1980

RODEO DATES: August 21st, 22nd, & 23rd

Wild Cow Milking Contest Slated For This Year's Rodeo

Entry applications for the wild cow milking contest, to be held each evening prior to 101 Ranch Rodeo are available at Chamber of Commerce office. The 101 Ranch Rodeo will be held Aug. 21, 22 and 23.

Firms, organizations and individual teams are invited to enter the contest. Three persons are needed to form a team, which consists of a roper, mugger and milker.

All cows will be numbered prior to the contest and will be selected by draw. No horses will be allowed; all participants will be on foot.

Entry fee is $30 per team. The fees will be "jackpotted" on a 50-30-20 percent basis for first, second and third place winners.

Co-chairmen of the wild cow milking contest are Frank Ellyson and Frank Childers.

Entry blanks may be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce office, 112 North Third. Entry fees must accompany the applications. Deadline for entries in noon Monday, August 18.

Rodeo Prize Money Up

Prize money will be up approximately $250 per event for this year's 101 Ranch Rodeo, thanks to a local beer distributor and the Rodeo Foundation.

A check has been received from Coors and the Boersma Distributing Co. for $700 in additional prize money for this year's event, it was reported during Tuesday's foundation meeting.

The board voted in their May meeting to accept the prize money, which did not include $100 donated by Boersma for the top all-around cowboy, and to increase the overall prize money to $4,700, an increase of about $150 per event.

The rodeo has also drawn approximately 75-80 steer ropers, causing officials to run a "slack time" event on Aug. 20, the day before the actual opening of the rodeo.

Problems presented before the foundation were minor, and none would affect the operation of the rodeo.

One such problem was presented by parade committee chairman Johnny Heinze, who noted that only "seven or eight" entries, out of 42 invitations, had been accepted by various groups for the parade.

A similar problem was brought up by queen contest chairman Lois Scott, who commented that only three contestants, out of a total of 17, had returned entries.

The foundation voted to disperse a portion of their advertising funds to Wichita and Tulsa. "What we were doing was doubling up on some of our local (ads)," president Kit Ramsey said, "We'll try to get more miles out of our dollars."

Dates for local entries was also announced. Area rodeo participants may register at the Chamber office Aug. 8 or 11 between 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Remember: Dress Western

Dust off your western hat and shine your spurs 'cause beginning Monday it's dress western week in Ponca City. The week, which features the 101 Rodeo Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, has something for everyone, including contests, costumes, historical observances and a parade.

Also, the 101 Rodeo wild cow milking contest to be held nightly. Entries are due at the Chamber of Commerce office by Tuesday noon Persons wishing to enter a team may pick up forms at the chamber office.

Other activities include a marker dedication Thursday at 10 a.m. The marker recognizing the Indian Nations of Oklahoma will be set at Second and Grand.

Folks wishing to be a part of the Rodeo parade at 2 p.m., Saturday may enter by being in the parade line at Union at 1:30 p.m., according to Johnny Heinze, parade chairman Heinze said all participants are welcome.

Former 101 Performer To Lead Rodeo Parade
It won't be the first time Jackie McFarlin-Laird has ridden in a parade in a place of honor, when she heads the 101 Ranch Rodeo procession Saturday down Grand Avenue.

Jackie, toured 28,000 miles per year annually with the 101 Wild West Show as a trick rider and roper. Jackie's background is steeped in the rich heritage of the Cherokee Strip.

She was born with in the area along the Salt Fork River where the Big V and 101 Ranch and cattle ranches were formed. This was not far from the boundaries of the Otoe and Ponca Indian reservations.

Nicknamed "Leasy" by her father after Mary Ellen Lease of Kansas, a leader of the Populists party who urged farmers to "raise less wheat and more hell." She was two years old when her father became manager of the dairy department of the 101 Ranch.

She learned to ride and rope a1 early age and, at 16, Jackie went the road as a cowgirl with the Ranch Wild West Show. Top personalities of the show that year were Tom Mix, Buck Jones, Hoot and Mable Gibson and the most famous showman of that time, Col. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody.

