Jim Houck can’t help admiring the arena at the Lyon County Fairgrounds. Especially the fence. That would have been nice to have 50 years ago when he took his wild ride.
“They had a racetrack and a snowfence ... and the snowfence wasn’t quite high enough for the steers,” said Houck, a steer riding champion in the first two Lyon County 4-H rodeos in 1957 and ’58. “My steer got out of the snowfence and went bucking up and down the track. It was kind of a crowd-pleaser at the time.”
Thursday night, both Houck and the 4-H rodeo were recognized as the event officially hit its golden anniversary. And while the facilities may be better than they were once upon a time, the spirit is the same. Many volunteers have worked with the rodeo for years, supplying stock, family or a spare pair of hands to get it through another year.
“A lot of people have worked hard to keep it going,” said Debbie Miller, who has helped out with the rodeo one way or another for about 25 years.
That first year’s rodeo brought families together in more ways than one. In 1957, the top cowboy at the rodeo was Bill Martin while the top cowgirl was Bonnie Wheat. The two ended up marrying.
Houck left steer riding to go to college at Kansas State, but he kept a few family ties with the rodeo. Twenty years after taking the first and second steer championships — the second time with a better fence — his son, Jimmy, wound up winning the title as well.
Still, you never forget the first time. Particularly when so many get to share in the experience.
Houck, who now lives 15 miles northwest of Allen with his wife, Jean, recalled that his was far from the only steer to make an abrupt getaway that year.
“The country boys would have to go after them, rope ’em and bring them on back,” said Houck, who called it a Wild West experience. “It was a lot of fun. It still is.”
Rodeo results
All-around Cowboy
Senior — Colton Stueve
Intermediate — Linden Stueve
Junior — Joel Miller
All-around Cowgirl
Senior — Kellie Farr
Intermediate — Angela Bartley
Junior — Lakin Preisner
Steer Riding
Senior — 1. Zeb Peak 2. Colton Stueve 3. August Stueve 4. Cheyenne Veatch
Intermediate — 1. Linden Stueve
2. Kacey DeWeese 3. Levi Cole
4. Cody Dix
Junior — 1. Lakin Preisner 2. Josiah Duncan 3. Kohl Prose 4. Coltin Arndt.
Barrel Racing
Senior — 1. Cheyenne Veatch
2. Jessica Miller 3. Kellie Farr
4. Caesie Reynolds.
Intermediate — 1. Angela Bartley
2. Natasha VanGundy 3. Kevin Veatch. 4. Ralstin Wilkerson
Junior — 1. Lakin Preisner 2. Riley Houston 3. Joel Miller 4. Coltin Arndt
Breakaway Roping
Senior — 1. Jacob Miller
2. August Stueve
Intermediate — 1. Jason Klumpe
2. Linden Stueve 3. Angela Bartley
4. Bo Krueger.
Chute Doggin
Senior — 1. Jacob Miller 2. Andrew Laib 3. Zeb Peak 4. August Stueve
Steer Riding
Senior — 1. Zeb Peak 2. Colton Stueve 3. August Stueve 4. Cheyenne Veatch
Intermediate — 1. Linden Stueve
2. Kacey DeWeese 3. Levi Cole
4. Cody Dix
Junior — 1. Lakin Priesner 2. Josiah Duncan 3. Kohl Prose 4. Coltin Arndt.
More rodeo results will appear in Saturday’s Gazette.