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Western Attire Urged This Week
Dust off your cowboy hats and pull on your boots!
The
week of Aug. 13-18 has been designated Western Attire Week by Ponca
City Chamber of Commerce to commemorate the 20th annual 101 Ranch
Rodeo. Everyone is urged to "dress western" this week.
The rodeo's first performance will be Thursday evening at 8 p.m.
The 101 Ranch Rodeo, an annual event in Ponca City for the past 19
years, will be drawing crowds again on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
nights.
Announcer for the rodeo this year is Bud
Townsend. In addition to being a rodeo announcer for 33 years, he is
a university professor of history, an author and a Grammy Award
winner. Clowns for the weekend event are Tom Feller,
Everman, Tex. and Skip Beeler, Mesa, Ariz. Feller works in baggy
britches and calls himself a barrelman. Beeler worked first as a
bull rider then went into bull fighting (clowning).
Rodeo entertainers for the 101 Ranch Rodeo are The Flying Cossacks,
a family of trick riders from Stonyford, Calif. The Cossacks — the
Ellerman children, range in age from 10 to 20 and are now marking
their fifth year in PRCA rodeo.
Stock contractor is
Walter Alsbaugh, Alsbaugh Rodeo Co., Alamosa, Colo.
Appearing at the rodeo performances will also be Lucyle Richards.
She was World Champion All Around Cowgirl in 1932 and for two years
she followed the rodeo circuit in Mexico City performing as a lady
bronc rider.
Tickets for the rodeo are for sale at
the Chamber of Commerce.
Ex-Cowgirl
Grand Marshal
Lucyle Richards, once a world champion cowgirl and a member
of the original 101 Ranch Rodeo, will be the honorary grand
marshal of the 101 Ranch Rodeo parade Saturday. |
TAKING A LOOK AT HERSELF, as portrayed
by local artist Alice Souligny, is former world champion
cowgirl Lucyle Richards. The painting was presented at a
dinner in Lucyle's honor Wednesday. Another member of the
101 Ranch Oldtimers Association, Mike Sokoll, received a
portrait of himself, also painted by the Indian artist. A
former lady bronc rider and honorary grand marshal of the
101 Ranch Rodeo parade Saturday, Lucyle is wearing the war
bonnet given to her by the Blackfoot Tribe. |
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Richards was named world
champion all-around cowgirl in 1932 and and followed the
rodeo circuit for two years in Mexico City, Mex., performing
as a lady bronc rider.
The boots, hobbles, and bucking
rein she used during her rodeo days may be seen at the 101
Ranch Museum in the Cultural Center.
During World War II, Richards ferried bombers between the
United States and England for utilization by the Allies in
the European Theatre.
Richards, a member of the 101 Ranch Oldtimers
Association, is scheduled to ride a horse in Saturday's
parade.
A banquet honoring Richards is slated for 6:30 p.m. at
the Holiday Inn. |
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For More Information
Read:
Lucyle Richards - Wild West Shows and
Rodeos |
Rodeo Action Starts Tonight
Two clowns in baggy pants, a family of trick riders, former World
Champion All Around Cowgirl, and plenty of contestants including two
World Champions will be among the persons on hand tonight for the
opening of 101 Ranch Rodeo.
The rodeo opens at 8 p.m.
tonight at the rodeo grounds on Prospect and will continue through
Saturday night. Admission gates open at 7 p.m.
Tom
Ferguson, Miami, Okla., World Champion All Around Cowboy, and World
Champion Steer Wrestler is entered in the calf-roping event. Jack
Ward Jr., World Champion Bareback Bronc Rider, of Stephenville, Texas,
will also be competing.
In addition to former lady bronc rider Lucyle Richards, the Flying
Cossacks and clowns Tom Feller and Skip Beeler will be appearing
nightly at the three-event. Announcer will be Bud Townsend.
Advance adult tickets cost $3 and may be purchased up to 5 p.m. the
day of the performance at the Chamber of Commerce office. Tickets
cost $4 for adults and $1.50 for children under 12 at the gate.
All seats are general admission, except for the box seats. There are
a few boxes available for Friday and Saturday nights.
No Buffaloes This Year, But Alsbaugh Back
Most of the 101 Ranch rodeo stock is "on its own" during the
annual Ponca City event which began Thursday evening at the rodeo
grounds on Prospect and will continue through Saturday night. And, one
bull featured in the rodeo, "Velvet Mouse," has been rid-den only once,
according to Walter Alsbaueh. stock contractor.
Alsbaugh, of Alsbaugh Rodeo Company, said that rodeo animals are left
"on their own" to buck in the arena. "You can't train an animal to
buck," Alsbaugh said.
As of Thursday morning, only one rider had made a qualifying ride atop
Velvet Mouse, said Alsbaugh, in spite of 84 attempts to ride the bull.
