Wally Badgett, famous for his "Earl" cartoons, stares into the distance while attending John L. Moore's branding. (Photo courtesy John L. Moore and the Miles City Star)
By Derrick Calhoun, Star Staff Writer, courtesy Miles City Star
Miles City's Wallace Kirk "Wally" Badgett will be receiving the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame "Saddle of Honor" award on Aug. 20.
Badgett, 70, is a Cowboy Cartoonist known for his "Earl" comics. He will be the third person given this award, the others being Western artists Charles M. Russell (2018) and Jay Joseph Contway (2019).
The award will be given out at an open-to-the-public event hosted by the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame at Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls. The event will be held in the Paddock Club located at 400 Third Street NW.
Badgett was inducted into the Montana Cowboys Hall of Fame in April of this year.
The award being given will be a bronze sculpture of Charlie Russell's saddle; the last new bronze created by Jay Contway.
"I don't know how to describe the feeling, I'm happy about it," Badgett said about getting the award.
Badgett added that he didn't even know the award existed until he learned that he was being given it from fellow Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee John L. Moore.
"A couple of weeks ago I was out branding at John Moore's and he knew about it," Badgett said.
Badgett also said that it was an honor getting an award that Charles M. Russell has won.
"He's the greatest Western artist of all time," he said. "Anyone interested in that sort of thing has to be a fan of his, and he is from Montana."
Badgett listed Russell, Will James, JK Ralston and Stan Lynde as who he thought were the four greatest artists in the Western field, and made special note of the fact that they are all from Montana.
"I just don't really feel like I can be mentioned with them, but they are all people I have really admired," he said.
According to Badgett, the event will be a bit of a family reunion for him, with his sister coming up from California with her family to watch him get his award.
"I don't get to see her a lot, so it will be kind of fun to have a little reunion there," he said.
Badgett grew up on a ranch near Ashland in southeastern Montana, attended Sheridan College on a rodeo scholarship and was the National Intercollegiate Champion bull rider in 1971.
He competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association until 1979, riding in both the saddle bronc and bull riding. He was the Montana Pro Circuit champion bull rider and All-Around Cowboy runner up in 1975.
Badgett moved to Miles City in 1985, working as a deputy sheriff for Custer County until 1996. He left the sheriff's office in 1996 to become a syndicated cartoonist.
He was the assistant rodeo coach at Miles Community College while being a cartoonist and took over the Head Coaching spot in 2003.
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