Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2004)
-1 ' Page 8 Spilyqy Ty&ioo, Wrro Springs, Oregon October- 28, 2004 Bruised Head: rodeoing began at an early age (Continued from page 1) Clint Bruised Head is from the Blood Reservation at Stand Off, Alberta, Canada, along the Alberta-Montana border. I Je is a full-blooded Blood Indian and grew up on the family ranch that is still home to most of his , family. Clint reminisced about how , one time his dad took his four brothers to a rodeo and his mom : took his two sisters to a rodeo. : I le was at home tending the cows and horses. His uncle Joe , came by and said there was a junior rodeo going on, and asked why he wasn't there. Clint ' said he didn't have a ride. ' Uncle Joe said, "Well, jump ' on the truck, I'll take you." From then on uncle Joe would take him to rodeos, and find him rides to take him to other rodeos, sometimes making three or four in a weekend. Later Clint started riding the Greyhound bus, but soon found that it was too slow, so he started hitchhiking. . "For me taking my rigging bag out to the highway, and go- ' ing down the road hitchhiking :was the biggest thing in the world. Just getting there," 'Bruised Head said. ' Even before junior rodeoing, the young cowboy joined the ' Canadian Pro Rodeo Associa tion where he rode cows and steers. He always wanted to be a professional cowboy and as a kid he would see his heroes at these rodeos. "Guys like Charlie Sampson and Gary Lefew. I was Mookin' at them, and they were pulling my bull rope." They are retired now, and Brusied Head says, "I run into ;4hem here and there, and I get ''to meet them. I sat down with a bunch of. them at Pendleton this M&M r 1 ml miBRilH World Champion All Around Cowboy saddle World Champion Steer Wrestling saddle tfl love every one of those rodeos. I love being there, I love the competition, and I love the camaraderie be tween the cowboys. " Clint Bruised Head I just never did leave." The lady he talks about is his wife of ten years, Sammy (Allen) Bruised Head, who also , hails from a rodeo background. The couple have three children. During his career, Bruised Head has competed in six events. Those events included bull riding, bareback riding, bronc riding, team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling. He now concentrates on just four events. Wife Sammy says with a laugh that if he had the money he would enter all the events, but his entries are predicated by world next year. Rodeos such as Cheyenne, Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston and San Antonio. As Brusied Head talks, the enthusiasm is etched on his face, remembering how it was to jun ior rodeo, high school rodeo, Indian rodeo and now compete in the PRCA. "These are rodeos I have had on my mind since I was a kid. I used to watch these guys on vid eos." Bruised Head said his high school rodeo coach used to catch them at lunchtime and say, "You guys don't need to sit out here and watch the sun go down." Bruised Head continued, "He'd drag us up to the chemi cal lab and he'd throw on some rodeo videos. We'd watch these cowboys compete, and he'd be teaching us. He'd fast forward, slow motion, fast forward, slow motion, showing us the finer points." One of his most memorable wins came in 1992 when he won, the All-Around Champion- the Northwest. Holding down a full-time job makes rodeoing even tougher for the Blood Indian cowboy. Clint says it wouldn't be possible to do both without a very sup portive boss. He pointed out that Glen Carpenter, his supervisor at Warm Springs Construction, has been great to work for, al lowing him to work and still ro deo. To fully understand how Clint Bruised Head feels about rodeo, just ask him to name his favor ite rodeos. Other than the Na vajo Nation Fair in Window Rock, Ariz., which is his all time favorite, Clint says, "I love ev ery one of those rodeos. I love being there, I love the competi tion, and I love the camarade rie between the cowboys." At the Indian National Finals in California Oct. 14-17, Clint won the last go-round in calf roping with a time of 10.3 sec onds to ensure his Ail-Around title. Clint won two of the four gp-fQupds in sttfif willing, yjth Lyman Colliflower pf Rocky , Boy, Mont.