Western Heritage Awards

Western Heritage Awards

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is among the nation's most prestigious museums of Western heritage and art. Set atop the historic Persimmon Hill district overlooking Oklahoma City, the Museum is surrounded by beautiful gardens, fountains, and a flagstone esplanade representing the 17 Western states.

Believing the Museum should have a national influence beyond that of solely exhibitions, the Board of Directors established the Western Heritage Awards in 1960. The purpose was to encourage others to tell the great stories of the West, both past and present, with accuracy and artistic quality. The developing West is one of history's most exciting eras, when people of all nationalities, from all walks of life, sought their futures on America's Western frontier.

Standing more than a foot in height, the Wrangler, an impressive bronze sculpture, is awarded to principal creators of the winning entries in specified categories of Western literature, music, film, and television. The Museum also may award Wranglers to organizations or individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the nation's Western heritage during a period of years, or whose contributions lie outside established categories.

Past recipients include distinguished writers, musicians, actors, and directors such as John Wayne, C.J. Box, Taylor Sheridan, Red Steagall, Clint Eastwood, Sam Elliott, and John Ford. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum invites your entries in this nationally recognized awards program.

About The Wrangler

The Wrangler sculpture, presented as an award to each Western Heritage Award winner, has evolved through the years. The earliest Wrangler award was inspired by Charles Russell’s bronze, The Horse Wrangle. Since the first Wrangler sculpture, several other versions were made by talented individuals such as the Museums art director, Richard Muno, and Native American artist John Free. To commemorate the Awards 50th anniversary, Hall of Great Westerners Inductee, the late Harold T. Holden sculpted the current Wrangler depicting a contemporary horseman with the inspiration from the original sculpture still apparent.

Guidelines for All Entries

A panel of qualified professionals are selected as independent judges for the various categories in literature, film, television, and music. Judges are granted the right to step outside category restrictions if a meritorious work deserves unique recognition, or to withhold an award in any category where the quality or number of entries does not meet the standards set by previous winners. The Museum reserves the right to confer an award in each category each year. The subject matter of theme of each entry should relate to the American West and/or the Western experience.

An entry form naming the intended award recipient and including the contact information of all the credited author(s), illustrator(s), photographer(s), publisher(s), recording artist(s), writer(s), composer(s), producer(s), principal actor(s) and or director(s) when applicable is required. This is to ensure that all participating parties are properly informed, and the agreement on the designated award recipient is settled prior to submission. The designated recipient must be the key creative individual most clearly responsible for the overall achievement. There is a maximum of one designated nominee.

Please read important information in detail below for all categories:

1. Entries for the competition are accepted as a hard copy or digital copy by link.
2. If providing physical copies, applicants must provide five copies of both the creative work and completed entry form.
3. Digital copies by link should be submitted to the online portal.
4. All information must be typed or legibly printed.
5. Items submitted for judging will not be returned.
6. There is no limitation on the number of creative works an individual can submit. An individual may submit multiple entries as long as the submissions are different creative works. However, the same title cannot be submitted for judging in multiple categories.

Please see entry payment information below:

1. A $75 entry fee is required for each individual entry in each category.
2. Payment is due upon submission of entry.
3. If providing physical copies, mail five copies of your entry forms with payment to:
   Michael Washington, Western Heritage Awards
   National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
   1700 Northeast 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111-7997
   [email protected]
   (405) 839-7876

For questions, please contact [email protected]

The Announcement of Winners

All winners of the various categories will receive verbal notification and all participants will receive written notification of the results once judging is final. A public announcement is made only of the winners and the Museum will not disclose information regarding other participating entries in the various categories.

IMPORTANT: The Wrangler sculpture will be presented to one key creative individual for each winning entry. The key creative individual eligible to accept the Award is designated in the entry guidelines for each category. Winners must attend the awards ceremonies to be held April 12, 2025, to receive the Wrangler sculpture. The Museum will not ship the Wrangler to absentee winners, and a representative may not accept the Award on the winner’s behalf unless in extreme circumstances. As an entrant, if you know at the time of entry you are unable to attend the Awards Ceremony, please reconsider your entry. Category winners who have not submitted a physical copy will be asked to do so before the Awards Ceremony in April. Please note that physical copies submitted before the Awards Ceremony will not be returned.

Eligibility

Any individual or organization may enter Western theme publications, copyrighted between December 1, 2023, and November 30, 2024, in the appropriate category and received by November 30, 2024. The entry’s subject matter or theme in all literary categories should relate to the American West and/or the Western experience. Vanity press manuscripts are eligible in all book categories. Entries will be evaluated on scholarship, organization, interpretation, presentation, quality of writing, and illustration when applicable. Fiction, Juvenile, and Poetry entries will be evaluated on originality and creativity, and faithfulness to the facts, legends, and/or mythology of the West.

