Soapweed
Well-known member
This is a rather entertaining event that my dad wrote about, which happened five years ago.
Friends and Fancies #567
By Bob Moreland, August 6, 2014
The annual Tri-State Cowboy Breakfast was this past Saturday, July 26th, in connection with the Sheridan County Fair and Rodeo in Gordon. Arliss and I got a bit of a late start, so to compensate, I thought it essential that I should get in the driver's seat. This caused a slight degree of contention, but we got to our destination while there was still a line waiting to be served by Dave Browder and his efficient helpers.
Sausage and biscuits, scrambled eggs, ham, hash browns, orange juice and coffee made up the menu. A beautiful day, and Tom, Karen and Richard Cobb, along with Brett Burress, furnished the gospel and western music. Liz Fisher also sang a couple numbers. The Sheridan County Rodeo Queen, Robin Ferguson, was presented, along with her attendants. The Junior High Rodeo Princess was Dali O'Neill, and the Junior Princess was Shawna Shadbolt. The Rodeo Queen from Florida was also in attendance.
President Dave Browder read the list of the cowgirls & cowboys that have passed away this year; that list was long and they will all be missed. As reported in the Sheridan County Journal Star, "Veldon Morgan of Morgan's Saddlery in Hot Springs, SD, donated an 1888 Ranch Collector's Edition Saddle (one of twenty to be produced) to the Tri-State Cowboy Museum. He made it "In memory of Lawrence Bixby and those before him, commemorating that special breed of hardbitten, hard driven cowmen." Thank you Veldon, It will be a valuable addition to the museum!
Robert Cole, of Alliance, Nebraska, was the recipient of the Cowboy Hall-of-Fame Award. The Cole Family has a long Sandhills History. Robert's grandfather, Jason Cole, was an early settler in Cherry County. He had two sons, Jay and Ray. Jay purchased my grandfather, G. O. Fairhead's ranch east of Merriman in the late 20's. Robert's father, Ray, stayed on the home place down deep in the heart of the Sandhills, which is now owned by Robert and his family. Several members of his family were in attendance. Congratulations, Robert!
After watching the parade, which featured the grand prize winners: The Gordon Memorial Hospital, The Gordon Theater, and The First National Bank, plus many more interesting entries, Arliss and I headed our vehicle north on Highway 27.
We had been invited to a celebration for the National Day of the Cowboy, in New Underwood, SD, which was from 3-5 pm, so we thought we had sufficient travel time. It was to be held at the Hacken Barn Theatre, which is located 5 miles north, and 1 ¾ west of New Underwood. By the time we got to Scenic, we were surprised to see the activity there, as everything had been closed for several years. The filling station was open, so we made a pit stop. We got acquainted with the friendly operator there, Mr. White, and we purchased a couple of Twinkies, which we had not seen for years. Before our stop in Scenic, we had been attempting to make a call to Bruce and Bonnie Weber from the road on our cell phone. (They are longtime friends who reside near Sturgis.) We wanted to invite them to the event.
We went back to the car, ready to finish the last leg of the trip. I often times ride in the backseat of our SUV, where I can stretch out and sometimes catch a cat nap. Ready to resume our trip, Arliss got in the driver's seat, and I closed the rear driver side door. Remembering that our cell phone had no signal, I turned to walk back into the filling station. I asked Mr. White if I could use his phone to call the Webers. Bruce and Bonnie, with enthusiasm, accepted the invitation and would be meeting up with us in about an hour.
When I walked back out to get in the SUV, it wasn't there. I walked all around the building and couldn't imagine why Arliss had moved the vehicle, but there was absolutely no sign of her or it. I walked back into the filling station, and told Mr. White my problems and asked whether he thought she could have been kidnapped. He suggested that I call the sheriff's office. The deputy answered and asked me her age, and whether or not she was mad or upset with me. I told him her age, but that she was pretty "sharp" and could easily pass for 70. I mentioned we may have had a little conflict about who drove, and how fast, but no worse than normal. I also called Bruce and Bonnie back to let them know my predicament, and they changed their route to include a stop in Scenic. I then placed a call to my son Steve, to let him know, and also called Slim McNaught, who had invited us to the event, to let him know we would be late.
About an hour later, when she had still not returned, I was ready to call for a helicopter. About that time, here came Arliss! And shortly after that the deputy sheriff arrived. Arliss was surprised that I had come out to meet her with a smile on my face. She thought we might be headed back home in cold silence! But I told her my prayers were answered, and I was very happy to see her. When she heard the back door shut Arliss had assumed that I was inside and would again use the cell phone when we got to a flat place with reception. When she got to New Underwood about 35 miles up the road, and wanted me help her find the way out to the Hacken Barn, she called and received no answer. Frightened, she stopped and looked in the back seat to determine whether I had suffered a heart attack or stroke since I was not speaking. In shock she saw there was no Bob in the back seat. She immediately turned around and headed back to Scenic. The deputy asked Arliss if she was alright. She replied that the only thing wrong was her red face. We thanked Mr. White and the deputy and asked what we owed them, to which they replied, "Nothing." I gave them each a copy of Friends and Fancies #10. We got to New Underwood and traveled the route to the ranch.
The program was in session when we arrived at The Day of the Cowboy celebration; we missed some, but Slim extended the program so we did get to hear most of it. The impressive poetry and music presented recollections of the old west and the cowboy way of life. We met some new faces, and had lunch before heading back home, with the knowledge that our story could be the topic of conversation for a day or two!
