Los días 15 y 16 de abril se celebra la entrega de los premios Western Heritage a lo mejor de las obras artísticas que perpetúan la herencia del viejo Oeste americano en nuestras vidas. Se desarrollará en las instalaciones del National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, en Oklahoma City.
Estos premios son los más importantes en el ámbito del Western y suponen un reconocimiento de los mejores trabajos en cine, literatura, poesía, historia, televisión y música.

Este 2011 los premiados serán los siguientes:

Western Novel:
Impatient with Desire, Author: Gabrielle Burton, Publisher: Hyperion Books
Art Books:
Robert Lougheed Follow the Sun, Author: Don Hedgpeth, Publisher: Diamond Trail Press

Juvenile Books:
Off Like the Wind! The First Ride of the PonyExpress, Author: Michael P. Spradlin, Illustrator: Layne Johnson, Publisher: Walker & Company, a Division of Bloombury Publishing, Inc.

Magazine article:
Taking Stock of the Pony Express, Author: Frederick J. Chiaventone, Publisher: Wild West Magazine/Weider History Group

Nocfiction Book:
So Rugged and Mountainous; Blazing the Trail to Oregon and California 1812-1848, Author: Will Bagley, Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press

Outstanding Photography Book:
Life at the Kiowa, Comanche, and Wichita Agency, Author: Krstina L. Southwell and John R. Lovett, Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press

Poetry Book:
Spare Parts, Author: Ken Hada, Publisher: Mongrel Empire Press
Outstanding Original Western Composition:
Shortgrass,from the Cimarron Sounds album Austin To Boston. Composer/ Writer/ Recording Artist: R.W. Hampton. Producers: Joe DiBlasi and Gary Bright

Outstanding Traditional Western Album:
Gillette Brothers – Cowboys, Mistrels and Medicine Shows, Recording Artists: Gillette Brothers, Producers: Gillette Brothers and Craig Swancey

Fictional Television Drama:
“Yella Fella & The Lady from Silver Gulch”, Production Company: Dill Productions, Executive Producer: Jimmy Rane, Producer/Writer: Slats Slaton, Director: Norton Dill, Actors: Jimmy Rane and Dean Smith

Television Feature Film:
Temple Grandin, Production Company: A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films, Executive Producers: Alison Owen, Paul Lister, Anthony Edwards, Dante Di Lorento, Emily Gerson Saines and Gil Bellows, Producer: Scott Ferguson, Director: Mick Jackson, Actors: Claire Danes, Julia Ormond, Catherine O’Hara and David Strathairn

Theatrical Motion Pictures:
True Grit, Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Executive Producers: A.C. Lyles, Steven Spielberg and Paul Schwake, Producers: Ethan and Joel Coen, Scott Ruben, Director/Writers: Ethan and Joel Coen, Actors: Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfield

Western Documentary:
Wyatt Earp, Production Company: American Experience, Executive Producers: Mark Samels, Producer: Rob Rapley

El premio especial Chester A.Reynolds, establecido en 1990 en honor del fundador del Museo, será entregado este año a Howard Council, de Oklahoma.
Esta gala celebrará el 50 aniversario de la entrega de los Premios Western Heritage, que empezaron a entregarse en 1960. El premio que se entrega es una silueta en bronce de un cowboy a caballo, ‘The Wrangler’ , del artista John Free.

Steve Moulton @ the 2010 Western Heritage Awards