Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-05-06

W ponies In action ana
never in the history OF
." oo"""' Montana was interest
more intense in any event.
Great as were the stakes, however, ana
feyerish as may have been the interest,
these pale to insignihcance when COM
pared with the event in which uncle
Billy Hamilton's won the
championship from the deetest OF the
Grow Indian ponies and at the same time
made Uncle Billy an idol among the Sho-
shones. @
Shoshones Challenge Crows
1t was Just about eighty years ago, TIN
October OF 1847), that the Shoshone In
dams who claimed most OF the land In
what is now the state of wyoming, came
north into Montana Tor a racing meet
with the crows.
The two tribes, which were on the
friendliest of terms, struck camp togeth-
er on q large plateau in the valley OF
the Clark's Fork OF the Yellowstone river.
near the site of the present town OF
Bridger. Chief Washable was the leader
of the S~hoshones, and Uncle Billy Ham
ilton, who had then been a trader M
trapper for seven years was With CnieI
Washable, as the guest Of the chief's son,
who had become greatly attached TO the
young scout. The two youths had met
in the early ~forties, when Hamilton was
a member of a trading party of which
Bob Williams, another famous scout was
the captain.
Runner"
Hamilton's horse. Runner" was a
wonderful animal. He was Kentucky
bred and was shipped in the late thirties
to st. Louis from the vicinity OF Lexing-
ton. One story was to the effect that
Runner was Of the famous stock that
Henry Clay raised in the Blue Grass
country. He was purchased from a trad
err by Hamilton's father and presented
- 49, t,otr t,1ct hafnra ha dpDQrtp6 for
independence Mo, from which frontier
point. hunting and trading expeditions
made their start eighty years or more
ago.
At racing, Runner was never defeated.
The fast Indian mounts were always
easily outdistanced. 1t is recounted that
In a battle with the Indians, Hamilton
was able to slay several of tine redmen
by riding on the right side OF his enc
mics, so that they could not shoot MIN
without turning their horses to point
their arrows, while his horse was so fleet
he could easily overcome them. Run
ner's reputation for speed had spread far
and wide among the Indian tribes of the
western plains country. Thus, when the
race meet with the Crows was planned,
Hamilton received a special invitation
from Chief Washakie's son.
A Picturesque Scene
With several thousand Indians in each
party. the mammoth village of buffalo
skin lodges presented a most picturesque
sight. The exercises were opened with
the passing of the calumet OF peace, and
an elaborate feast in which both nations
Wed in their manifestations of good will
and celebration. In those days. as is
still the case, the Crows were the owners
Of many very fast horses; and in the first
two days of the racing, they easily OUT
distanced all that the Shoshones had to
offer, much to the chagrin OF the tribes
n from the cnI1fh who lost a large
number OF ponies which had been wa
gered on the events Chief
son q not taken part in the races, nor
had Runner been entered. He was, how
ever, groomed and kept in the very best
of condition, in complete readiness Tor
the NAL. days program.
1t was this third and last day when
the Crows were thrown into complete
CONSERVATION. So intoxicated had they
become with their victories, and SO con-
adent were they in their horses. that they
bet nearly everything in their possession.
rinkets guns, bows and arrows, scalps,
t~omahawks, ponies and primitive ]eWelry
were listed among the stakes, and all
bets were covered by the Ex-
element ran high. Hundreds OF squaWs,
attracted by the unusually heavy betting
and interest, came to see the horses run.
The race course was a straightaWay.
On the west we're the magnificent Bear
tooth mountains. to the south was the
sublime Mount Pryor; on the east, the
rising sun grew hotter and hotter; While
to the north. the horizon closed on the
distant Yellowstone. The first event was
called for about ten O'Clock in the fore
noon. (Indians always started racing
early in the day.
The Races
There were six entries (three from the
and three from the Crows),
the Grow entries all being among the
winners of the previous days events. One
beautiful Grow pinto had defeated every
thing in sight, ara that horses highly
painted rider took the lead from the very
start, leading all the others by several
feet. The distance was about ont mile
over the short buffalo grass, Chief Wa
shakes son, riding Runner, was the last
to leave. his horse going at an easy stride
and he held that position until within a
few undred yards OF the tape" Then,
like a greyhound, he shot forth, passed
the other ponies one by one n nnlsnea
ahead of the pinto, winning by q head.
The young Shoshone chieftain was a
natural. horseman. Intuitively, ne
seemed to know Just how to ride a horse
how to win and yet not exert his
mount any more thar was necessary
Thus. when Runner came out Tor the
second event, he was in good condition.
Betting on the second event was more
brisk than ever. and the second was the
story Of the first event. Runner remained
in the rear until near the end and then
won by a head. 1t was the same with
The third, fourth and fifth of the races
Runner winning every one of them. The
Crows lost many ponies and other valu-
ables.
Runner An Easy Winner
Then came the sixth event of the day.
The Crows bet every pony they could
spare and a large percentage Of their other
personal possessions. There was, even,
much betting among the squaws. The
Crows brought out a fresh horse. This
was an animal which they had saved for
such an emergency, the f1eetest of all
their horses. with the possible exception
of the pinto. Thinking Runner must be
tired out, they were confident.
1t was by far the most exciting race OF
the day. Neck and neck, the two horses
came down the ~straightaway for about
half the distance. Not an Indian dared
utter a word. All eyes were on the horses
Chief Washakie's SOD was riding fine;
and he had his mount well in hand. As
the animals passed the halfway mark.
Runner, apparently disguised with the
narrow margin by which he had won.
bolted and like a rifle shot, he left the
Grow horse far in the rear and won by