Latest news with #cowboy
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
One of Europe's biggest theme parks opens new Wild West themed holiday village with wagon huts and cowboy bars
A NEW cowboy themed holiday village has opened at one of Europe's biggest theme parks. Europa-Park - the second biggest theme park in Europe after Disneyland - has added another themed area called Silver Lake City, and it's all about cowboys. 6 6 Inside, visitors can set up camp in the accommodation village called Tipi Town - which has 630 beds. Unlike most holiday villages, here you can sleep in a rustic wagon, or cosy log cabin, so you'll really feel like you're in the wild west. There are also colourful tipi-style tents or western-themed houses. Alternatively, you can camp in your own vehicle in the Europa-Park caravan park or sleep under the stars in your own tent. The new accommodation can sleep from one person all the way up to 16 - if you choose to stay in one of the log cabins. It's set to get even bigger too. In 2026 there will be a new Riverside Western Lodge with 120 rooms. The huge guest house will be open for bookings from November 11, 2025. Also in 2026 will be a new brewery with its very own craft beer. Gold Rush Golf is a mini-golf course across the site - and anyone can have a go. The challenging course has towers, slides and twelve holes to swing into. European theme park where you 'visit' Greece, Spain and Italy in a day has new roller coaster that's the world's steepest 6 6 There's also an adventure playground with a steam train, swimming lake and campfires. On the village site are also four new diners. One is called the Diner Station, which is in a western themed train station. You can even enjoy delights of the buffet in specially designed carriages that have been fitted with tables. There's also the Wild Horse Bar where you can have a tipple of whiskey like a cowboy, or beer and a cocktail too. Silver Lake Saloon serves up hearty North American dishes like steak and barbecue ribs. Finally, there's Cantina Amigo where you can order burritos, chilli and burgers. 6 Europa-Park opened a new year-round pool earlier this year, and it has a huge swim-up bar. You'll find the outdoor pool Svømmepøl in the Rulantica water world, it's 660sqm and sits inside a Nordic-style 'volcanic landscape' and is heated to 32C. The theme park recently celebrated its 50th anniversary where it added a brand new attraction based on its mascots. The Grand Prix EDventure is the equivalent of a ghost train with an interactive gaming element. The park's mice mascots Ed and Edda will be racing, and the ride will be based on the upcoming film, 'Grand Prix of Europe ', a cartoon film that stars Ed and Edda voiced by Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Gemma Arterton. One Travel Writer recently visited, he ventured through the mega theme park with 14 rollercoasters and 100 attractions. He also added that Europa-Park should be known for its thrilling white-knuckle rides.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tuttle community gathers for rodeo tribute to Ryder Lewis
Hundreds gathered in Tuttle to honor Ryder Lewis, a 16-year-old cowboy fatally stabbed in Oklahoma City, with a rodeo event organized by his brother.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
An Architectural Masterpiece in Jackson Hole Hits the Market for $60 Million
As a child growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Gerald Dorros says he was obsessed with the American West and wanted to be a cowboy. Instead, he studied medicine and become a trailblazing cardiologist who patented medical devices and was among the first doctors in the US to do coronary angioplasties. Still, Dorros loved the wide open spaces of Wyoming, and he'd often come the popular ski resort area of Jackson Hole on family vacations. In 1997 the doctor bought a tract of land in Wilson, a 20-minute drive from the town of Jackson, and built a home there. He lived out his cowboy dreams by learning to ride horses and even won a rodeo championship. But in December 2017 his home burned down in a blaze that took the fire department several days to put out. Dorros' entire family, including his grandchildren, were visiting for the holidays, but thankfully no one was hurt.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tyler Batty, a rookie DL for the Vikings and son of a cowboy, is easy to root for
