1963

101 wild west rodeo history

RODEO DATES: September 13th, 14th, & 15th
ANNOUNCER: Bill O' Conner	GRAND MARSHAL:
RODEO QUEEN: Sandy Scott	SPECIALTY ACT: The Zoppe Family & The Flying Cimarron’s
QUEEN INFORMATION

RCA APPROVES 101 RANCH RODEO – January 10, 1963

Ponca City’s 101 Ranch Rodeo is one of 12 recently approved by the Rodeo Cowboys’ Association for the 1963 season, according to an Associated Press dispatch from Denver.

Dates for the local event are September 13-15 and the purse is $3,000.

The biggest purse of the 12 will be $11, 875 in Ogden, Utah, July 19-24.

The other rodeos approved:
Greeley, Colo., July 2-4, $3,750; Joplin, Mo., June 19-22, $2,500; Burwell, Nev., August 7-10, $9,000; Las Vegas, Nev., May 16-19, $9,500; and Nov. 21-24, $5,500; Hobbs, N.M., may 23-25, $2,500; Eugene, Ore., August 2-4, $7,200;Deadwood, S.D., August 2-4, $6,000; Mobridge, S.D., July 2-4, $5,000; Gladewater, Tex., June 11-14, $5,500.

CIVIC DUTIES BIT PAINFUL – September 5, 1963

Greater civic pride hath no man, etc.

Work has been progressing, between minor injuries, to bring the rodeo grounds up to snuff.

Here are some of the problems:

Bud Ford is limping. Someone hit him on the shin with a wrecking bar. You’d limp, too. He’ll retain his title as president of the Rodeo Foundation.

Claude Braudrick on the first nail he drove nailed his glove to the boards. It wasn’t until later that he missed everything but his left index finger with the hammer.

Glen Hickman’s crew was re-nailing the box seat area, and wasn’t counting splinters as injuries.

Wayne Erkenbeck, Elec Rains, Bill Maugans and some others were shingling the top of the old 101 Ranch ticket booth. So far no one has fallen off.

Bill Alexander and Mike Ohl have been building Ticket Booth No. 2, for the east side, and claim to have escaped injury completely.

Walt Waltimeyer has been reconditioning the metal areas, wire brushing and painting. Paint spots don’t count as injury, either.

CHAMPION RIDERS COMPETE TODAY IN RODEO CONTEST - September 15, 1963

Two of the nation’s top Brahma bull riders have paid their entry fees and been drawn to ride at the 101 Ranch Rodeo performance this afternoon. The final performance of the 1963 rodeo will begin promptly at 2:30 p.m.

Jim Shoulders, holder of seven world championships in bull riding will be up on Wrangle.

Bob Wegner of Ponca City, among the top 10 riders in professional rodeo for the past several years, has drawn Tons of Fun, on which Sonny Henderson of Ponca City made on of the two qualifying rides Friday night.

One of five young queen contestants will be named queen to reign over all activities of the 101 Ranch Rodeo for 1964. Those seeking the coveted title and handsome trophy saddle are Sandy Scott, Tobie Stewart, Cherie Cunningham, Deanna Ramsey and Sally Edwards.

The 101 Ranch Rodeo this year has drawn some of the leading cowboys of professional rodeo. They came from as far away as Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, from North and South Dakota, Utah, Texas and many other states.

Animals Tough
Only three qualifying rides were made in bareback bronc and in saddle bronc. The bad-tempered Brahmas of the Jim Shoulders string allowed only two men to stay on board for the required eight seconds.

Tornado still remains unconquered, throwing Bob Shoulders in Friday night’s performance. When he comes out of the chutes this afternoon he will have Don James matching his skill against his twisting, heaving fury. James made the highest score in the first night’s ride, 160 points.

Local Rider Scores
Two former all-around world championship cowboys placed second and third behind Bob Williams of Ponca City in bareback bronc riding Friday night. Williams was scored 168 for his ride with Buck Rutherford a close second with 165. Shoulders had 159 points.

Ponca City’s Merle Davis had the fastest time on calf roping with 14 seconds flat, but breaking the barrier too soon cost him a penalty of 10 seconds for a recorded 24 seconds.

Fanchone DeArmond of Arkansas City, Miss Rodeo Kansas, was the first barrel racing contestant. She was disqualified for knocking over her first barrel. Donna Mullins, Tulsa, clocked the fastest time of 19 seconds flat.

The tough saddle broncs of Jim Shoulders allowed only three cowboys to make qualifying rides. John McBeth of Sentinel Butte, N.D. pocketed $66.49 day money for the best ride Friday night. Sonny Roberts and Lee Wheaton were second and third in the event.

