|
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH
101 Ranch Rodeo days are many things.
They
are trail rides across open prairies.
They are
parades. They are reunions of those who worked at the
historic 101 Ranch and knew personally the world famous Miller
Brothers-Joe, George and Zack—and of performers in the Miller Bros.
Wild West Shows.
They are days of expert young
horsewomen, personable, charming, seeking the title of Queen.
They are western dances.
And they are days of tough,
fast, exciting action in the 101 Ranch Rodeo arena.
Ponca City goes Western Thursday and the first night out on the
trail will be Sunday when the 101 Ranch Memorial Trailriders and the
Ponca City Trailblazers gather at their respective starting
points.
Though riding different routes, they will
converge upon Ponca City a week from Thursday, the first day of the
101 Ranch Rodeo. Together they will parade down Grand Avenue and on
to the rodeo grounds where they will be encamped the remainder of
the week.
The first parade will belong to
trailriders—the wagons, outriders, trucks, horse trailers and all
the other equipment necessary for a modern ride.
Though quite different in most ways from the trips the 101 cowboys
made to Hunnewell, Kan., for supplies—or to "live it up" on pay
day—there is the same spirit, generated by cooking, eating and
sleeping out-of-doors, gathering around an open fire, exchanging
tales and, perhaps, singing.
The second parade is for
everyone who wants to join in and have fun. It is for cowboys, real
and "for a day"— world famous entertainers such as Montie Montana
and his human (almost) horse, Rex, who will entertain 'in the
arena—the clowns—all of the trailriders, again—but without their
equipment—antique cars—r o u n d u p over a wide, wide area,
and.....All the lovely queen contestants will be mounted on their
well-groomed, well-trained horses, led by reigning queen Beverly
McAnaily of Coyle, who has represented the 101 Ranch Rodeo so well
the past year.
Former queens, many of them now
married with children, but still loving the feel of a horse under
them, will be a part of the second, or "official" parade Saturday
afternoon.
1969 was the first reunion of the 101
Ranch old-timers for more than 30 years. Some of them live in
Ponca City: Others came from the states of New York and California,
as well as points in-between.
The number will be
doubled this year and hours will seem all too short as they
reminisce, again young, anticipating the future.
Eleven girls, at least and perhaps more, are spending hours each day
putting their horses through the pattern, which will count 50
percent toward the queen's title.
Horsewomen from
Bartlesville, Tonkawa, Collinsville, Blackwell, Newkirk, Chickasha
and, of course, Ponca City will be in a grand whirl Rodeo Week. The
climax will be Saturday night with the crowning of the 1970-71 Queen
of the 101 Ranch Rodeo.
Every cowboy, every cowgirl
loves a fast western dance. Saturday night for the professional
cowboy athlete's competing 'in the arena, and for those who love the
only professional sport indigenous to the West, there will be
dancing to the foot-stomping music of toe Wandering Okies.
At 8 p.m., Thursday, August 28, Clem McSpadden, rodeo
announcer,
state senator, president of the Rodeo Cowboy Association, director
of the National Rodeo Finals and grandnephew of the late Okie
Philosopher, Will Rogers, will say....."Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to the 101 Ranch Rodeo," officially opening the rodeo of
1970.
Those who have not attended an "Opening
Night" performance have missed a thrill succeeding nights cannot
duplicate.
It is the thrill of a "first."
It is the thrill, toe excitement accompanying the unknown.
What about the stock?
Are the broncs
ill-tempered with a wide streak of pure devil in them?
The Big Brahmas—those well-fed, pampered beasts who think
they are arena champions—will they remember the cowboys who stayed
aboard eight seconds, scoring a good ride and be out for revenge?
Many s rodeo clown will attest the Brahmas have memories equaling
the legendary elephant's.
How will the ropers find
the calves? Dodging, bawling, fighting even after the piggin'
string is tied? Will the roper earn his prize money, or will the
hefty calf break loose?
Those steers, all muscle
and determination to stand on their own four feet—will they make
the seconds required to dog 'em seem like hours to the cowboy?
Who are the cowboys competing in the 101 Ranch Rodeo arena?
In the past they have been the greats in the nation.
First nighters will know.......
Dress Western Starts Thursday (August 20th) Fun is the
essence of every parade.
