Joel H. Bernstein has been a tenured college professor, writer, bareback rider, cowboy and rancher for more than fifty years in Wyoming, Montana, Arizona and New Mexico. He has been involved with rodeo as a contestant, college rodeo coach, producer, and writer. In addition he has been the president of three major western associations and he twice judged the Miss Rodeo Montana pageant and served two terms on the New Mexico State Veterinary Grievance Committee. He was also national director of "Indian Pride on the Move." He still owns a large ranch overlooking the historic San Rafael Valley in Arizona and now lives with his wife Gail on a smaller place outside Santa Fe, New Mexico.