Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-28
LIKE A BULL FIGHT.
Roping Steers for Prizes at . Texas
Country Fair.


Country Fair.
HOW THE STEERS ARE MANAGED-ToUoH WORK
FOR MEN AND PoSIEs-A woMANs GRAPHIC
DESCRIPTION OF WILD Soma CONTEST OF
LUCK AND SKILL
One of the most interesting things I saw
while was in Texas was . roping contest at
the Concho country fair.
The winner of the first prize beautiful
cowboy saddle-was to be the contestant who
should rope and tie down q steer in the short
est time. The second prize was a gorg GUS
gold and silver trimmed sombrero, and was to
be won by the contestant making the second
best time.
Each man has but one trial, 80 that IL horse
stumbles in q prairie dog hole, or the rider
misses upon his first throw, or fails to get Q
quick start after the steer ct the outset, he 10
gone and it is very
LARGELY LUCK AFTER ALL,
and the best man does not necessarily get the
saddle-or even the sombrero.
They were q fine looking lot of fellows.
nearly all of them. Business men, deputy
sheriffs and marshals and some of our best
looking and most popular young society men
for almost everybody has or has had cattle, and
n
lateral education to be able TO ride like Co.'S
sack and rope steer IN good shape. 1t is the
intention to run up as close alongside or be-
hlnd 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, it may be gotten clear under him as lie
runs; then, by taking turn around the POM
mel, 1t is secured, the pony suddenly stopped.
braced with all his strength, and the steer is
thrown clean heels over head. literally
Ity dHx* n~ sarlr
steer may be thrown when the rope has
caught but one horn, but it will usually slip of
in such cases.
If, when he has been roped and the rope
made fast to the pommel 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 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. to me, the prettiest picture in
the whole panorama-the sagacious little
pony, standing with his nose to the fallen ad-
versary. straining at the line, and watching
the steer with bright, knowing eyes. He
realizes that he's in a bad fix if that 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 are gathered up and brought,
hghting, believing and protesting, to the fair
grounds and put III a pen there.
This pen had smaller one opening out OF it
by means OF a couple of big bars and its further
end also consisted of bars. When the announce
ment was made that the contest would now
take place, steer was run into this smaller
pen. lie, OF course. dashed furiously to the
end and finding it closed turned to rush back
as he came. Here he met mounted man with
big whip or club, who fought him back while
another finished putting up the bars. He
plunges back and forth and is hailed about
with
STICKS, CLUBS WELLS AND wHooPs
until perfectly maddened, when the outer bars
are suddenly withdrawn and he leaps out into
the opening. The contestant whose turn it is
is stationed close to the one side, and is after
him like shot
The first steer was a big, lean. sorrel-colored
one, with horns about four feet across at the
points, and that ran like deer. The cowboy
was tine, 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, quick as a cat, regular trump"
1hey got fair start with the
steer, the throw was made success
fully, and then 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 end
wise jerk. This he succeeded in doing, then
leaped from the saddle to tie him down. leay-
ing Postum to hold him. He had but touched
the ground when the steer made a sudden con-
vulslve effort and rose to his feet But Pos
sums eye was on him, he instantly ran back
ward and jerkod him fiat BY this time the
cowboy reached the steer, jumped on him and
tied his feet and the business was completed
Now recommended the yelling and whoop-
ing, and a big white steer tears into the pen
and is half across the bars before be can be
beaten back. He finally bursts through the
bars before they can be taken down. This
time 1t is the deputy sheriff mounted on a
little clay bank with silvery name and tail
Captain Scott, and captain he proves himself
He quickly overhauls the steer, the throw is
made, the rope secured, and then the big
brute bolt sideways like lightning. horse and
rider going over in horrible confusion.
Hurrah for the captain! He's up and off!
It's he and the steer for it. And now there
were screams and roars of laughter and shouts
of admiration as the plucky little fellow ran
and lodged and tackled and jerked the big ami
NAL about until attendants could come up and
cut the rope and drive him into the outer
regions. Again amid the beating of tom-toms.
bowling of dervishes and brandshing of sticks
and clubs a steer shoots forth, with glaring
red eyes and rigid, horizontal tail. One of the
LEAN kline" he is, and runs accordin' 1t is
only after some time and much hard running
that he is roped; then with a furious plunge he
breaks the rope. or the girths saddle pommel
give way, and the steer rolls over about four
other. The fellow with the horns is up first
He stands unsteadily, with head swaying from
side to side, eyes vacant, tail dropping.
LITERALLY KNOCKED Silly
Nobody's really hurt, but the poor little pony
commands my sympathy, he looked SO sheep
ish and shamsd. Here comes the next candi-
date for the rope. This time the roper is a
handsome boy of twenty or twenty-one VIII ose
father owns IA big rancho of which the boy is
manager. OF they 60. the fiery little pony
fairly flying over the ground. The steer is
roped. thrown-not without struggle-and
has only to be tied to- complete the job. But
the moment he feels the young fellows weight
breathless-we hardly know whether to laugh
or be terrified.
But the pony doesn't debate He promptly
hauls the would-be .'ridin' hoss'' down with a
backward plunge and keeps dragging him
little as he struggles to rise. until his master
has him safely tied-and all with such little
snorts. such tossing of his pretty head and
kicking out of the little slim heels. such sharp
nelghs and FITTINGS of his tail are for all the
world like articulate speech.
Ihls was the very cutest pony of all and
when his master got on HIM, after tying down
his steer, he went off fairly dancing and swell
ing with pride and high Spirits.
Tine next man man missed his throw.
The next roped his steer and attempted to
throw him, but the animal was big, his pony
hight, and with a tremendous plunge ahead it
lerked pony and rider forward so that the man
fell heavily from the saddle, striking on the
top and back of his head. The pony and steer
seemed to be all around and over him. He
struggled to his feet only to sink back again
We all groaned with horror. Attendants gall