The Irish standard., 1894-07-14
ROUGH RIDERS.
Hi3iI

49, "a
ROUGH RIDERS.
Skill and Daring Displayed by Cowboys ~
the Southwestern Plains. ,l As
The wild steers are brought upon
the grounds before the spectators ina
herd and rounded up and held by the
vaqueros near the judges stand, says
the San Jose Mercury. Three judges
are appointed, two timekeepers and 81
hagman The contestant, mounted on
a thoroughly trained horse, is stationed
at point twenty-five yards from the
hagrnan. When all are ready the
vaqueros single out a steer and with g.
veil such as only cowboys can give,
they start him across the line by the
fagman at break-neck speed. Just as
he passes the dead line the f1agman
swings his flag down as signal for.
the cowboy to start. His spurs no.
sooner touch the horses TANKS than he,
is off with jump and rapidly catching
up with the steer. A whirl or two OF
the lariat over his head and then the,
moose darts out and neatly drops over,
the head of the steer. This done the
rider draws the rope along the right,
side of the animal and refining. his
horse to the left: at right angles to the
course of the animal, brings the
rope across the hind legs of
the animal. The rope is then
wrapped about the pommel of the sad
die and all slack is taken up. Throw
ing his weight with the horse from the
steer, the animals head is drawn
around to the right, his hind legs
crowded forward. and almost as quick
as flash he is lying in heap.
This operation is usually performed
so quickly as to be an entire mystery
to the steer as to how he lost his foot
ing BY little strain the rope is
slipped from under the hind legs of the.
steer up to the front legs, which are
then drawn in front Of him and close
to his head. The rope being fast to the
pommel of the saddle, the pony is set
back on it, and, bracing himself, stands
as firm as post. The rider leaps off,
and in a moment is binding the feet of
the PROSTATE steer with short rope
which he carries about his waist. This
done, he signals to the Judge, and time
is taken from the drop of the flag until
the contestants signal is given. After
the cowboy throws up his hands he is
not allowed to return to mis- steer. No
assistant is allowed at any time. Often
when "A heavy strain is put on the rope
it breaks and horse and rider have q
hard fall Should the horse fail to
keep the rope tight after the rider
leaves him the steer is very liable to re-
gain his feet, and it is quite frequently
the case that he makes for the rider the
first instant. 1t is always case OF
skill and nerve against strength, and
of the thousands of stockmen who are
earning livelihood in the saddle but
few can tie wild steer down without
assistance. The best time in steer ty-
ing was made by Charley Meadows at
the fair in Arizona in 1888, according
to the territorial rules. He accom-
pllshed the feat in the very short time
of fifty-nine seconds and in this the
steer was given one hundred yards
start. Doc Gordon afterward tied a
steer in forty-eight seconds, but with a
ifty-yard start.
Ialllng-dOWn is the iunny part OF
the cowboy tournament, and always
creates merriment with all. The wild
steer is given a good start, and in this
event it is generally desired that the
animal shall be little hostile: per-
haps killed some fine colts and caused
little folks to walk around quarter
section of land in order to get home
from school. He comes down the
track on lively rum and just as he is
thinking about turning on the cowboy
and horse and bluffing them out, the
cowboy reaches out and grasps the
steers tail. By magic twist and pull
of that appendage to one side and then
letting go suddenly: the steer seems to
lose his equilibrium and falls headlong,
sometimes rolling completely over two
Or three times. AS soon rs he RECEIVERS
his feet he makes a plunge, with head
down, at the horse and rider nearest,
but another cowboy has ridden up in
the rear and takes the irate steer. by
the tail, giving him another tumble.
Three or four falls take the vim from
him and the steer slowly wends his
way to the herd, reformed bovine.