Working hard: Cowboy poet tells it like it is | Midwest Messenger

Dave Knight represents the fourth generation of the HH Knight family homesteaded and Kinkaided in the North Platte River Valley, starting in 1886. Through the guidance of his father, Fred H. Knight, and mentoring from Bus Wendt, his life’s course was directed. ranching toward.

At the age of 37, when his father passed away unexpectedly, he assumed charge of the Red Rose and Red Cedar Ranches, located in the Keith and Lincoln counties.

Today, looking back, his entire life has been devoted to ranching, stewardship of the land and its history of preservation. He has become a dedicated cattleman, a reluctant mechanic of hay equipment, a former bull rider, a writer of cowboy poetry and music and a community and church leader.

Dave is sometimes described as the Knight family curmudgeon. However, it is known that his exterior covers an awfully soft heart that comes out of the care he provides for his mother, siblings, wife and family, neighbors, a herd of Red Angus / Hereford cows and calves, and his well-loved border collies General Chat Chat Lounge

His heart is reflected in the poetry and music he writes of the cowboy life.

Dave Knight was born in Keith County, July 7, 1953 to Fred and Gertrude Knight. He was raised on the Red Rose Ranch by his great-great-grandfather, where his mother still resides.

In addition to his parents, Bus Wendt, who worked on the Red Rose for over 22 years, played an important role in Dave’s upbringing by teaching him about horses, horsemanship, fixing windmills and how to fence your land properly.

According to Bus, the purpose of fencing was not only to keep your cattle in, but to maintain good-will with your neighbors – keep it straight and keep it tight! A good fence makes good neighbors.

To this day, according to his sister, Rita, “Whatever Dave does, it’s done the hard way, but it’s done right!”

Another way of stating that fact is a Sally Haythorn reflection, who truthfully noted, “If there’s a hard way to do it, that’s how the Knights will go.” If the truth is to be told, stubbornness may be a family character Dave Knight has inherited.

In 1974, Knight married the love of his life, Deborah Huebner, and established a home on Red Cedar Ranch, north of Keystone and part of the Red Rose. This is where they raised their two sons, Josh and Elijah, and now, with the addition of five grandchildren all under the age of 8, they continue to raise little cowboys and cowgirls.

In addition, over the years, many young people have been interested in the cowboy life with Knight on the ranch and will continue to return as members of his “extended” family.

The middle child of the Seven Knights – and the first son with three older sisters – put him in an unenviable position where he learned to get along and be responsible. His siblings include Freida Lange of Lincoln, Valarie Olson of Brule, Bonnie Mueller of Ogallala, Rita Glenn (in his sidekick in the hayfield) as well as the Red Rose, Russell Knight of Lewellen and Paul Knight, who have left the hayfield for New. York City.

Dave Knight attended Ogallala High School where he excelled in football, wrestling and track. Upon graduation he studied at Winfield, Kansas becoming a member of the Lutheran clergy, but left to join his father at the ranches at Keystone. However, many will attest to the fact that he can still deliver some pretty eloquent sermons, usually delivered in the form of poetry and song which he has been writing, reciting and singing for over 30 years.

He captures a ranch of life in the words he puts together while waiting – waiting for that calve to be born, waiting to get into a wet hayfield, waiting for parts to come in, or waiting for his wife (captured in his poem, “Oregon or Bust”).

His venues deliver from the family’s front porch, church and community gatherings, schools, meetings, reunions and cowboy poetry gatherings throughout Nebraska, the Midwest and Elko, Nevada.

His rodeo career was short-lived, but while active, it involved bulls and a father who didn’t share the same enthusiasm for Dave’s 8-second endeavor.

There was always the chance of injury and if injured, “You can’t do the work that needs to be done,” quoting his father.

Well, Dave actually stuck on pretty good, even winning a few belt buckles. But, sure enough, he did get hurt. However, by golly, he showed up for work!

So, while this was not a career that led to fame and glory, it certainly provided excellent fodder for cowboy poetry.

The same can be said for his work at the Ogallala Sale Barn, where he helped sell the day and finally gained profound inspiration regarding the idiosyncrasies of cattle and horses stimulated by his own personal broken leg, wrist, and finger (captured in a poem. called “The Bet”).

Throughout Dave Knight’s life, his love for family, friends and western values ​​has endured him to many. He is ready to help anyone in need and his word is bond. He lives a life of deep appreciation for the integrity of a man simply. At the top of his commitments is his faith, undoubtedly instilled by his mother.

All of these features come out in his book’s poetry, “Wrecks, Rhymes, and Ranchin” poems that range from the love of his wife to his intense dislike of the snow – with Noah’s Ark, the contents, and the UW Mail somewhere in between. General Chat Chat Lounge

For a number of years in the 1980s he was part of the Front Street show in Ogallala, adding his talents to “The Old Time Gang,” that entertained local residents as well as tourists going through the area.

He serves on the board of directors that preserves the world-famous Little Church at Keystone, thus helping support his history of the community. In addition, Knight volunteered for many years to serve the Keystone / Lemoyne Volunteer Fire Department (KLVFD) as a dedicated individual who will continue to call on the Sandhills land and its communities.

For years he has been part of the election board for the Whitetail Voting District where you could count on him to do well-naturedly without any incoming voter. He has served his home church in a variety of capacities including Sunday school superintendent and he continues to serve his church as a elder.

At this point in life, he is trying to retire but it is hard to let go. He was born to the ranch life, wakes in the morning to the needs of the cattle and continues to look out onto the valley that has nurtured six generations of Knights. Nebraska and its Sandhills are home and Knight is definitely in the sand in his boots.