Bones - the Kona Cowboy

Bones is the konacowboy(.com) and in charge of all the horse and cattle operations. He loves being one of the trail guides and meeting our guests.

When he's not occupied with the trail rides, he is either training a young horse or teaching the sport of rodeo. He has trained many kids to be successful all around cowboys and cowgirls.

Bones came to Hawaii in 1969 after working on the Challenge Dairy for 8 years in Northern California, the last ranch in Oakland. "Moving to Hawaii was easy, it seemed like home from the first day", Bones says.

Since then he has owned and operated 3 tree services, been a part time ranch hand and for the last 21 years, has operated the trail rides. "It is lucky that I can do almost everthing required for the upkeep and care of our horses, which includes some the shoeing, which is quite expensive if you have to hire a professional shoer. Part of the high cost of a trail ride business is the pasture rent, feed, vet bills, etc. and if I couldn't do most of this work myself, we couldn't survive. I love what I do and find myself looking forward to each new day."

Sally - the Mom

Sally (or Mom) helps with the horses and is the lady in the office, though she prefers the horses. Sally is also the one who prepares our excellent lunch.

She has done alot of rodeo coaching when her 4 kids participated in keiki (child)& high school rodeo. She was & still is the rodeo announcer for these rodeo's.

Sally was born and raised in Hawai`i. Her family's roots go back to the 1850's to her great great grandfather who was the Captain of a whaling ship. She grew up on O`ahu and her love of horses started when she was a young child, riding along the beaches of the north shore of O`ahu and in the sugar cane fields that where plentiful along the north shore also. She was also a competitive swimmer throughout her young life. She has taught both swimming and horseback riding on O`ahu, as well as the Big Island of Hawai`i.

Sally is a member of the Daughters of Hawai`i, an organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of two Hawaiian royal palaces, the Queen Emma Summer Palace on O`ahu and the Hulihe`e Palace in Kona and they also maintain the birthsite of King Kamehameha III at Keauhou Bay on the Big Island. She is the secretary of the Kona Roping Club, one of the oldest active roping clubs on the Big Island and in the State of Hawai`i. Her latest project is with the Kona Historical Society's Kona Heritage Ranching Project, which, when completed will be a living exhibit of Ranch life between 1870 and 1914. A very exciting and worthwhile endeavor.

Your Trail Guide - Erik Smith

Your guide on the trail is our son, Erik Smith. He has been riding horses since he was 3 years old and was in his first rodeo at the age of 4.

He competed in the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association, Big Island District Rodeo's Keiki (Hawaiian for child) Division at 4 years of age until he entered high school, then onto the high school division for 4 years.

He won numerous awards and buckles along the way. He also qualified to compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo in Springfield, Illinois & Farminton, New Mexico in the Dally Team Roping & Calf Roping, representing the State of Hawaii.

Erik takes care of all our horses and has also taken over all of our horseshoeing, a big backbreaking task! He is quite knowledgeable about the history of the trail you will take to the coastline and will get you to your destination safely. When they are available, he can climb one of the many coconut trees along the coast and pick you a coconut to open and taste.

We think that you will thoroughly enjoy your day with Erik! P.S. The horse in the picture with Erik is the first baby born to his all time favorite rodeo horse, Stormy, a horse he bonded with for life. There will never be another horse for Erik like Stormy. This young horse is 2 1/2 years old, named Lucky and is now in training.