Category Definitions

Western Novel – Includes genre and mainstream, historical, and contemporary fictional or fictionalized book-length works that could not have taken place in any part of the country but the West.

Nonfiction Book – Includes both scholarly and popular Western theme works, general or biographical, contemporary or historical, based upon research and/or personal experience. If 10 or more biographies should be entered in one year, a separate biographical category may be designated.

Photography or Art Book – Concerned primarily with artistic works pertaining to the West or the Western experience. Merchandise catalogs are not eligible for entry.

Juvenile Book – A book of fiction or non-fiction with a Western theme intended for young readers up to the age of 12.

Magazine or Journal Article – A nonfiction article or essay on a Western theme published in a commercial or literary North American publication. Articles published in a periodical must be submitted with five copies or digital copy of the entire issue. Tear sheets or photo copies will not be accepted.

Poetry Book – A book of at least 10 separate poems, rhymed or unrhymed, with a Western theme that reflects the cowboy, frontier life, and/or the Native American culture in the West. A compilation of poems must contain at least two originals and the book must meet copyright requirements.

Important Reminders

• • If not submitted online, five copies (non-returnable) of each published work must be furnished for judging, along with a completed entry form for each copy or digital copy by link of the creative work and entry form. Print legibly and fill out all detailed contact information.
• • Each category entered must include a $75 non-refundable fee.
• • The Museum will award only one complimentary Wrangler sculpture for each literary category; however, additional sculptures may be purchased. The eligible recipients are identified as the author, publisher, illustrator, or photographer when applicable.

Eligibility

Any individual or organization may enter Western productions originally released or aired between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, and postmarked by December 31, 2024, in the appropriate television or film category. The entry’s subject matter or theme should relate to the American West and/or the Western experience. The winner of each category will be required to supply a broadcast-quality DVD or digital copy by link of the winning entry (non-returnable). A trailer of the winning entries, no longer than 60 seconds in length, will be shown publicly during the Awards Ceremony on April 12, 2025, and may be included in subsequent televised broadcast of the 2025 Western Heritage Awards.

Category Definitions

Theatrical Motion Picture – A feature-length film shown to the public on the big screen or released to the public on DVD. Film must have been released for public viewing. Premier showings qualify.

Television Feature Film – A feature-length production made for television. This includes made-fortelevision movies, miniseries (all parts as one entry) or other presentations more than one hour in length and considered to be a complete work, rather than episodic.

Fictional Drama – A dramatic film or television production, up to 60 minutes in length. This drama can be, but not necessarily, of an episodic nature.

Docudrama – A dramatization of actual historical events, factual or based on factual events. All lengths are acceptable for entries of film or television.

Documentary – Factual or based on factual events, it is a presentation of the realities of a historical event, people, and places. All lengths are acceptable for entries of film or television. This category includes Factual Narrative.

Western Lifestyle – A visual or audio production made for broadcasting or streaming that features a program focused on the evolving history and culture of the American West. The production may include news, reality, or educational content. All lengths are acceptable.

Important Reminders

• • If not submitted online, five copies (non-returnable) of each entry must be furnished on a DVD, along with a completed entry form for each copy or digital copy by link of the creative work and entry form.
• • Each category entered must include a $75 non-refundable fee.
• • The Museum will award only one complimentary Wrangler sculpture for each category; however, additional sculptures may be purchased. The eligible recipients are identified as executive producer, producer, director, writer, or principal actor(s).

Eligibility

Any individual or organization may enter original Western compositions or traditional Western albums. The original album copyright date must be between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, and postmarked by December 31, 2024, in the appropriate music category. The entry’s theme should relate to the American West and/or the Western experience in the traditional cowboy music genre, which is not necessarily synonymous with “country” music. Music videos are not eligible.

Category Definitions

Original Western Composition – Any recorded and released original musical composition never previously recorded in any other form or interpretation. Scores from film or television productions are also eligible. The lyrics/music must focus on Western ideals or the American cowboy and can be composed with any instrument(s). Wrangler Award recipients are the recording artist and the writer/ composer.

Traditional Western Music Album – A released recording of traditional Western and/or cowboy folk songs. An album must be submitted in its entirety as one entry. Copyright eligibility required.

Important Reminders

• • If not submitted online, five copies (non-returnable) of each entry must be furnished on a CD for judging, along with a completed entry form for each copy or digital copy by link of the creative work and entry form.
• • Each category entered must include a $75 non-refundable fee.
• • The Museum will award only one complimentary Wrangler sculpture for each music category; however, additional sculptures may be purchased. The eligible recipients are identified as the recording artist(s), album producer, or writer/composer.

Not all fields are necessarily applicable to every entry. If something is not applicable to your entry, simply enter N/A into the field.

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