childhood

rex's childhood years

Here are some childhood questions I asked Rex LONG ago and his answers:

Q.
What are your earliest childhood memories? Are they of a cowboy theme?

A.
Oh yes, working on my grandfather's ranch. I spent a good deal of time
learning about ranch life and chores, like cleaning out the stables. I did
a lot of things along that line before I got into learning roping and things
like that. I did a lot of shoveling. - Shoveling a lot.... of,..well,......you know
WHAT!

Q.
How old were you when you got your first horse?

A.
Oh I don't know, 4 or 5 I guess. I know I had to be near a corral fence
just so I could get up on him! I rode him bareback. But I always had
horses. My grandfather gave me that one.

Q.
Do you remember his name?
A.
(Rex pauses to think here and then he spits out the answer:) "Bamboo!"

When Rex got a little older he spent much more time on that ranch. The hired
hands were real rodeo cowboys anxious to teach young Rex different things.
Rex recalled that one taught him trick roping. Another taught him how to handle
a bull whip and another taught him how to play the guitar.
Rex:"All those cowboys were good at what they taught me, but after I learned
each(skill), I was the only one of the bunch who could do all three!"

The cowboys got Rex into the rodeo world as a child star. Rex stayed with it
for years, eventually ending up at Madison Square Garden and meeting up with
Gabby Hayes, who would become his mentor. It was George 'Gabby' Hayes,
side kick from the old western movies and The Gabby Hayes TV show, who
told Rex to think about getting into children's television.

Rex Trailer's fondest childhood memories are the summers spent working his grandfather's ranch.

You are looking at the only known photo to exist with Rex and his grandfather,Grandpa Rutherford.
The young boy in the center is Rex's friend, Bobby Browne, and they appear to be eating
watermelon.

Grandpa Rutherford had a Quarter horse ranch, (about 50 acres), down in Thurber,Texas which
is near Fort Worth.
When I ask questions about his grandfather, it's pretty evident that much more than ranching
rubbed-off on young Rex. Grandpa was quite a colorful character! He had a quick wit and could
tell a tale. Rex remembers once, thinking while shaking his head, "Oh great another one of his
'stories' ", when he told young Rex that he learned to fly from one of the Wright brothers!
That wasn't all,either. He claimed he solo flew after ONLY AN HOUR of training!!! "Yea,RIGHT",
Rex thought, until later on, what do you know, Grandpa Rutherford produced a local newspaper
story that verified this incredible claim!

Grandpa had a plane on the ranch for keeping an eye out for the horses. Rex learned how to fly
from Grandpa and for Rex's 14th birthday present, he got to go it alone. Solo at age 14!
When he landed the plane, his grandfather was all smiles as he approached. Rex shook his head
as if to say, "Oh no, I'm not done!", pushed the throttle forward and up into the blue, once again,
he flew!

Rex's love for aviation and adventure, his quick wit, his problem solving and managing, his
cowboy skills and his decision to follow Grandpa's advice ("not to ride the rough stock. All you'll end
up with is broken bones!") molded Rex Trailer into the success and character that IS Rex Trailer.

I loved hearing this story and hope you enjoyed reading it!