53 Replies to “The First Bullfighter”

  1. I had never heard of Mr. Peth. I am glad to have learned of his accomplishments today.

    Someone once said that a good man gets his name in print three times. On the occasions of his birth, of his marriage and of his death.

  2. My wife and i watch a lot PBR events as well as bull riding regionally. If you watched this years’s PBR Finals from Las Vegas the number of bull riders who owe their lives to the rodeo clowns is very high. When the rider gets thrown before or even after the 8 second time limit the (3) bullfighters step in to distract the bull. You seriously want that job? These guys are the real deal.

    Watch this, folks. Ryan Dirteater is utterly helpless and a dead man without the 3 bullfighters distracting this bull.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5s1CeoexXs

    …and being from Montana I might add that Jess Lockwood from Volborg, MT is world champion for the second time in 3 years. Youngest guy to do that.

  3. Have a long time friend who is a Rodeo Bullfighter and Rodeo Clown. He has kind of gotten so old that he does more of the Rodeo Clown part these last few years. Teaching his grandkids the ropes. Also a big part of the show. His show name is Ricki Tikki One Chuck. He runs the Chicken Roundup, Mutton Bustin and Greased Pig races. He is well loved in this neck of the woods. The Bullfighters at the Stampede and the NFR are top notch in their game but Ricki Tikki is our local hero even if he is too old for Bullfightin now.

  4. I’ve seen a bit of rodeo over the years. Seen Ricki Tikki quite a number of times.

    Bull riding is not for the faint of heart. I’ve been back in the chutes and around bulls most of my life. I love rodeo but why anybody would want to ride one is beyond me.

    Watch you probably remember Bodacious. He had a move where he would get down and pull the rider forward getting the cowboy over his shoulders. He then would throw his head up and smash the riders face. He perfected this move. He smashed Tuff Hedeman’s face breaking every bone.

    He was bad. Beyond evil. Bodacious wanted to kill anyone who got on him.

      1. Man I hadn’t seen that ride in a long time. I don’t even like watching it to this day.

        The bull made that move right away. Everything is calculated. He knew what he wanted to do.

        It’s good they retired him. He was gonna kill someone.

    2. Yes ABT a very dangerous bull. When I was ranching if I had a likely bull, I would leave him intact. Had and still have a friend a real deal cowboy family. He has his own small rodeo business and did run small rodeo’s in Northern Towns in Alberta. He was always looking for rough stock. This is where bad bulls come from. Bucking stock is big business in the west and part of the culture. Some breeders do nothing but raise bucking stock. That is funny that you know RIKKI TIKKI. He was one hell of a crane operator in his day job for years. How I first met him.. Got pictures of my grandkids with Rikki Tikki at different small rodeo’s. I been to the big ones. But small town is the most fun for families and kids. I always had a weakness for betting on the horse races. Never put 10 cents in a slot machine but would always love putting a few bucks on a likely looking horse and rider. Chariot races too. And of course the Ladies Barrel Racing, of course I am only interested in the horses..
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXbNcGY4mOI

      1. Ha ha Watch. I love the ponies as well. Been known to lay down a bet.

        A lot of the small rodeos used to have match races. The locals would bring in a horse they thought could run a bit. Some money usually changed hands.

        Watch ya been to TeePee Creek? Me too ha.

        1. I worked up in the Peace Country a couple of years. Did some hunting over in Chinchaga, and round about. Been here and there. Blue Sky and all those little burgs around the Peace. Family homesteaded down on the Pembina before Alberta became a Province. My Sweet Mother was born in 1914 down in Norton Alberta, town gone now. Have a couple of Aunties buried there. Died of one of those old time diseases you read about that no longer exist. I was the quiet one of the family, my brothers were all hell raisers. Ha Ha Ha

  5. feint of heart…..arrrrugh

    How about a rodeo themed tune.

