Kalvin Cook, whose vibrant personality spins as fast as his ropes and cracks as loud as his bullwhips, is returning to Rogers County for another Will Rogers’ birthday celebration.
He will be turning his rope tricks, cracking whips and spinning guns at the Nov. 2 party marking the 128th anniversary of Will’s birth in Oologah, Indian Territory.
The party will be at the ranch north and east of Oologah, where Will was born in a log-walled room.
A world’s champion trick roper, Kowboy Kal is coming off a four-month stint at the Montana Marlboro Ranch as the “Marlboro Man”. He has the macho good looks to go with that title and the wide grin and quick wit that attracts kids and adults alike.
“I always say Will Rogers 125th birthday was my best show,” he said. He was a special guest for the family reunion party at the ranch, regaling the Rogers’ great-great-grandchildren and others with his antics and coaching the youngsters in rope twirling.
He said knew he was playing to the family of the greatest trick roper of all times. ”Why, with the Rogers family to critique,” he had to be at his best.
He cleanly snapped a paper in town with a whip and played “Orange Blossom Special: with dual whips, all the while laughing, talking and cracking jokes with the audience.
This year will be another tough gig. He will be play to more than 400 elementary students from Skiatook, Sequoyah and Oologah schools. Oologah second graders, directed by Kim Grazier, will entertain with Oklahoma tunes.
Kowboy Kal has had a busy past few years since he spun the biggest loop to take the world’s championship title. Since that time he has not competed, but rather has been busy with public appearances. He played Knotts Berry Farm in California last summer, the place where he got one of his early starts in show business.
During the Phoenix (Ariz.) Wild Western Festival, he used all his western arts skills and in one day was killed six times. “I lived to tell about it.”
A bundle of roping, riding, whip cracking and gunspinning talent he is gone a great deal of the time from his spread in Apache, where his grandfather settled.
“I am all over, that’s what I do,” he said as he headed home to be in Oklahoma City for the Oklahoma Centennial Parade, where he was a popular addition — with hopes of being on the show with some of Oklahoma’s top music artists. “I told them to put me on the show with the big shots. I’ll blow their socks off.”
He has shared the stage with several of the greats in country music, including opening for Travis Tritt and David Allen Cow. He’s on the History Channel Wild West Tech show in most episodes and does some stunt work. Last year he performed at Gilcrease Museum and has been at the Oklahoma state Capitol and Will Rogers Downs Cherokee Casino.
Kalvin gave up a job with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife fish hatcheries after winning a television game show. He and his family hit the show circuit, playing everything from theme parks to corporate parties, commercials and the Rose Parade Equifest, presentations by equestrian parade participants.
His grandfather’s old place in Apache is headquarters and where he returns between gigs. His wife teaches in the Apache elementary school system.