- ' Colliflower also did the haz ing for Bruised Head. This is an example" of the camaraderie that Clint mentioned earlier, because while Lyman Colliflower was helping Clint, he too, was in contention for the world title. The Bruised Head parents were in attendance at the finals. They enjoyed the opportunity to see many family members com pete for top prize money. Clint says, "My folks were plumb tickled when they heard I won the Ail-Around title." Anyone who knows the per sonable 36-year-old cowboy is also plumb tickled. Nice guys don't always finish last. In the case of Indian World Champion Ail-Around Cowboy Clint Bruised Head, this nice guy has ,made a, career, put of finishing first Even when winning, rodeoing Detail from the All Areund Wprld Champion saddle. can be expensive. Clint and Sammy would like to thank the many people who sponsored their trip to the national finals. They are DMJ Warm Springs Shell Station, Warm Springs Ventures, Warm Springs Forest Products, Rodney Smith Log ging, Pete Peterson Heavy Equipment Repair, Chancellor Damon of the Chance Corpo ration in Window Rock, Ariz., members of the community who purchased raffle tickets, and individual sponsors Frances Allen, Jo Ann Smith and Arlene Bryant. Jio.w much money they have year,, all the guy remembered .This year'Cljnr and Sam'myHaWhlpWthe Navajo,N;rtionFair.,,,tui).$f 4.2j seconds, and,3. ? 'the times they went to Canada gone to 40 rodeos. , jn Window Rock, Ariz. seconds. He would nave also and saw this little Indian kid Clint joined the Professional "I was calf roping, steer won the last go-round but he riding, and they remember help- Cowboys Rodeo Association wrestling and riding bareback broke the barrier. During the ' ing me pull my bull rope." ' Recalling his days growing up, and how all the family enjoyed :rodeo and how they worked to hone their skills, Clint said, "We couldn't keep a wild horse 'around the place to practice 'bareback or bronc riding on. We ' were always training, yearlings, two-year olds, whatever, we ,were always training. That's .-where horsemanship comes in. - A lot of guys don't believe in ' horsemanship, but I do. You've ' got to know how to ride a horse into the box, how to score a steer, that's where horsemanship comes in." Bruised Head has been a resi dent of Warm Springs for 12 years. When asked how he hap pened to come to Warm Springs, Clint described it this way, "I rodeoed a few times down here in the states and I saw her at a couple of rodeos. I started chas ing her a little bit, and I came to Warm Springs to visit her, and (PRCA) this year, so now he will compete year round. Clint says since joining the PRCA he has received outstanding support from some of the top names in the business. Moving up into the highest echelon of rodeo, Clint rides some of the top horses in the world. Tony Currin, one of the world's best steer wrestlers from Hermiston, Ore., mounts him on his good horse, Vegas. Former bareback rider Sid Britt, from Hermiston, also provides Clint with good horses. Others who have gone out of their way to help the Indian cowboy are Brad Gleason, Luke Branquino, Spud Duval, and Bob Loomis. Clint said, "A handful of the top cowboys in the world have helped me and made me a lot tougher than I was." Tony Currin has taken Bruised Head under his wing and they've discussed competing in some of the top rodeos in the horses to win the all-around that year. To win the Navajo Nation Fair was really an accomplish ment for me, I was a kid then and it still stands out to me," Brusied Head said. Wife Sammy commented that it is still the greatest Indian rodeo in the United States. "Most guys call it another ro deo, but to me, every year, that was my national finals. I'd ride real hard, bulldog and rope as hard as I could." Brusied Head said he goes back every year. He has since won the bulldogging title once and come close to