The Trail Boss statue is on a busy corner of the predominantly oil and gas town of Artesia, NM. From far away it stands out, so you know it's a large art piece. If you park in the Shell gas station lot, you can walk up to it easily and get better photos than the ones I did. I was just in a hurry to get my daughter to her doctor's appointment in Roswell back on April 8, 2026. As you walk up to it, you'll see the plaques with historical and artistic information. This truly realistic sculpture was created by Vic Payne (dated March 24, 2007). It is the first in a series of three statues that tells the "Cattle Drive" story. The other two are scattered along downtown. I don't envy the trail boss, but I do respect him. Can you imagine putting up with the egos of all those cowboys/vaqueros AND the cattle? In this depiction he is said to be "springing into action to help the vaquero." Works Cited https://www.newmexico.org/blog/post/how-to-take-a-self-guided-art-tour-through-artesias-downtown/ read more

The Trail Boss - 4.8.2026 - Public Art Near Me - Artesia, New Mexico

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What an amazing way to show the history of the area and make it like a scavenger hunt. You will enjoy the history of the monuments and follow the story. Great for the whole family read more

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Located on the busiest corner in Artesia, where US Highway 285 from the north/south meets US Highway 82 from the east/west at the east side of Artesia, this statue is quite large. "The Trail Boss" is a sculpture by Vic Payne, located at First and Main Streets in Artesia, New Mexico. The bronze sculpture was unveiled in March 2007 and was the first of three sculptures that as a group are referred to as "The Cattle Drive". The City of Artesia placed the statues around town to honor the history and development of the ranching industry in southeastern New Mexico during the late 1800s. There is some parking in the gas station lot where you can check out this statue and maybe get a snack or drink. [Review 17437 overall - 51 in New Mexico - 955 of 2022.] read more

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