Man, beast, dust : the story of rodeo / by Clifford P. Westermeier ; foreword by Bill Crawford ; afterword by Kristine Fredricksson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Westermeier, Clifford P. (Clifford Peter), 1910-1986.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rodeos--United States--History.

Rodeos.

History.

United States.

Physical Description:

476 pages, 22 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, [1987]

Summary:

Ever since the early cowboys cut a swath through the open range and the bawdy cow towns, rodeo has been part of the American scene. Today it has a huge following. Alive with color, movement, and sharp observation, "Man, Beast, Dust" tells the story of rodeo from its beginnings. Clifford P. Westermeier takes us along the dusty trails traveled by cowhands of only yesterday- to Cheyenne, Pecos City, Prescott, Lander, and Miles City. We attend " two-bit, " one-day shows and the fabulous arena contests of the cities. We rodeo with the champions across America as well as with those in Canada, England, South America, and Australia.

Contents:

Part I Man

Chapter I Death Rides at the Rodeo 23

Chapter II The Great Arena 26

The effects of the Civil War 26

The cattle drives 27

The cattle towns 29

Chapter III Early Rodeos, Stampedes, and Round-Ups 30

The beginning of cowboy sports 30

Range activities become recreation 31

Spanish American influences 32

Early contests 33

Chapter IV Eighty Years on the Trail 38

The old-time cowboy 38

The character of the cowboy 39

The end of the range cowboy era 42

Early rodeo contestants 44

Chapter V High, Wide, and Handsome 50

Cowboy sports vs. rodeo 50

Range cowboys vs. rodeo cowboy 50

The modern cowboy 52

Characteristics and superstitutions of the rodeo cowboy 55

Chapter VI Centaurs, Ropes, and Amazons 69

Specialization 69

The trick and fancy rider 70

The trick and fancy roper 76

Cowgirls in rodeo 83

Chapter VII Voices on the Wind 88

Old and new methods of announcing 88

The place of the rodeo announcer 90

Personalities in rodeo announcing 91

Chapter VIII Organizin' 94

Rodeo organizations 95

Contestants vs. rodeo committees 95

Rodeo Association of America and the Cowboys' Turtle Association 100

Demands, strikes, walkouts, conventions, and settlements 103

Cowboys' Amateur Association of America 128

Chapter IX Wrangling Their Way 131

Cowboy problems 131

Entrance fees and expenditures 132

"Splitting" 136

Chapter X Big Hats, High Heels, and Sharp Hooks 137

Cowboy clothing 137

The boot 139

The big hat 141

Chaps and spurs 142

Chapter XI Rodeo Folks 145

Broken bones and medical care 145

The rodeo family 148

The cowboy entertainer 152

Part II Beast

Chapter XII The Invaders 155

Chapter XIII The Fleet Ones 160

The Spanish horse 161

Wild horses 163

The Quarter Horse 168

Horse of the cowboy 172

Chapter XIV The Horned Ones 175

Texas Longhorns 175

The Brahma - the rodeo beast 179

Chapter XV Associatin' 183

Rodeo Association of America 183

Purpose, rules, accomplishments 184

Chapter XVI Brushing the Stars 189

Characteristics of the bucking horse 189

Rules, regulations, and judging 197

Famous bucking horses 201

Personalities 206

Bareback bronc riding contest 210

Chapter XVII Get Along Little Dogie 213

Calf roping contest 213

Horse, rider, and rules 214

The rope 218

Personalities 222

Other roping contests 226

Chapter XVIII The Modern Ursus 233

Steer wrestling contest 233

Origin of the sport 234

Rules and regulations 235

Records and personalities 237

The Humane Society and rodeo 242

Chapter XIX Bulls and Buttocks 247

The bull riding event 247

Characteristics of the Brahma bull 249

Rules guiding the contest 251

Bull riders 252

The clown 253

Chapter XX Home on the Range 260

Rodeo stock contractors 260

The Cremer Ranch, Big Timber, Montana Moomaw and Bernard, Tonasket, Washington 262

Nesbitt and Elliott Ranch, Johnstown, Colorado 264

The Rowell Ranch, Hayward, California 266

Chapter XXI Tumbleweeds in the East 268

J E Rodeo and Colonel Jim 268

J E Ranch, Waverly, New York 270

Personalities: Herbert S. Maddy and Fog Horn Clancy 273

Part III Dust

Chapter XXII Celebratin' 279

Chapter XXIII Fourth of July and the Grand Circuit 285

The Fourth of July and rodeo 285

The circuit: Southwest and West Coast 287

The Northwest and Plains area 289

The trek East 290

Chapter XXIV Big Time and "Big Shots" 292

Outdoor and indoor contests 292

Western vs. Eastern rodeos 294

Rodeo committees 296

"Suit Case" promoters 297

Thrill circuses 300

Chapter XXV Men Who Didn't Scare 303

Colonel W. T. Johnson 303

Gene Autry and Roy Rogers as rodeo producers 305

The typical rodeo 307

Special events 311

Chapter XXVI Far from the Home Range 315

Rodeo in Canada: Calgary Exhibition and Stampede 315

Personalities of rodeos in Canada 324

Rodeo in Australia 327

Cowboys in London 332

Rodeo in Venezuela 335

World War II and rodeo 337

Chapter XXVII Progress and Problems 339

Southwestern Rodeo Association 339

Rodeo: entertainment or sport 342

Publicity 344

Chapter XXVIII Outside Looking in 349

Official publications 349

Miscellaneous periodicals 351

Rodeo Fans 352

Cash prizes and merchandise awards 355

Trophies 358

Chapter XXIX Prescott to Pendleton 362

Prescott - "Grand-Daddy" of 'em All" 363

Southwestern rodeos and Fat Stock Shows 366

West Coast rodeos 367

Ellensburg and Pendleton 368

Chapter XXX Cheyenne, Denver, and the Fall Round-up 374

Cheyenne Frontier Days 374

Boulder Pow Wow Days and other Colorado rodeos 385

Denver - Festival of Mountain and Plain and National Western Stock Show 389

South Dakota - Days of '76 and Black Hills Round-Up 398

New York and Boston rodeos 403

Rodeo and the rise of sport 406

Chapter XXXI Empty Chutes 411

Champion Cowboys of the Rodeo Association of America 416.

Notes:

Reprint. Originally published: Denver : World Press, 1947.

"A Bison book."

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages [445]-466.

ISBN:

0803247435

0803297157

OCLC:

14931427