Cowboy Park

The book details steer roping competitions around 1900 when it was really steer “tipping”. The roping practice of the times was for one cowboy to head the cow (throw a loop around the head) and then flip the rope over the back of the cow riding his horse to the opposite side and effectively putting the cow down by flipping it. He’d then quickly get off the horse (with the horse maintaining rope tension) and tie the feet so the cow couldn’t get up.

Around that time the world of cattle ranching was changing. The open lands were rapidly being fenced and the cattle industry was becoming a conservative business. Ranchers were concerned that their cowboys were injuring their valuable cows using the tipping practice and obviously they were practicing for competitions instead of working.

Laws were passed in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona outlawing steer roping so enterprising businessman Tom Greer opened Cowboy Park in 1907 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. He heavily promoted bronc riding, bull riding and steer roping contests that attracted cowboys from all over US. He paid good prize money and with the spread of the railroad it was now possible for a cowboy to easily travel great distances to compete.

During the formative years of rodeo that preceded the first Calgary Stampede in 1912, Cowboy Park provided a ready training ground for up-and-coming champions.

The story continues on how the sport changed and why states eventually changed their laws to allow it. Today’s two cowboy team roping competitions eventually became the preferred way to test roping ability and roping competitions continue to be wildly popular. Some competitive steer roping still done.

The book is filled with stories and pictures about many of the roping champions of the period and the events where they competed. Amazingly researched and interesting.

I highly recommend this book!!!