RODEO: THE LIFESTYLE OF A FAMILY

[momof 2boys]

The following is an excerpt from a research paper I wrote in college.  The class was American Folklore, and I chose to write about my family's involvment in the rodeo.

When one thinks of rodeo they think of the professional cowboys with their Stetson hats, ornamental belt buckles, and Justin boots, traveling from rodeo to rodeo in their 4 X 4 trucks pulling fancy horse trailers.  Rodeo today is a big money business.  However, this was not how the early rodeo circuit appeared. 

In the early days of rodeo there weren't large sums of money to be paid to the winners nor fancy means of transportation from one rodeo to the next.  Rodeos were impromptu events organized by the cowboys who loved to compete and show off the talents they had learned on the range.  Cowboys would come together to socialize and compete in the games they had made while working on the range.  Each event was dervied from some aspect of a task that the cowboy engaged in while working on the range.  Over the past 100 years rodeo has developed into a major sporting event.  It has become a form of entertainment, where simple activities, such as twirling a rope and riding a horse, developed into spectacular performances.

The Bonnell/Howell/McKinley family has been witness to the evolution of rodeo.  This family had been involved in the many aspects of rodeo such as rodeo events and providing entertainment at rodeos for approximately 80 years.

William (Billy) Bonnell was involved in rodeo in the early 1900's.  He participated in many roping and riding competitions through-out Kansas and Oklahoma.  The events he enjoyed were the calf and steer roping.  Billy set world records in both of these events.  He set a world record in calf roping in August of 1909 in his home town of Cedar Vale, Kansas, with a time of 25 seconds.  It was reported that over 2500 people attended this rodeo and none, except the cowboys who participated in the rodeo, realized what they were witnessing until the time keeper made the announcement that Billy Bonnell had busted the record to smithereens.  Winning times averaged around 35 - 40 seconds.  (Cedar Vale Commercial, Aug.  1909, Vol. 22, N. 8, P. 1)

The rules for calf roping were tougher in 1909 than they are now.  The calf got a sixty foot running start with two men on horseback whipping it.  After the calf was roped and tied by the cowboy, the judge would turn the calf over to ensure a good tie.  When an article was written about Billy in 1940 in Hoof & Horns, a western magazine, his calf roping record had still not been broken under the old rules. 

Due to the increased popularity of rodeo as entertainment, wild west shows began popping up.  Among these shows were the 101 Ranch Wild West Show which Billy toured with for many years.  It was during his time with this show he met people such as Will Rogers and Lucille Mulhall. 

Billy, along with his two brothers, also toured with the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show.  In an interview with Ralph Bonnell, grandson of Billy, he told of how Billy and his brothers traveled to Europe with the show.  During their tour, the show went bust, leaving the boys stranded.  The parents had to raise money to bring the boys back home.

Billy Bonnell was selected as one of the five men having the best average in steer roping in 1912 and was chosen to perform his talents in Calgary, Canada.  This was one of the first big rodeos with large purses and was attended by many distinguished guests.    This event was and is still known as the Calgary Stampede.  It brought together some of the most talented riders and ropers in both Canada and United States.  Billy was paid $1,000 with all expenses paid for himself and his horse. 

Upon Billy's return he told of an amusing incident he encountered when trying to depart Canada.  Billy traveled with a group of cowboys, and the group had rented  two box cars from the railroad to take their horses.  The cars were booked in Billy's name, so he was responsible for all the contents.  All went well until  Billy and the group were ready to come back through customs.  One of the cowboys had sold his horse while in Canada and it was no longer in the group.  He was told that he would have to remain in Canada until the man who purchased the horse could be located and the horse accounted for.  Supposedly, Billy's delay was close to a month.