A highlight of Jackie's career was a performance before Queen Mary of  England in 1914.

It will be the natural thing for Jackie, a resident of Ponca City, to wave to the crowd when she appears in the parade Saturday, surrounded by horseback riders, clowns and folk dressed in western attire, because she's a personality recognized most western show circles.

Wild Cow Milking Contest: Udder Chaos For Participants

It'll be entertainment at its wildest when the wild cow milking teams enter the rodeo ring Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings in search of enough milk to pour from a soda pop bottle.

Fifteen teams have already entered and more are expected, according to Frank Ellyson co-chairman with Frank Childers.

Teams are composed of three persons — a roper, a mugger and a milker. The contestants will be on foot.

Each evening all the teams entered in that day's competition will be in the arena at once attempting to milk their "wet" range cows, which have never been milked before. The cows are provided by Bill Olsen of Newkirk Sale Barn.

One of the trios entered in Thursday night's competition is the Urban Cowboys Association. Here's how the event is supposed to work. John "Darkhorse" Brown, of Brown Optical, is to rope the cow, then Ed "Lighthorse" Gay, Chamber of  Commerce administrative assistant, is supposed to mug the animal by grabbing the head or the tail, attorney Max "Racehorse" Berry in charge of squirting the milk in bottle.

Everyone is invited out to rodeo to see who actually gets mugged and if "wild" milk will run out of a bottle, Ellyson said.

As soon as a team has successfully bottled the milk, the milker will dash to a chalked-off ring" in the arena with it and the first team legally finishing (enough milk to pour) declared the winner.

Times will be recorded for each team and the prize money will jackpotted on the ratio of 50 percent for first place, 30 for second ant for third. Prize-money will awarded for the best overall times for the three days.

Entry fee is $10 per person or $30 per team. Teams can enter up until 30 minutes prior to contest time each evening. However, competition is to be limited to 10 teams an evening.

Other Thursday night teams expected to give the Urban Cowboy Association a run for the milk money are the Ponca City Jaycees made of Rick Dungan, roper; Ban Barnwell, mugger, and Rich; Stubblefield, milker.

Also "pulling" for top money in Thursday night's arena is The Utter Bunch, not to be confused with the Udder Bunch, entered Friday evening. The Utter Bunch is headed by roper Jimbo Graves, with Jerry Goddard doing the mugging and Brian Burnette the milking.

Rodeo Opens Tonight

Defending and former world champions dot the lineup for tonight's opening round of the 101 Ranch Rodeo.

Oklahoman Stan Williamson heads the list of distinguished cowboys. The Kellyville native is the defending world champ in steer wrestling.

Former two-time world champion bareback rider Paul Mayo will compete tonight, as well as twice all-around champion cowboy Phil Lyle, in the steer roping contest.

But the event to watch will be saddle bronc riding, where the current number one and two money-winners will go head to head.

Bud Munroe, Billings, Mont., the leader with $31,000 in earnings, will go against second-place Monty Henson, Mesquite, Texas, who stands at $25,000 in earnings for the season.

Another "veteran" who just returned to the lineup is Velvet Mouse, the champion bull that, up to last season, had only been ridden once. The bull had been ill and taken off the rodeo circuit, according to sources.

Tonight also marks the initiation of the "wild cow" milking contest Five area teams are entered: Ambucaroos, Ponca City Jaycees, the Udder Bunch, the Urban Cowl Assoc., and one unnamed team.

Ticket sales are one of the best we've had for an opening night," according to Bob Long, chamber of commerce spokesman.

Tickets are still on sale at the chamber office or at a number western and grocery stores around town.

The rodeo will open with the "wild cow" milking contest at 7:15 p.m. with the grand entry at 8 p.m.

Woodard Different Type Of Bullfighter
Dale Woodard is a bullfighter — although he's never been to Spain or Mexico and is more familiar with "yeehaws" than "oles."