    Tom Russell’s ‘Bucking Horse Moon’

    I had the honor of doing this song at my best friends funeral. Thinking about rodeo on this thread brought it all back.

      1. That’s it NR. I love TR. Thanks

        He’s done some good cowboy tunes over the years. Sky above Mud below is one. Heart of a Bucking Horse is another.

  6. I used to raise 1/4 horse Paints. When I was ranching, it was just a fun sideline for me as I loved horses and still do.
    Here’s one for you. I raised very flashy paints. Had a Native guy come in my yard one day looking for a War Pony.
    Big long braids and all. You know the kind that point with their lip. Anyway his son was getting married and he wanted a War Pony, one that had never been touched by a White Man.
    Pissed me off when he said that. Nothing I love better than dealing horses. I sez to myself why you racist SOB. Ok let’s deal… I told the wagon burner as a matter of fact I do have a beautiful stud who was born on the grass after I turned them out in the spring and he has never even had a halter on him. I have had no time.

    I did not tell him he was one crazy wall eyed SOB. When I would run my little remuda in to cut out this one or that, that crazy little sob would try and kill you. Figured here is my chance to get rid of a problem and what I call a teaching moment. He loved the young stud, and paid up on the barrel. Deal being he picked him up that fall, As I would not winter him..
    He showed up when the grass was done after our round up and sort. He had the most haywire single horse antique trailer I every saw. And I had a haywire outfit, I know haywire. In fact I am an artist with haywire.
    He brought his son and 3 Indian cowboys, I run the ponys into the corral and said have at her. The fight was on, soon as he was alone, but hey they wanted him alone. They should have roped him when he was in with the rest. But their call. He tried to kill them all. Guys were looking for a hole.
    The man walked over to me and sez can you give us a hand, I sez no that would not be right, me being White and all. I said do your best and we will talk later. They left with their tail between their legs. Eagle feathers dragging.
    Month later seen him outside the café in town and asked when he was coming for that horse. They came once more same result, brought an expert from another reserve, big medicine. Yah.. Smoke signals. Send Help..
    Anyway came time for me to ship calves. Price was good calves slick. Called my old cowboy buddy, who always hauled calves when he wasn’t doing rodeo. Made a deal to pick up my calves load them up front then load the stud in back. The Native guy would pay the extra mileage. Little Dougie and me loaded my calves, then came the stud.
    I asked Doug you need a hand, I had told him the story. He laughed his ass off. He went after that wild stud like he meant business horse was loaded and gate slammed in under 2 minutes.
    Paid up my share, saw Doug later maybe a week or so at the café. He said he made the guy payup before he unloaded. Said the guy had 1 round bale of hay and one strand of wire, that wild War Pony came off the trailer took one look around and began laying down tracks. Never to be seen again.
    Of course me being a journeyman asshole every time I saw that Native in town I would always ask how the training was going and was he happy with his horse that no Whiteman every touched.
    That man got so he would cross the street when he would see me. I really do not know why. I was just trying to help him was the way I told the story.

      1. I don’t know what I showed him, I can only be me, but dang I sure had fun with that War Pony and the man that pointed with his lip. I was very polite, I even asked him if he spoke trout… Just kidding on that NR…

    2. Watcher…that’s a great story..!!
      .
      “a horse no white man touched”.
      As if…Good on you.!!
      LOL…

      1. Hey it is a true story Steak. I got my price and got my revenge for the insult too. And that story is still making the rounds.
        I am a fair man, in all matters as far as I can be, but PMO and I will try and skin you.
        Need a hand, I am there. No matter who you are, I worked an all nighter years ago. Came home Sunday morning and a Native man was laying in the ditch in front of my house. I thought he was dead. I went to check him out, he was sober and talked sensible.
        He had been walking a couple of days and had nothing to eat for 3-4 days in rough shape. I believed him he looked it.
        I took him in the house and had the wife prepare a bath for him with fresh towels. And asked her to get him a pair of my clean jeans, a shirt undershirt etc and socks and an old jean jacket of mine.
        He got cleaned up, and my wife cooked him a good country breakfast with coffee. He was respectful and polite.
        So I loaded him and the kids up and drove him into the next town on his way and gave him 20 bucks and bought him a pouch of tobacco and papers.
        Figured it was better lesson for my kids than Sunday school that day.
        That’s how I was raised and live my life. If you want war it’s war if you need a hand here is my hand.

