Stillwater turned out to be one of the biggest crowds I have ever seen in a Library Summer Program. I performed for over 300 children plus for 3 different sessions making it over 1000 in attendance total. They had to turn away people because it was so crowded. Next time we may have to do four sessions. They were a great crowd and I’m looking forward to going back for another performance. I will put together a different program for next year I’m sure they will like just as much or better. I even spin my big lop 100ft off the stage and it went around me and over the audience. They loved it and many of them want to be trick ropers now. I told them stories of the Old Wild West and showed them pictures of famous Wild West performers. What a great bunch of Kids!

Visiting Children’s Hospital is one of the high lights of my life. I donate about all my time to organizations that could use cheering up, but going to the hospital is about my favorite places. One year we had  Sheriff John Whetsel and I held camp Cavet for children. we had pony rides, trick roping and many other events. Even the National guard got involved and brought a helicopter and give rides. The camp was named after the Chaplin of the hospital. I love to go and be there for them and I’m looking forward to my next trip.  I take toys like baseballs that have OU printed on them, OU pillows, OU teddy bears, trick ropes and other toys. I go and play with them and teach them to trick rope and tell them Wild West stories. I have visited the transplant unit, the cancer center and was part of the new Troy Aikman center grand opening. Troy was there himself and has been of assistance in the past for the pay area. Going there brings back memories of my stay in the hospital as a child. I spent about a year in an oxygen tent because I was so sick. It was hard but my dad’s cowboy buddies came to visit me and I got a cowboy hat a toy cap gun and a small trick rope to pass time. After my stay in the hospital I try to never taken life for granted, and try to bring smiles to the hospital every time I get a chance.

Marty Tipton (Oklahoma Kid)

I’m just killing a little time between shows. I’ve been from one end of the state to the other. It can get a little tiring out here on the road. I’ve had five performances in four days and it was hot during the day. My evening Rodeo performances weren’t that bad but the Parades and Festivals were Smoking Hot!!

Just thinking back of some of my dad’s old friends and I remember going to the Pro-Rodeos stopping by this cowboys booth who was set up and selling music and he and his wife talked to my dad and step mom allot mostly because worked most the same shows year around. I keep thinking to myself, this must be how you get famous or get your name out there by being at every event you can telling your story and showing your product. I bought some of his tapes and playing them while traveling to rodeos jamming to songs like Copenhagen Cowboy. I always wondered how long I would be seeing him show up at every rodeo, And he never stop going. I visited with him at every show after I found out he sang songs about real rodeo life not like other country singers. Then one day I heard over the radio he had a top hit Cadillac Ranch. I was glad to hear he got a big recording deal. This happened something like ten years of him setting up booths and autographing tapes himself. I realized I had watched a singer work hard and had faith in what he did, so I was proud of my family and his being good friends. It had a sad ending though he became sick and passed away way to early in life but the time I spent hanging around Chris LeDoux was one I will never forget. And Chris did love what he did , he lived his life the way he wanted spending it around other cowboys and on the road. Chris was a true 110% cowboy and one of the nicest men I ever knew who always had time to spend with me. God Bless his fans and his family.

Trick ropers can start at any age.

These trick 

ropers are only 2yrs and 4yrs old,

its in their blood.

Oklahoma Kid Roped & Spoke for a fund raised in St. Louis. The funds were for the elderly who were not able to drive to the store for food for a program called Meals on Wheels. The Government drop the assistance for this program and many elderly are starving right here in the USA. They were kind enough to get us a room at Ameristar Suits and Casino across the river from St.Louis in St.Charles. We had such a great show my family and I were invited back two months later for their Centennial Celebrations in St. Charles MO. Here are some pictures of the Hotel and me doing pop ups with the rope.

Spining the rope over head!!!



