted across the country working cattle in 10 states. Fluctuations in the cattle market caused him to seek a real job with good hours and a steady paycheck. He took to selling real estate. Now, after a few years at “hard labor”, Tom finds himself back on the horses. He currently rides day labor for area ranches, starts colts, gives a few lessons and works with some problem horses.

Tom learned his first poem back in the mid 1960s and has put to memory a fair number of classic and contemporary poems since then. He started writing poems back before it was popular but hid them for he didn’t want his friends to know he was writing. Tom has a great love of words, especially when they are well put together.

He starts colts and does preliminary horse show training as well, and also shows versatile ranch horses. He also works with many young riders and works hard every day at becoming a better horseman himself.

Join us for our annual Grand Junction Cowboy Poetry Gathering, November 4 and 5. Read more about our poets here and you’ll find the schedule here.