GOIN’ DOWN  THE ROAD

            Traveling the rodeo road in 2005 is much different than it was in 1928 when Irby Mundy, who was outfitted with a Ford delivery truck and a sturdy built horse trailer headed for Canada from Miami , Texas .  Mundy let Gib Potter, a trick roper, and Hughie Long, a saddle bronc rider, hitch a ride.  They competed in rodeos  along the way and despite car trouble and roads that were merely ‘trails’ or muddy bogs,  as Potter said, “at 30 miles per hour you have the time and leisure to appreciate the grandeur and magnificent vistas of the big west”.  (from FEARLESS FUNNYMEN, THE HISTORY OF THE RODEO CLOWN).

 I just returned from a 4,000 mile trip from Austin, via Lubbock Cowboy Symposium to Pendleton RoundUp to Cheyenne , Wyoming , and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs .  I am here to report the trip was much more comfortable than Mundy’s 1928 adventure, no car trouble nor mud puddles to encounter.  It was definitely much more costly in gasoline, but the “grandeur and magnificent vistas of the west” are still a sight to behold which I will cherish in my memory forever.  The magnificent Shiprock that looms in the distance in northwestern  New Mexico, the sandstone monuments that have been carved by wind and weather for millions of year in southeastern Utah, following the historic Snake River across southern Idaho that has led many travelers west, to arrive at the rolling ‘blue’ hills of eastern Oregon, that have all ready given up this year’s wheat crop that is stored in every grain bin and elevator in the area.   

The  Lubbock Cowboy Symposium & Celebration, ramrodded by Alvin Davis, is an annual West Texas phenomena, which is  well done by the many volunteers.  The event was held this year on the 8^th through the 11^th of September.  The Convention Center teamed with musicians performing all day and evening, several Meeting Rooms conducted panels of experts on various subjects of the west, including cowboy poetry, western story-telling, experiences, books, western movies, etc.  A trade show offered one of a kind items from art to leather goods, furniture and bits and spurs.  Meanwhile Craig Cameron held a Horse Training Seminar & Demonstration, while numerous Chuckwagons competed for a National Cookoff Competition.  If you’ve never attended this venue, put it on next years calendar as a ‘must’. 

Pendleton RoundUp is  a western tradition, and uniquely one-of-a-kind rodeo.  The slack was hot and heavy in all three roping events, plus steer wrestling.  The steers and calves come from the west end of the arena in a running start, burst into the arena, across the sloping race track and on to the grassy infield.  If you don’t think those ropers and doggers are hoping their horses footing, and their own, hold true.  The four performances were chocked full of excitement and the top cowboys and cowgirls in the nation were there to compete as this is the last big rodeo before the National Finals.  The Umatilla, Walla Walla and Cayuse Indian Federation were there in their magnificent regalia and performed dances during the rodeo each day.  The parade, which is the largest non-motorized parade in the nation, lasted over two hours with numerous wagons, horseback riders including over 75 former Queens and Princesses from RoundUp, the earliest being  the 1933 Queen.

I visited my friend,  Monk Carden, age 96, who began his rodeo career in 1928 at Pendleton RoundUp and he and partner, George Moens, who entertained as acrobatic gymnasts, were ‘held over’ for ten years.  They also performed at various rodeos in the state.  Monk regaled me with stories.   He told of Yakima Canutt, whose sister married Monk’s uncle, coming by their house and telling Monk’s father to come with him downtown and watch him win $100.  Monk was a mere boy, but he tagged along.  Yakima had won the 1919 bronc riding on a horse called No Name.   Bob Askins, an early-day bronc rider, said he knew he  could ride the famous bucking horse, too.  Yakima bet him $100 he couldn’t.  Askins rode No Name and Yakima paid him $100.  Monk also remembered the fire that burned the RoundUp grandstand in August of 1940.  He, his wife, Vivian, and his parents were watching a ball game in the grandstand when it caught fire.  The minute it was discovered they left, without injury.  A crew of 70 men worked night and day to build a new grandstand in time for upcoming RoundUp.  He also reminisced about the time Mabel Strickland planned to jump her horse over a touring car.  Monk and George Moens, as the rodeo clowns, decided to hide in the floor of the open touring car and after she jumped over they would jump up and shake their fists and get a laugh. While they were waiting George said, “Monk, what if she misses?”  Monk said they hadn’t thought about that but when the hooves of her mount hit the side of the car as she soared over they decided  the following day they did not want to hide in the touring car.  Monk also remembered when Bonnie McCarroll was killed riding a bronc during the 1929  RoundUp.  “I was just a few feet from her when the horse reared up, fell over backward, and fell on her.  Then the horse righted himself and Bonnie was just like a rag doll in the saddle.  Her stirrups were hobbled and it was as if she were tied on,” recalled Monk.  It’s a special experience to hear these accounts from someone who was there.  In the history of rodeo these people are hard to find.

Another ‘must’ while in Pendleton is Hamley’s, a saddle shop that began in 1883 and has a history that has been entwined in rodeo forever.

