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Ranchers With Tattoos And/Or Body Piercings?

C

Cody-n-Nancy

Well-known member
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Mar 17, 2021
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235
Could be a fairly controversial thread, but I was really, really curious.

As for wife and I, we don't have any of either. And, I was in the Navy and off of the coast of Vietnam. About 25 years ago, I gave it some thought about getting an eagle put on each arm, then ditched the thought. To this day, I'm very, very glad I did, because my wife definitely don't like the look and that is fine with me.

However, have read about a PRCA rough-stock rider in Montana that has a fairly big bronc riding tattoo on his arm. Years ago, a former PRCA World Champion Steer Wrestler, Sid Steiner, had body piercings on him and fairly long hair. He won the "World" thru his average money. Rodeo announcers would make a point introducing him as the "Wild Child of rodeo". It is said that, one time in a rodeo cowboy locker room, he had his shirt off and Ty Murray noticed his nipple rings. He looked at Ty and something to the effect of "like the look, get yours done". Ty just laughed and walked away. After winning his World Championship, Sid quit PRCA. Met Sid at the Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, when they were introducing the previous December's World Champions. Nice guy!

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a ranch cowboy or rodeo cowboy has any, because of long-sleeve shirts and long pants. Of course I'd think that neither would have any facial or neck tattoos or even facial piercings. But, I could be wrong. LOL

Your thoughts?
 
leanin' H said:
Tattoos are pretty mainstream these days. And the other hardware 😁
I say to each their own. I don't have any of either.
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Well, I don't see them so "mainstream" in the ranching industry or college folks who are taking ag courses or are in a rodeo team.

Wife and I don't have that much of "open-minded" stuff. So, we don't think the "to each their own" thing. But, we are 72 and 73 years old.

I seriously would doubt if I'd see a young farmer out ploughing, disking, planting or driving a combine with his arms and neck covered in tattoos. Just saying.
 
On the rodeo trail they are common. I rode bulls from the 90's into the 2000's and lots of guys had tattoos. Maybe not arm sleeve style but lots had them. I know lots of young guys and gals who ranch and farm and have tattoos. I live in remote western utah. If they are here they are everywhere.
 
I suppose they would (could?) be everywhere, but there would (could?) be those rodeo folks and ranch folks that definitely wouldn't get any.
 
leanin' H said:
On the rodeo trail they are common. I rode bulls from the 90's into the 2000's and lots of guys had tattoos. Maybe not arm sleeve style but lots had them. I know lots of young guys and gals who ranch and farm and have tattoos. I live in remote western utah. If they are here they are everywhere.
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Now, this wouldn't include the neck and/or face, right? That would seem like "going overboard" for the farm/ranch/rodeo lifestyle.

It would be very hard for me to imagine a young adult person out looking for a tractor and he/she has tattoos all over their neck. I mean, has the "big-city" and suburban lifestyle finally shook hands with the farming/ranching community, that is, when it comes to tattoos.
 
Young man that worked for us had a tattoo, on his leg, above his ankle. It was of a barb wire going around his leg. Only reason we even knew about it is because we talked about tattooes and he said he had one, so he showed us. Of all the young people that worked for us throughout 50 years of ranching, he was the BEST. He could do anything and do it well. It was uncanny what he could do that he had never done before, he just somehow KNEW what to do that was right and at the right time. So I don't hold a tatoo against anyone. Now multiple ones, that's a different story. We have a family member that is so tattooed that even his ear lobes are tattooed. UGH. I would never hire him to work for me because of that. Today i heard about a girl that was hired to work in a law office. On week two she came to work with a HUGE nose ring in her nose. They had to let her go, of course with a different reason. There are just some things that won't do when meeting the public. Too bad some people haven't figured that out yet.
 
A few years ago, I read an article about a young lady in Los Angeles, who had applied for an Outside Sales Executive job. It was excellent pay, with a great starting bonus. Somehow, at the interview, some of her tattoos were noticed. She was told that she couldn't be hired for the position due to her visible tattoos. Summer clothing doesn't always cover up tattoos. So, this young ladies parents paid a doctor a nice cost to have her visible tattoos removed. She got the job and the bonus.
 
Anyway, I've pretty much got my answer about this thread. This "tattoo" thing can be/is controversial, with different opinions about it. There are those that are very open-minded about it and there are those that aren't. The old saying "live and let live" doesn't go with everyone in society. Some things just can't be changed, like the word "progress" within a town or small city and neither can tattoos. Getting them is entirely up to the person, but there are those that will state their opinion about a person who get them.

IOW, there are just certain things that separate "big city" from ranch/farm life.
 
If you think that people, especially young people, who were raised and live in rural settings are that much different than those in the city you are sadly mistaken. And haven't known many young rural people. There certainly are some differences based on the environment they live in but what is considered fashionable, not so much.
 

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