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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2022)
SPORTS & OUTDOORS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, April 20, 2022 A9 A life in wrestling Prairie City man’s contributions to sport earn a place in Hall of Fame By JUSTIN DAVIS Blue Mountain Eagle T Contributed Photo The author with his hard-earned Barbary sheep. SHOOTING THE BREEZE Barbary Sheep rhapsody E hese days, 82 year old Tobe Zweygardt oper- ates a ranch outside Prairie City. Before getting into ranching, however, Zweygardt was a fi x- ture on the wrestling scene, in Oregon, nationally and interna- tionally. His accomplishments on the mat and his lifetime of service to the wrestling commu- nity have led to his selection for inclusion in the Oregon chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Zwygerdt started wrestling in the small town of St. Fran- cis, Kansas, when he was in the sixth grade. Back in those days, a children’s wrestling pro- gram didn’t exist, so Zweygardt didn’t get his start in the sport until he was in middle school. The middle school and high school wrestling programs in the area were run by Maynard Skinner, a former Colorado standout wrestler and eventual California Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. When Zweygardt was a senior, Skinner departed the St. Francis wrestling program and was replaced by coach Frank Brown. Zwygerdt would go on to win a Kansas state wrestling championship under Brown. Following his high school wrestling career, Zweygardt headed out West to wrestle for Oregon State University in 1958. Oregon State was coached by eventual Hall of Fame wres- tler and coach Dale Thomas at the time. Zweygardt says the presence of Thomas at Ore- gon State was one of two rea- very once in a while At last, the moment a hunting opportu- of truth. The only prob- nity comes along lem was, I couldn’t shoot through a barrier of brush that simply seems too from any field positions. good to be true. Growing Thankfully I had brought up in the areas that I did, along my Bog-pod, a we regularly saw Califor- lightweight, col- nia bighorn sheep lapsible hunting roaming the hills. tripod. Slowly I Being as bighorns placed my .30-06 are a once-in-a- over the rest and, lifetime draw here kneeling behind it, in Oregon, that still found myself had cast a shadow unable to take the upon my enthusi- Dale Valade shot. asm for hunting The sheep were get- sheep altogether. Work- ing closely with my friend ting nervous, uncertain of what we were. Locating a Zach Bruce of AOA Out- small window in the brush fitters, a sheep hunting through which to pilot adventure finally came to my bullet while simulta- pass. neously arranging myself The Barbary sheep — and my rifle to the proper or aoudad, as they are angle for the shot proved more commonly called difficult. Finally, Zach set — is seen throughout the my pack between my legs Western United States. Places like Texas and New and bottom which propped me up to the exact neces- Mexico have especially sary angle. seen huge booms in Bar- Flicking off the safety, bary sheep proliferation. I held the crosshairs on the The dry, rocky and steep center of the shoulder on terrain is perfect for these the largest ram. Taking in a and other implanted spe- breath, I started to slowly cies of sheep, such as the exhale as I squeezed the ibex of Arizona and mou- trigger. flons here in Oregon. As At the shot, the ram was they are not indigenous to down in an instant. I cycled these areas, some states By JAYSON JACOBY the action but there was consider these animals to Baker City Herald no need — he was done as be feral and don’t regu- late them with tags or sea- the rest of his band disap- ANTHONY LAKES — peared in a fl ash. As I stood son limits, but a hunting It wasn’t the snowiest winter license for whichever state up, the quivers of excite- on record, but Anthony Lakes ment caused my hands to you choose to hunt will Mountain Resort had plenty shake. I uttered a short still be required. on its slopes to keep skiers and prayer of gratitude as I bent For hours we glassed snowboarders sliding all season. down to pick up my empty rims, hillsides, thickets, “Overall we had a great sea- saddles and draws. Seeing brass case. Zach smiled son,” said Chelsea Judy, mar- and patted me on the back, bighorn sheep and mule keting director for the ski area deer was encouraging, but the unspoken congratula- in the Elkhorn Mountains about tions between old friends there was no sign of the 35 miles northwest of Baker and fi nally said only, “That elusive aoudad. Hiking City. will do!” around in the