The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-20
"Reminiscences of Bill Hart and His Cowboy Outfit
Regarding the Old and the Busting
and Cov-Saddles
BY PAUL HUBERT coNLoN.

Ride him, cowboy Let him buckl
It's the championship bucking con-
test
Riders. ieave your starting place
with both feet in the stfrrups, and
both spurs in the shoulders. Scratch
'em five times in both shoulders in
the first seven jumps, then both ways.
Ride with one hand free and don't
change hand on the rein. Wrapping
If you lose your stirrup you'Te thru.
And. cowboy. be sure you don't pull
leather. If you obey these rules, you
won't be disqualified; you have
chance to win the bucking contest
Guess I had better tell who, what,
when. where and why.
Bill Hart, the western screen star,
was putting OH the biggest rodeo, or
roundup, ever contested for a motion
picture camera. Besides constructing
the entire town of Fraley Point, Mont
on the Hart ranch in Hollywood, he
had erected a huge contest arena and
grandstands with a seating capacity of
two thousand people. That day this
miracle place was bedecked in gala
holiday fineTy, with tho two thousand
excited extras milling about from the
wonders of the sideshow freaks to the
lures Of the hot dogs and circus lemon
ade and then to the greatest Of all
events-the big rodeo. 1t appeared In
reality a typical western town in the
throes of Frontier Week"
Times sure have changed, Bert"
said Bill Hart with a reminiscent
smile to an old-time cowpuncher who
had just succeeded in riding the worst
outlaw" horse that could be found in
these parts Bert grinned with appre-
ciation: They sure have. 1 can re-
member"
A score or more of the boys" of
the Curley Eagles outfit gathered
about Bill Hart in the contest arena
where he was congratulating the old
timer on his great ride. Every real
cowman has the greatest respect for
another's proves. There is no other
class of men in the world SO loyal to
their kind Their interest in life con-
Germs only their world of the west
horses, saddles. ropes, guns and out
fits.
That day with Bill Hart and his
cowboys 1 learned much of the west
that one does not read in books. The
discussions between events concerned
the changes in bronco-busting, rodeos
and cow-saddles.
Bill Hart explained to me: Pull
ing leather means to touch the saddle
or your bronc with your hands or
holding on to the saddle horn. This
would be unfair to the bronc. The
contestant must ride free.
Scratching your bronc means to
rake him with your spurs. This makes
the bronc buck harder. But don't
think it is cruelty because the rowells
nowadays are always covered with
tape"
Since I have already described the
| offenses for which a. bronco-buster
can be disqualified in a contest, will
add a few of the more important rules.
Riders always draw for mounts.
Slick saddles with not more than a
&c., -.,l- g.
rowells are covered with tape, no steel
showing. Riding is done with a plain
halter, and one rein, with no knots or
wraps around the hand. Riders must
| hold the rein thirty inches from the
| halter snap. Horses are always sad
died in the chutes or arena. No rider
| can cheat his horse or take any unfair
advantage. If a horse fails to buck
a rider can apply for another mount.
Times sure have changed" This
emphatic statement from first one and
| then another of the group was accom-
panied by the nodding of wise old
heads and the loud silence by the
younger BOYS" who always listen
with great respect when their elders
are talking.
IT can remember" stated Bill Hart,
when they didn't have all these rules
| in a bronc-busting contest. And you
| had to tie your coat and blanket
across the fork with the saddle strings
for protection against the horn. Re-
member, the old-fashioned narrow
saddle. It was sure built for roping-
not comfort. 1t was a darned sight
easier to ride bareback
In fact, Bill Hart learned as a boy
on the Dakota plains to ride bareback
with the Sioux Indians. Today he can
ride as well bareback as he can in the
| saddle. Naturally. the Indians never
became as proficient as the white men
| in saddles, but they are the best bare
| back riders the world has ever known.
Pulling leather in those days. only
| meant grabbing the safety valve" re-
sumed BIZ. Cowpunchers have hui
morous way of referring to saddle
| horn as the safety valve"
| "Old-timers depended on balance.
They used double reins and they rode
| in the stirrups. It didn't matter then
il you did lose your stirrups. Scratch
| ing bronc with your spurs was sure
| different then. You couldn't scratch
| in front of the cinch-never up on the
shoulders. remember old outfits
| where you'd be fired on the spot if you
hit your spurs or quirt in front of
the cinch. Front of the cinch belongs
to us, and the back of yours was the
rule. Believe me. pardner, you sure
| had to be good to ride a bronc in one
| of those narrow fork saddles
From the time the west became a