|
 FRANK
PHILLIPS, great grandson of Bill Pickett, of Washington D.C.
poses before the statute of his famous bulldogging ancestor which
was recently dedicated at the stockyards in Fort Worth.
A videotape of the unveiling will be shown by the 101 Ranch
Collectors Association following the 101 Ranch Old Timers meeting at
10 a.m. Saturday in the Hutchins Memorial Building.
Don McGrew will provide the television for the screening. Also there
will be a video presentation introducing members of the Pickett
family and 101 Ranch Old Timers present for the dedication. And, a
film shot during the ranch's heyday, provided by Joe Colby, will be
shown. The film is part of the collection of restored films in the
Library of Congress.
1987 101 Ranch Rodeo Provides Lots Of Action
Rodeo clown Gary "Roach" Hedeman led the bull up the fence and away
from the thrown rider.
When the bull got a little too
close, Hedeman leaped the fence and bounded up the spectators'
bleachers, where, near the top, he plopped down and crossed his legs
as if he were just another paying customer.
He
performed the maneuver rapidly, with flowing grace. It seemed to
take little effort. When the crowd's laughter died
down, Hedeman returned to the arena floor, exchanging the inevitable
banter with rodeo announcer Clem McSpadden.
"If that happens one more time," Hedeman called out to announcer's
box, "I'm gonna pull a Johnny Paycheck."
"You're
gonna take this job and shove it?" McSpadden asked.
Hedeman gestured to let the announcer know that's precisely what he
planned to do.
The Thursday night performance of the
1987 101 Ranch Rodeo featured the work of two of the nation's
best-known rodeo clowns. Hedeman, 26, of El Paso,
exhibited his athletic prowess as the bullfighter.
He
was teamed up Quail Dobbs, 45, of Coahoma, Texas, winner the past
two years of the Coors "Man in the Can" award as the Professional
Rodeo Cowboy's Association's (PRCA) best barrel clown.
Dobbs, who has held a PRCA contract card for nearly a quarter of a
century, had the literal highlight of the show: a burning rocket-car
routine involving several fireworks displays.
The
cowboys and stock provided plenty of figurative fireworks during the
rodeo's "ridin', ropin' and rasslin'."
Stock
contractor Walt Alsbaugh's calves and steers proved to be especially
frustrating to the cowboys competing in the timed events. Many
contestants left the arena with an NT ("no time") as their scores.
Calf roping was the most vexing. Only two cowboys scored times in
the event. Steve Massey was the leader with a time of 14.2 seconds.
The other cowboy to place was Eugene King, who trailed the leader by
over five seconds (19.6).
Team ropers fared somewhat
better. Rich Skelton and Jimmy Wade stopped the timer's clock
respectably early with 7.5 seconds to take the lead. Following were
Jimmy Wade and Paul Duncan, 9.2 seconds, and Bill Robinson and
Garland Bloodworth, 15.8 seconds.
Checotah's great
steer wrestler Roy Duvall (three-time world's champion steer
wrestler and 21-time qualifier for the National Final's Rodeo) was
among the cowboy's finding Thursday's stock frustrating, scoring an
NT in the steer wrestling.
Ote Berry lead the event
with a good time of 5.4 seconds. Trailing him were Ricky Huddleston,
7.3 seconds, and Red Doffin, 7.5 seconds.
Gale Beebe
led her nearest competition by over a second and a half in barrel
racing with a time of 16.75 seconds. Next was Betty Roper, 17.20
seconds, then Beth Braudrick, 17.28 seconds.
Cowboys
in the riding events had a considerably more rewarding evening.
In the bareback competition, Chris Guay scored 80 points, followed
by Shawn Frey with 76 and Jon Brockway, 73.
Phil
Smith led the saddle bronc riders with 78 points. John McBeth
followed with 76 points. Hawkeye Henson scored in the low 60s on his
first ride, but the judges awarded him the option of a re-ride
because of technical problems. Henson wisely chose to take the
re-ride and scored 75 points for third place.
Scott
Wilkins was the evening best bull rider with 78 points, edging out
Danny Hershberger, 76 points, and Randy Hugle, 71.
Tonight's performance of the rodeo gets under way at 8 p.m.
Pre-rodeo activities begin an hour earlier.
Saturday,
beginning at 10 a.m., there will be two go-arounds of steer roping
to determine who will compete in the Saturday evening steer roping
event. The 1987101 Ranch Rodeo Queen will also be crowned during the
Saturday evening performance.
The Changing World Of Professional Rodeo
The nature of the professional rodeo cowboy is changing from what it
was 20 or 30 years ago, said Charles Tucker veteran rodeo cowboy and
member of the 101 Ranch Rodeo Foundation.
Top rodeo
stars no longer bounce from one event to the next via pick-up truck
and horse trailer.
Dying is the old-time romance from
the days when cowboys drove long stretches of western highways,
stopped over in cut-rate hotels and drank at honky-tonk bars, while
migrating along the professional rodeo trail.
Today's
top riders have adopted more modern and efficient ways of riding the
circuit.
After all, the sport is no longer just a way
of life — its big business that nets some top stars over $100,000 in
yearly earnings. Qualification for the National
Finals Rodeo (NFR), held yearly in Las Vegas, is based on annual
earnings during the 12-month rodeo season, Tucker said. NFR
competitors are the top 15 money winners in each event.
About five years ago the rules were changed limiting to 100 the
number of events that could be counted toward national finals
qualification, he said. The change pressured top-level cowboys to
ride the highest-paying rodeos to ensure a December invitation to
Las Vegas.