rocks, my A dearth of early storms After getting pictures old friend and I were able delayed the start of the season and dressing the ram, we to catch up on all man- until Dec. 18. ner of subjects, from fam- loaded him onto our packs But once the resort was open, ily matters to major world and started the descent back the snow base was suffi cient, to our vehicle. events. Fair-skinned as despite a prolonged dry stretch This will forever live as I am, I felt like the wind that lasted for most of February, a special hunt in my heart. and the sun were in a to keep Anthony Lakes on its The uniqueness of the aou- deeply contested race to usual schedule through the fi nal dad, the physical require- see who would be first to day, Sunday, April 3. ments of the hunt, the redden my skin. Half the The importance of the resourcefulness required day passed, and we hiked resort’s elevation — 7,100 feet for the shot and, most of back to the truck thinking at the lodge, the highest base all, the camaraderie of our hunt was over. elevation among Northwest ski two country boys getting After reflection, Zach areas — proved itself yet again, thought of one other place to share yet another great Judy said. adventure together. he wanted to check out Anthony Lakes’ lofty posi- Do you love to hunt before we threw in the tion largely insulates it from sheep? Write to us at shoo- towel. Finding a conso- thaws that can force less-ele- tingthebreezebme@gmail. lation prize in the form vation ski areas to temporarily com and check us out on of a shed forked-horn close or reduce operations due Facebook! mule deer antler, our luck to a lack of snow. Dale Valade is a local was about to completely Much of the winter’s snow country gent with a love for change. As we traveled to fell in December and early the outdoors, handload- the area to do our one last January. ing, hunting and shooting. check, I thanked him for the day and expressed my gratitude for our chance to be out in the hills hunting together just like old times. A MAN Nearly instantly after WAKES setting up his Swarovski spotting scope, Zach excit- UP in the edly spotted a group of morning Aoudads feeding on a after sleeping on... rim. They looked stun- ning stretched out across an advertised bed, in advertised the hillside, rams, ewes pajamas. and lambs. After plan- ning a stalk, I took every- thing superfluous out of He will bathe in an ADVERTISED TUB, shave with an ADVERTISED RAZOR, my hunting pack to mini- have a breakfast of ADVERTISED JUICE, cereal and toast, toasted in an ADVERTISED TOASTER, put on ADVERTISED CLOTHES and glance at his mize weight, grabbed my ADVERTISED WATCH. He’ll ride to work in his ADVERTISED CAR, sit at an rifle and shooting sticks ADVERTISED DESK and write with an ADVERTISED PEN. Yet this person and off we went. Our stalk hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising doesn’t pay. Finally, when his non-advertised business is going under, HE’LL ADVERTISE IT FOR SALE. was slow and methodical Then it’s too late. as we made our approach. AND THEY SAY ADVERTISING DOESN’T WORK? We were reduced to crawl- DON’T MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE ing the last few yards to Advertising is an investment, not an expense. Think about it! set up a shot. The wind Blue Mountain Eagle was right, allowing us to MyEagleNews.com get within 150 yards of the Don’t get left behind, call today! Kim Kell 541-575-0710 small herd. petitive wrestling days were done. He reff ed in the Oregon School Activities Association wrestling championships and Pacifi c Coast Intercollegiate Championships before three consecutive years as a referee in the NCAA Division I Wres- tling Championships. In 1980, Zweygardt was the co-fl oor director of the NCAA Division I championship tournament held in Corvallis. Justin Davis/Blue Mountain Eagle Zweygardt was just as Tobe Zweygardt at his home in Prairie City on Thursday, April 14, active in his community as he 2022. Zweygardt will be inducted into the Oregon chapter of the was around the mat, spending National Wrestling Hall of Fame in October. four years on the Prairie City School Board, serving as pres- sons he sought to wrestle for the as an assistant coach under ident of both the Lions Club program. Thomas following his time with in Prairie City and the Grant “I loved hunting and fi sh- the Peace Corps in 1965 was County Ranch and Rodeo ing and Thomas was at Oregon Zweygardt’s next coaching Museum. Zweygardt was also State, so I came out. It was a gig. After the season at Ore- voted the Grant County Tree good move on my part.” gon State, Zweygardt transi- Farmer of the Year in 1990 