The competitors in the saddle bronc event were having saddles made with high forked, high cantled  freak trees that a bronc would almost have to do a complete flip to get the rider out of the saddle.  After the 1919 RoundUp  Hamley’s was asked by the powers that be of the Pendleton RoundUp, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Boise, Idaho and Walla, Walla, Washington rodeos to make a saddle that was uniform for all competitors to use in the saddle bronc event.  This was furnished by these four rodeos for all competitors and was an effort to make the competition fair and equal.  This was called ‘The Association Saddle’, and eventually was made by other saddlemakers, too.  (from BELLY FULL OF BEDSPRINGS, THE HISTORY OF BRONC RIDING)

 The store has been purchased by two dynamic men, Parley Pearce and Blair Woodfield, and they have completely renovated the shop to be a class-act.  The décor is bigger than life statues, Hamley saddles and the split-leather skirt Hamley designed for early day lady bronc riders.  The chandeliers are metal art and rawhide, about the size of a large family’s dining room table.  The mezzanine houses top-rate western art and sculpture that is carefully selected for it’s western theme.  They also have a private room on the second floor which can be rented for parties and entertaining.  In this room is a magnificent historic bar that was purchased out of a Butte , Montana , establishment.  They still sell saddles, tack, western clothes, boots, hats and books.  Go by when you are there.  I’d list their address, but that’s silly.  Everyone in Pendleton knows where they are located! 

My traveling partner is Imogene Veach Beals, from a five generation rodeo family.  Her father, Monroe Veach, was a saddlemaker, from 1919 until his death, but he was also a trick roper, rodeo producer, and raised a family of six to appreciate rodeo, just as he did.  Imogene married Charley Beals, who was a bronc and bull rider, they had a saddle shop in Tulsa , Oklahoma , for 40 years, and Charley was one of the most respected men in rodeo.  He made the bareback riggin’ that every bareback rider ‘had to have’ during the Shoulders-Mahan era.  Imogene’s daughter, Donna, married Duke Clark, who not only rode bulls, but is a horse trainer and cowboy.  They had three boys, Derek Clark, just resigned as Chairman of the PRCA Board of Directors, and saddle bronc rider that qualified for 16 National Finals; Drew Clark, who stays closer to home in Colcord, eastern Oklahoma, but competes in calf roping every chance he gets; and Doug Clark, of Wayne, Oklahoma, who is a horse trainer by trade, but also ropes steers and calves.  The fifth generation being Darcy Clark (Doug and Linda’s teenage daughter) and nine year old Dally Clark, (Derek and Angie Clark’s daughter).  If you don’t think this traveling partner doesn’t spice up my trips.  She is so very knowledgeable of rodeo people for the last eighty years, and then some, and as we travel the miles  she enlightens me about these cowboys and cowgirls of yesteryear.   

Just prior to Pendleton Roundup, grandson Doug Clark, found himself sitting seventeenth in the world in the Steer Roping event.  Doug is not a full time competitor, as many ropers depend on his expert horse training skills to improve their mount, or start one they think has the ability to become a good roping horse.  Doug decided it was worth a try to compete at Pendleton RoundUp, the last big monied rodeo before the end of the season (Pendleton is number 12^th, not including National Finals and Tour Finals).  He and another Oklahoma roper, J. P. Wickett, loaded Doug’s trailer with their roping horses, and headed some 2,000 miles to Pendleton.  Doug entered the calf roping and the steer roping.  Slack at Pendleton RoundUp is held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  Doug roped both his calves, but not fast enough to be in the finals.  The steer roping was different.  The last day of the rodeo, when they bring back the top twelve in each event, Doug was sitting third.  The competition was tough.

First in the steer roping by the final day was traveling partner, J. P. Wickett, with two steers roped in 25.7 seconds.  Next was Trevor Brazile with a 26.4.  Then came Doug, with 27.8.  Guy Allen was right behind him with 27.9.   Then came Bryce Allen with a 28.1 and Cash Myers with a 28.5.  My traveling partner was very cool, however, as Grandma to this finalist, but during the last performance the time before the Steer Roping was ticking way too slow for her.  The first two steer ropers were successful; Jason Cooper had a 20.1 giving him a final score of 54.6.  Shandon Stalls roped in 15.6 ending up with a 49 second flat score.  J. R. Olson and David Felton followed and both missed their steer and got a no score.  Then came Justin McKee, announcer at RoundUp, from Lenepah , Oklahoma , who roped his final steer in 17.8, giving him a final of 50.4.  Chris Glover had a no score, then Cash Myers, who was burning up every competition he entered at RoundUp and did end up with the All-around, roped his steer in the fastest time of the day, 14.3 giving him a score on three head of 42.8.  Bryce Davis had a no score.  Then it was time for the World Champion Guy Allen, who has won the Steer Roping World Championship 18  times.  But this day it was not meant to be, Allen had a no score.  Doug Clark was next and roped his steer in 14.9 which gave him a total time of 42.7 seconds, just one-one hundredth of a second ahead of Cash Myers!  The last two ropers, Trevor Brazile and J. P. Wickett both had no scores.  Doug Clark, the part-time competitor,  had won the Steer Roping at Pendleton RoundUp.  Watching Grandma Imogene was a sight to behold.  She cheered, she cried, she was soooooooooo proud.  The rest of our trip we didn’t come within ten feet of a person that didn’t learn about Doug Clark’s win at Pendleton RoundUp, not to mention the people that got a cell phone call from her to report her good news. 

I am not telling this on my dear friend, Imogene, to embarrass her, but to say how very proud I am to have been a tiny part in this ‘family’ that experienced what every  cowboy or cowgirl, and his/her family strive for when competing.  You see, rodeo is truly a family affair.  It doesn’t just affect the winning cowboy, but it has the ‘ripple effect’ and parents, and wives, and daughters and sons, and brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles swell their chests til’ they almost burst!  Grandma Imogene Veach Beals has lived her life in rodeo and with rodeo people and as she says, “I never wish any body bad luck, but if they have to have it, I’m glad it was when Doug was roping.”

God Bless Rodeo and every Family in it!   Win or lose Rodeo is an American Sport the entire family can participate in and enjoy.