1981: All Good Things Must Pass

In short order after joining the Atkinson wagon, this core group of riders decided to start organizing. Atkinson was a big UT Longhorn fan and had such a sign on the wagon. Although many in the group were not fans of the University of Texas, they begrudgingly agreed to call themselves “The Longhorns.” Finally, when Welcome Wilson, Jr. and Willie Fletnge could take it no longer, they organized a movement to change the wagon name.

 

After much ado, “Longhorn Livestock Limited” was voted as the new name, but by only a single-vote. Not surprisingly, it was never widely used, one of several differences that began to divide the wagon. Another reason was that the Atkinson riders were all young and single, and the Wilson group included children–an obvious conflict over what defined trail ride enjoyment.

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It eventually boiled over in 1981. The night before the Salt Grass, Atkinson called Welcome, Sr. to say that he was not going to take the wagon, the mules, or the cooks on the trail ride–there would be no ride for Longhorn Livestock Limited, Wagon No. 18. Welcome, Sr. immediately called Frank Cortez to find a way to make it work and get Wagon No. 18 to the trail ride. Frank got the wagon from Atkinson and hooked up one mule, making him the de facto mule skinner. The 1981 ride went on as planned, as it always finds a way to do.