and Under the coaching of tioned to head wrestling and the Grant County Stock Grower Thomas, Zweygardt would go track coach at Hedrick Junior of the Year in 2007. Zweygardt will be inducted on to be the Pacifi c Coast Inter- High School in Medford for into the Oregon State Wrestling collegiate runner-up in 1960 and the 1966 and 1967 seasons. the Pacifi c Coast Intercollegiate After moving to Grant Hall of Fame in a banquet at the champion in 1961 and 1962. County in 1971, Zweygardt Embassy Suites in Portland this The year 1962 would also would work on various ranches October. Zweygardt says he never see Zweygardt become an alter- throughout the county before nate on the USA world champi- starting the wrestling program thought he’d be inducted into onship wrestling squad in Gre- at Prairie City High School the Oregon Wrestling Hall of co-Roman wrestling as well while simultaneously directing Fame and credits his childhood as coaching the South African the youth wrestling program in community for giving him a good start in the sport. “I grew Springbok Greco-Roman team 1978. at those same world champion- Zweygardt’s fi nal act as up in western Kansas, and for- ships. The spot on the Greco-Ro- a head coach saw him travel tunately it was a wrestling man world championship team back to Africa in 1982 with the community.” His size growing up had a was even more special than it Collegiate Cultural Exchange lot to do with why Zweygardt normally would be because tour in South Africa. Zweygardt had no exposure to Apartheid still held sway chose wrestling over other sports Greco-Roman wrestling before in South Africa at the time, early on. “Being so small, bas- his time in college. but Zweygardt says Thomas, ketball was out of the question. I His foray into coaching in the Oregon State wrestling played football, but I wasn’t ever 1962 came about because the coach, saw sport as a way to very big. I weighed 145 pounds South African team lacked a break down the country’s sys- my senior year. I didn’t think I coach at the world champi- tem of racial oppression. The would succeed much in the col- onships. Zweygardt was sug- result was a team composed legiate level in football, so wres- gested as a potential coach and of college-aged wrestlers from tling was a good option.” “I’m honored and humbled accepted the responsibility. After around the Pacifi c Northwest coaching the South African team traveling to South Africa to by the selection into the Hall of in 1962, Zweygardt joined the compete against club teams Fame. There is a saying, ‘Hum- ble thyself in all things, for he Peace Corps and coached for the throughout the country. Federation of Youth and Sport in Zweygardt found other who knows himself is a rich the Ivory Coast and Senegal in ways to stay connected to the man.’ Being selected to join this West Africa. sport as well. He refereed on a group, I’m humbled and I’m a A return to Oregon State regular basis after his own com- rich man,” Zweygardt said. S286526-1 Anthony Lakes wraps up successful ski season March, which in many years brings the biggest storms of the winter, was something of an anomaly this year, with only about two feet of total snow. Nonetheless, “we had great skiing all year and the snow- pack held up great,” Judy said. She didn’t have visitor num- bers available, but Judy said this season was “defi nitely quieter than last year.” During the fi rst year of the pandemic, outdoor recreation proved popular across the West as the cancellation of most large events prompted people to seek other forms of entertainment. Camping and hiking in the summer were attractive since social distancing was simpler. And the trend continued into the winter of 2020-21, with ski- ers, both downhill and cross country, fl ocking to Anthony Lakes and other resorts. This winter was more typ- ical in terms of attendance, Judy said, although last winter’s growing popularity of cross country skiing continued this year. SPORTS SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 SATURDAY, APRIL 23 3 p.m.: Grant Union softball, doubleheader @ Lakeview 11 a.m.: Grant Union baseball doubleheader vs. Dufur FRIDAY, APRIL 22 TUESDAY, APRIL 26 10 a.m.: Grant Union golf, 1A/2A Invite @ Buff alo Peak Golf Course, Union 2 p.m.: Grant Union track, Wayne Invitational @ Vale High School 2 p.m.: Grant Union soft- ball, doubleheader @ Elgin/ Imbler 2:30 p.m.: Grant Union softball vs. Baker/Powder Valley 4 p.m.: Grant Union track, Crane Invitational @ Crane High School 4p.m.: Grant Union base- ball vs. Pilot Rock Home games in bold 2022 I Northeast Oregon PHOTO CONTEST Visit bluemountaineagle.com and enter today!