For some, it is more fun to
be in the parade. Others prefer to watch, cheering their favorites
and exchanging quips with participants.
At least that
is the way it is with the 101 Ranch Rodeo parade, which this year
will be 2 p.m., Saturday.
It will form on Union,
north of Grand Avenue, with all units ready to go by 1:30, John
Heinze, parade chairman for the Ponca City Rodeo Foundation, said
today.
To all roundup clubs, individual riders, antique
cars, buggies and wagon owners—to everyone who wants to get into in
the act, have fun and promote • the 101 Ranch Rodeo, Heinze • says
come on, join in.
Heinze asks that everyone planning
to be a part of the parade notify the Chamber of Commerce so units
can be assigned locations for falling into line.
Beginning Thursday, it is officially western days in Ponca City
until after the final performance of the 101 Ranch Rodeo Saturday,
August 29.
Get out the pioneer dresses and bonnets,
put on a western tie, don jeans and a western shirt, add a cowboy
hat—go western! There will be an atmosphere of fun, relaxation and
anticipation in Ponca City the next 10 days.
Join in
is the invitation of the Ponca City Rodeo Foundation, sponsors of
the rodeo.
101 RODEO QUEEN CONTEST CLOSES
Ticket Off ice To Remain Open later for Fans
After six o'clock this evening, no more entries were to be accepted
for the 101 Ranch Rodeo queen contest. At noon today 13 young women
had turned in entry blanks and there was a possibility that two more
would enter before the deadline.
The Rodeo Ticket
Office will be open tonight until 8:30, it was announced this
morning by Mrs. Marry Braden, who is in charge of the reserved seat
boards. Persons wanting information in regard to them may call the
office, 2-1368.
Shoppers in downtown Ponca City will
be entertained this evening by Kay County's own Wandering Okies from
6:30 to 8:30, This western band will be mounted on a truck in front
of the Rodeo Office, 112 North Third.
The group also
will be playing for the annual western dance Saturday following the
rodeo. The queen contestants and the grocery stores
are selling tickets at a savings of 50 cents each over the price at
the rodeo. Each must be turned into the Rodeo Office as all seats
are reserved.
Thursday, the first night of the 1970
rodeo is family night and a still greater savings is being offered
for that night only. The first ticket is $2, the regular pre-rodeo
price, and the second is only $1.
This is making it
possible for a family of four to attend the opening performance for
only $6, rather than $10 if they were to wait until arriving at the
rodeo grounds to secure them.
The ticket office is to
be open Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., for the convenience
of those who find it difficult to exchange their tickets on other
days. For those employees who do not get off work
until 5:30 p.m., the ticket office will be open until 6 p.m.,
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday, it will close at the
regular hour and then be moved immediately to the rodeo grounds,
TRICK ROPER MONTIE MONTANA TO THRILL 101 RODEO AUDIENCES Wagons, Children Get Special Ride Before Grand Entry
Montie Montana and Rex A western personality new to the 101 Ranch Rodeo
arena, but known the world over for his trick roping, Montie Montana
will be here to thrill spectators at each of the three performances and
in the rodeo parade at 2 p.m., Saturday, the last day of the rodeo.
First night performance will be next Thursday with the colorful,
fascinating serpentine of the hundreds of riders in the 8 p.m. Grand
Entry.
Nothing quite equals the firs night Grand Entry with all it pageantry.
For the first time in the history of the 101 Ranch Rodeo there will be a
preview entry for wagon units and children mounted on ponies.
It is impossible to get the hundreds of riders and the wagon units in
the arena at the same time. Also, it is dangerous for children on ponies
to be close to the larger horses, according to John Heinze, parade
chairman.
Montie Montana is one of the most beloved and
outstanding "cowboys of our times." He has starred in every
important rodeo in the United States and Canada, besides doing
command performances for many greats of the world, including
Prince Philip of England Crown Prince Akahito of Japan and the
crowned heads of Arabia. No "drugstore cowboy," Montie is the
real thing, having started his roping and riding a an early age
on his father's ranch in Montana.
As soon as the Saturday night
performance is over, Montie will leave by chartered plant for
Pierre, S.D., where he must be on location early Sunday morning
for a western movie in which he has an important role.
