‘Where the West Begins’ in Lake Luzerne
In barrel racing, women riders gallop into the arena at full speed, ride a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, and sprint back out.
In 1943, New York City residents Walt Isaacson and his wife Betty decided to look in the Adirondacks for a second home, a prospect that was more adventurous back then than it would be today. Walt is reported saying to a friend with an air of determination, "I'm going to build a dude ranch." And with that, the story of the Painted Pony began.
A printing salesman, Isaacson had tired of city life and so set his focus on moving somewhere more rewarding for his family. So in late 1943, Walt and his family decided to move upstate, hoping to find a better place for his daughter, Janie, to get an education. Isaacson contacted multiple realtors in the Adirondack region with the aim of purchasing a large plot of land.
He connected with Earl Woodward, the Lake Luzerne realtor we credit today for bringing romance and cowboys to several dude ranches in the Adirondacks. Isaacson bought, sight unseen, the 1400-acre property where he and Betty would build their vision of a ranch. The tract of land was five miles north of Lake Luzerne's central business district on Route 9N, and 5 miles west of Lake George Village.
The Isaacsons built a lodge, a horse barn, corrals, and even a swimming pool, along with several other cabins for guests. Before opening, they surveyed friends and found themselves with a list of 30 names for their new enterprise. They chose the Painted Pony, and the iconic name still stands today.
The Isaacsons' hard work started to pay off when they welcomed their first paying guests, a young couple on their honeymoon, in April 1947. By Memorial Day, they were hosting 24 guests at a rate of $40 per week per person. That included lodging, meals, and horseback riding. They advertised the Painted Pony as a family ranch, contrasting it with competitors who discouraged children.
"The East's most Western Ranch, where the pavement ends and the West begins," was an early slogan of theirs, and holds true to this day.
A feature on the ranch in Wheels, Keels and Wings, a popular magazine of the day, gave them national visibility in 1949. In 1950, daughter Janie married Don Baxter, the valedictorian of Lake George High School's class of 1947, whose primary interests lay in riding horses and the Wild West. Determined to add a rodeo series to the Painted Pony's attractions, the young couple set off for Montana, after honeymooning earlier out West. While out there they bought 20 wild horses and shipped them to Lake Luzerne by rail, a sight to behold in the Adirondacks.
It was a major event when the horses arrived at the Hadley station of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad. Residents and schoolchildren lined the streets to watch the horses trot five miles to the ranch. Earning the moniker "Wild Horse," Don broke each of the horses himself and built the rodeo arena on the same site we find it today, about a half-mile in from the ranch's entrance on Route 9N. On the last Friday in June 1953, Don and Janie led the grand entry of the first rodeo, a tradition that continues to this day under the stewardship of Shawn and Shana Graham.
By the mid-20th century, dude ranches were flourishing in the North Country, with over 30 in Warren County alone during the 1950s. But the number dwindled significantly by the 1980s. Today, only a few ranches remain on the "Dude Ranch Trail," a scenic 40-mile loop through Lake George, Lake Luzerne, Stony Creek, and Warrensburg, among them the 1000 Acre Ranch, Ridin Hy Ranch Resort, and the Double H Ranch, co-founded by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman to provide specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses.
Shawn and Shana Graham host 40 rodeos each July and August at the Painted Pony arena and throughout the year another 35 around the country.
Shawn and Shana Graham bought the rodeo in the fall of 2001 from Jack McQue and have invested substantially in the property since. Shawn's father was a rodeo clown and steer wrestler, and he followed his father's steps by participating in the rodeo growing up. Shana grew up on a thoroughbred farm riding horses often, so the lively rodeo was a familiar environment for them. Today they host 40 rodeos each summer at the arena and throughout the year another 35 around the country, venturing as far away as Florida and Oklahoma. Their expertise ensures a genuine and thrilling experience every time the Painted Pony when the rodeo is in town.
Throughout July and August, the vast parking lot fills up with trucks and cars on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights and on Thursday afternoons. People come from throughout New York and beyond to experience the Wild West, while remaining within the pristine Adirondacks. Others might be coming to get a taste of the southern style BBQ served from the Longhorn Saloon from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the rodeo following from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Thursday matinees start at 2 p.m.
Professional cowboys compete for cash prizes in a range of events, including:
bull riding, which challenges cowboys to show proper form while staying seated on a bucking bull for eight seconds;
barrel racing, in which women riders gallop into the arena at full speed, ride a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, and sprint back out;.
bareback bronc riding, an eight-second ride in which cowboys must demonstrate superior control and spurring techniques and the horses must also perform;
steer wrestling, in which cowboys must chase and grab a steer's horns to tip it over with all four legs pointing the same direction;
team roping, in which cowboys working in pairs aim to tip over a steer and rope the steer's back feet;
saddle bronc riding, with high scores awarded for synchronized spurring, spurring stroke length, and the horse's bucking intensity.
The Painted Pony's story is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Adirondacks. From Walt Isaacson chasing his dream to Shawn and Shana Graham's dedication, the ranch has weathered many changes while maintaining its core identity as a family-focused rodeo. As the Painted Pony looks to the future, it continues to honor its rich history and the cowboys and cowgirls who have made it a beloved institution