The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-27
ROPING TEXAS STEERS.
A REMARKABLE CONTEST At A
COUNTY FAIR IN THE SOUTH.

Furious Animals Turned Loose fer the
Men and Ponies to Fussle With-Pe-
culiar sagacity of the Little Ponies.
Men Who Have to Be Quick.
One of the most interesting things / saw
while was in Texas was roping contest
at the Concho county fair. The winner OF
the first prize-a beautiful cowboy saddle
was to be the contestant who should rope
and tie down q steer in the shortest time.
The second prize was gorgeous gold and
silver trimmed sombrero, and was to be
won by tho contestant making second best
time.
1t is the intention to run up as close
alongside or behind the steer as possible,
and, while going about mis- own gait, throw
the rope over bis horns; then by following
along with the rope slack It may be gotten
clear under him as he runs; then by taking
turn around the pemmel it is secured,
the pony suddenly stopped, braced with all
hs strength, and the steer is thrown clean
heels over head literally. By dexterous
jerk endgood management a steer may be
thrown when the rope has caught but one
horn, but it will usually slip of.
If, when he has been roped and the rope
made fast to the pomn1el, a steer suddenly
bolts sideways, he is very apt to pull horse
and rider over-especially if he be big and
the pony little. When the steer has been
thrown all right the rider jumps of and
runs to tie him, leaving the pony to hold
him by keeping the line from the pommel
to his horns taut. And this was to me the
prettiest picture in the whole panorama
The sagacious little pony standing with
his nose to the fallen adversary, strsining
at the line, and watching the steer with
bright, knowing eyes. He realizes that he's
in bad fix If the steer gets up, and he
hasn't the least intention of letting him do
so.
In the first place all the wild and vicious
steers that can be found on the ranges and
ranches about fegatherea up and brought,
fighting, believing and protesting, to the
fair grounds and pat in pen there
HOW THE STEER Is RoPED.
When the fair commences the steer is
hailed about with sticks, clubs, yellS and
whoops, until perfecsly maddened, when
the outer bars ara suddenly withdrawn
and he leaps out into the opening. The
contestant whose turn it Is Is stationed
close to one side, and is after him like
shot.
The first steer was big, lean, sorrel col
ored one. with horns about four fest
across at the points, and that ran like
deer. The cowboy was fine, handsome,
keen looking fellow, and his pony one Of
the best COW ponies in the country, a little
white fellow, bearing the favorite name of
Postum. with big, bright, black eyes, as
quick as cat, a regular trump" They
get fair start with the steer, the throw
was made successfully, and then came the
moment Of suspense. when the po0y was
straining every nerve to keep with the
steer, while the rider watched each turn to
catch and throw him by an endwise jerk.
This he succeeded in doing, thea leaped
from the saddle TO ''tie him down." leaving
Possam to hold him. He had but touched
the ground when the steer made a Sudden
oonvalsive effort and rose to his fest. But
Possum's eye was on him; he instantly ran
backward and jerked him fat BY this
time the cowboy reached tue steer, Jumped
on him and tied his feet and tho business
was completed.
Now recommended the yelling and whoop-
ing, and big white steer tears into the pep
and Is half across the bars before be can DO
beaten back. He finally bursts through
the bars before they can be taken down.
This time it is toe deputy sheriff that afSer-
ward had the scriRamage with the Mexi-
cans at Knickerbocker, mounted on q ltt-
tie claybaak with silveFy name and tail
Capt. Scott, and a captain he proves him
self
A sAGAcIoUs PONY.
Hequickly oveEhaals the steer, the throw
Is made, bheFepe secured, and then the big
brute bolts sideways like lightning, and
horse and rider go over in horrible confu-
sion.
Hurrah for the captainI He's up and
Oft It's he and the steer for it. And now
there were Screams and roers Of lsRghter
and shouts of admiration IS the Plueky bit
tie fellow lodged and tackled and jerked
the big aninad sbnnt tili attendants could
come up and eut the rope and drive him
into the outer regions.
Here comes the next candidate for the
rope. This time the roper is a handsome
boy of 81 or %, whose father owns big
ranch, of which the young manis manager,
OF they go, the fiery little pony fairly fly
ing over the ground. The steer is reped,
without struggle-and has
only to be tied to complete the job But
the moment he feel the young fellows
weight upon him he rises like shot
is breathless-we hardly know
whether TO laugh or be terrified
But the pony doesn't debate he promp*
IL hauls the would be "riain' boss" down
with backward plunge, and keeps drag
ging him little as he struggles TO rise, unr
til his master has him safely tied; and all
with such little Snorts, such tossings Of his
pretty head, and kickings out Of the little
slim heels, such sharp neighs and firtings
of his tail as were for all the world like ar
ticulate speech.
This was the very eatest pony OF all, and
when his master got on him after tying
down his steer he went off fairly dancing
and swelling with pride and high spirits.
THR PRIZE WINNER
After this there were one or two failures,
one horse falling in a prairie dog hole and
one man missing the throw 1t had taken
him long to get close enough TO make.
And now came al unusually wild, ugly
steer, and the funniest kind of a pair to
run after him and catch him The pony
was little, ratty roam, and the man big,
heavy and awkward locking Everybody
aaOsSIcO "ACAA SASI o<~@ACN Al OAScC OA VIC
heels of the vaRoosing. buckskin colored
steer. But that little beetle bug of pony
Just caught up with the great long legged
creature, the big. clumsy locking man
threw his rope like a streak Of insh-iaSsd
i ghtning over has horns, threw him end
wise tiIl looked tos hear his neck crack,
then hoped out OF the saddle like little
circus boy ard tied him with neatness and
dispatch. He, out of all the fine athletic
looking men on feet ponies, was the one
to take the first prize, the saddle, and our
handsome boy who wss manager OF his
fathers ranch bore of the sombrero, which
ought to look appropriate enough on his
black curls and shading his brilliant black
eyes.