How many horses does Layne Batty own? It's a question he doesn't want to answer. He has nothing to hide. It's just that if he were to say the number out loud, his wife, Peg, might cut him off from buying and raising more. Layne is a cowboy in every sense of the word. A white hat, stitched beautifully, usually sits atop his head. He wears a bandana-like scarf around his neck. The rest of his body is covered in different shades of denim. Holding his jeans up is a brown belt with a massive oval buckle. Advertisement He developed a passion for horses at an early age. His neighbors and extended family owned horses — that was his introduction to the animal. His relationship with them felt personal. By the time he was 11, he was training them on his own. 'He was just a boy,' Peg said. Layne, who now operates Circle B Farm in Payson, Utah, introduced his seven children, three sons and four daughters, to horses. He taught them all how to ride. They helped feed the family's stable, cleaned the horses' living spaces and even learned how to irrigate the pasture to give the horses the best living conditions possible. Yet when it came time for Layne and Peg's kids to find their purpose, none followed in their father's footsteps, at least to the same degree. They didn't dedicate their lives to the same small corner of the universe, though they did pursue their own little worlds with a similar fervor. This brings us to their youngest son, Tyler, who has wanted to wear helmets and hit other humans for as long as Layne and Peg can remember. They can't explain it. The family barely watched football during Tyler's youth, but they had a boy who talked about playing in the National Football League. The wildest part? That boy somehow became good enough to do precisely that. Tyler Batty, an undrafted free-agent signing by the Vikings, is here in Minnesota, wearing purple and gold, taking nothing for granted. It takes some digging to learn why he has a solid chance at earning a roster spot. It also takes some digging to know why the defensive end might be an easy rookie to root for. A post shared by BYUtv Sports Nation (@byutvsportsnation) One morning when Tyler was 14, he navigated a four-wheeler toward his house from the pasture about a half-mile down the road. He had finished one of his daily chores, changing the water to irrigate hay for the horses. Tyler eyed the bright orange sun, which was starting to peak over the mountains. That's the last thing he can remember. Advertisement He didn't return to the house at his usual time, and eventually, Peg got worried. Shortly thereafter, a sheriff knocked on the door with a look on his face that screamed problems. 'Your boy has been injured,' the officer said, 'and he won't let anybody get anywhere near him. Would you please come?' Tyler had crashed his four-wheeler and fallen through barbed wire into an embankment. His head was bleeding from a collision with a wooden post. Steel had sliced his shoulders. Had it not been for an early-morning jogger who noticed Tyler pushing the four-wheeler back up toward the road, who knows? Peg's arrival set in motion what would become a blur. A Life Flight helicopter airlifted Tyler to a hospital in Salt Lake City about 60 miles away, where doctors diagnosed him with six facial fractures and a brain bleed. His left eye, discolored almost to a shade of purple, was practically triple the size of his right eye. The family needed a miracle for the internal bleeding to stop, and to this day, neither Layne nor Peg can fully explain how it did. The recovery required another layer of fortitude. Doctors informed Tyler that he shouldn't play football anymore, but he didn't listen. He couldn't listen. Love is blinding, and Tyler loved nothing more than this silly little game. He loved the camaraderie, the competition, the challenge. He loved how much you could learn and how quickly you could respond to failure. He reiterated to his parents that he would play again and not allow this accident to derail his dreams. Peg battled him over his hard-headedness. She feared what a concussion might do and knew his intelligence was set up for a successful college education and career. Yet Tyler wouldn't waver. Football, he maintained, is what he was meant to do. As a sophomore, he posted his highlights to a Hudl account and promoted himself as a prospect. He attended prospect camps at places like Dartmouth and approached basic hand-placement drills like he was training for a title fight with Mike Tyson. Advertisement Nearby BYU noticed the rugged and driven defender just 15 miles south of campus. The Cougars ignited the full-on recruiting pitch, once even sending former Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer to the Batty household for breakfast. Initially, Tyler wanted to attend a bigger school where he could be more visible to NFL scouts. He stayed close to a big family that knew better than anyone the source of his motivation. 