Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-06
To be continued
TOURNAMENT OF ROUGH RIDERS.
skill and Daring Displayed by Cow boys OF
the Southwestern Plains.

The wild steers are brought upon the
grounds before the spectators III a herd
and rounded mp and held by the vaqueL
ros near the Judges stand. saws the San
Jose Mercury. Three judges are APP,
pointed, two timekeepers and n flag
man. The contestant. mounted on a
thoroughly trained horse, is Stationed
at a 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 tie
iagman ut b~reak-neck speed. just as
he passes the dead line" the fiagman
swings his flag down as a signal for the
cowboy TO start. His spurs no sooner
touch the horses fianks than he is on
with a jump and rapidly catching up
with the steer. A whirl or two of the
lariat over his head aud then the moose
darts ont 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 10 the
left, at right angles TO the course Of the
animal, briggs 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 mis- weight with the horse from the
steer. the animals head is drawn around
TO the right, his hind legs crowded for
ward. and almost as quick az a flash he
is lying in a heap.
This operation is usually performed,
so quickly as TO be an entire mystery 'Ol
the steer as TO how he lost his footing,
By a 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 lis
head. The rope being fast around the
pommel OF the saddle, the pony is set
back on it, and. bracing himself, stands
as firm as a post. The rider leaps OF
and in 4 moment is binding the feet Of
the PROSTATE steer with a short rope
which is carried about his waist. This
done. he signals 70 the Judge, and time
is taken from the drop Of the flag until
the contestants signal vas given. After
the cowboy throws up his hands he is
not allowed TO return to his steer. No
assistance is allowed at any time. Often
when the heavy strain il put on the
rope it breaks and horse and rider have
a hard fall.
Should the horse fail to keep the rope
tight after his rider leaves him the steer
is very liable to regain his feet, and It
is quite frequently the case that he
makes for the rider the first instant. 1t
is always a case of skill aud nerve
against strength, and of the thousands
OF stockmen who are earning a liveli-
hood in the saddle but few can tie a
wild steer down without assistance.
The best time in steer tying vas made
by Charley Meadows at the fair in Ari-
zona in 1888. according to the terrific
rial rules. He accomplished the feat in
the very short time of SO seconds and in
this the steer was given 100 yards start.
Doc Gordon afterward tied u steer in
4S seconds. but with a Afty-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 it
is generally desired that the animal
shall be a little hostile, perhaps killed
some fine colts and caused little folks TO
walk around a quarter section of land
in order to get home from school. He
comes down the track on 4 lively run.
and just as he is thinking about turning
on the cowboy and horse and blufing
them out, the cowboy reaches out and
grasps the steers tail. By a 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 COM
H1ataf, nt-ar tu-D ,p fht.aa gipNaa A
soon as 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 an
other tumble. Three or four falls take
the vim from him and the steer slowly
wends his way to the herd, y reformed
bovine.