Lane Frost

Tuff Hedeman

   

Back in those days the bull fighters were more traditional and were sponsored by Wrangler jeans and wore their patch on our seats. A lot has changed in the rodeo business over the years now Dickies sponsors a lot of the bull fighters so the look more like hockey players to me but they are colorful. They also came out with Kevlar vest like Cody Lambert Started wearing in the early 1990’s and helmets for those with head injuries. I am glad to see that. I rodeoed during Lane Frost time I remember seeing him cover a lot of bulls he traveled a lot with Tuffy back then or you may know him as Tuff Hedeman. Tuffy was exactly what his name said. I’ve seen him clear out a club and take on 6 guys at once. He wasn’t the feller to make mad. But we were all good friends behind the bucking shoots allot like family because we lived our lives on the road and would see each other each weekend for a show. One of my most memorable experiences as a bull rider was spending a few weeks living in my travel trailer at Don Gays place in Mesquite TX at his arena. Don is 8 times world champion bull rider. Don and his father who was the toughest man in Texas as far as I was concerned, was teaching me how to cover a bull. In fact I think his dad got a buckle for that Toughest Man in Texas. Anyhow Don and his dad were helping me learn better tactics for staying center of the bull and Monty Henson who they called Hawk Eye was there to help. One of the first things they had me do was go all the way to the other end of the arena and stand dead center. Then I was to plant my feet and not move at all with my hand straight out in front of me. Ok, I thought now what? Hawk Eye claimed up on the fence and smiled at me and Don went to the back of the bucking shoots. Then I heard Don say don’t you move an inch until you feel hair. Then it happened Don turned out a 2500 pound horned Bull! I felt like I just stepped on to the highway and was going to be hit by a Buss. Don then give me some news you can’t out run him so the only way out of that arena is you stand you butt still until you feel the hair on his head then roll out and make a sharp turns until you hit the fence, but if you try to flat out run him you’re going to lose. That was how Donnie’s dad tough him he held nothing back and let us have it all. When they ran the bulls up in the chute most of us a little seasoned cowboys except for one feller. He looked too good to be true he had new chaps, jeans, spurs, rope everything and he drove a Porsche. He was ready to go right up until they ran the bulls in the chutes me and my buddies looked around and all we could see was his rope hanging on the fence and the dust off the back of his fancy car as he drove off as fast as he could. Guess he must have had a lot of money and wanted to ride a bull but when he got up close to them the chicken in him came out. Hey if you read this Id like to know your name because you might be smarter than the rest of us. But we rode bull after bull all day long and by night was I sore. Now I see how come Don was a champion because of his dad. The bulls came on the chutes and one of them was from the National Finals Rodeo and all the other boys’ stepped back when he came in the chute. We’ll I wanted to make an impression on Don and the others and I was a bit cocky a little so I said pull my rope on him, I’m going to ride this one. I claimed up on him buried my spurs as deep as I could and nod my head. The fireworks started then I fought that bull for seemed to be for hours but was only 5.8 seconds and he slung me right on the ground like slapping leather. It rang my bell and then he stomped on my femur bone leaving me what we call a strawberry or red spot and bruised the bone and cracked it. I could not carry any weight on that left leg I tried to run but could not get up. Then I heard Donnie’s dad holler Get up, Get up what kind of cowboy are you. You get your %#@*$! And get around the back of those shoots and get back on. As stunned as I was I hopped up on one leg the behind the chute and they ran the bull in. The other guys about 7 of them helped me get my rope on. Out of fear of Dons dad Neil Gay, I claimed on another time. I tried with all I had in me to keep center of that bull when that gate came open and did pretty good considering I only had one working leg. But again I eat mouth full of dirt and got up on one foot with my jeans about torn off and smashed straw hat and Neil, Dons dad said ok, get ready we will start getting back on them in the morning. He taught tough and endurance and that a man can just about endure anything. And I will never forget seeing Donnie Gay and Monty Henson playing football in the arena waiting for everyone to show up for practice. After that I went on the rodeo circuit and become a pretty good bull rider. And I feel very fortunate to have to been able to stay with Donnie.

