Bartok and cowboy music

[kaff]

Ok, this is a completely mad question, but I'm hoping someone out there can put me out of my misery.  I'm currently working on Bartok's 6 Dances in Hungarian Rhythm (Mikrokosmos book 6), and I'm particularly intrigued by No 151, the fourth of the six.  As soon as I heard it, I thought "oh, cowboy music", both because of the rhythms and the harmonies, but I've no idea why and it's really bugging me.  I suspect it reminds me of some long-distant theme tune to a 1960s or 70s Western series on TV, or of the theme tune of a John Wayne film, but as I've never been a particular fan of Westerns this is going to be something that I've only heard in the background which is why I can't recognise it.

Any ideas?  Leading on from that, are there (were there) any composers of film music around that era known to have been influenced by Bartok, or who are known to have had influences in common with those which inspired Bartok?

All suggestions gratefully appreciated!

Kathryn