Belen cowboy traditions endure

One of the charms of living and working in our small farming community is the opportunity to see remnants of the past in everyday life.

In Valencia County, residents take pride in continuing family traditions and keeping legacies alive. One such tradition is keeping horses. Our roads are made for cars and trucks but it’s not unheard of to see a horse at a stoplight in Belen on a random Wednesday afternoon.

I caught up with J.P. Montoya and a horse, named Scout, on Feb. 4 as they enjoyed the warm weather to talk more about keeping the riding tradition alive. Scout belongs to Montoya’s uncle.

“My uncle, Joe Duran, is my cowboy hero,” Montoya said with a grin.

Duran, who is a Vietnam veteran, isn’t able to take his horse out as much as he would like to so his nephew is happy to help get Scout trotting around town. Montoya said he has been riding since birth.

“My dad and my mom rode, my grandma and grandpa rode, it’s always been a family activity” he said.

Montoya, who has been out of the military for three years and is now a student and a farmer, said he remembers riding to Sonic on Main Street in Belen when he was a kid.

These days, it’s not unusual for Montoya to saddle up Scout at his uncle’s home near 10th Street and ride him to Montoya’s home in Jarales for a visit with family.

“He knows when we get home he gets apples,” he says.