From Horses to Helicopters: Cowboys Take to the Sky at New Reagan Library Exhibit
Sylvie Belmond 
When Cowboys Take Flight: Simi Valley Pilot Lands at Reagan Library
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — A cowboy doesn’t always ride into town on a horse. Sometimes he lands by helicopter, and for the pilot at the controls, that meant returning to his hometown of Simi Valley.
On Sept. 23, a Robinson R22 touched down on the South Lawn of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, giving guests, docents and schoolchildren a front-row look at how cowboys herd animals today. The chopper, stamped with the Reagan Ranch brand, will be one of the focal points of Cowboys: History & Hollywood, an exhibition that opens Oct. 18 and runs through April 19, 2026.
Blending myth and grit
The 10,000-square-foot show will feature saddles, hats, firearms and other gear from the 19th and early 20th centuries, plus Hollywood costumes, objects and artifacts from Yellowstone, Gunsmoke, Back to the Future Part III, Nope and Annie Get Your Gun. Visitors will see items tied to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and President Ronald Reagan, Roy Rogers’ horse Trigger and dog Bullet, President Reagan’s 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-6 from Rancho del Cielo, an NSYNC tour cowboy costume and an autographed guitar by “God Bless the USA” singer Lee Greenwood.
“It’s a privilege to present an exhibition that explores both the history and the Hollywood magic of the American cowboy,” said David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, in a statement. “President Reagan himself embodied the cowboy spirit through his values of hard work, liberty and determination.”
From horseback to rotor blades
The exhibition traces how herding moved from horses and dusty trails to helicopters and ATVs, culminating in a Robinson R22 used to round up cattle.
“Across the world, our R22s are the horsepower of the 21st century, equipping modern cowboys in mustering sheep, cattle and other animals. We are honored to share the stories of our owners and operators and be a part of this exhibit with a Retro Ronald Reagan-branded R22,” said Robyn Eagles, vice president of global marketing and communications at Torrance-based Robinson Helicopter Company. She noted the company has produced nearly 15,000 aircraft, many used for tough jobs.
For the pilot who brought the aircraft in, the landing was a homecoming. Dan Benton, Robinson’s chief production flight test pilot, grew up in Simi Valley.
“As a little kid I’d ride my bike down to the old airport at the south end of town and watch the planes come in and take off, and it got me interested in flying,” Benton said. “So I kind of knew I was going to be a pilot from a pretty young age.” The airport is long gone, but Benton still remembers it clearly. Benton is one of the first Robinson Helicopter Company test pilots and has extensive experience flying in both piston and turbine helicopters.
A show in the making
Supervisory curator Randy Swan said the Library worked closely with the Robinson company to secure the helicopter, even as the manufacturer faces an 18-month production backlog. “They fit us in special to ensure we’d have the aircraft for this new exhibit,” he said.
Melissa Giller, Library spokesperson, said the exhibition spans centuries. “(It) examines the full history of the cowboys in the early 1800s, amazing artifacts from 1850 to about 1950, but then it also talks about the cowboys of today,” she said. “The cowboys of today do not herd cattle on horseback, and this is the kind of helicopters, the Robinson helicopter, that they use.”
Giller added that the exhibition also looks at pop culture. “The exhibition also talks about the Hollywood version, the myth of the cowboys,” she said. “It’s a really fun exhibit where you will learn a lot about cowboys but also have fun while doing it and learn about how Hollywood tells the story.”
President Ronald Reagan once said, “I seem to remember a famous country and western song warning mothers not to let their babies grow up to be cowboys… The song forgot that cowboys can sometimes grow up and be President.”
Tickets and information are available at reaganfoundation.org.