Don Gay 

Neal Gay Dons Father

Bobby Steiner‑Larry Mahan‑Don Gay 73NFR

Don Gay

I was introduced to the Western Life Style at a very young age. My first memories were of my father riding bareback horses before I started school, I remember it so well because he had a bad wreck and the horse darn near killed him. I’ve been performing every since I can remember before I done my first roping act at the age of 9 I rode bucking ponies in the Little Britches rodeo and I was a Tap Dancer with an act of my brother and I as Hobos dancing our way across the country. We did pretty well in fact we made the top ten finalists nationally and performed in the finals. It would have been a show similar to Americas got Talent. Since then I’ve been a professional Bull Rider and Team Roped, during my younger school years. In fact I was about the only one who as a freshman in Junior High to Letter in Football and Rodeo. My class ring had a foot ball on one side and a Bull rider on the other. I went on to be a Bull Fighter with David Vanbuskirk. We had a full blown show were we had an ambulance and a Donkey we traveled with. One night on the way you the Newkirk Rodeo David and I seen a house on fire so David jumped out and called 911 and tried to help people out of that old house and about got himself burnt up, he also assisted the fire fighters that battled the blaze. I don’t know what happened but that night for sure David changed, he wanted to be a fire fighter and he did. Now that was good for him but not so much for me I now didn’t have a traveling partner to split the gas with. We’ll I’m proud of David he is still putting out fires and moving up in the department while I’m still running around these old rodeos shows Trick Roping. Maybe I should have hung up my hat and became a fire fighter but looking back I would not of made to good of one like Dave, I’m not as app to run into a burning house. So I’m glad I went on Roping and hitting the circuit.

Just Roped at the Stillwater Library yesterday and wow did they have a crowd. In fact there wasn’t enough room for everybody. So we had 3 shows were I pulled of tricks off and even the 100 foot loop. I was on a high stage and the rope spun over the stage and over the Kids. I also showed them Pictures of Geronimo, Bill Pickett, Annie Oakley and many other Wild West figures. When I did the Texas Skip the stood up and screamed. We all had a great time; I even had enough time to show them how to start to become a trick roper by giving some of them a lesson. In all we had over 900 children in attendance. The staff there was fantastic and very helpful. GO COW POKES!

The Travel Network contacted me about Oklahoma and wanted to know some of our great culture here in so I was happy to host the show for them for a national show, I expect you all to watch that channel and tell me how I looked. HA!! They traveled around the state seeing new things but they were particularly interested in the Stillwater Calf Fry (Mountain Oysters) I call them. I let them have a bunch and they loved it. There is more to that story, I will tell you later.

Living on the road as a Performer is a different type of life. I spend my off days booking but I spend most of my time on the road. The summer started a little slow but now has wound up into a whirl wind of Wild West Shows and plenty of road time. Last month I was a featured article in a magazine and I was spinning 100 foot of rope on the State Capital steps. I love the life and I rope all year around and I love to volunteer for charitable events were ever. I took a plane to St. Louis to raise money for Meals on Wheels since the new government doesn’t see it fit to feed the elderly who can’t get out of the house and get food. The Government dropped the program I suppose to support the war. Well it was a nice trip and those people out there are the nicest folks you could imagine. In fact they had me back for a Centennial Calibration were I roped for the parade and my wife sit on the float throwing out candy, what a parade It was only about 7 miles long. Well I’m glad to be of help to them any time. There like family out there and many other places I travel to. I haven’t seen too many bad spots in the us after serving overseas in the army, No some those central a American countries are poooor when I was there some years ago they had a 70% unemployment rate can you believe that. Hum!!! Keep them in your prayers boys their lucky fruit grows wild every there or they would starve to death
EDMOND OUTLOOK MAGIZINE Link 50,000 copies wen out in April. It not my first artical its just the latest one. Iv been in Southern Living and many others.
http://www.edmondoutlook.com/archives/m.blog/27/arts-oklahoma-kid

This week end was one of the greatest shows I’ve had this year. I performed at the Mangum Rodeo Friday and Saturday night. Last Thursday I attended the Black Gold Days Festival. So I’ve been from one end of the state to the other.  In Mangum in spite of the rain and having a soft arena to perform in we pulled it off and was lucky enough not to have any rain during the performances.  The One Arm Bandit was there who  herded  two Buffalo on top of a full size Horse trailer and he did it with no hands  with just a bull whip in the only hand he had he really only had had one hand. John Payne the Bandit has been 11 times Act of the year for the pro Rodeo Association.  Jester the Barrel Man (Rodeo Clown) was there and he was crazy funny and Jaycee Taylor and Brother done the trick riding, There were two runs of bull riding and it was all good until the very last rider he got a spur hung up in the flank strap and it took a dozen men to get him lose. It tore most his clothes mostly off but at the end he got one knee and thanked God for living through it, But later went to the hospital. Over all it was an exciting week end and being part of the Mangum Rodeo was great. That show has been running for over 80 years. I rode rough stock there years back as well as my parents.