The Washington times., 1923-05-31
DARING STUNTS
THRILL CROWD
At RODEO
Washington Welcomes Old
West and Votes Contests
Best Ever.

Washington has welcomed the Old
West with Put 'er thar, pard''-
strange language for a thoroughly
civilized and self-conscious commu-
nifty.
The Nations Capital surprised
itself yesterday by leaping to it's
feet and yipping out loud as daring
young Lochinvars swept by in the
arena of Victor +. Evans amphithe-
ater on Union Station Plaza, where
THE Passing of the West" this
city's first rodeo, opened for the du-
ration of the Shrine convention.
The crowd sat with bumped Shout
derS and show-me faces in the open
air enclosure when the first per-
Torrance opened Nobody was quite
sure what the show was like, but it
was generally whispered that it was
the ''reg-la ole Wild West stuff"
Credit to Mr.. Evans.
So it was-but it happens that the
District of Columbia never saw the
r. o w. w. s. before. Circuses had
brought their pint-size expositions
here, and the late Buffalo Bill had
attempted something of the sort
but to Victor J. Evans goes the credit
of bringing to Washington the first
genuine Wild West show.
Consequently the incredulous and
slightly sceptical crowd was jolted
out of it's SNUG complacency when
q daring exhibit of fancy roping
gave a foretaste of the main per-
Torrance. And by the time Candy
Hammer began to rise skyward on
Tickletoe, a wicked broncho, the
mob had decided that it had not
lived in vain.
Hot Kitty! The throng forgot
the dust and a warm sun, which
had finally succeeded in winning
through low clouds, as Tommy Kir-
nan, trick rider, set his pony at
q swift gallop, climbed over and
under it and into the saddle again.
In performing this feat, Tommy
received a sharp rap on his head
from the animals righthind hoof.
He considered this to be not giving
the crowd a run for his money, so
Tommy risked injury and repeated
the stunt.
Girl Does Same Stunt.
According to F. H. Barrow, secre-
tary of the show, who explained the
fine points of the performance to
newspapermen, Bonnie Gray, Tom
nly's riding partner, also performs
the climb, but she didn't attempt it
yesterday.
The audience got all the thrills it
could handle out of the trick riding,
in which Florence Hughes, Ruth
Roach, Buck Stewart, Bob Calen
and Ed Wright starred, with sew
eral other riders.
Red" Sublett, the rodeo clown,
one of the cleverest horsemen in
the West dashed down the arena on
a steer and throughout the perform
ance amused the crowd with Spark
Plug" his trick hybrid mule, which
has forgotten more tricks than most
trained animals can learn.
The brancho riding was well han
died by Ed Wright, Buck Lucas,
Shorty Kicker, Frank Johnson and
Jeff Green, not forgetting Candy
Hammer.
Fog Horn" Clancy, the leather
lunged arena director, told the
throng that Candy's riding of the
untamed Tickletoe was known in
the West as pulling leather" but
that the rider was at no fault in
this case, Tickletoe being one of
the worst demons on four hoofs.
Calf ROping a New Thrill.
The calf roping provided the audi
ence with a brand new sensation.
This act requires lassoing the run
ming animal from a horse, throwing
the calf and tying it's legs. The
contestants were Tommy Kirnan,
Richard Merchant, Oklahoma Curley,
Charles Johnson, DalN Archer and
Bud Hampton. Archer's perform
ance was notably efficient.
Rube Roberts starred in the steer
wrestling. Leaping from his pony,
running at top speed, he embraced
the thick neck of a long-horn, dug
his heels in the dirt, twisted that
same thick neck and threw the steer
all in sixteen seconds.
The most daring events was un-
doubtedly the riding of wild Brahma
steers. After seeing Back Stuart
and Grady Smith narrowly escape
death under the battering hoofs Of
the belled cattle, everybody in the
place was certain that the coroner
would be busy before long. Guy
Dodgion's gentle steer tried to gore
him after Guy had been thrown,
but the cowboy lay still in the dust
and the animal was forced away.
Jack Brown tried to ride a buck
ing steer and almost before the two
had left the chute, he went down
and out, and was carried uncon-
scious from the arena.
Boys Envy Dick Griffith.
Dick Griffith, ten years old, OF
Gainesville, Tex, is as good a trick
rider as any of his elders in the
show. Dick confided that he knows
thirteen tricks, and that he began
riding at the age of seven. His
parents are with the show. After
his exhibition Dick was followed
around the grounds by an envious
crowd of Washington youngsters
who today are trying to persuade
their parents TO give them car fare
TO Texas.
The Indians with the show gave
riding exhibitions and a war dance,
which they liked so well that they
wanted to repeat it. Most OF the
Indians are old, and the dances
are more ancient than history. The
young men were left at home on
the reservations