Friends and Fancies #567
By Bob Moreland, August 6, 2014
The annual Tri-State Cowboy Breakfast was this past Saturday, July 26th, in connection with the Sheridan County Fair and Rodeo in Gordon. Arliss and I got a bit of a late start, so to compensate, I thought it essential that I should get in the driver's seat. This caused a slight degree of contention, but we got to our destination while there was still a line waiting to be served by Dave Browder and his efficient helpers.
Sausage and biscuits, scrambled eggs, ham, hash browns, orange juice and coffee made up the menu. A beautiful day, and Tom, Karen and Richard Cobb, along with Brett Burress, furnished the gospel and western music. Liz Fisher also sang a couple numbers. The Sheridan County Rodeo Queen, Robin Ferguson, was presented, along with her attendants. The Junior High Rodeo Princess was Dali O'Neill, and the Junior Princess was Shawna Shadbolt. The Rodeo Queen from Florida was also in attendance.
President Dave Browder read the list of the cowgirls & cowboys that have passed away this year; that list was long and they will all be missed. As reported in the Sheridan County Journal Star, "Veldon Morgan of Morgan's Saddlery in Hot Springs, SD, donated an 1888 Ranch Collector's Edition Saddle (one of twenty to be produced) to the Tri-State Cowboy Museum. He made it "In memory of Lawrence Bixby and those before him, commemorating that special breed of hardbitten, hard driven cowmen." Thank you Veldon, It will be a valuable addition to the museum!
Robert Cole, of Alliance, Nebraska, was the recipient of the Cowboy Hall-of-Fame Award. The Cole Family has a long Sandhills History. Robert's grandfather, Jason Cole, was an early settler in Cherry County. He had two sons, Jay and Ray. Jay purchased my grandfather, G. O. Fairhead's ranch east of Merriman in the late 20's. Robert's father, Ray, stayed on the home place down deep in the heart of the Sandhills, which is now owned by Robert and his family. Several members of his family were in attendance. Congratulations, Robert!
After watching the parade, which featured the grand prize winners: The Gordon Memorial Hospital, The Gordon Theater, and The First National Bank, plus many more interesting entries, Arliss and I headed our vehicle north on Highway 27.
We had been invited to a celebration for the National Day of the Cowboy, in New Underwood, SD, which was from 3-5 pm, so we thought we had sufficient travel time. It was to be held at the Hacken Barn Theatre, which is located 5 miles north, and 1 ¾ west of New Underwood. By the time we got to Scenic, we were surprised to see the activity there, as everything had been closed for several years. The filling station was open, so we made a pit stop. We got acquainted with the friendly operator there, Mr. White, and we purchased a couple of Twinkies, which we had not seen for years. Before our stop in Scenic, we had been attempting to make a call to Bruce and Bonnie Weber from the road on our cell phone. (They are longtime friends who reside near Sturgis.) We wanted to invite them to the event.
We went back to the car, ready to finish the last leg of the trip. I often times ride in the backseat of our SUV, where I can stretch out and sometimes catch a cat nap. Ready to resume our trip, Arliss got in the driver's seat, and I closed the rear driver side door. Remembering that our cell phone had no signal, I turned to walk back into the filling station. I asked Mr. White if I could use his phone to call the Webers. Bruce and Bonnie, with enthusiasm, accepted the invitation and would be meeting up with us in about an hour.
When I walked back out to get in the SUV, it wasn't there. I walked all around the building and couldn't imagine why Arliss had moved the vehicle, but there was absolutely no sign of her or it. I walked back into the filling station, and told Mr. White my problems and asked whether he thought she could have been kidnapped. He suggested that I call the sheriff's office. The deputy answered and asked me her age, and whether or not she was mad or upset with me. I told him her age, but that she was pretty "sharp" and could easily pass for 70. I mentioned we may have had a little conflict about who drove, and how fast, but no worse than normal. I also called Bruce and Bonnie back to let them know my predicament, and they changed their route to include a stop in Scenic. I then placed a call to my son Steve, to let him know, and also called Slim McNaught, who had invited us to the event, to let him know we would be late.
About an hour later, when she had still not returned, I was ready to call for a helicopter. About that time, here came Arliss! And shortly after that the deputy sheriff arrived. Arliss was surprised that I had come out to meet her with a smile on my face. She thought we might be headed back home in cold silence! But I told her my prayers were answered, and I was very happy to see her. When she heard the back door shut Arliss had assumed that I was inside and would again use the cell phone when we got to a flat place with reception. When she got to New Underwood about 35 miles up the road, and wanted me help her find the way out to the Hacken Barn, she called and received no answer. Frightened, she stopped and looked in the back seat to determine whether I had suffered a heart attack or stroke since I was not speaking. In shock she saw there was no Bob in the back seat. She immediately turned around and headed back to Scenic. The deputy asked Arliss if she was alright. She replied that the only thing wrong was her red face. We thanked Mr. White and the deputy and asked what we owed them, to which they replied, "Nothing." I gave them each a copy of Friends and Fancies #10. We got to New Underwood and traveled the route to the ranch.
The program was in session when we arrived at The Day of the Cowboy celebration; we missed some, but Slim extended the program so we did get to hear most of it. The impressive poetry and music presented recollections of the old west and the cowboy way of life. We met some new faces, and had lunch before heading back home, with the knowledge that our story could be the topic of conversation for a day or two!