"Many feel that animals buck simply out of wildness, but this is not
true," he said. "Animals must have it in their mind to buck," said
Alsbaugh. "They know it's time to buck when they get in the chutes," he
said.
However, the bucking horses and Brahma bulls are usually gentle and
"most will let you pet them," Alsbaugh said. "But the bulls will hook
you if you get them by themselves," he added.
Alsbaugh said that he raises some of his stock and buys some throughout
the country. Often he buys horses or bulls that "go bad" on their owners
and can-not be kept from bucking. "You never know about a bucking animal
until you try him," said Alsbaugh. "Some buck only once or twice, and
others buck more as time progresses."
Spark Plug, one of Alsbaugh's horses, was voted the best bareback horse
of the year in Oklahoma City in 1969 and 1970. Spark Plug is 18 years
old, accord-ing to Alsbaugh, and has bucked in rodeos since the age of
three.
A good rodeo horse or bull may bring $8,000 to $9,000, said Alsbaugh,
but "only after its worth has been proven." The prime of a rodeo horse
is between ages nine to 14, said Alsbaugh, while a bull's best years are
generally from ages four to six or seven.
Alsbaugh is providing approximately 250 head of stock for the 101 Ranch
Rodeo including Brahma bulls, bucking horses, steers, calves and
matching dapple-gray horses to be used by pickup men and flag men.
Approximately 215 contestants have entered in various events.
Black Velvet Distillers is sponsoring the rodeo stock this year, and
Alsbaugh said it was the first time that stock producers had been
sponsored, although cowboys often have sponsors. In return, some animals
have names including the word "velvet."
Most of Alsbaugh's stock has been around. To the national finals, that
is. "About 90 percent of my stock has been to the National Finals Rodeo
at one time or another," said Alsbaugh. Stock to be used in the National
Finals is chosen by the top 15 money-winning cow-boys in each event.
Alsbaugh has been voted best stock producer of the year in two rodeo
circuits, the Rocky Mountain Circuit, which includes parts of Colorado,
Wyoming and Utah, and the Turquoise Circuit, which includes Arizona, New
Mexico and part of California.
Alsbaugh did not bring his buffalo to the rodeo this year. "The buffalo
have stayed at home in Colorado this year. I had seven buffalo, but now
have just four," said Alsbaugh. "I traded for a new buffalo bull, which
may improve the herd," he said. "I change the rodeo acts each year."
Not as many animals are injured in rodeos as people would think, said
Alsbaugh. He said that a veterinarian is always contacted when an injury
occurs. Retired stock simply stay at the ranches as long as they are not
suffering, said Alsbaugh.
Alsbaugh has ranches in Alamosa, Colo., and Phoenix, Ariz. He has
contested in rodeo events since the age of 13 and has worked every event
except bareback riding. Alsbaugh presently owns approximately 1,000 head
of stock.
Last year, Alsbaugh supplied animals for 123 rodeos and said he often
supplies four or five at one time. "I have three this week — one in ,Castlerock,
Colo., one in Hotchkiss, Colo., and the rodeo here."
"If there is a hereafter, I want to come back as a bucking horse," said
Alsbaugh. "They only work 10 minutes a year and and don't have as many
worries as we have."
101 Ranch Rodeo Begins
FELLOW COMPETITORS HELP OUT FERGUSON
Defending world champion all-around cowboy Tom Ferguson got a little
help via mistakes by his fellow competitors to edge his way into the
lead of the calf roping contest after the first night of the 101 Ranch
Rodeo.
Ferguson, from Miami, Okla., roped his calf in 9.8 seconds. However,
three other ropers had lower times, but were disqualified.
Oklahoman Willard Moody had a nine-flat, and Texan bob Blandford posted
a 9.5, but both were penalized ten seconds for breaking the barrier. Dan
Webb, Bridgeport, Tex., got his calf roped in 8.7 seconds, but it did
not stay tied for the mandatory six seconds.
Azie, Tex. product Travis Condren is currently second in the competition
with a 10.3, and Ferguson's brother, Larry is third with a 10.4
Defending world bareback champion Jack Ward, Jr. and third-place
finisher Sam Perkins ended up in a tie for first place in the bareback
riding competition.
Perkins, from Chadrin, Neb., scored a 78 on the first ride of the
contest. Two rides later, Ward, from Stephenville, Tex., matched the
score.
Chick Elms is currently second with 77 and Buddy Reynolds a distant
third at 70.
Vie Fye, Commanche, Okla., blasted his way with a mount named Peanuts to
a score of 74 to edge out Bob Blanford in the bull riding competition.
Blanford, San Antonio, Tex., had previously scored a 73 when Fye, on the
next to the last ride of the evening, topped him. Texan Jess Evans is
currently third with a score of 69.
Meanwhile, it was Steers 7, Cowboys 2 in the steer wrestling contest.
