A Wild West Show.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 267, 15 November 1904, Page 4

A Wild West Show.

LETTER FROM AX AUCKLAXDER A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION*. An Auckland resident, who ia at present on a visit to the United States, has written an interesting letter home to his parents, in which a description is given of a wild west ishow, held at Colnrodo Springs. It runs as follows : "One item of the programme was buck-junipers, ridden by a girl. A ■ragged, raw-looking nag was brought out, and the girl, about 18 years was a real bad 'tin, too. Thev hung old. handled and saddled him. Ik to his head while she sprung on to •the Mexican saddle—astride.of course -as they all ride that wav. In went her heels, and down went his head.at it he went, like the glutton he was. lint not a bit could he shift her .though he bucked hard for a couple of minutes. He stopped for a minute, but she got at him again with voice and heels, and set him going. She stuck like wax for some [time, but a nasty side buck shifted her a little, and tho next sent her a terrible 'buster'. She was on her feet again, and astride in no time, and what a 'dusting' she gave that nag. She kept him at it until it took him all his time to switch his tail.far less buck, and then with a wave of her sombrero to the stands she dismounted. You bet that thev cheered.

' "At this show they had the finest buck-jumpers 1' ever saw. .Seven eight, and 10-year-old horses that had been 'outlaws' (as they stvlc them) for ycurs—not weedy rats'having little heart and less stamina.btit powerful lusty horses, in tip-top fettle, right off the prairie, where the buffalo grass at this time of the year is as good as corn. Some of these champion outlaws do not carry a saddle from one wild west show to the next, a year between, and as much as 50 to 100 dollars is paid for their use lor the two or three days. One big handsome black horse named Steamboat, waa a perfect 'dandy'. It was a contract to get the saddle on him, far less get on his back. But once backed, he did 'go to market.' The area inside the course, where the performance takes place, is about 50 acres, but Steamboat bucked from end to end, and each time his rider hit him with his big Mexican spurs he went at it with fresh vim. They had him out twice that afternoon for different men.nnd the second time he bucked harder than the first. As this day's performance was for the champion belt of the world, you can bet there were some horsemen present-men who could sit in the saddle till thev became bald-headed, and never a budge. Though over 30 buck-jumpers went to work that day, and probably 20 competitors for the belt, there was not one of that number put down. An outlaw is brought out and what they term a 'hackamore ' which is practically a halter, is all he has on his head. Once the man is in his saddle the horse is absolutely turned loose ; that is, there is no b'i't in his mouth. The rklor goes to work with his Mexican spurs voice and sombrero, with the latter he keeps hitting the horse on the shoulders and neck. The wav the cowboys usually hold a rough horse is this | Two manage to get an ear each. They work at those until thev get the horse's head low enough to get the top of each ear in their teeth, and once they get this grip they can stick like glue, and the animal is powerless.

"At one stage of the buck-jumping performance about a dozen or more competitors had to come on to the ground. Kach was given an outlaw which he had to saddle, back, and stick to. Some were astride and got to .work in no time, so it seemed and in five minutes all were astride' things being \cry merrv for about' 10 minutes. A dozen champion backers grafting hard at the same time is a novel sight, and one worth going a journey to see..

"The big performance of the gathering, however, was that of a negro named Pickett. A steer was liberated, and when going at top Pickett galloped after it, leaned over from his horse, and grabbed the steer by the horns. This done, he threw limiself from his horse, still retaining his lio.d of the horns. By a twist he had turned the animal's head,and with his teeth gripped its nose. Immediately hi! secured this grip he released his hold of the horns and threw his arms wide apart, holding on only by his teeth. In this way the steer is brought on his head anil rolls over, falling on the negro as he 'does so. The position of the negro is such that the beast's horns do not touch him, and the weight of it does not come on him to any extent he being in front of the shoulders. For this performance Pickett receives 100 dollars a day, and he earns it. The performance is unique, and Pickett is the first who has ever attempted anything of the kind."—N.Z. Herald.