        1. Not a horse story but a story just the same…

          I once brought home accident victims when they crashed their car near my place. When I spotted them and stopped my car, they seemed so nervous and desperate. This was pre cell phone times and their car was literally buried in snow. It was dark out so everything seemed pretty scary. They weren’t hurt though and though their car was ditched, it didn’t seem to be too damaged.

          They seemed to trust me. I made them the offer of calling for rescue from my place and gave some hot tea and a warm place for themselves and their baby. They were still a 45 minute drive from their destination. We killed time with small talk while they phoned their family and got help.

          Once help arrived they thanked me and departed. I never saw nor heard from them again. Regardless, it felt good to help them. They were a nice young family.

          Years later when my car broke down a couple of times there was always someone who came to my rescue.

          There was always good Karma all around!

          1. You did the right thing NR. And a brave thing to do. To do the right thing sometimes entails some risk. But you had no choice I can not imagine leaving a woman with a baby on the side of the road in need of help especially in the winter. Says a lot about your character. Bless You.

          2. @9:14 Watcher,

            I think that the fact that this took place only a few days before Christmas and that there was a baby involved who needed shelter along with his mother and father was a sign that only a blind person would have missed. This time of year, I still think of them.

            They were going ‘home’ to their parents for the holidays. They said that their car was full of their Christmas gifts for their family.

            If it hadn’t had been dark outside, I would have gone back out to see how the car rescue went. Nosy me. When they didn’t come back that night though, I figured that all went well.

            Reading your story and comparing it to mine, I gave so little. You gave much more.

            “Says a lot about your character”, Watcher!
            “Bless You.” Likewise!

            They say we are only given, what we can handle!

          3. I like your story better NR. I got a thing for Christmas and kids. And dogs and horses. Like I said before you would do to ride the river. Because good people are rare these days. And they are scared to be themselves. I have never lived one day in fear, always had the idea that a man/woman should Embrace Life, in fact Run Towards it and enjoy. Never hide in fear of life, walk out and push your cowboy hat back on your head and say well looky here what the day brought me. Ayeee.

          4. @ 11: 14… Mr B

            Thanks! And, I like your story better!

            P.S. Cell phones save lives and are extremely convenient! We can’t live without them now. I don’t care who laughs at me, I still have an old flip phone, doesn’t need much charging, albeit, it’s for insurance!
            Nothing fancy shmancy for Nancy!

        2. The company of Men like you are what I miss most about Alberta. Out here on the wet coast there are a few men with whom you can do business on a hand shake, but all too few. I recall hand shake deals being the norm, once you got out side of town, in Alberta. I don’t miss 40 below and I don’t miss horizontal snow.
          Your stories brought back fond memories. Thanks.

  9. Chris Ledoux
    “Hooked On An Eight Second Ride”
    https://youtu.be/SZF-cLBtaUQ

    Great song too. This song gives adrenaline to the listener, never mind what is coursing through the cowboy’s veins. What do they eat days before and just before this event? Do tell. Must be Texas-sized steaks and iron pills. What is the optimum age of these guys? And how old is the oldest? Boy are they strong! I’ve always wanted to know this but never thought to look it up nor ask anyone. Thanks.