Wilberton, Oklahoma's Tommy E. Browne was one of the two lucky contestants, bulldogging his steer in 14.9 seconds to give him the lead.
Debbs Phelps, Arapaho, Okla., was the other, with a time of 17.3.
Former Ponca Citian Sammie Groves leads the saddle bronc segment with a
score of 74, followed by another Oklahoman, T.C. Perkins with a 72 and
Texan Terry Chapman with a 71.
Fairfax native Marilyn Boucher ripped through the three-point obstacle
course to take a narrow lead in the barrel racing event with a time of
17.8 seconds.
Patti Bailey, Wichita, is second with a 17.9 and Patty Hoffman, Guthrie,
third with an 18-flat.
The second evening of competition begins at the rodeo grounds at 8 p.m.
tonight.
 SHORTY
SHULTZ, widow of Sonny Shultz, holds the trophy dedicated to her late
husband. Trophy will be given to the best all-around cowboy after
Saturday night's performance of the 101 Ranch Rodeo.
Ferguson Takes All-Around
Defending Defending world champion all-around cowboy Tom Ferguson showed
why he holds that honor after being awarded the all-around cowboy award
at the 101 Ranch Rodeo Saturday night.
Ferguson, from Miami, Okla., finished second in the calf roping con-test
and second in steer wrestling to take the Sonny Shultz Memorial Trophy.
Kansan John McBeth and Terry Chapman, Haskell, Tex., tied with scores of
76 to become co-winners of the second round of the saddle bronc
com-petition. Sammie Groves, Stroud, Okla., scored a 74 to win the first
round.
Vie Fye's Thursday night score of 74 held up, and the Commanche, Okla.
product won the bull riding contest. Bob Blandford was second with a 73.
Larry Snyder, Medicine Lodge, Kans., won the steer wrestling contest
with a time of 5.8 seconds. Nebraskan Sam Perkins and Texan Jack Ward,
Jr., had their dual scores of 78 from Thursday night hold up to keep
them in a tie for first, place.
Jerry Jetton, Stephensville, Tex., took calf roping with his slack time
score Friday night of 9.7 seconds.
Enid's Dana Perry scored a first in barrel racing with a Saturday night
time of 17.7 seconds, edging out Fairfax's Maralyn Boucher and Kansan Bo
Hill, who both scored 17.8.
The contestants split a total purse of nearly $10,000.
Ferguson, Jetton Top Rodeo Money Winners
Jerry Jetton ended up the top individual event money winner for the 101
Ranch Rodeo, pulling in $882 of the $2,205 total purse for his effort in
the calf roping contest.
The Stephenville, Tex. cowboy roped and tied his calf in 9.7 seconds
during slack time runoffs after Friday night's performances, beating
five-time world champion all-around cow-boy Tom Ferguson by one tenth of
a second.
Ferguson, from Miami, Okla., was the top money winner for the rodeo,
winning $1,261.26 for his second-place finishes in calf-roping and steer
wrestling. Ferguson was also awarded the Sonny Shultz Memorial Trophy
for all-around cowboy.
Larry Snyder, Medicine Lodge, Kans., who finished third in calf roping
with a time of 10 seconds flat, later won the steer wrestling event with
the amazing time of 5.8 seconds, taking home $799.68.
Former world champion John McBeth won a total of $370.44 to become top
money winner in the saddle bronc contest. The Burden, Kans., native
scored a total of 149 points in the two- round event, the majority of
those on a re-ride Saturday night.
McBeth's mount, Tiny Tim, which he had ridden to a score of 73 on Friday
night, slammed into the fencing, with McBeth aboard, on the east side of
the arena during Saturday's go-round.
McBeth was given a re-ride on a bronc called Amos and scored an
outstanding 76.
Terry Chapman, Haskell, Tex., who also was given a re-ride during Friday
night's performance, was second with 147 points and fellow Texan Sammie
Groves was third, scoring 143.
A recount put Bob Blandford, San Antonio, Tex., and Vie Fye, Comanche,
Okla., in a tie for first with 74 points in the bull riding event. Each
was awarded $607.11.
Two Oklahomans, Gene Owen and Spankey Browne, finished second and third,
respectively.
Nebraskan Sam Perkins beat a pair of Stephenville, Tex., competitors,
one the defending world champ, by one point to win the bareback riding
contest.
Perkins, ironically, the first rider out in Thursday night's opening
performance, scored a 78 to beat world champion bareback rider Jack
Ward, and Chick Elms. Jim Cleveland, Meade, Okla., was third.
Perkins netted $552.72 for the win.
Enid's Dana Perry won $253.17 for her first-place finish in barrel
racing. Marilyn Boucher, Fairfax, Okla., and Kansan Bo Hill tied for
second with times of 17.8 and Patti Bailey, Wichita, Kans. and Kay
Garrison, Marlow, Okla. finished with times of 17.9 for a third-place
tie. |
ANNOUNCER: Bud Townsend