Fast Bulldogging
The fastest steer wrestling time was lost by the eagerness of the contestants. Ray Kilgore of Sallisaw wound up first with a throw of 9.7 seconds. Breaking too soon cost Linus Thornton of Arkansas City, a 10-second penalty, making his official time 19.0 seconds.

The roll of drums and fanfare of victory played by the 101 Ranch Rodeo band added much to the tenseness of the contests where cowboys matched their skill against the untamed broncs, bulls, steers and calves. The band of senior high students was under the direction of Pete Long, supervisor of music and a former rodeo band leader.

Plenty of laughs were provided by the antics of the clowns. But all the antics were not just to entertain. They were to protect the cowboys after they had left the back of the enraged Brahmas.

Billy Keen, who began his rodeo career on the old 101 Ranch, clowned with veteran Buck LeGrand.

Specialty acts which drew much applause at the opening performance Friday night and which will be seen today are the Zoppe resin back riders and the Flying Cimarrons.

CHAMPIONS PREFER SHOULDERS’ STOCK - September 5, 1963

Two famous names will be linked together at the 70th anniversary of the Run into the Cherokee Strip – 101 Ranch Rodeo and Jim Shoulders.

Each name is synonymous with the finest in spectacular entertainment and tops in quality round-up stock.

In the Fall of 1882, Winfield people called on their friend, Col. George W. Miller to furnish entertainment for the fist county fair. With his usual ingenuity, Miller staged a roping and riding contest.

Twenty-two years later, Col. Joe Miller remembering the highly successful contests offered to give a genuine Wild West Show if the newspaper men of the nation would come to Oklahoma.

They came! Thirty trains, loaded even to the roofs, some double headers, were required to bring them here. They cheered wildly for contestants, broncs, steers and bulls.

Thus began the spectacular Wild West Round-Up forerunner of the professional sport of rodeo.

Holding the sport’s spotlight today is Jim Shoulders, holder of more World Championships in rodeo than any other modern cowboy.

Shoulders will be stock producer for the 101 Ranch Rodeo next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The slender cowboy from Henryetta had won more than $350,000 in professional competition in the last 14 years. Twenty percent of his winnings are due to his riding skill; 80 percent because of his good draws of highly anti-social broncs and Brahma bulls.

Jim knows a good score is dependent upon a good animal under the contestant. He hand picked his string of broncs and bulls to provide some of the country’s top bucking animals.

In the arena at the 101 Ranch Rodeo will be Dr. Jekyll, stellar bucking bull. Most riders fly high on Apple Jack, a top bareback bronc owned by Shoulders. Cactus Jack, a saddle bronc in the champion’s string, will furnish action in the arena here, providing a rough journey for any cowboy fortunate enough to draw him. All three of these animals were chosen for the 1962 National Finals Rodeo.

Jim Shoulders, champion cowboy and the 101 Ranch Rodeo developed at the fabulous Miller Brothers Ranch will give the tops in entertainment.

RODEO OFFICIAL SEE RUSH OF ENTRIES TODAY
By noon today, 25 entries had been received for the 101 Ranch Rodeo. This is an excellent early list, Mrs. Dan Taylor, rodeo secretary, said. The rush will begin after 4 o'clock.

Rodeo performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The queen will be announced Sunday afternoon.

Joe Green, 26, Oklahoma's current candidate for 1963's bull riding championship, paces a field of top cowboys who have indicated they expected to contest in the rodeo Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the Rodeo Information Commission, Denver.

Green, from Sulphur, along with fellow contestants will be in pursuit of a share of the $7,000 prize money awaiting winners in the rodeo’s five competitive events.

There will be saddle and bare¬ back bronc, riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and bull riding. For the girls, there will be barrel racing. Rodeo livestock will be furnished by Jim Shoulders of Henryetta.

Last year a total of 138 contestants crammed the entry list and a longer list is expected this year. Prize money, a combination of purse money put up by the rodeo committee plus contestant entry fees, hit $6,165. Purse money this year has been hiked from $2,750 to $3,000.

Green, among the top 10 winners on the hump-shouldered outlaws since 1959, is spurring hard toward the championship this season, having already won $10,463, only $590 off the title pace, according to the latest check on national standings. He might easily pocket this money in competition here.

If the wiry Green can hit the in front by the end of the official season, December 1st, he will bring the bull riding crown to Oklahoma for the 11th time during the past 14 years.

THE ADVANCE TICKET is not good for admission to the 101 Ranch Rodeo, but must be exchanged at the ticket office in the lobby of the Jens-Marie Hotel for a reserved seat. An even exchange will be made for any seat in the two $1.35 sections. Reservations in the four $1.85 sections cost 50 cents extra and those in the $2.35 sections, $1 additional. The advance ticket may be turned in on a box seat which sells for $2.50 and $3.50. Advance tickets are being sold by local grocers for $1 with the purchase of each $5 worth of groceries; also by the five rodeo queen contestants – Cherie Cunningham, Sally Edwards, Deanna Ramsey, sandy Scott and Toby Stewart.
Shown here is an advance ticket and the arena seating diagram.

