The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-05-01
SAM HAYES AND THE BULL RACE.

Some forty years ago, the managers of race
course, near Brownville the Monongahela, pub
lished a notice of race, one mile heat, on a
particular day. for purse of one hundred dollars,
free for any thing with fouI legs, and hair on
A man in the neighborhood, named Hayes, had
a bull that he was in the habit OF riding to mill
with his bag of corn, and he determined to enter
HIM for the race. He said nothing about it to
any one; but he rode him around the track for a
number of times several moonlight nights, I'M
til the bull had the hang of the ground pretty
WELL and would keep the right course. lie rode
with spurs, which the bull considered particularly
disagrecable, so much so, that he always beloved
loudly when they were applied to his sides On
the morning Of the race, Hayes came upon the
ground horScLa h, OIL his bull. Instead of a
saddle, he had dried oxhide, the head part of
which, with the horns still on, he had placed on
the bulls rump. He carried short tin horn in
his hand. He rode to the judges stand, and Of
fcred TO enter his bull for the race, but the
of the horses that were entered objected. Hayes
appealed to the terms of the notice. insisted that
his bull had four legs and hair on, and that
therefore, he had right to enter him. After Il
good deal Of .'cuSsin' and discussin'" the JUDGES
declared themselves compelled TO decide taat the
bull had the right to run. When the time for
starting had arrived, the horses took their place.
The horse racers were out of humor at being both
cred with the bull, and at the burlesque which
they supposed was intended; but thought all would
be the horses started. When the
signal Was given they did start HAYES gave
blast with his horn, aud sunk his spurs into the
bulls sides, who bounded off with Il terrible bawl
at no trifling speed the dried ox-hide tapping up
and down. and rafting at every jump, making a
combination of noises that had never been heard
a race-cOurse before. The horses all few the
track, every one seemed to be seized with sudden
determination to take the shortest cut to get out
of the Redstone country, and not Of them
could be brought back in time to save their dis
lance. The pu:se was given to Hayes with
great dea! Of hard swearing on the part Of the
owners of the horses. A general row ensued, but
the fun of the thing put the crowd all on the side
of the bull. The horsemen contended that they
were swinded out of the purse, and that if it had
not been for Hayes horn and Ox-hide, which he
ought not to have b, ell Permitted to bring on the
ground, the ching would not have turned out as it
did
Upon this Hayes told them that his bull could
beat any of their horses any how; and if they'd
put up hundred dollars against the purse which
he had won, he would take off the x-hide, his tin
horn he'd leave, and run fair race with them
His offer was accepted, and the money staked
They again took their places at the starting post,
and the signal Was given. Hayes gave the bull
another touch with his spur, aud the bull gave
another tremendous below The horses remem-
bered the terrible sound, and thought all the rest
was coming as before. Away they went again, III
spite of all the exertions of their riders while
Hayes gallopped his bull around the track again,
and won the money. From that time they nick
named him Sham HAYES