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The Cowboy
Western Heritage Awards
National Rodeo Hall of Fame
Prix de West
Small Works, Great Wonders
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Annie Oakley Society
The American West

Honoring the stories & the people of

The American West

The Western Heritage Awards recognize the best creators in literature, music, television and film who share their vision of the West, and enshrine the pioneers and performers who have built an enduring Western cultural legacy.

Every year since 1961, the Western Heritage Awards have focused on preserving what makes the West a unique part of the American story.

Inductees & Winners Event History About the Awards

Why We Do This

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was founded on the ideal of telling the stories of the American West

The Wrangler Award

The Western Heritage Awards ceremony honors those storytellers and has each year since 1961. We showcase the writers, singers, producers, directors and performers who bring the West to life on our screens and in our imaginations.

Through the years, the Western Heritage Awards stage in Oklahoma City has featured humble acceptance speeches from some of the biggest names in entertainment as they are handed our coveted Wrangler Award.

When you think of a “Western,” you are thinking about the icons who have been honored by the Western Heritage Awards.

About The Wrangler: The Wrangler Award was designed by sculptor Harold T. Holden in 2011. In 2017, Holden was presented with his own award when he was named to the Hall of Great Westerners, the only Oklahoma artist so honored.

Western Heritage Awards Class of 2026

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2025’s panel with Brooks & Dunn and Graham Greene, hosted by Rex Linn