'His determination,' Peg said, 'determined the outcome.' BYU's coaching staff was bored during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assistant coach Ed Lamb and defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki knew Tyler's family operated a farm down the road, so they asked if they could spend some time learning about ranch life. Layne extended an invitation. One afternoon, they were chomping on sandwiches in the shade. Layne explained that they offer horse rides throughout the week. One of them, Layne said, targeted special-needs children. Lamb mentioned that his son, Edward, had been born with severe autism and was nonverbal. Layne interjected. 'Horses will help him,' he told Lamb. 'The horse world will help him.' More than a decade earlier, Layne had met a neighbor who had moved to Payson from Scotland. They discussed horses, and the neighbor asked Layne if he'd heard of equine therapy. The neighbor shared that clinical studies had proven that exposure to horses benefited patients with autism and psychomotor disorders. Layne researched the studies himself, reconnected with the neighbor and invited his 3-year-old son to come ride. The boy learned more words as the years passed and spoke more successfully. Layne relayed the story to Lamb, who, the following week, took Layne up on the opportunity to get his son, Edward, involved. Edward enjoyed it immediately. He squealed. His arms and hands shot to the sky. Layne suggested Edward ride again the following week, and over time, as the Lamb family regularly made its way to the Batty farm, Edward started to point out the correct directions. Advertisement 'That opened up a whole new world for me and my son,' Ed said. 'It changed our lives.' When Lamb left BYU to become the head coach at Northern Colorado in 2023, his family bought a couple of horses. By then, Tyler had become the rock of the Cougars program. He painted smiley faces beneath his eyes before games, then sideswiped offensive linemen on the way to the quarterback. He was a ferocious pass rusher. He dropped and secured interceptions. Coaches asked him to line up over the center. He obliged. Then they positioned him over the guard. Tyler made that work, too. During a 2023 matchup against Cincinnati, defensive line coach Kelly Poppinga poked at Tyler, who took personally a comment about how well the opposing quarterback was playing. Tyler sacked him once and made seven tackles in a 35-27 win. During a nationally televised game against Kansas State in 2024, Tyler forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and pressured the quarterback on three straight possessions. His performance set a tone. His play style and personality earned him a platform. Tyler elected to use his for good. In tandem with his father, and with the blessing of his former coach, Tyler created a nonprofit called 'Edward's Hands.' The name itself tells you almost everything you need to know about who he is and how he thinks. 'Edward's Hands' worked as a double entendre. Ranch hands are folks like his father, who have committed their life to hard work. And, oftentimes, autistic children flap their hands when they feel genuine excitement. A post shared by Tyler Batty (@tyler_batty) The family gathered in the backyard a few weekends ago for the NFL Draft. It was a day Tyler had dreamed of for years. At long last, and against all odds, he was bound for the NFL. Smiles faded as the hours passed. Peg paced and went inside. One of Tyler's siblings came running, saying that Tyler had just answered a phone call. She'd peek outside, only to find that it was his agent calling, informing him that nothing seemed imminent. Advertisement The fourth round went, then the fifth, then the sixth. Nobody understood why his name remained on the board. He produced in college. He nailed all of the measurables and testing exercises at the NFL Scouting Combine. Poppinga told NFL general managers that Tyler was 'probably the toughest kid I've coached in 17 years.' Despite Tyler's high character and self-driven profile, 257 players were picked ahead of him. He remained an undrafted free agent for approximately 30 seconds. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the team's personnel department had identified him as a versatile player who would squeeze every droplet of potential out of his career. The Vikings quickly made the call, and finally, as the sun fell behind the mountains and the pasture was tinged with bright pink, the family celebrated. 'It all turned out good,' Layne says. 'Tyler told us that in one of the first meetings, the (Vikings) coaches said, 'Every position is open. It's yours for the taking. Who wants it? Who wants it the most?'' The parents admit their bias, but even for an outside observer, it's easy to think Tyler has a great shot. This is a guy who used to wake up ahead of his alarm for before-school weightlifting. It's a dude who once brought his mother a grocery list of healthy items to buy so he could prepare his body. It's a father's son who has known what he's loved for as long as he can remember. Tyler was just a boy.
