The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-06-24
LAST REAL ROUNDUP FURNISHES
WILD HORSES FOR 7THSTAMPEDE
GENUINE SCENES EMBLEMA-
TIC OF PICTURESQUE BUT
PASSING WEST ON VIEW

The great 1927 horse roundup on
the Fort Peck reservation is we'll
under way, and the residents of
the area to be covered are beginn
ing to realize the true nature Of
the event. There have been
round-ups other years of an unoffi-
cial character, conducted by ranch
ers with the help of the reserva-
tion agency forces.
This year the roundup takes on
an official character and is author
lied under a recent law by the
county commissioners. 1t is un-
der the complete management of
the agency superintendent and his
live stock man, Ira Chapman. It
will be not only a roundup, but
a cleanup, as it appears to be
the purpose to gather all unclaim
ed horses and sell them until the
reservation is free from this class
of stock. 1t may continue month
or more.
$4,000 on Reservation
A series of public auction sales
of these so-called wild horses
will be conducted and it is said
that there will be buyers for all
the animals that are offered. The
first sale is advertised to be held
in the Wolf Point stockyards, Mon
day, June 27. How many horses
there will be can be estimated at
this time, but judging by the work
of the first week or two the
of the roundup, Foreman Chipman
says it is possible that there are
from 10000 to 10000 horses on the
Fort Peck reservation. Many OF
these will, of course, be claimed
by ranchers, but the rest must
be sold to satisfy the unpaid graz
ing fees and to rid the reservation
of these bands of strays that strip
the range of grass needed by live
stock that is more valuable and
more productive.
1t is a notorious fact, says Mr.
Chapman, that the total OF grazing
fees for horses that have been coll
lected in the past is so small as
to be negligible There is little
difficulty in collecting fees for cat
tie and sheep, but very few "own ?
horses that are out on the range
In the great band of horses that
has been collected and held in the
vicinity of the sheep camp" north
of town there are animals ranging
from understood cayuses to lare
fine looking broncs. There are
many excellent mounts for cow
bows. far more horses than there
are riders since the passing of the
big range days.
Save Widest For Rodeo
The holding of this roundup,
which is certainly the largest, and
possibly the last, to be held in
this part of the state, is fortunate
" timed to lend reality to the Wolf
Point Stampede next month. The
wild ones. the buckers and bad
actors. the so-called outlaws, that
will test the nerve and sticking
oualities of the many celebrated
riders who will compete, will be
picked almost entirely from this
great band gotten together by the
roundup riders. Ray Mitchell,
who for several years has managed
the arena events Of the Wolf Point
Stampede. and who has been re-
employed for this year, is riding
the roundup. and is keeping his
eve peeled for brawny brOncs which
have demonstrated their traits as
wild ones. The busters who enter
the lists at the Stampede at this
wears Wild West Show, will find
mo lack of mounts worthy of their
steel
Stampede attendants. especially
tourists. who have perhaps all their
lives read about round-ups on the
western ranges, will have the rare
opportunity of witnessing the real
thing within few miles Of Wolf
Point.