Woodard is a special clown with the 101 Ranch Rodeo. "My job is to keep the bulls off the rider," he said. He started out as a rodeo contestant 15 years ago and now spends every summer traveling around the country as a rodeo clown.

A member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Woodard learned his trade from an older clown who wasn't bullfighting anymore. "I think I'll be able to fight bulls actively for about six more years and entertain after that.

There are some clowns that are almost 60 years old."

Woodard is "always conscious of the people in the grandstand" and uses several attention-getters in his act including a pig named Gorgeous George that he spent four months training. "Audience reaction is important, because without the guy buying the ticket, where would I be?" said the Sierra Circuit Clown of the Year.

Probably on his farm in French Camp, Calif., where he, his wife and two daughters grow hay and raise cattle during the winter. "The worst part about traveling is being away from home. I miss our friends, the conveniences and our water bed!"

Woodard usually brings the entire family with him on the road and the girls help him with props, but they left last week to get ready for school. "Traveling is a hard way to go. The wear and tear can drag you down."

The Woodards have been on the road since May and Ponca City is their next-to-last stop. "The Ponca City arena has good seating. In some places you have a race track between the stands and the rodeo," he said. "I like this because the audience is close."

Udder, Others Challenge Utter In Wild Cow Milking Contest

The Utter Bunch came out on top of the wild milking contest Thursday evening at the 101 Ranch Rodeo. But waiting in the wings are several challengers for this evening and Saturday evening's competition.

The pre-rodeo event begins each evening at 7:15 and is well worth coming out a little early to see. Teams entered in the contest tonight include a serious challenger with a similar name The Udder Bunch, composed of Frank Childers, Frank J. Ellyson and Rod Mohler.

Another team to be watched with interest because it maybe be entered in the wrong category if the name The Vo-Ag Goat Ropers is descriptive. The team is headed up by Jack Powers, Ponca City High School Vocational Agriculture instructor, Kevin Frazier and John Sebor.

FM 101 Radio Rodeo Wranglers hope to tune in on the cows with Pat Ozment, Mike Hodges and David B. Jeffers. The Polasek team made up of Jerry and Joe Polasek and Allen Miller is another contender. Teams may enter until 30 minutes before contest time, but competition is limited to 10 teams per evening.

On Saturday night Ferguson's Bandits plan to pick up some loot with Sandy Morris capturing the cow, Glen Capehart holding up the critter and Tom Ferguson stealing the milk.

Other contenders are the Long Haired Country Boys — Darren Swain, Greg Self and Jimmy Walker; Lopez Carpentry — Bill Lopez, Mickey Cantwell and Mickael L. Schieber; The Newkirk Animal Clinic — Dana Cline, Gene Schieber and Jeff Cline; Morton Equipment — Steve Cline, Terry Morton and Bobo Schieber; Coca Cola — Butch Barret, Mike Morris and Richard Burger and an anonymous team composed of Mickey Burns, Darrel Oestmann and Bob Mittasch.

Boucher Shows 'Em How

C.R. Boucher worked less than five seconds Thursday night. But he may earn several hundred dollars for his effort.

The Fairfax native showed his younger competitors how its done as he took only 4.8 seconds on his takedown to grab a commanding lead in the steer wrestling contest on the first night of competition of the 101 Ranch Rodeo.

Boucher, the 1964 steer wrestling champion, finished nearly a second and a half ahead of his nearest rival, Danny Torricellas, Eugene, Ore. El Paso, Texas' Matt Wynn was third with a time of 7.7 seconds.

Andy Hamaker was the first man out of the chute last night and stands a good chance of staying first after scoring an astounding 85 points to take the first round lead in the saddle bronc competition.

The only rider to come close was Texan Monty Henson, with 80 points. If Henson holds on to second, it will help him in his bid to catch current money leader Bud Monroe, who finished third with 74 points. The Billings, Neb., rider leads in earnings with $31,000 to second-place Hen-son's $25,000.

