, 1890-06-26
R0PING TEXAS STEERS.
A REMARKABLE CONTEST AT A
COUNTY FAIR IN THE SOUTH.

Men Who Have to he Quick.
while l was in Texas WAS a roping contes,
at the Conoho county fair. The winner OF
the nrSt pTZe-R beautiful cowboy saddle
was TO be the contestant who should rope
and tie down a steer in the shortest time.
The second prize was a gorgeous gold and
silver trimmed sombrsro, and was TO be
won by the 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 his own gait, throw
the rope over his horns; then by following
along with the rope slack 1t may be gotten
clear under him a. he rum then by taking
a turn around the pommel It is secured,
the pony suddenly stopped, braced with ali
his strength, and the steer is thrown clean
heels over head literally. By a deIterous
jerk and good management a steer may be
thrown when the rope has caught but one
horn, but it will usually slip of.
II, when he has been roped and the rope
made fast 10 the pommel, a steer suddenly
bolts sideways. he is very apt to pull horse
and rider o~ver-especially II he be big and
the pony little. When the steer has been
thrown all right the rider jumps off 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 10 me tbs
prettiest picture in the whole panorama.
The sagacious little pom standing with
his nose to the fallen adversary, straininR
at the line, and watching the steer with
bright, knowing eyes. He realizes that he's
In a bad fix II 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
ataara that nan H. fl.V-1 -
ranches about are gathered up and brought,
fighting. believing and protesting, to the
fair grounds and put in a pen there.
HOW THE TEL Is RoPED.
When the fair commences the steer Is
hailed about with sticks, clubs, yells and
whoops, until perfectly mAddened, when
the outer bars are suddenly withdrawn
and he leaps out into the Opening. The
contestant whose turn IL is is stationed
close to one side, and is after him like a
shot.
The first steer was a big, lean, sorrel col
ored one. with horns about four feet
across at the points, and that ran like a
deer. The cowboy was a fine, handsome.
keen looking fellow, and his pony n Of
the best COW ponies In the country, q little
white fellow, bearing the ~favorite name of
Postum, with big, bright, black eyes, as
quick as a cat, a regular trump" They
got a fair start with the steer, the throw
was made successfully, and Their came the
moment of suspense, when the pony was
straining every nerve TO keep with the
steer, while the rider watched each turn to
catch and throw him by an endwtse jerk.
This be succeeded in doing, then leaped
from the saddle to 'tie him down" leaving
Possum to hold him. He had but touched
the ground when the steer made a sudden
c~onvulsive effort and rose to his feet. But
Possum's eye was on him; he instantly ran
backward and Jerkod him fiat. By this
time the cowboy reached the steer, jumped
on MIN and tied his feet and the business
was completed.
Now recommended the yelling and whoop-
ing, and a big white steer tears into the peu
and is half across the bars before he can DO
beaten back. He finally bursts through
the bars before they can be taken down.
This time 1t is the deputy sheriff that after,
ward had the scrimmage with the Mexi3
cans at Knlckerbocker. mounted on a lit.
tie claybank with silvery name and tall
Capt. Scott. and a captain he proves him
self.
A sAoAcIoUs PONY.
He quickly overhauls the steer, the throw
Is made, the rope secured, and then the big
brute bolts sideways like lightning, and
horse and riderg go over In horrible confu-
sion.
Hurrnh for the captaini He's up and
OIL It's he and the steer for it. And low
there were screams and roars of laughter
and shouts Of admiration as the plucky lit
tic fellow lodged and tackled and jerked
the big animal about till attendants could
come up and cut 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 n or 90, whose father owns a big
ranch, Of which the young man Is manager.
on they go, the fiery little pony fairly fly
ing over the ground. The steer Is roped,
thrown-not without q 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 a shot.
Everybody is breathless-we hardly know
TO laugh or be terrified.
But the pony doesn't debate. He prompt
ly a the would be "ridin' boss" down
with a backward plunge, and keeps drag
ging him a little as he struggles to rise, un-
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 FITTINGS
Of his tail as were for all the world like ar
ticulate speech.
This Was the very cutest pony OF all, and
Wben LIS master got on MIN after tying
down his steer he went of fairly dancing
and swelling with pride and high spirits.
THE PRIZE WINNER
After this there were one or two failures,
one horse falling in a prairie dog hole and
one man missing the throw IL had taken
him long TO get close enough to make.
And now came an unusually wild, ugly
steer, and the funniest kind Of a pair TO
run after him and catch him. The pony
was a little, rAtty roam, and the man big,
heavy n awkward looking. Everybody
laughed when they sailed In close on the
heels OF the vAmoosing, buckskin colored
steer. But that little beetle bug OF a pony
just caught up with the great long legged
creature, the big. clumsy looking mar
threw his rope like a streak Of ~inebrAted
lightning over his horns, threw him end
wise TIL | looked TO hear his neck crack,
then hoped out Of the saddle like a little
circus boy and tied him with neatness and
dispatch He, out u all the fine athletic
looking men on fleet ponies, wAs the one
to take the first prize, the saddle, and our
handsome boy who was manager Of hz
fathers ranch bore OF the sombreru, which
ought to look appropriate enough on hs
black curls and shading his brilliant black
eyes.
Altogether it was all that fancy painted
it. Thrilling, exciting, making your heart
leap with excitement and stand still with
suspense. such a display OF mans mat
cry OF powerful and frantic beasts L. q
Homeric spectacle, and one which appeals
TO the original savage which we are told
sleeps In every nature, - Chattanooga