Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-17

racing park, the inter-space of six or eight
 acres between the tracks being set apart for
 the days programme, which was announced
 to be a roping match with steers and bron-
 chos, open to ali corners; hence it was chiefly
 Arizona against New Mexico
 At one end was pen for the steers and
 bronchos, the victims of the tournament,
 and about it stood a motley group of riders,
 cowboys, sporting men and greasers, by
 which latter name the Mexicans are often
 called. A dozen or so of the first were
 judges, and nearly all held big silver watch
 es in their hands, ready for the sport to com
 mence, and wore white or light gray, rather,
 sombreros. On the other side stood the COW
 boys, their restive horses anxious to be off.
 As rule they paid little attention to their
 body gear, their trousers being covered with
 leather protectors that gave them curious,
 numbering appearance when not mounted. Some of these riding habits we have seen
 made of richly-stamped leather to correspond with the saddles, that often cost when new one hundred dollars, and are fringed and or namented in various ways, according to the taste of the owners.
 When it comes to the hat that is quite an important matter, and the major was author
 ity for the statement that some of them cost from sixty dollars up, the money being in the amount of silver cord and band decora- tions, and it must be confessed that the ef- feet of such hat glistening in the sun on a cowboy that was good-looking and sober was not bad, giving the rider 8 certain pictur- sequences that was attractive.
 As rule the cowboys were well-mannered, but few were enthused and swore with spirit at everybody and everything, these choice ebullitions being usually preceded by an Apache yell, previously alluded to. Ali ter an hour of discussion and pleasant wran- gling the judge, himself fine rider, called out the name of an Arizona cowboy, 8 cham pion puncher and rustler from Apache coun- ty. At the same moment wild eyed bron- cho released from the pen and went bounding and bucking over the miniature plain. According to the rule the Apache county man had to saddle his own broncho, lariat the fleeing horse and rope him for branding in a certain time Being rustler, he rustled around so lively that before the broncho was two hundred feet away he had saddled and bridled his own animal swung himself on to it and was off, gathering up his lariat as he went. The other broncho, hearing the coming enemy, doubled his pace, lodging here and there, but at every turn he was met by his pursuer, who was evidently directed by his riders legs, and in incred- lbly short space of time the fugitive was overhauled; the rope whistled through the air and dropped quickly over the broncho's head regardless of the toss he had made The instant it fell the pursuing broncho rushed and headed off the other winding the rope about his legs; then, suddenly sit ting down upon his launches, he waited with ears back for the shock. It came with 8 rush and the little horse at the other end of the rope, as the intention, went head long on to the field, the cowboys broncho holding him down by the continual strain that he kept up. The moment the horse went down the cowboy vaulted from the sad dle, untying rope from his waist as he ran, and was soon over the prostrate animal flashing the hoofs with dexterous fingers, so that it could have been branded then and there. This accomplished, up went his hands as signal to the judges, who now came galloping over the field, roar of cheers and yells greeting the Apache county man, who had done the entire work in twelve minutes, thereby securing the prize of sun dry dollars.
 After the tying had been thoroughly exam ined by the judges and pronounced satisfac- tory the broncho was released and the field cleared for another trial. This time a greas- CT, or Mexican, was the contestant, and just as his friends were yelling themselves hoa1se at his good send eff his horse began the cam e1-like gyrations known as bucking. Mexi- can spurs and rawhide only added to the ami malls rage.
 For nearly quarter of an hour it leaped about the plain, it's enraged rider assailing it with spurs and invective, but all to pur- pose. The spirit of it's wild forefathers had taken possession of the wiry animal, and 1 buck it would until the time was exhausted when it calned down and returned to the crowd.
 sport was ended for tie forenoon, and rush was made for the horse cars back to town, most of the crowd returning again in the afternoon.