    1. Bull Riding is a young man’s game. You just get beat up too bad even on a clean ride. And you sure don’t want to try it on a full stomach. Maybe a shot of firewater ha ha. Just getting on a bull in the chute is dangerous. Saw a young Indian Bull Rider get his leg broke in 3 places and he never even got out of the chute. They had a hard time getting him out of that wreck because the bull went nuts and tried to climb right out with the cowboy with the busted leg all cinched down for his ride. No thanks. Maybe if I was 18 again and never discovered motorcycles and speed.

  10. I am an Eastern farm boy but we raised purebred beef cattle and in the 70s and 80s we still had a LOT of little rodeos in central and northern Ontario. Never had anything but respect for bull riders because I know how dangerous they are.

    When I was about 13 or so I made the mistake of getting in the pen with a 2 year old Charolais bull to open the lot door. He came at me laterally and I never even saw him. Ran over me like a steam roller and rang my head like a bell off the ground. Luckily the manure was about a foot deep and cushioned the blow but I was out cold. If my older brother hadn’t been there to pull me out…..

    We also raised Simmentals and mum still has a picture of an old Simmental bull with his head up against the front grill of my dads old dually Ford pickup. The Simmental is pushing the truck backwards and dad was behind the wheel and the rear tires are kicking up dirt as the pickup was pushed backwards.

    1. Very lucky you were not killed. I almost bought it a couple of times with stallions. They can get rank especially around mares in season. Had a relative killed by a stallion in my Grandpa’s day.

  12. All bulls needs to be respected. I’ve been flattened by a bull. They are triple fast for being so big.

    Dairy bulls are nasty. IMO way more unpredictable and down right mean than beef bulls.

    When I was a kid our neighbors (the B’s) had a big family. They also milked – by hand. No vacuum pumps in those days.

    The kids were in the barn every morning stripping cows. They kept a holstein bull (Roy).
    He was tied with a neck chain and a nose ring at the end of the barn. Mrs B could not come in the barn if she was menstruating. Roy would go berserk.

    When I feed for my buddy I feed his bulls as well as the rest of the stock. He generally winters 10 mature bulls (Angus) in a pipe corral. I’m feeding round bales with a tractor.

    The bulls dont know me and for the most part ignore you but you need to open the gate (which will allow them to escape if they decide to) get back in the tractor and drive in, and then get out and close the gate. The rancher doesn’t bother closing but I dont want them getting out on my watch.

    You then have to lower the bale into a feeder and get out and cut off the strings. At this point your in with the bulls on the ground. If they are hungry they start to crowd around. Some are curious as they don’t you and some act aggressive sending you body language signals you better interpret correctly.

    I don’t mess with them. Your out there in no man’s land by yourself. I get them fed and move on.

    Most beef bulls can be handled safely if you move slowly and don’t get their blood up. They are so powerful that they can do serious damage without effort. I know 2 people who were killed moving bulls from one pen to another. In both cases the gate was being closed as the bull exited the pen. He kicked the gate behind him and it struck the person in the head killing them instantly in the pen.

    1. Shit man ABT you bringing back memories now. Been there done that. That is why I turned down 2000 dollars right in my corral that day for my best cattle dog. He was my bull fighter. They respected him. And kept back. Bulls pretty much go where they like when they like. My Dad had to plow one spring for a sick neighbor and the man’s Hereford bull decided to fight the tractor. Only thing saved him was his cattle dog. Bull lost his mind and was all bloodied up ramming the tractor.

    2. “They kept a holstein bull (Roy). He was tied with a neck chain and a nose ring at the end of the barn… etc” and …”Roy would go berserk”.

      Mind if I ask a question?
      Do they, the Ranchers, favor artificial insemination today to impregnate the cows? When I lived in rural NB years ago I had the opportunity to see it being done to (the best milkers,) a Holstein cow. Wow! It was fascinating! I’ll spare the details. It eliminates the need for keeping a bull, obviously, and is a lot safer.

      Also are the Border Collies the best herders here out West? That’s what a farmer once told me. They are great ‘working’ dogs, I’m sure you know. Is there a better breed for herding? Just curious.