101 RANCH RODEO ticket sales this year topped any previous opening day, Mrs. Nora May Onstot, who is in charge of the ticket office, reported. The office opened Monday morning in the lobby of the Jens-Marie Hotel. Advance sale of tickets is being made by the rodeo queen contestants and grocery stores in Ponca City. The $1 tickets may be turned into the ticket office for a $1.35 reserved seat at no extra cost. All seats are reserved. “The choice seats are continuing to go extremely fast,” Mrs. Onstot said. Tuesday afternoon Melvin L. Ford, president of the 101 Ranch Rodeo Foundation, assisted in exchanging and selling tickets. Shown here at the left window are Mrs. Wayne Lodwig, Mrs. Donald Stafford of Blackwell and Charles Hurford purchasing tickets form Mrs. Onstot. Ford is selling tickets to Mr. and Mrs. W.L. McCulley of Newkirk.

CAROLE MUCHMORE BARNETT, Co-queen of the first world championship rodeo in Ponca City, left, and Mrs. Sonny Shultz, right, show their approval of the saddle to be presented to the 1963 queen of the 101 Ranch Rodeo. Mrs. Ann Corzine, center, holds the trophy buckle which the queen will win, also. Advance sale of $1.35 rodeo tickets for only $1 will continue through Wednesday night, it was announced Saturday. Tickets may be secured from any of the five queen contestants – Toby Stewart, Deanna Ramsey, Sandy Scott, Sally Edwards and Cherie Cunningham – or from local grocers with each $5 purchase.

A SPARKLING FEATURE of the 101 Ranch Rodeo next week will be the appearance of the internationally known Zoppe family, the greatest rosinback riding ensemble in the entertainment field today. Starting its eighth generation in show business the Zoppes feature four girls and three boys. The two youngest members are Denise, 9, seen here on top of the pyramid, and Roger, 12. The act originated in Europe and came to the United States in 1939. Impressed with the possibilities of rodeo, the Zoppe family made its first appearance at the Western Washington Fair in 1955. The act won immediate acceptance and the Zoppes have been featured at such major rodeos as Cheyenne Frontier Days, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Little Rock and Salinas, Calif. Advance sale of $1.35 rodeo tickets for $1 ends Saturday night. They may be purchased at local grocery stores or form queen candidates.

FLYING CIMARRON’S COMING

KAREN WOMACK begins her breath-taking trick of going completely around the body of her horse as it runs swiftly around the arena. Karen again will thrill audiences with her skill at each of the three performances of the 101 Ranch Rodeo.

JOANNE AND BILL McENANEY, sister and brother, worked in amateur rodeos before turning professional in 1956. Together with Karen Womack (in private life Mrs. Bill McEnaney) they will do trick riding to entertain crowds at the Friday, Saturday and Sunday 101 Ranch Rodeo shows

TRICK RIDERS DUE AT RODEO - The spectacular, daring skillful riding of the Flying Cimarron’s will be seen at the 101 Ranch Rodeo again this year. This trio of young performers will participate in the giant Cherokee Strip parade, also.

Members of the Troup are Bill McEnaney, his wife, Karen Womack, and his sister, Joanne McEnaney.

McEnaney is tangible proof that almost any obstacle can be overcome if a person really wants something enough. Despite spending the better part of his early life in hospitals and being told by doctors that he would never be able to achieve athletic distinction of any kind, Bill has become one of the foremost trick riders in the field today.

The groundwork for his riding began when Bill was eight years old. His father hired Lena White to teach trick riding to some youngsters in a riding club.

Eventually, his sister Joanne and other members of his family worked up an act which they presented at amateur rodeos for about tow years. Then, in 1956, Bill and Joanne joined the Rodeo Cowboys’ Association and began working together at professional rodeos.

Bill is not limiting his interests to trick riding and roping. He now is studying dentistry.

At one time Joanne wanted to be a ballerina. She was named Tri-State champion baton twirler when she was 16 and was chosen to reign as rodeo queen at the 1956 St. Joseph, Mo., rodeo.

Karen Womack grew up in rodeo. Some of her earliest memories are of watching her father Andy clown and fight bulls. She started trick riding at the age of 10 and in 1958 became a student of Dick Griffith.

Karen’s time is well occupied with her trick riding and the horsemanship classes she conducts when not under contract. But she still designs and makes all her costumes. She majored in textiles and design when attending Arizona State University. A former Miss Arizona rodeo, her greatest interest and most important work is being Mrs. Bill McEnaney.