A
Anonymous
Guest
I just finished re-reading a vintage copy of the book RODEOS AND TIPPERARY by Sam Brownell. He was an old time bronc rider/rodeo promoter/rancher/brand inspector, from this general area. His early days were in Colorado, then Wyoming, and eventually South Dakota, mainly Belle Fourche, but he did live in our town here for a time when he was promoting Tipperary, and putting on rodeos. The time frame would have been in the 1910-30 when most of the book took place. Sam was the worlds champion bronc rider when winning Cheyenne was considered being the champion rider.
Tipperary was known as the king of the bucking horses in our area, at a time when other horses like Steamboat and Midnight were popular horses, I believe. I think Half Past Midnite was another bad bucker of the era. Anyway in those days to make a qualified ride a rider had to keep both stirrups, not touch the horse, and you could not change hands on the rein during the ride either. And lastly the horse had to be ridden till it quit bucking or to a standstill.
Mr. Brownell actually rode Tipperary himself, but lost a stirrup, and came clean to the judges, but made the full ride. A rider named Yakima Cannutt was credited as the first man to make a clean ride on Tipperary after many tries, but Sam Brownell said Yakima had every advantage on the horse such as mud in the arena, or he wouldn't have made the ride.
There is too much history to go into here, but I have always wondered how far out of this area was Tipperary known of. Have any of you heard of this horse, or was he mostly a local legend? I think rancher or Oldtimer could have heard of him, as he bucked in that direction, but they both would have been young pups in 1920. :wink:
Tipperary was born not many miles from where I am here, and I spend time every year on the ranch that he ranged on and near where he died.
BobM, I would be interested in hearing any stories or recollections you have of early day roundups (rodeo roundups or otherwise).
The Tri-State Roundup in Belle Fourche was and is one of the more known rodeos in this area.
Tipperary was known as the king of the bucking horses in our area, at a time when other horses like Steamboat and Midnight were popular horses, I believe. I think Half Past Midnite was another bad bucker of the era. Anyway in those days to make a qualified ride a rider had to keep both stirrups, not touch the horse, and you could not change hands on the rein during the ride either. And lastly the horse had to be ridden till it quit bucking or to a standstill.
Mr. Brownell actually rode Tipperary himself, but lost a stirrup, and came clean to the judges, but made the full ride. A rider named Yakima Cannutt was credited as the first man to make a clean ride on Tipperary after many tries, but Sam Brownell said Yakima had every advantage on the horse such as mud in the arena, or he wouldn't have made the ride.
There is too much history to go into here, but I have always wondered how far out of this area was Tipperary known of. Have any of you heard of this horse, or was he mostly a local legend? I think rancher or Oldtimer could have heard of him, as he bucked in that direction, but they both would have been young pups in 1920. :wink:
Tipperary was born not many miles from where I am here, and I spend time every year on the ranch that he ranged on and near where he died.
BobM, I would be interested in hearing any stories or recollections you have of early day roundups (rodeo roundups or otherwise).
The Tri-State Roundup in Belle Fourche was and is one of the more known rodeos in this area.