      1. With dogs I have found the breed doesn’t matter as much as the dog has to have the instinct and intelligence. My best dog was a Australian Red Heeler that I got as a pup and trained up. He was a natural. True Red Heelers have Dingo blood. My Dad’s best cattle dog was a little black spaniel cross. I had a PomPoo that my son left with me and I paired him up with my Red Heeler and he would move cattle or horses along with my Blue Heeler and my main dog the Red Heeler. Funniest dang thing you ever seen. Yet pups out of the Blue Heeler did not have the instinct. Little Ted the Pompoo would run right in around and under them and really get them moving then pull back and the main dog would take over. I handled a lot of strange bulls over the years. I used to cowboy my own 50 head of Black Baldies plus my bulls and 30 head of Highlands with their bull 2 separate herds and another 150 cow/calf pairs plus their bulls for other cattlemen who wanted my pasture. I had more pasture than cows. Plus my hay and field crops

      2. Do the Ranchers favor artificial insemination today to impregnate the cows? Would be easier and safer, no?

        Thanks for info about dogs.

        1. Ah just my opinion, this is usually done with actual breeder of registered cattle. Not all some. Most commercial cattlemen run about 50 cows to 1 bull and a clean up bull. So in my case I had one Purebred Black Angus or Hereford for my cows. And these animals ran in with my pasture renters who always at 2-3 bulls. Then I had a separate herd of Highlands with their own bull. Never let them mix in, that caused a big bull fight one time for me. Another story. The Highlands were one of my wheelin dealing things that happened. Highlands unless you have a private market such as a high end restaurant or hotel to supply will cost you your shirt in the real world of commercial beef. I loved them as a hobby and the best beef I every ate. My beef was straight grass fed beef.

  13. Forgive me but I was just overwhelmed with playing Hell.
    An old cowboy sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. As he sat sipping his drink, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the cowboy and asked, “Are you a real cowboy?”
    He replied, “Well, I’ve spent my whole life, breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves, bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy.”
    She said, “I’m a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think of women.”
    The two sat sipping in silence.
    A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboy and asked, “Are you a real cowboy?”
    He replied, “I always thought I was, but I just found out I’m a lesbian.”
    So there yah go Ladies and Gents my secret is out “I just found out I’m a lesbian”
    NOW GO PLAY

  14. OK last one am late for work..Ha Ha. Don’t know if I mentioned when I was young and travelled cross country with 2 French Working Ladies who had to leave Montreal, for personal reason’s. They fell right in love with me and me with them. True sweethearts. Anyways the rest of that story. Eventually they wore me out and I headed home in the spring. Got home broke and looking for a job.
    In those days some fancy European Professor had opened up a Zoological Park. Yes a true story. And over a beer one of my friends said hey they are looking for a labourer down at that Zoo.
    And laughed, kinda daring me. I had one of those hold my dang beer moments. Showed up Monday morning and asked for a job. It was just going to be temporary as I intended to get back in my Tradesman groove.
    Talked a couple of minutes with the Prof. then he asks me out of a clear blue sky what I knew about elephants. Well I told him the truth, I seen them on tv and in books. He says how would you feel about working with elephants, again I told the truth, don’t know never saw one in real life. He told his son the mahout at the time to take me along down there and see how it goes.
    Well before we went in their enclosure, he briefed me a little said don’t be scared. I wasn’t I felt like a kid at the circus, don’t let them wrap their trunk around you etc.
    We went through the little side door. And they went crazy running round and blowin etc. Then they settled down, and this did scare the crap out of me. The big cow about 8-10 tons comes running up and leans through the cable fence and puts her trunk with the vacuum attached to her snout right on my privates and proceeds to try and suck my junk right up her nose.
    Now this did scare the hell out of me. Real bad. Anyway I guess she liked me because then started smelling me all over and giving huge elephant screams. The other guy was laughing his ass off, anyway I passed the sniff test. And got the job. A year later she tried to kill me, her and her jealous boyfriend the bull elephant.
    To handle elephants you have to be seen as the dominant herd animal. Its a mind game you play as the human handler mahout. She was entering breeding age and went into Must. These little holes on the cows temple start weeping a secretion which is one of the signs they are in season. Plus they go crazy and all male elephants in the jungle go crazy as well. Sounds like people right.
    It was a good day, let them out into their outside area, and in the late afternoon went to bring them back inside. The chute was made of logs minimum of 12 inch in diameter.
    I was in the chute, they both charged me at the same time. I had no where to run if I could. The chute was 15 feet high on both sides and if I did run they would kill me. They were already enraged and breaking those 12 inch plus logs. So I did the only sensible thing a man can do when surrounded.
    I charged them, all I had was my ankus, made out of 1/2 inch rebar pointed on the end with a hook for steering them.
    I lost my shit, the blood was flying. But I stopped their charge and turned them. New sheriff in town. Drove them back into the yard, and went right after them on the run. Ran them inside before they could think and slammed the door. There was no time for fear. After the door was shut I was like “Did I really do that Crazy Shit” It was the only thing I could do, and it had to happen right now. Or I was dead. What elephants can do to a human is not pretty.
    I stayed another year. Met my wife and started a family and reality was I loved that job but it would not feed a family. I was the mahout and looked after the lions, the tigers, the wolf pack and of course the elephants. It was a fun job.
    Never Fear Life.

