About the Desperados and the Salt Grass Trail

The Desperados, one the most fun and famous wagon groups of the Salt Grass Trail is made  up of folks from every walk of life; bankers and brokers, attorneys and architects, house wives and husbands and a few real cowboys. Some of our founders, like the Wilson families, have ridden the historic trail for more than 30 years. There are about 29 “wagon groups," The Desperado group is #13 on this year's ride.

Lots of people work year round to keep our group the best. Gary & Beverly Smith's Lazy Ranch could be considered our unofficial headquarters, since they provide and care for our wagon during the year and host warm up rides, plus throwing a few parties. Every

Desperado gets invited and contributes the hard green stuff or their valuable time. There is both a work day for cook shack and a weekend ride, checking out the wagon, tent, tie lines and other equipment. These events occur in January, before the February ride. Every Desperado is expected and encouraged to participate. This is a way to meet, and get to know, your fellow Desperados.

During the February ride, everyone has camp duties daily such as feeding horses, camp set up, camp clean up, wagon clean up and ice chests preparations. It is important that the duty list is checked daily and duties are performed or you find a substitute to take your place. Spouses, children under 16, and guests are welcomed on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the ride only. This is a week to be with new and different people than you are with the other 51 weeks of the year.

Sleeping accommodations are several. Some sleep out by the fire. Others bunk together in motor homes, (no co-ed motor homes).  We ask that you fill each sleeping vehicle or motor home with 6 or more people so that the camp movers, who move our rigs to the next camp each morning, have as few vehicles as possible and can complete the move before we arrive at the next night’s camp. Sometimes it takes them 3 trips to move all of the motor homes, trailers and the cook shack. They also bring the riders their lunch in between. Don't bring any extra cars, trailers or vehicles for them to move. If you do, then YOU are responsible for moving this vehicle before  the ride each morning.  Camp movers are volunteer Desperado's and we really appreciate their help each year. Please bring 2 sets of keys for your motor homes, one for you and one for the camp movers.

We encourage everyone to ride the whole ride from Friday night through the parade in downtown Houston on Saturday. There's a big difference in your feeling of "being a part" if you do this. Please don't leave the ride and leave a horse for someone else to trailer, feed and care for without prior arrangements.

The first year is a "rookie" year. A member will be in charge of the rookie class and will answer all questions. We are a closed organization. Desperado members are by invitation of the Membership Committee ONLY. Members must be approved. There isn't always room for new people. Rookies may submit "new member" suggestions during their second year to the membership committee. Please don't bring prospective members without going through the committee.

What we're most proud of is that we're a proud team - proud of the numerous awards won over the years that could not have been won without teamwork and mutual respect and admiration of one another. The Desperado's have been chosen to ride in the grand entry of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo in the Astrodome on several occasions. We have also been awarded Best Wagon Group in the downtown parade by the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Committee and Best Wagon Group in the Salt Grass Trail Ride by the Salt Grass Trail Association! We all dress alike on the ride and we were one of the first wagon groups to do so. We were teased unmercifully, but now most of the groups have "uniforms” and compete heavily for "Best Wagon Group” We won this award most recently in the 2002 parade..

You will need a Desperado jacket, which is a Levi jacket with logo embroidered on the back. (Buy it large so that a down filled vest can fit underneath), Also a yellow saddle slicker that is painted with our logo. Check with rookie chairman for shirts needed this year. Generally, we ride behind our wagon but visiting other wagons is permissible on the first few days of the trail. As Desperados, we are responsible to obey ALL of the Salt Grass Trail Associations rules that are In the handbook which will be sent to you when you join the Association. A few of these are: no stallions, no riding double, no littering, cover up your beer and cokes w1th a koozie, obey the scouts, leave camp clean, no dogs, etc. During this week, we are all bound by the Salt Grass Trail rules and regulations. Everything we do reflects on the Desperados. Please read the handbook carefully! We look forward to having you as a part of our Desperado family. It will be the most fun you’ve ever had on a horse!

Happy trails,
The Desperados
Beverly Wilson Smith, Wagon Boss
For more information, call metro phone 936 931 9111, or cell 713 828 8822. 

Rookie chairmen this year are Harry Klein and Mandy Bennett.  They both will be glad to help you in any way.