To qualify, riders have to fly to events
to bridge the gap of time and space.
"The money has
gotten better over the last 10 years which has enticed cowboys to
make more rodeos," said Tucker.
It's common for a
rider to fly in just in time to ride in his event, then get back on
a plane for a flight to another rodeo.
Tucker said
riders like Roy Cooper, who competes regularly in Ponca City, will
arrange to borrow a horse or have one of his own at the event before
he gets there. Some cowboys have been know to strategically place
several horses around the country for such purposes.
Although the rodeo world is changing for the most successful.
riders, the traditional life style re- mains much the same for
youthful competitors still paying their dues at the lower ranks.
Steve Grey, 22, of Crescent says he has traveled by car and
sometimes plane during his seven years as a rodeo cowboy.
Grey, a bull rider who turned in a low score in Friday night's go
round, said he and three fellow Oklahoma bull riders were planning a
700-mile, overnight road trip to Nebraska for a Saturday evening
event.
From there they will return to Oklahoma for a
Wednesday event in Vinita, followed by two rodeos in Texas and
one scheduled in Pueblo, Colo. Sept. 2.
Successful
rides last week in Ada. and Seminole netted Grey about $500, which
will help pay traveling costs, he said.
Grey, who
normally competes in about 50 rodeos each year, said he is just
getting back onto the circuit after being married earlier this year.
Friday's low score was due to a bad draw. Grey said. "Because of the
bull I drew, I knew I had no hope for a high score tonight; so the
best I could do was ride him and collect my share of the day money."
Grey's day money, which is prize money awarded after each nightly
event, amounted to $87.50 which reimbursed his entry fee plus 50
cents.
Tonight's profit is about enough to buy me a
coke," he said. "At least I didn't lose money. I won't worry about
it; I'll go up to Nebraska and do better."
"I think
I'm just as good as any-one else out here," said Grey.
He has refused offers of help from top-ranking riders because he
wants to get established as a nation-al class bull rider
independently.
"Lord willing, I want to get what I
think is coming to me on my own."
Annual 101 Rodeo Winds Up Activity
For years the 101 Ranch Rodeo has entertained Ponca City crowds with
top-notch professional cowboys and zany clown acts Saturday's final
performance of the 1987 edition carried on the rodeo spirit in
classic tradition with a high school band playing the Lexington
March as horsemen paraded into the arena with cowboy hats and flags
waving.
After pausing for the invocation, the crowd
saluted the American flag held center stage by a horseback cowgirl
wearing an Indian headdress, with opening ceremonies over, the ridin',
ropin' and rodeoin' began. Cowboys flew from the backs of bareback
broncos and calves were lassoed and snapped to the ground by ropes
pulled taut when hurried cowboys competed for a share of the calf
roping prize money. Later came the barrel racers —
cowgirls teamed with their mounts to weave through the triangle of
drums faster than any other entry.
Team ropers and
saddle bronc riders also drew cheers from the crowd but no event
seemed more exciting and dangerous than the one held near the
conclusion of the evening — bull riding. It is the only one in which
the animal appears to have the upper hand on the cowboy.
Unlike steer roping, which seems to be anything but a fair fight,
bull riding seems as close to fair as it gets in the sport of rodeo.
Bull riders are almost always heroes and the bulls are never more
than villainous brutes.
After the crowd had gone
home, cowboys gathered around and talked about newly acquired
bruises and sore ribs. Some cowboys collected large
paychecks while others, if they were lucky, got a small stipend from
the day money pot, which may have been enough to recover their entry
fee. Most of them will move on to Vinita, the next
stop on the professional rodeo trail.
Kristin Martin
of Ponca City, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. George
Martin, was named the 1987 101 Ranch Rodeo queen during Saturday's
performance.
So the 1987 version of the 101 Ranch
Rodeo is over and tradition has been faithfully carried on for one
more year. Overall winners in each event included:
—Bareback riding:
1) Chris Guay, Stephenville, Texas-$759;
2) Duane Kellstadt, Mound City, Kan.-$628;
3) Shawn Frey Manou, La.-$497.
—Calf Roping:
1) Gary Johnson, Henryetta-$1012;
2) Hank Hainzinger, Ponca City-$838;
3) Rick McLimore, Gracemont, Okla.-$663.
—Saddle
Bronc Riding:
1) Jeff Switxer, San Luis Obispo Calif -$970;
2) Phil Smith, Magnolia, Ark.-$727;
3) Robert Etbauer Goodwell-$485.
—Steer Wrestling:
1) Stan Williamson, Kelleyville-$872;
2) Byron Walker, Ennis, Texas-$721;
3) Ote Berry, Gorden, Neb.-$571.
—Team Roping:
1) Rick Skelton, Electra, Texas and Jimmy Wade, Ringling,
Okla.-$853;
2) Paul Duncan, Atascosa, Texas and Steve Massey, Lookaba,
Okla.-$640;
3) Robin Harrison, Nash, Okla. and Jim Hudgins, Hardimer,
Texas-$426.
—Barrel Racing:
1) Gale Beebe-$703;
2) Betty Roper-$556;
3) Mary Beth Durfey-$468. —Bull Riding:
1) J.W. Mitchell, Purcell-$821;
1) Don Bell Sterling, Kan.-$821;
2) Scott Wilkins, Branson, Mo.-$352;
2) Mike Swisher, Dover, Okla.-$352.
—Steer Roping:
1) Tutt Garnett, Elgin, Texas-$1381;
2) J B Whatley, Midland, Texas-$1143;
3) Kenny Call, Newhall. Calif. - $905. |
ANNOUNCER: Clem McSpadden
