Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1956)
Cowboy Insecure Bareback on Horse Wanna Ride? This Is How It Works To get an idea of what it’s like to ride brones bareback, you might imagine that you have straddled a large suitcase, grasp ed the handle with your hand between your legs and have been tossed out of a flying airplane on a 20-ft.-rope. That will give you an idea of the insecure position of a cow boy on a bareback horse, but to really get the feeling, you should imagine that the pilot swoops low and bounces the bag off an irregular series of roof tops. This may be a slight exaggera tion but at least the bareback rider has no more control over the horse than you would over the suitcase and no more than a suitcase handle to hang onto. The only equipment used in this rodeo event is a simple sur cingle with a leather handle on the top. The cowboy has no sad dle to help him hold his position and no stirrups to help him bal ance or help absorb the shock of the bucks. The horse doesn't even have a plain halter or rein to help the rider control him. To qualify, the cowboy must ride for eight seconds from the time the bronc leaves the chute. He must have liis spurs over the break of the shoulders and touching the horse when its feet touch the ground on the first jump out of the chute. He can’t toucli any part of the horse witli his free hand during the ride and can’t change hands on the rigging. As in saddle bronc riding, the winner in bareback is decided by the markings of two cowboy judges who watch every move ment of the ride from oppositt sides of the bronc. They use tin full spread of 1 to 20 points ti score the rider and from 65 to 8J points to score the horse. Although it's difficult to im agine how anyone could look like they’re simply trying to stick out the time limit in this event, the experienced judges can easily spot the cautious rid er, and sticking the limit isn't enough. Highest markings go to thi contestants who ride the best spurring as much as they can Bareback spurring differs Iron that in saddle bronc riding an< is done mostly around the shoul ders rather than along the side of the horse. In this event, too, the contes tant hopes to draw the meanes horse in the stock contractor’ string because he needs the hig. marking horse to win becaus only a good bucker will give hir an opportunity to show his bet bronc-riding ability. If the horse falls with the ri der, or if the rider is knocked ol at the chute, he may ask th judges for a reride—if he’s sti able to ride. If the flank stra comes off the horse, he’s entitle to reride but if the surcingl comes off without breaking, th rider is disqualified. The con testant can also be disqualifie for riding with rowels on hi spurs that are too sharp in th opinion of the judges. Bareback horses are just a wily and cantankerous as saddl broncs. As a general rule, th saddle broncs may be u littl bigger and more powerful bi the bareback rider, with a lc less to* help keep him on th horse, can expect everythin from the bronc’s bag of tricks. The horses sunfish (twist violently in midair), rear, buck straight ahead and kick high with their hind feet. Worst of all they mix up their tricks, changing the pace of their pitches and kicks to throw the rider off balance. In bareback riding you'll se the cowboy’s legs f 1 a p p i n through the ride like saplin branches in a windstorm. Lf th horse is bucking especially har and the cowboy is getting i good licks with his spurs, you’r -i 1111 ■ 111111111111111111111111111111111111111 probably watching the winner. But if you set* daylight be tween the seat of the cowboy s denims and that suitcase handle on the surcingle, it's a good bet the bronc’s next jump will send the rider flying to a fall and out of the money. Jess Geyer Band to Provide Music for Thursday Dance i Jess Geyer and his eight-piece | orchestra, well-known through out this section of the middle west, has been booked to provide music for the dancing under the stars at the fairgrounds Thurs day evening, August 16. Fair Secretary James Gibson said a different band will be signed for the Wednesday eve ning, August 15, dancing. The booking had not been linalized at the time this premium list went to press. "In the event of inclement weather,” Mr. Gibson explained, “the dancing will be transferred to the American Legion hall in Chambers. “Most anyone,” he quipped, “would welcome the inconveni ence for a good mid - August rain,” the secretary added. DRAWS COLLEGIATES Like most major sports, rodeo is increasingly drawing some of its best talent from college ath letics. Two of the sports’ top hands, Harley May and Benny Combs, are former collegiate ! champions. NAMt ADOPTED There were rodeos for 30 years before they were called rodeos, the term not being ad opted generally until about the time of World War l Get MOKE for what you pay! Shop and Save at MODE O' DAY! Mode 0’ Day Frock Shop Lingerie — Dresses Hosiery — Blouses Mrs. Frank Murray, Prop. O’Neill. Nebr. ELKHORN FLOWER & Gift Shop “Flowers and Gifts for All Occasions” HELEN SULLIVAN O’Neill, Nebr. Coffee Cup Cafe — O'NEILL — • Lunches • Meals • Dinners • Steaks Katherine McNichols, Prop. HEY, STOP! RIGHT NOW is the time to bring in those back - to - school garments and be ready when the school bell rings. ★ AVOID THE LAST-MINUTE RUSH ★ PHONE 30 for PICKUP and DELIVERY O’Neill Cleaners BEN HANLON, Prop. : GLOV-ETT t i America's No. 1 >' Women's Utility Shoe M 1 t * O’Neill, Nebr. & ll PLATT OIL CO. Phillips 66 Products Lee l ires Notions — l>r\ Goods — »''ishtiiR Supplies I INK WAGON SKKVIIT l’HQNE 2011 CHAMBERS - ^ r 6’Mein Photo Co. ! ^ Phone No. 1 O’Neill ^ I i | All Kinds and Sizes of f ► BLACK-and-WHITE and COLOR < ! FILM ! I • • • and • • 2 | A COMPLETE LINE OF ( CAMERAS I | CONTAC1 US for the best in quality ( * photographs of family, weddings, t children. g i r ™ Congratulations to the 1956 Fair! -— I Welcome e ■ L‘ S e ■ IT’S FAIR TIME, HARVEST 'IlMF and the best season In all 1 M the year to fix-up. paint-up and make those needed improve- ^ ^ 1 m ments around the raneh, farm and town dwelling. e e S ? e i i e 11111111111............111111111 ll 1111111111111111 i 11111111111111111111111111111111M11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111IV —'IMIMIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMIIIIIIIIIII llllllllllllllll mmmiimmmmmii immi mnmm m mimimimmmm mimmi imin mmm . — M W WW • Dr- PePPer • Squirt mwm © Nesbitt Orange • Cheer-Up 0 Howell’s Root Beer Plus All the Wonderful MERRI FLAVORS! 1 MERRI DR. PEPPER BOTTLING CO. \ s O'Neill — Phone 276 H 1 WE HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY THE FaTr 1 1 » WE KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY MERRI BEVERAGES T1 jj liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH