Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, August 07, 2019, Image 12

Heppner gazette-times., August 07, 2019, Page 12, Image 12

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2019)

Prev Page of 34 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (615.0 KB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 34 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextPage 12 - Special Edition • Morrow County Fair and Rodeo • Heppner Gazette-Times, Wednesday, August 7, 2019 Popular Wild Horse Racing back again Prepare yourself for the wildest event in rodeo The popular wild horse race will be back again at the Oregon Trail Pro Rodeo Friday and Saturday. For those who haven’t experienced wild horse racing it’s worth a trip just to see the fun and excitement. How it works: A Wild Horse Race team consists of three people, posi- tions are known as shankman, mugger and rider, and none of the positions are any easier than the other. The event works like this: The stock contractor loads the chutes and the horses are closed into individual chutes. As soon as this is accom- plished the contestants and a representative draw numbers from a hat. The number drawn applies to the chute in which they will put halters on their horses. Halters are made of heavy leather with sheepskin lining to protect the horse from injury. A team cannot win if the horse is accidentally injured, so it is important not to afflict injury to the horse. Many of the halters have leather handles making it easier for the mug- ger to get ahold of the halter instead of grabbing the animal. The lead shank is a maximum length of 16 feet and made of cotton/hemp or braided nylon. Usually the shanks are 1” – 2” in diameter. The shanks being Heppner Auto Parts Hydraulic Hoses & Fittings Saws & Mowers Auto & ATV Parts Small Engine Repair Oil Changes 541-676-5009 186 E May St, Heppner of a large diameter decrease the chance of injury to both animal and contestant. Now that all is ready, it’s time for the excitement to be- gin. The whistle is blown, the chute gates are opened and the spectators do not know which way to look. Amongst all the chaos, the shankman holds the horse in a position so that the mugger can move up the shank and grab the horse by the halter. The next moment, the rider sets the saddle on the horse and secures it by the quick cinch. This cinch has a quick release built in so that it may be quickly removed if a problem occurs. The rider climbs aboard the horse and stays on the horse until it crosses a pre-designated finish line. Most arena races have an imaginary line between the fence and a barrel. The finish is approximately 30 – 35 feet long. In arena races the win- ning team usually crosses in 30-40 seconds, while other less fortunate teams may take up to the two-minute time limit. Prepare yourself for the wildest event in rodeo. Shankman, mugger and rider work as a team. -File Photo.