Montie is bring two horses with him, including his trainee horse, Rex,
as nearly human as a horse can be. Rex performs before more than a
quarter of a million school children each year and has ever appeared in
the ballrooms of some of the most plush hotels in the nation.
The Rodeo Ticket Office, 112 North Third, will be open Saturday from
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons
until six o'clock to accommodate workers who cannot exchange then
tickets for reserved seats during the regular hours.
Tickets purchased from queens or at the grocery store; are $2 rather
than the regular $2.50. All must be exchanged for reserved seats.
Thursday night—family night—tickets are $2 for the first ticket and $1
for the second, or a savings of $2 for the two tickets.
RODEO STARTS THURSDAY - Top Cowboys Here For Rodeo
Top rodeo cowboys of the nation will be in Ponca City Thursday, Friday
and Saturday to try for a cut of the $7,000 prize money up for grabs in
the 101 Ranch Rodeo.
The stock—broncs, bulls, steers and calves—came in last week They have
been eating well and saving up their energy to vent their devilish
spleen on those who try to conquer them.
The stock is from the string of Elra Beutler and Son of Elk City, who
have been the stock producers the past three years.
First performance will be 8: p.m., Thursday, but two special events will
precede the grand entry.
At 2 p.m., all riders and equipment of the Ponca Trailblazers and the
101 Ranch Memorial Trailriders will assemble on Grand Avenue between
Eighth and Ninth to parade west on Grand to Union and then on to the
rodeo grounds to pitch camp.
In the arena at about 7:30 p.m., Thursday, there will be a pre-grand
entry, reserved for, children on their ponies and the wagons of the
trailriders.
Thursday is family night. To encourage children and parents to attend
together, there has been a special reduction in tickets for that night
only. The first one purchased from queens or grocery stores is $2
and the second is only $1.
As the 14 lovely queen contestants ride in the grand entry each evening,
they will be introduced to the spectators by Clem McSpadden, nationally
known veteran rodeo announcer, who will be at the microphone. The rodeo
band, composed of senior high school musicians under the direction of
Don Leavitt, will play while the crowds are gathering and provide sound
effects to add to the tenseness of competition. Montie Montana,
internationally known trick roper, who has starred in motion pictures,
television and in rodeo arenas is bringing his trained horse, Rex, to
Ponca City. They will perform in the arena each night and appear in the
rodeo parade it 2 p.m. Saturday.
Special musical entertainment will be provided by Billy Parker,
television and recording star, with the Wichita Line-men as backup
musicians. The Linemen, a country-western band, will be featured in
several numbers.
The funny men in the baggy pants this year will be George Doak of Fort
Worth and Gary Parli of Caney, Kan. Both are widely known clowns and
bull fighters.
Friday at 4:30 p.m., the queens will ride their patterns in the rodeo
arena to be judged on their Horsemanship. The public is invited to see
the girls skill and control on their horses. The exhibition is free.
Saturday at 2 p.m. the "official" 101 Ranch Rodeo parade will start east
on Grand Avenue from Union.
Queen contestants, cowboys, entertainers,
judges, all of the trailriders and many roundup clubs coming to Ponca
City especially for the event, will participate.
The parade is open to everyone who wishes to take part, John Heinze,
chairman said.
The queen will be announced at 7:15 p.m., Saturday, the final night of
the 1970 rodeo
ANOTHER JOB LICKED! The new un-loading chute was completed by
members of the Ponca City Rodeo Foundation and volunteer workers just
before the first load of bulls arrived for the 101 Ranch Rodeo Thursday,
Friday and Saturday. In addition to the chute (one always had to be
borrowed previously), the men rebuilt the bull corral, repaired the
bronc corrals, replaced seat boards in the grandstand, and painted,
painted and painted. The men worked 14 nights from the time they got off
their jobs to 10 or 11 p.m. The result is having the grounds in
excellent condition at a savings of several hundreds of dollars, Dr.
Bill Alexander, foundation president, said.
101 Rodeo Runs Two More Nights - The luck of the draw and the
skill of the cowboy produced an unprecedented 70-point bull ride
Thursday night at the 101 Ranch Rodeo.
The ride, which was scored the highest of any bull ride at the 101 Ranch
Rodeo, was made by Bob Berger, the No. 1 bull rider in the nation at
this time. But only $2000 separates the men in the first ten spots.
