Spotted at a rodeo in 1990 by a modelling scout,
Mike Hartman was once in the running to be
the Marlboro Man. He’s been part cowboy and
part fine artist since he was a kid when he began
selling his mostly horse-inspired paintings to
buyers as far away as Europe. He grew up in a
macho cowboy setting, working on the family
cattle ranch on horseback in British Columbia.
That’s when horses became his passion; got into
his blood.
Today, his home base in Woodburn, he makes
his living training, showing, and transporting
horses all over the country. His crystal blue eyes
twinkle when talking about horses, especially his
own.
He values his friendships and family like you’d ex-
pect a country boy in a cowboy hat would. But it
seems he is completely content being by himself
as long as a horse is nearby. Hartman comes
with the signature Wrangers, boots, chaps, quiet
confidence, and an endearing humility, the kind
that makes any number of men, and women,
swoon over a straight shootin’, straight talkin’
cowboy.
A LOT OF GAY MEN SEEM TO LIKE COWBOYS. HAS THAT BEEN
YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Ya, it has been. But I wouldn’t narrow it down that much. A lot of ladies
do too. It’s a very romantic kind of image. The whole romantic image of
the rough tough cowboy. But I sure wouldn’t say it is exclusive to gay men.
It’s everywhere. Even straight men are attracted to it because they like the
whole romantic idea of it.
ON THE ONLINE GAY COWBOY DATING SITES A LOT OF MEN
EQUATE COWBOYS AS THE IDEAL MAN: HONEST, HARD-
WORKING, UNPRETENTIOUS, MASCULINE, OUTDOORSY,
FAITHFUL, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, MEAN WHAT YOU SAY KIND
OF GUY. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE YOU?
I hope so. I know a few people like that. I love the term ‘cowboy’ — ev-
eryone does — I’ve never used it to describe myself because I think that
is something someone else has to choose to call you because I’ve known a
handful of cowboys in my life that I’d really call cowboys. The real deal. It’s
the way they live there life. It’s not just because they ride horses or break
horses or ride rodeos, it’s everything. It’s how they treat people, it’s how
they are respected…
CAN I CALL YOU A COWBOY?
I would be proud to be called a cowboy. But I can’t call myself that.
YOU ARE THAT TYPE. ARE YOU ATTRACTED TO THAT TYPE?
Ya, but I don’t think it is a gay or straight thing. It’s a people thing. You
are attracted to people who know who they are, who are confident, who
are the real deal.
Continues Page 36
34
JustOut.com
January 2013