Waimea is a small ranching town on the Big Island, an area famous for its paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys). This area has deep roots in the island’s cattle industry which dates to the 1800s.
This 8-foot-tall cowboy boot sculpture is known as the Waiomina Boot. It was installed in 2008 to mark the 100th anniversary of 3 Waimea cowboys winning the Steer Roping championship in the 1907 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Wyoming. The boot was a gift to Waimea from its “sister city,” of Cheyenne as part of Waimea’s centennial year celebration. It features scenes of Waimea’s ranching history.
You’ll spot the boot in downtown Waimea, beside the road between Kona and Hilo.