More than 4,000 witnessed the spectacular ride. This was the largest
"first night" for rodeo since the initial performance in September 1960.
Tonight activity in the arena will begin at 7:10 when all the
trailriders will be honored. They will have a grand entry into the arena
to display the wagons, buggies and other rolling equipment as well as
the horses ridden over the ranches to come into Ponca City for the 101
Ranch Rodeo.
Queens, who will have been judged at 4:30 p.m. on their horsemanship,
will be introduced and at the same time the crowd will be entertained by
the trick ropers in the school of Mike Sokoll.
The second performance of the rodeo of 1970 will get underway at 8 p.m.,
sharp.
Saturday at 7:15 p.m. will come the moment for 14 lovely queen
contestants to learn which one will be the 101 Ranch Rodeo reigning
queen for the coming year.
Tonight rodeo fans will have an opportunity to see more of the leading
cowboys in each of the five standard events, and still others are in the
draw for Saturday night.
Among them will be Buck Rutherford, former All Around Champion, C. R. B.
Boucher and Roy Duvall. Others high on the standings are Bob and Mike
Shoulders, Merle Davis, Prank Braden and Frank Childers.
About 90 percent of the spectators remained for the after rodeo bull
rides and several hundred did not leave until nine more calves had been
roped and 16 steers dogged.
There will be after-rodeo activity tonight and everyone will be invited
to remain for all the action in the arena.
There are two go-rounds in bronc and timed events and the seconds
in each will be divided between tonight's and Saturday night's
performances. Because of the large number entered in null riding, each
cowboy has only one head.
Montie Montana's visit to two local banks Thursday afternoon seemed
quite amateurish compared to the amazing trick roping of Montie and the
polished performance of Rex, his almost human horse, responding
flawlessly to the word commands of his owner and trainer.
Montie and Rex will make two appearances tonight and again Saturday.
Following his last performance, Montie will leave by chartered plane for
Pierre, S. D.. to appear in a picture with Joel McCrae, Casey Tibbs and
Slim Pickens.
Billy Parker, country-western singer, and the Wichita Lineman, who were
featured in several numbers and were backup men for Parker, were warmly
received by the large crowd. This popular combination will be heard in
each of the next two performances.
Rodeo Rookie's Ride Wins All Around - Bob Berger Top Money Winner In
Annual Show....Perfect weather, sensational rides on stock often
selected for National Finals Rodeo and no serious injuries made the 101
Ranch Rodeo one of the most successful since rodeo was revived Ponca
City.
Randy Magers was thrown from a spinning bull in front of the chutes
Saturday night. At first it was thought he had been trampled by the
bull, but a few minutes later Magers was able to walk away.
Ron Chaloupek of Beaver, a rookie who received his RCA card in April,
won the Guy Shultz Memorial Trophy as the 1970 All Around at the 101
Ranch Rodeo.
Ron was top money winner of the 11 men entered in two or more
events. For first in second go-round of saddle bronc he took home
$128.05. The trophy was presented to him by Mrs. Guy Shultz to conclude
the 1970 rodeo.
A champion aboard a champion made Bob Berger, bull rider, the top money
winner. He pocketed 595.84. He scored an unusually high 70 points for
his sensational ride Friday.
Bob Romer, with a score of 66, walked away with $446.88; Johnny Nix,
with 65 points, took $297.92. Lee Markholt and Bob Voegele, a Ponca City
contestant tied for fourth with 63 points. Each received $74.48 for
their eight-second rides.
In bareback bronc riding Jess Gatlin and Denny Wingate tie for first in
the average, each scoring 120 points in two rides. Payoff was $116.65
each.
Winner in the average for calf roping was Richard Mullins, who
tied two head in the good time of 29.7 for $178.36. Fastest time of the
three days was the 10.2 of Steve Massey in the first go-round. Massey,
with a 14.5 in the second go-round, was second in average with 30.8.
Brandon McReynolds, a consistent winner in saddle bronc, the only event
which he enters, won first go-round and tied for second in the second to
win the average with 136 points. He was $384.15 richer when he went off
after getting the whistle Saturday night.