    1. Lordy! You’ve been holding out on us. Like your daughter said, write these stories down. You’re the only guy that I’ve ever heard of who, ahem….

      … got a , a, BJ from an elephant!

      Yikes! Did I write that? Naw. Haha!

      1. Nancy…. I am shocked. Shocked I tell you.. How do I put this delicately? More like a vacuum job not the same… Oh Oh that Bad Poppa again.

  15. Sheep lie.

    I used to do Sunday school up around Frog Lake, Sask and has friends from the reserves around Cold Lake, aka Moccasin Square Gardens.

    They nicknamed me chekamese muniac- white man turkey

    Bigotry went both ways but we would do it openly to each other and laugh.

    1. If I was up on Broke Back Mountain, that’s how I would explain myself as well. Those dang lying sheep.. Forgive me could not resist seems the devil is getting out and playing Hell today. Bad Poppa

  18. Last time I got thrown about 3 years ago, broke my arm at the shoulder in 2 places; He would hump and buck stiff legged then go right like greased lightning a perfect 90 deg. Took him a bit but he finally got daylight under my ass then threw me hard he picked the only hard spot in that corral. Course I never went to the Doc till the following Tuesday. Just ate Tylenol when it got real bad. The wife had already immobilized my arm. Each day all weekend she would ask you ready to go to town and I would say don’t feel too bad. Dang thing still bothers me. Strawberry Roan Don Edwards
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ4TWYxM2iI&list=RD4RJGdaq042I&index=43

    1. So sorry…
      Wow! Should get it checked out by a doc!
      Modern medicine… They can rebuild you.

      Voltaren xtra strength emulgel is a topical pain relieving gel that works like magic! It’s terrific.

  19. NR

    There is some AI (artificial insemination) in the beef business but predominantly it’s natural insemination. The cows are out on grass and the bull are with them.

    The dairy business is the reverse. Most dairyman have a seman tank loaded with straws of frozen seman. They have all taken the AI technicians course and the cows are bred never ever having seen a bull.

    1. Interesting stuff. This farmer that I knew was an expert and went to visit other farms with his kit to do his thing for them. I don’t remember what he said his success rate was nor did I ever know how much he charged. But he did say that he mostly came out of it without a sore arm and usually his efforts succeeded in impregnation.

      I was facinated with the whole process! Felt like in was in an advanced Vet course. Thanks for your input abt.

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