winning the all around four times. He has finished second in bareback riding a number of times. Sammy said her husband threat ens tcfcome out of retirement in the bareback riding every year at the Navajo Nation Fair. Clint did miss this year's Navajo Na tion Fair because of a number of conflicting PRCA rodeos in steer wrestling, Clint was mounted on a horse owned by defending world champion Many winners in raffle The following are the winners, and the items won, in the recent Clinton Bruised Head raffle. Verleen Tom, rifle case, donated by Bruised Head. Corey Clements, shawl, donated by Sammy Bruised Head. Dan Brisbois Jr., beaded visor, donated by Arlene Wewa Bryant. Javon Smith, picture album donated by Frances Allen. Sissy Smith, horse blanket, donated by the Bruised Head family. Jim Coburn, boning knife, donated by the Bruised Head family. Biff Johnson, eagle fleece throw, donated by Frances Allen. Johnny Holliday, beaded bracelet, donated by Corey Clements. Floyd Gibson, neon wall clock, donated by Frances Allen. Theresa Morris, MK satin hands, donated by Sammy Bruised Head. Emerson Squiemphen, men's watch and pen set donated by Clinton Bruised Head. Shane Smith; half-case of huckleberry soda, donated by Frances Allen. Caroline Torres won the Southwest necklace and bracelet donated by Sammy Bruised Heads . 1 Wendell Jim, electronic dart board donated by the Bruised Head family. Kevin Miller, $100, donated by Clinton Bruised Head. Eli Smith, Pendleton blanket donated by Frances Allen. ''DotttkSm'ithJ'SpiSderman baacjc'do'na T!bRh6hda 'Gfeert,iMary Klfi'md Bridgett Whipple. Lia Suppah, Tasheena George, Kara Katchia, Shane R. Smith and Angie David won bags of jerky donated by JoAnn Smith. Lorie Mitchell, Phill Rodda, Dan Brisbois Sr., and C. DeVaney won four pens, donated by JoAnn Smith. Roberta Queahpama won fried rice donated by JoAnn Smith. mi vote mm is very professional with exemplary managemeni siuns ... always receptive to new ideas and challenges ... provides timely, accurate, and insightful analysis to her employees as well as the commission." Orthelia Patt, Chair Sandra Main,and Andrew Hofstetter, Warm Springs Gaming Commission Hiio tho PEST for Jofforson County Treasurer Paid for by the committee to elect Carol Funk. 2003 FORD I 2002 FORD 2002 FORD 2001 FORD 2003 FORD ESCAPE EXPLORER TAURUS SE TAURUS SES RANGER XLT SPORT SPORT SEDAN SEDAN SUPER CAB UTILITY UTILITY Automatic Front Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Drive Front Wheel Drive Automatic Automatic Automatic Automatic Air Conditioning Air Conditioning V6 4.0 Liter Stk.UP4759 Stk.UP4735 Stk.UT4850 Stk.UT4825 Stk.UP4805 2000 FORD 2003 FORD jiiLiiL " 2001 FORD F350 2002 DODGE RANGER ZX2 COUPE WW! SUPER DUTY DAKOTA SUPER CAB 2 DOOR W32& SUPER CAB CLUB CAB V6 4.0 Liter 4-Cyl 2.0 Liter 16V ;J1 jWjl' LONG BED V6 3.9 Liter 4 Wheel Drive 5-Speed Manual ... .VlffijrW. ,, V8 7.3L Turbo Diesel 5-Speed Manual Automatic Front Wheel Driva ''"UaJ 1 4 Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Drive SUCJUT4847 Stk.UP4848 ' Stk.UP4842 Stk.UP4839 2003 LINCOLN 2000 DODGE 2003 FORD 2003 FORD 2003 FORD NAVIGATOR 1500 QUAD FOCUS ZX5 F350 SUPER FOCUS LX SPORT CAB LONG HATCHBACK DUTY CREW SEDAN UTILITY BED 4 DOOR CAB LONG BED 4 DOOR 4 Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Drive Automatic V8 6.0L Turbo Diesel Automatic , Automatic V8 5.9 Liter Front Wheel Drive 4 Wheel Driva Front Wheel Drive Stk.UP4837 Stk.UP4836 Stk.UP4804 Stk.UP4781 Stk.UP4789 2003 NISSAN 2001 NISSAN 2002 SUBARU 2003 FORD 2003 FORD MAXIMA SE ALTIMAGLE IMPRZZAWRX EXPLORER EXPEDITION SEDAN SEDAN SEDAN SPORT TRAC SPORT UTILITY V6 3.5 Liter 4 Cyl. 2.4 Liter 4 Cyl. 2.0L Turbo V6 4.0 Liter V8 5.4 Liter Front Wheel Drive Front Wheel Drive All Whael Drive 4 Wheel Drive 4 Wheal Driva Automatic Automatic Air Conditioning Automatic Automatic Stk.UP4767 ' Slk.UP4773 StK.UP4771 Stk UP4769 ' Sft.UP4765 f www.MillerfordNissan.com SalesMillerFordNissan.com MILLER FORD NISSAN 475-7204 1733 SW Hwy. 97 Madras, C3 97743 1-GSS-475-7S04 hJ A v i u yj u j O j , ij y K k 3
