Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-24
THE COWBOY TOURNAMENT.
The SKIN and Cleverness Displayed by
These Rough Riders After Cattle.
(San Jose Mercury

(San Jose Mercury
The wild steers are brought upon the
grounds before the spectators in a herd
and rounded up and held by the vaqueros
near the Judges stand. Three judges are
appointed. two time-keepers. and a flag
man. The contestant. mounted on tho
roughly trained horse, Is stationed at
point twenty-five yards from the flagman.
When all are ready the vaqueros single
out a steer and with a yell. 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 nagman swings his flag down as
signal for the cowboy 10 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 ,he
l,rrat 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 ami
mil, and refining his horse 10 the left, at
right angles 10 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 saddle and all
slack Is taken up. Throwing his weight
with the horse from the steer. the ami
mails head is drawn around 10 the riCnt,
MS Nlill lttS CIONutu lOTNdfu, anu JllUOSl
as quick as n fash he is lying in a heap.
This operation is usually performed so
quickly as to be an entire mystery 10
the steer as to how he lost his footing.
BY little strain the rope is slipped 1Com
under the hind legs of the steer uN TO
the front legs. which are then drawn In
front of him and close TO his head. The
rope being fast around the pommel of
the saddle. the pony is set back on II,
and bracing himself. stands as firm as
a post The rider leaps off and in a mo-
ment is binding the feet of the PROSTATE
steer with a short rope which is carried
about his waist. This done. he signals
to the Judge. and time Is taken from the
drop of the flag until the contestants
signal was given. After the COWBOY
throws up his hands he is not allowed 10
return TO his steer No assistance is al
lowed at any time. OFTEN when the
heavy strain Is put on the rope it breaks
and rider and horse have hard TALL.
Should the horse fail to keep the rope
tight after his rider leaves him the steer
is very liable to regain his feet, and ii is
quite frequently the case that he makes
for the rider the first instant. 1t Is
always "a case of skill and nerve against
strength. and of the thousands OF stock
men who are earning u livelihood in the
Sduule out lew tdli TIC a VIII SNtti NONH
without assistance. The besN time In
steer tying was made by Charley Mea-
dows at the fair In Arizona IN 1885, ac-
CordinR to the Territorial rules He ac-
complished the feat in the very short
time oil fifty-ninc seconds, and in this
the steer was given 100 yards start. Doc
Gordon afterwards tied steer In forty
eight seconds, but with nfty-yard start.
Tailing-down Is the funny part of the
cowboy tournament and always creates
merriment with all The wild steer is
given a good start and in this event II
Is generally desired that the animal shall
he little hostile, perhaps killed some
fine colts and caused little folks TO walk
around a quarter section of land In order
Co get home from school. He comes
down the track on a lively run. 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 a magic twist and pull
| letting go suddenly. the steer seems to
lose his equilibrium and falls headlone,
| sometimes rolling completely over two
| or three times. rs soon as he RECEIVERS
| his feet he makes a plunge. with head
| down. at the horse and rider nearest. brsS
| 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 she herd.
| reformed bovine.