Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-09-13
RODEO ENDS WITH
A BIG BARBECUE
"eAHlr THREE THOUSAND ATTEND SIXTH DAY OF cgLEaRA
'oN' SENATOR DOUGLAS ESTABLISHES TRACK RECORD Blu

Rodeo week has come and gone.
The interesting cowboys with their
cnaps ana green, red, and purple
shirts. and the picturesque cowgirls
with their sombreros and highly color.
ed riding skirts of leather. have gone
their various ways. Some have gone
10 participate in other shows, but
most have returned to the ranges to
resume their work. The matadores
and toreodores have laid aside their
yaudy :aiu:Ht The tu .di ds of l..
dians camp'd near the Raleo grornl
have ended their fandanEo, and with
their band have departed for the res
crValion and elsewhere. n buckinc
horses have been turned loose for an
other year. Our thousand; of visitor,
havc retnned to Their respective
homes, ana the Fourth Annua, Rod.
and County Fair is a mem, :.
1t was all splendid success, finan-
cially and otherwise, exceeding the ex-
pectauons Of the most sanguine. Visi-
tors were here from every part of the
state. They all left satisfied, and de-
termined TO come again next year.
There is not a doubt now that our
Rodeo is destined to become one OF
the greatest annual attractions in the
west.
A Little History
OF the EIko Rodeo.
Three years ago this month the
Elko Rodeo had It's inception. 1t was
then that G. S. Garcia conceived the
idea Of giving a bucking horse exhibi-
tion after a. series of baseball games.
1t lasted but one afternoon but 1t
proved to Garcia that ii was an amuse-
ment that would draw a crowd. About
four hundred people attended the
first show. The next year a three
days show was staged and the aver
age daily attendance was seven hun
dred. The third year the daily at
tendance was over a thousand. They
were then held in the ball park. This
year the average daily attendance for
six days was close to three thousand.
In our Christmas edition OF last
year the Independent announced for
the first time that Mr.. Garcia intend
ed to prepare a permanent Rodeo
ground; that It would be enclosed by
4 high concrete wall; that it would
have half-mile speedway, and that ii
would have a grandstand with seat
ing capacity OF three thousand, and
bleachers. Few believed that 1t would
ever be accomplished; others said 1t
would prove failure financially. Gar
cia was advised by his best friends to
give up the idea. Stock was offered
in the proposition but there were no
buyers. But Garcia fulfilled every
promise. His dream was realized and
1t is now acknowledged the best In.
yestment he ever made, and great
benefit to Elko. He had the finan.
cial support and cooperation of two
other enterprising men, Joseph Smell
son and Nels Ouderkirk. These three
financed the proposition at a cost Of
$4,000:
The Last
Days Program.
The program for the sixth day start
ed with an auto race between Senator
Keddie's "Dlue Devil" and Hugh Tay-
lor's "Wasp". The former car Is a
Pierce Arrow and the latter Is Stutz,
formerly the racing car of Earl Cooper.
Keddie drove his own car and was ac'
companied by Joe Mcnamara. The
Wasp was driven by Sen. Douglass
of Failon, accompanied by Joe Smell.
son. The Blue Devil won by less
than car length.
Then came the Spanish bull fight.
Half n dozen Spanish matadores and
toreodores. who looked splendid on pa
rade, entered the arena. They then
turned In the bull and he was a sure
lighting bull. He charged one and then
another and the way he put those
fighters over the fence or behind the
shelters was not slow. There was
one little toreodore about big enough
to fight calf, who furnished a lot
OF amusement Half q dozen times he
nearly tore the fence down trying to
get out. He played safety first all
tho way through.
Then there was fat matadore who
furnished several thrills. The bull
caught him twice, but It was not his
fault, for he was doing bis best to get
behind a shelter. The first time the
bull got him up against the fence, but
no escaped without serious injury
The second time no was presenting