Super Bowl madness this week in Arlington, home of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, reminded me of two genuine cowboys who lived and worked in Arlington for most of their lives: Pine Johnson and Bob Burton.

Both Burton and Johnson worked for some of the historic Texas cattle ranches as youngsters in the 1930s, and both wound up at the 3D Stock Farm in Arlington in the 1940s. The 3-D Stock Farm, just a few miles from today’s Cowboys Stadium, was owned by E. Paul Waggoner, of Waggoner Ranch family fame, and in the 1940s was home to legendary Quarter Horses Poco Bueno, Jessie James, Poco Tivio, and Poco Lena, among others.

Burton broke Poco Bueno for the 3-D, then went on to train and/or show many other champions, including Royal King, Silver Light, Hollywood George, Calamity Jane and Miss Nancy Bailey, who was buried on Burton’s place in Arlington in 1964.

Johnson took over Burton’s position as head trainer for the 3-D Stock Farm in 1947, the year that Burton left the 3-D operation to establish his own training facility. Although Burton showed Poco Bueno at halter, it was Johnson who trained him for cutting, and also trained and showed Poco Lena and Poco Tivio.

Johnson passed away in 1990, at the age of 74. Ironically, my husband occasionally receives mail addressed to Pine Johnson at his Arlington post office box.