Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-11
ROPING TEXAS STEERS.
A REMA RKABLE CONTEST Al
COUNTY FAIR IN THE SOUTH.


cuIIar sagacity of the Little Ponies.
Men Who Have Ia BE Quick.
One Of the most interesting things saw
while was in Texas was roping contest
az the Concho county fair The winner Of
the first prize-a beautiful cowboy saddle
WIS TO be the contestant who should rope
and tie down a steer in the shortest time
The second prize was gorgeous gold and
silver trimmed sombrero, and was to be
won by The contestant making second lest
time.
II 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 it may be gotten
clear under him as he runs; then by taking
turn around the pommel it is secured,
the pony suddenly stopped braced with "
his strength, and the steer is thrown cleiG
heels over head literally. BY dexterous
jerk and good management steer may be
thrown when the rope has caught but one
hoBn, but it will usually slip off.
If, when he has been roped and the rope
made fast to the pommel a steer sudden y
bolts sideways, he is very apt to pull horIe
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 pomme |
20 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, straining
at the line, and watching the steer with
10. kL.,A L,,I,
in a 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 are gathered up and brought,
fighting, believing and protesting, to the
fair grounds and put in a pen there.
HOW THE STEER IS RoPED.
2 When the fair commences the steer Is
baled about with sticks, clubs, yells and
whoOps, until perfectly maddened, when
the outer bars are suddenly withdrawn
and nc leaps out into the opening The
contestant whose turn it is is stationed
close to one side, and is after him like u
shot.
The first steer was a big, lean, sorrcl col
ored one, with horns about four feet
deer. The cowboy was u fine, handsome,
keen looking fellow, and his pony one Of
the best COW ponies in the country, little
white fellow, bearing the favorite name of
Postum, with big, bright, black eyes, as
quick as a cat, n regular trump" They
got fair start with the steer, the throw
was made successfully, and then came the
moment of suspense, vixen the pony 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, then leaped
from the saddle to "tie him down." leaving
Postum to hold him. lie had but touched
the ground when the steer made sudden
convulsiye effort and rose to his feet. But
Possum's eye was on him; he instantly ran
backward and jerked 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 u big white steer tears into the pen
and il half across the bars before he can be
beaten back lie finally bursts through
the bars before they can be taken down.
This time 1t Is the deputy sheriff that after
ward had the sarimmage with the MeXi
cans Mt Knickcrbosker, mounted ON u lit
tie claybank with silvery name and tall
Capt. Scott. and II captain he proves him
self.
A sAGhcIoUs 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 rider 20 over in horrible confu
sron.
Hurrah for the captainl He's up and
off It's he and the steer for it. Ard now
there were screams and roars of laughter
and shouts of admiration rs the plucky lit.
tic fellow lodged and tackled and jerked
the big animal about till attendants could
come mp and cut the rope and drive him
into the outer REGIONS.
Here comes the next candidate for che
rope This time the roper is handsome
boy of q or -, whose father owns II big
ranch, of which the young man is manager.
OF they 20, the fiery little pony fRirly fly
ing over the ground. The steer Is rope1,
thrown-not without II 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 u shot
Everybody Is brcathless-we hardly know
whether to laugh or DO terrified.
But the pony doesn't debate lie prompt
ly hauls the would bo "ridip boss" down
with backward plunge, and keeps drag
ging him Ii little rs he struggles To rise, un
Ill his master has him safely tied and all
with such little snorts, such tossings of his
pretty head, aud Lickngs out of the little
slim heels, such sharp ncighs and fiirtings
of his tail rs were for all the world like ar
ticulate speech.
This was the very cutcst pony Of all, and
when his master got on him after tying
down his steer he went oil fairly dancing
aud swelling with pride and high spirits.
THE PRIZE EtNNER.
After this there were one or two failures,
one horse falling in prairie dog hole aud
one man missing the throw il had taken
him long to get close enough 10 make.
And now came an unusually wild, ugly
steer. aud the funniest kind of a pair "
run after him aud catch him The pony
was u little, ratty roam, and the man big
heavy AMI awkward looking. Everybody
laughed when they sailed in close ON the
heels Of the NamuOsing, huckskin colored
steer But that little beetle bug OF pony
Just canght up with the great long legged
creature, the big clumsy looking man
threw his rope Ike a streak Of inebriated
lightning over his horns threw him end
wise I'LL looked 70 hear his neck crack,
then hoppc,l out 81 the saddle like n little
circus boy ami tied him with neatness and
dispatch lie. ont u all the fine athletic
hooking meu Ou fleet ponics. was the ons
40 take the first prize, the saddle. and Oug
handsome boy who was manager " bis
fathers ranch hore od the sombrerO. which
ought % hook appropriate enough on his
black curl, and shading his brilliant black
eyes.
Altogether Il was All that fancy painted
a. qstrtttIpt4 .,.ffIp.r NAL inc Nnur heart