This was not Billy's only trip to Canada.  He also traveled to Winnepeg, Canada, in 1913 to attend a large roping and riding contest with his friend Charlie Johnson.  Billy carried off $600 in prizes.  (Cedar Vale Commercial, Aug. 1913, vol. 26, n. 9, p. 5)

These trips took a toll on the horses.  The horses were never the same after these trips.  Their legs were weakened and their full strength and agility never regained.  This was very upsetting for the cowboys, because a good roping horse is the major part of getting the good time.  Billy's accomplishments in calf and steer roping can be attributed to the skills he acquired while working on the range, however the major factor to his success was his well trained horse.  Billy owned many well trained horses, the most famous being Romeo.  Romeo is listed in a book of famous horses and was the horse he used when he set the world record in 1909.  Lucille Mulhall, Fred Beason, Tom Mix, Ellison Carroll, Buffalo Vernon and many other record holders used this horse.  (Hoofs & Horns, May1940, vol. 9, N. 11, pg. 4)

As Billy grew older his love the rodeo did not diminish.  He was still active in rodeo up till death at the age of seventy-four.  He participated in and around Cedar Vale, and at age 64 he placed second in calf roping at the Moline 4th of July rodeo. 

He also enjoyed showing and teaching you boys how to ride and rope.  One of Billy's students was his youngest daughter, Lillian Lucille Bonnell Howell.  Lillian was named for one of Billy's friends, Lucille Mulhall. 

From a very young age, Lillian went to rodeos with her father, and sometimes competed in calf roping events against boys and men.  It was while attending these rodeos, that she was people entertaining the crowd with special acts, such as trick roping, trick riding, and Roman riding.  This sparked an interest in being a rodeo entertainer. 

Her father, Billy, taught her how to trick rope and this began her career as a rodeo entertainer.  She would perform her talents in trick roping at various area rodeos.  Meanwhile she was teaching herself how to trick ride.  She could not afford to buy a special trick riding saddle, so she made one herself.  Pat McKinley, Lillian's daughter, stated that when Lillian was a married woman she and her husband decided to buy her a horse she could train to trick ride.  This horse was a bit shorter than average horses, which was exactly what Lillian needed since she was 4 feet 11 3/4 inches tall. 

Lillian was a natural at trick riding. However at one performance she had an accident which knocked her unconcious.  This event convinced her to go to Stroud, Oklahoma, where a few more experienced trick riders taught her some tricks of the trade.   Although Lillian was under 5 feet tall, she could do a lot of tricks on a horse that most women could not.  She was stout enough to do such tricks as leaping off and on a running horse and doing a headstand on the shoulder of a horse.

Lillian's performances grew in popularity and she decided to expand the act.  Lillian's husband, Harold Howell, joined the act.  Harold had also been involved in rodeo as a calf roper and bull rider. He also performed at various rodeos as a rodeo clown.  Their acts included double trick riding, with Harold dressed as a clown, as well as trick roping and various acts.  Harold and Lillian passed on their talents to their children Pat Howell McKinley and Lee Howell.  Both children performed with their parents at early ages.  doing such thngs as trick roping and trick riding.

Lillian's love for performing passed on to her daughter Pat.  When Pat was a teenager she had perfected her trick riding and decided to try another facet of performing . . . Roman riding.  Roman riding involved standing on the backs of two horses and doing various tricks.  The family act turned into a mother/daughter act.  Lillian and Pat performed various rodes in Kansas and nearby states, doing twenty or more shows a season.  Lillian's age soon became a factor and she had to retire.  However, Pat remained performing and became well-known.   She performed in such places as the Dominican Republic.

Pat performed her trick roping, trick riding, and Roman riding for many years and eventually passed it on to her own children.  Pat and her three children performed at local and area rodeos until 1976. 

This family never got rich from rodeo, nor did they ever receive endorsements such as the ones that today's rodeo professionals receive.  They were involved because they loved what they were doing.

Hope you enjoyed it.  It is rather lengthy, and I did omit alot of information.

[Ole Granny]

Thank you.  Yes, I did enjoy it.  I asked the question awhile back whether Lee had ridden in the rodeo.  Now I know my memory is correct.  At least, on that.  Thank you, again.

Anytime you feel you have the time, please include the omitted information.  I'm sure we would all enjoy it. 

[momof 2boys]

Thank you for your comment.  Lee, my father, didn't really enjoy the performing as much as Pat.  I think that back then he was more into chasing girls! LOL!!!

[frawin]

I always enjoyed watching Pat and Lillian perform--Harold, too, for that matter.  They were at the Moline rodeo when I saw them

Myrna

[Diane Amberg]

Very well written and informative....thanks.