IVAN THOMPSON (a.k.a. "Cowboy Cupid") -- Ivan was born in 1941 in the Sandhill County of New Mexico to a large, dirt-poor family. His father died when he was 8, and his family’s move to Portalos, New Mexico took a toll on the younger children. For three years, Ivan found himself hitchhiking between his older brothers and sisters, trying to find a place where he belonged.

Hitchhiking through Texas at 14, Ivan was picked up by a cowboy named J.V. Stump. His dream of becoming a real cowboy was finally being realized, as he went to work on Stump’s farm with cattle and horses. Ivan immediately participated in kids’ rodeos. He apprenticed with Stump through high school, after which he moved to Arizona to work on a big cattle ranch.

In 1961, Ivan joined the U.S. Army, where he served for three years. Thereafter, he traveled from farm to farm, gaining experience with working cow-dogs and cattle doctoring. But Ivan always had the horse-race itch. He started buying and selling trained horses, and moved to Oklahoma City to the heart of quarter horse country. There, he put together a Black Gold Futurity race for quarter horses, and had the first million dollar added purse in history.

After piss’n all the Okies off, he moved to Arkansas ("Arkin-sauce"), where he stayed out of trouble for a whole five years and married Wife Number One.

He divorced in 1968, ending up in Anthony, N.M., where he ran a farm. That’s when lightning struck: introduce American men to Mexican women as a cash ‘n’ carry business. Ivan himself had been introduced to Chayo by his ranch hand Carlos. He married the Mexican beauty, only to find out later that she had four kids from a previous marriage. Ivan went from single to lonely to instant family.

Nine years of love and marriage later, Ivan and Chayo divorced. With one kid in college and another in the navy, Ivan remains the proud father. But the divorce left Ivan broke, and to make ends meet, he moved to Mexico in 2004, where everything is cheaper. At 65, Ivan is still young and still looking for a new wife. Not only his...but everybody’s.