Johnson County Sheriff's Posse

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse. Now settle in, because this one starts the way all good Texas stories do, with a handful of men, a livestock barn, and an idea worth saddling up for. On October 8, 1951, nine men gathered at the Cleburne Livestock Auction barn.

Nine. Not a committee, not a council, just nine men with a shared conviction that something worth preserving was in danger of drifting off like dust behind a cattle drive. What they were after was promoting good will among horsemen and other area citizens, stirring up interest in Western stock horses, and keeping the traditions of the Old West alive and breathing.

That was the charge. That was the mission. And from that single meeting, the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse was born.

Now in those early years, the group leased the fair grounds of the North Central Texas Fair and Rodeo Association and got to work. They didn't wait long to make their presence known, by May of 1953, the Posse was sponsoring its first rodeo right there on those fair grounds. And that annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo?

It's been running every year since 1953. Every single year. Then came 1962, and the Posse made a move that told you everything about where they were headed.

They purchased 41 acres along State Highway 171/174. Forty-one acres. An arena went up, and the clubhouse was relocated from the old leased property to this new ground they could call their own.

A year later, in 1963, the wives and daughters of Posse members looked around and decided they weren't content to watch from the fence. They formed the Johnson County Sheriffettes, with goals of helping with Posse projects, riding in local parades, and positively representing the organization. They showed up, they rode, they served, and in time, the Sheriffettes were absorbed right into the regular membership, which tells you something about how a good outfit grows.

Meanwhile, the Posse wasn't just roping and riding. They were collectin' toys for needy children, offering college scholarships, and in 1956 they stood up the Junior Sheriff's Posse for local kids, because a tradition worth keeping is one worth passing down. They sponsor a yearly youth rodeo too, making sure the next generation gets a feel for the arena before the world has a chance to talk them out of it.

Today, the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse is still out there, still on those 41 acres, still riding, still serving, still standing as good will ambassadors throughout the community. Nine men walked into a livestock barn in Cleburne on an October morning in 1951 and made a decision. Turns out, that decision had a very long saddle life.

What the marker says

On October 8, 1951, nine men gathered at the Cleburne Livestock Auction barn to create the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse (JCSP). The organization was charged with establishing a local riding group to promote good will among horsemen and other area citizens, create interest in Western stock horses and preserve the traditions of the Old West. During the Posse's first few years of existence, the group leased the fair grounds of the North Central Texas Fair and Rodeo Association and conducted activities at the site. The JCSP first sponsored a rodeo at the fair grounds in May 1953. The group purchased 41 acres along State Highway 171/174 in 1962; an arena was soon constructed and the group's clubhouse was relocated from the formerly leased property. In 1963, the wives and daughters of JCSP members formed the Johnson County Sheriffettes, with the goals of helping with JCSP projects, riding in local parades, and positively representing the Posse; the group has since been absorbed into the regular membership. Community outreach has been an important part of the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse's activities since the group's inception. Since 1953, the Posse has sponsored an annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo. The group also collects toys for needy children and provides college scholarships. The Junior Sheriff's Posse was formed in 1956 for local children, and the JCSP also sponsors a yearly youth rodeo. Today, the Johnson County Sheriff's Posse continues to promote Western traditions while serving as good will ambassadors throughout the community. (2010)