The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1945-07-05
CROWD OF 5000
HERE FOR FOURTH
OF JULY R0DE0
Horses and Riders Numbering
1SO on Harmon Field,
Wednesday Night
Aerial Circus Adds to Attrac-
tions; Many Are Here
From Distance

Fourth of July rodeo, headline sport
event of the summer season.
One hundred and eighty horses
and riders participated in the grand
entry parade which opened the even
ing's program and 100 participated
in the various competitive events.
Officials OF the two sponsoring
organizations, the Bluffton Sports
mems club and the Bluffton Saddle
Horse club said there were 1,768
paid admissions in addition to free
admissions for contestants, service
men in uniform, children and mount
ed horsemen. Besides this number,
hundreds viewed the exhibition from
automobiles parked near the field.
Field Brilliantly Lighted
Harmon field was brilliantly il
Illuminated by electric flood lights
and the big crowd applauded dis
plays of skillful horsemanship until
midnight.
The stadium, packed long before
the opening hour was the focal point
for the evenings attractions with
the Rawson band furnishing music
and the public address system broad
casting announcements of events and
winners.
Overflow crowds of spectators un-
able to gain admission to the stad-
ium surrounded the football field
fenced off for the events. Some
brought camp chairs and blankets
while others standing, sought points
of vantage to gain an unobstructed
view of the field.
Ideal Weather Conditions
The fact that Bluffton was one of
the few places having Fourth of
July celebration this year, together
with a delightfully."- cool evening did
much to swell the attendance.
Horsemen and rodeo enthusiasts
thruout Northwestern Ohio wers
here as well as the usual Fourth of
July holiday crowd seeking diversion
and entertainment for what to many
may be their only opportunity foI
vacation this summer.
That the affair would attract q
large number of rodeo contestants
became evident Tuesday when horse
men began arriving early in order
to put their mounts thru preliminary
PAGES and warm up on Harmon field
Approaches Jammed
Streets leading to the field were
damned with parked cars on both
sides of the thorofares. Notwith-
standing the big crowd and traffic
congestion there were no accidents
reported.
An added attraction for the show
was the aerial circus with two
planes stunting. The planes were
flown by Clayton Bixel of Bluffton
operator of a flying service here ane
Harold Carey of Lima, army
primary flight instructor.
BixePs plane was a 65 horse
power Taylor craft while that fowr
by Carey was so horsepower Piper
cub.
Events were judged by Gen,
Franks of Van Buren, expert horse
man and experienced rodeo man
Don Boyd of Findlay was announcer
Prize Winners
Winners in the various events
were: -
Grand entry parade-1st, S5, Col
Leon Robinson, Dunkirk; End, $4
Mary Jane Gustin, Bowling Green
Bird, SO, Roy Neil, Findlay; 4th
ribbon, Pauline Oats, Dunkirk.
Bronc riding-1st, $40, Garlan,
Gum, Ada; End, Sc, Ralph Motter
Ada.
Ladies pleasure horse-1st, $1z
Laverne Neyons, Toledo; End, 81
Louise Kleinhenz, McComb; 3rd, s.
Pauline Oats, Dunkirk; 4th, 5
Wanda Breda, Lima.
Boys & Girls musical keg-1si
Sc, Margaret Curry, Bowling Green
End, S., Russell Moore, Ada; 3rd, s.
Jack Shindler, Col. Grove; 4th rib
bon, James Lewis, Bluffton.
Mems musical keg-1st, Sc, Wn
Alstetter, Cairo; End, S5, Jane
Lewis, Bluffton; 3rd, Sd, Jane
Rainey, Rawson; 4th, ribbon, Roge
Murray, Ada.
Steer riding-1st, So, VIM. Spring
er, Lima; End, SIS, Glenn Andrew
Bluffton; 3rd, ribbon, ROLAND Ney
ons, Toledo; 4th ribbon, Thos. Surle
Wapakoneta.
Women's musical keg-1st, s
Louise kleinhenz, McComb; End, $
Jean Dukes, Pandora, 3rd, 81, Rut
Continued on page s.