By Lee Pitts

It’s what’s up front that counts when it comes to cowboys and cowgirls. The first place we all look to see if a person is a counterfeit is right there in the middle of a person’s torso. I am speaking, of course, about one’s buckle. Buckles are the main reason why we wear pants.

There are several ways to acquire a trophy buckle. The most prestigious buckles are those acquired in the sport of bull or bronc riding. The problem here is that in the quest of such a buckle, you may acquire yours posthumously.

Perhaps the finest looking buckles I have ever seen were buckles related to equine recreational activities. These can be very expensive. I know one person who spent more then $75,000 on his buckle. By the time he spent $50,000 on a truck and trailer and another $25,000 on a competitive horse, it would have been much cheaper for him just to have bought a buckle.

Many people are doing just that.

In designing your buckle, it is important to remember that if you use enough gold, silver, diamonds and rubies, perhaps people will not read that it was awarded for third place in the county cow chip tossing contest. The words "World Champion" should appear somewhere on the buckle in very big letters.

Extreme care should be taken when buying a used buckle to wear. There are a lot of knock-offs in circulation. Before purchasing a used county fair calf-roping buckle, make sure there is such a place.

Although it is not recommended, you can buy pre-made buckles to hold up your pants. These store-bought buckles are usually worn by drug store cowboys, the general public and bankers. A best-dressed cowpoke would never be caught dead wearing a belt buckle with a silver dollar in the center, or a bunch of nickels welded together. This is like wearing a hat with a feather stuck in it. It just isn’t done!

Some buckles are free. I noticed in the store the other day that if you bought a carton of a certain brand of cigarettes you got a buckle with the brand name on it. But all this tells people about you is that your best claim to fame is that you smoke. Tractor company buckles and designer jean buckles make the statement to anyone that takes the time and effort to look at your midsection that you have a very poor self-image.

If you’re going to buy your own buckle, keep in mind that it should be uncomfortable without inflicting permanent damage. It should either be the size of a dinner plate or with sharp corners that cut like barb wire. This forces you to walk slow and careful, grimacing with each step, approximating the gait of a stove-up cowboy.

I have seen some beautiful buckles that were presented by organizations and groups. I don’t have any idea what you must do to acquire one of these, but I’d be willing to bet you have to attend a lot of committee meetings. Attem-pting to win one as a bull rider would be much more exciting.

If you are a woman, you know that western buckles are now considered high fashion. To acquire yours you will probably be forced either to become a barrel racer or get real friendly with a rodeo cowboy and wear one of his. Such gold diggers were known as "buckle bunnies" in my college days. Ladies, the problem here is that you may have to marry the bum to keep the buckle. No buckle is that pretty!