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Forbes
The Luxe Ranch That Millennial Parents Are Loving: Why Alisal Ranch Is A Top Summer Getaway In 2025
The Alisal in scenic Santa Ynez is famed for its family-friendly horseback program, but is also home ... More to notable spa and dining experiences. At preschool drop-off and pickup here in LA, I've been hearing a growing number of stories from young families choosing long weekend escapes to drive-friendly resorts – often with grandparents in tow. This anecdotal trend is consistent with a recent report on multigenerational travel which found that '50% of parents polled would prefer to take a multi-gen vacation over a vacation with just the kids,' and that,'76% agreeing travel is the ultimate way to make memories as an extended family.' The destination of choice for many of these savvy millennial families? Alisal Ranch, a luxury working ranch where cowboy-style creature comforts meet five-star resort hospitality, all set amid the stunning Santa Ynez wine country. Just two hours north of Los Angeles, the 10,500 acres resort has been an annual, multi-generational destination for decades. Longtime guests who once took their own first trail ride at Alisal are now bringing children and grandchildren, while those new to the property will discover a contemporary, luxury-first take on a classic ranch experience. Here are the top five need-to-knows for anyone considering a visit. Trail Rides, Toddler Rides and Baby Sheep A standout activity for many are Alisal's daily, two-hour scenic trail rides, with groups divided by riding level: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Rides can also be selected by duration, a starter ride for beginners is just one hour. For guests under seven, a complimentary 'lead around' ride at the barn gets even the youngest children familiar with horseback riding under the careful supervision of an expert wrangler and a parent, complete with helmets. For ages 4-6, 30-minute corral riding lessons are also available. For kids who can't get enough of the barn or the ranch animals, the property's petting zoo opens daily at 930am, just as the first morning ride departs. This is a prime opportunity for parents to enjoy a morning ride while grandparents hang back with grandchildren to meet a baby goat, pet friendly pigs and, on select days, collect eggs from the henhouse. Even after the petting zoo closes, cat-loving kids can almost always receive a warm welcome from two resident lobby cats. Child-Friendly Happy Hours and Expert Cocktails It wouldn't be a luxury ranch experience without plenty of opportunity to unwind, Western style. Many nights of the week, different beverage-making classes take place in the classic-Western, saloon-inspired Oak Room. On Fridays, an expert mixology team leads a cocktail-making class– on Sundays, the team offers a wine-tasting. Pro tip for families: at these happy-hour happenings, children are welcome and snacks are included. On occasion or by request, children are even welcome to make their own mocktails. The Oak Room space offers plenty of room to roam inside, and easy access to the central lawn. It's an ideal setup for one generation to enjoy a happy hour tasting while the other keeps an eye on the kids. Alisals' trail-riding program offers opportunities for riders of all levels. Suite Accommodations, From Cottages To A Luxe Home For 12 Every accommodation at Alisal is built with families in mind. Smaller groups can comfortably fit into a 458-square foot Mountain View Cottage or 450 square foot Luxury Studio, both outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, vintage artwork and private patios. Luxury studios are the entry-level category, while the Mountain View Cottage has a separate living room space and two full bathrooms. Multi-generational families traveling together and looking for a bit more space can book a variety of larger accommodations that sleep up to 12. The largest space, at 2,164 square feet, is the Jackson House, featuring three king bedrooms, each with its own wood-burning fireplace and wet bar. A dining room makes it easy to have private family meals or host a family happy hour using wine and snacks gathered from nearby wineries. Outdoor fireplaces and private entrances for each bedroom up the privacy factor. Country Formal Family Dinners One of the rare treats families discover at Alisal is the return of dressed-up, all-ages dinners – complete with live piano accompaniment and a grand Western setting. Meals here are a frequent highlight among families who have just returned from a first visit. Yes, many families absolutely lean into the dress code of cowboy boots, lariats, cowboy hats and other committed interpretations of cowboy formal. Another tip: bring at least one themed accessory for the full Alisal dinner experience. Behind the scenes, the seasoned food and beverage team seamlessly ensures all requests are accommodated effortlessly. Dietary restrictions, kids' menus and non-alcoholic preferences are all noted in a pre-arrival call or email, and followed through by the service team each night. A Wellness Retreat Reserved exclusively for Alisal guests and members, the property's serene spa is a calm haven that strikes a fine balance between fancy cowboy and zen den. Body and facial reatments feature organic, nourishing ingredients. For parents relying on grandparents for childcare during a stay, a treatment here could be an appreciated 'thank you'. This may be a working ranch, but the spa feels like a luxurious retreat all on its own. Many of the massage therapists are decades-long veterans of Alisal, bringing an intuitive approach, and deep restoration, to each session. For many families, the chance to enjoy five-star comforts in one of California's most scenic settings, surrounded by nature and designed with multigenerational travel in mind, is reason enough to return year after year. Every family I've spoken with post-Alisal has said they're already planning their next visit—for the trail rides, the slower pace, and, next time, with a few more cowboy accessories in their suitcase.