Bobby Bean had 14.1 seconds on two head in steer wrestling for first in
average. This was good for $210.38, and with his third place win in
first go-round paid off for a total of $315.56 for his 14.1 seconds of
work in the arena.
Deana Miller was first in barrels for 128.
GUY SCHULTZ TROPHY HONORS 'LEGEND'
All-Events Star Got His Start With 101 Ranch - The third
presentation of the Guy Schultz Memorial trophy will be made at the
final performance of the
101 Ranch Rodeo this year.
The trophy goes to the All Around Cowboy, which is determined by the
contestant winning the most money in two or more of fee standard events.
It becomes his personal possession.
Last year the recipient was young Phil Lyne of West George, Tex., who
went on to gain the coveted title of Rookie of the Year of the Rodeo
Cowboys Association.
The trophy memorializes one of the great performers of the world famous
101 Ranch Wild West Shows, who has become a legend in the world of rodeo
— Guy Schultz. It was established by his widow.
Schultz began his career in rodeo when he was 12 years old at Bliss, now
Marland, with the permission of his mother.
That was his first rodeo and his first win—the first of many firsts
gathered over the years.
Though his original entry was saddle bronc, Guy was far from a one-event
man. He was as all around as a cowboy could get. Saddle bronc and doggin'
were his favorite events, but he entered wild cow milking, calf roping,
bareback, steer roping, bull riding, and the relays.
Guy, weighing only 145 pounds, was the first man to bulldog a buffalo, a
great, shaggy animal weighing more than a half ton. This feat earned him
$3,000 a performance at Chicago.
As a special event in the wild west shows, he would bulldog a steer from
a moving car or ride an ostrich. Crowds loved the birds, but they were
tricky to ride.
Guy Schultz was the first —and only—cowboy to ride the famous bronc
Midnight.
His saddle and chaps, together with some of the best known pictures of
Guy are now in the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. He is included
in the Western Hall of Fame in Omaha, Neb.
Guy was a cowhand at the 101 Ranch in its most colorful days. Later he
was an arena director.
He was a friend and coworker of such cowboys and showmen as Tom Mix, Ben
Johnson, Pawnee Bill, Buffalo Bill and Gabby Hays.
Guy was the subject of a story by Will Rogers, his close personal
friend, appearing in a New York City paper.
Rogers began his account of the great performer, and genius with horses
by telling of his riding a bronc and having a person ask: "Who is Guy
Schultz?"
To ask that of a cowboy or rodeo fan is like asking a New Yorker "Who is
Babe Ruth," was the answer.
Chickasha Girl Winner Of Rodeo Queen Title - Miss Carla Watson of
Chickasha was announced as queen of the 1970 101 Ranch Rodeo here
Saturday evening.
She was presented with two dozen roses and a saddle in a ceremony
preceding the start of the third and final performance of the annual
rodeo.
First runner-up for the honor was Dede Elkan of Bartlesville. Sue Ann
Anderson, Gushing, was second runner-up; Robbie Willerton of Tonkawa,
third runner-up, and the Miss Congeniality title was won by Jeanne
McClung, Newkirk.
Miss Elkan received a $100 check and Miss Andear'son a pair of boots,
and both also were presented with trophies along with the queen and Miss
McClung.
A table model radio went to Miss Willerton and an engraved trophy buckle
was given to the ticket sales winner, Nancy Kelly of Ponca City who sold
734 rodeo tickets.
Miss Congeniality was selected by a vote of the 13 queen contestants.
The queen, contest was judged 50 percent on horsemanship 25 percent on
poise and personality and 25 percent on appearance.
The new queen succeeds Beveriy McAnally of Coyle, which reigned the past
year. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Watson, she graduated from
Chickasha High School last spring as salutatorian of her class. A member
of the Oklahoma and National honor societies, she will attend the
Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts in Chickasha this fall on a full
scholarship.
The queens have been guests at luncheons and dinners the past week,
during which time they boosted the 101 Ranch Rodeo.
Area girls were guests of the Rotary, Kiwanis, Noon Lions and Ponca
City Business and Professional Women's Club for luncheons and dinner.
Thursday the out-of-town girls were entertained by the American Business
Club.
REJUVENATED 101 RODEO RECALLS MEMORIES
By Myrtle (Peggy) Prentice |
ANNOUNCER: Clem McSpadden