Wacey Cathey, Del Rio, Texas, took the early lead in the bull riding event, scoring a 77, surpassing Joe Gaskin's early mark of 74. Eddie Rawdon, Cedarhill, Texas, stands in third place.

Colorado's Gordon Griffith leads in bareback riding with a 75, edging out Glen Bullard, Fort Worth, Texas, who had 74 and Joe Eckert, Weatherford. Okla., with a 72.

Kenny Call, New Hall, Calif., set himself up for all-around cowboy honors with an 11.5-second stint for the lead in the calf roping contest and a shot at second in steer roping after scoring an 11.9-second round. Tuffy Thompson leads in steer roping with a time of 11.3 seconds.

In barrel racing, Sue Elliot, Eureka, Okla., and Brenda Raupe, Douglas, Wyo., tied for the lead with identical times of 18.3 seconds.

Newkirk Animal Clinic - Winners Of Cow Milking

And a wild time was had by all 72 fellows entered in the wild cow milking contest at the 101 Ranch Rodeo Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The event drew enthusiastic response from the crowds as they cheered on their favorites. There were 24 teams entered and a prize fund of $720 was split 50,30,20 by the top three teams.

The Newkirk Animal Clinic team recovered nicely to take first place in the event scoring a speedy 19.7 seconds in getting milk from the cow into the bottle and to the winner's circle. Members of the team, Dana Cline, roper, Gene Schieber, mugger, and Jeff Cline, milker, pulled downed $120 apiece or $360 for the team for their 19,7 second feat.

In second spot was The Fast Hand Bunch with 40.6 seconds. Dividing the prize money of $216 were Lee Davis, roper, Kenney Andrews, mugger, and Larry Rennie, milker.

Andrews also collected on the third place team The Buckaroos, where he again was the mugger. Dennis Reeves was the roper and Jimmy King, the milker. They scored 57.74 seconds and the prize money was $144.

Burger Wins Saddle Bronc, Allen Named All-Around
Defending national champion

Bobby Burger surged into the lead on the final night of competition to win the saddle bronc riding contest at the 101 Ranch Rodeo Saturday.

The Lexington, Okla., native rode his mount to a score of 86 to eclipse Andy Hamaker's Thursday night total of 84.

Burger earned $646.80 for his 10-second effort.

Burger proved to be the only contestant to move into first place during Saturday's performance, al-though several others worked their way into the money.

1977 world champion Guy Alien, Santa Anna, Texas, posted at time of 11.5 seconds to move into second place in the steer roping competition. The finish was good enough to earn him the title of all-around cow-boy, despite earning a time of 29.7 seconds after breaking the barrier in the calf roping event.

Arnold Felts, Mutual, Okla., was finished sixth.

An 18-second flat run by Lynn Manning, Huntsville, Texas, moved her into a tie for second in barrel racing. Dixie Corbin, Delaware, Okla., moved into third with an 18.1, while Carla Hamilton, Nola Jane Price and Connie Combs posted times of 18.2 seconds to join Sharon Block in a four-way fourth place tie.

Albert Hiemer, Tryon, Okla., moved into a fourth-place tie with Leonard Fluitt in steer wrestling with a time of 5.1 seconds.

Steer roping proved to be the most lucrative of the seven events as Tuffy Thompson won $1,600.34 for his first-place finish.

Rick Bradley, whose Friday morning slack time pace of 4.4 seconds garnered him the top standing in the steer wrestling contest, earned $835.54, while Jim Cooper, another slack time winner, walked away with $858.28.

Wayne Morris earned $717.36 for winning bareback, Wacey Cathey took home $929.04 for his first-place finish in bull riding, and Lynda Gordon netted $373.20 for her top finish barrel racing.

Disclaimer - The information found on these pages is only meant to be a concise chronological collection of happenings as they relate to each year's 101 Ranch Rodeo and not a complete or total recreation of each year's events and/or happenings. If you have additional information pertaining to the 101 Ranch Rodeo and would like to share it with us and others that visit this website, please feel free to submit your information to us and we will be glad to review it and consider adding it to these pages.