The Red Lodge Rodeo/Poem/Bette Wolf Duncan

The Red Lodge Rodeo
(1940s - 1950s)

Forget?? I've not forgotten
those times when I was young;
and the memory of those rodeos
tastes sweet upon my tongue.
Red Lodge on July the fourth,
I'd find a way to go
to where the crowd and action was...
the home town rodeo.

I'd head on out for Red Lodge
where everyone was goin'.....
where rodeo grounds were packed with folks
and streets were over flowin.
The ruckus of the rodeo
would rock the Red Lodge crowd.
The cheers and chants and jeers and rants
would vibrate thunder-loud.

And when the chute was opened
and Bud Linderman shot out,
the home town crowd went crazy,
as the bronco spun about.
With both legs on the same side,
he'd spur the bronc's right side—
then toss across to the left,
a spurrin' as he'd ride.
The right side—then the left side—
a spurrin' all the while;
and then he'd face the hometown crowd
and flash his hometown smile.

And when it came Turk Greenough's time,
we'd marvel at his skill—
the way he'd step right off the bronc
like it was standin' still.
Standin' still? Not hardly!
It bucked! It kicked! It spun!
But Turk stepped off so casual-like
when his ride was done.

And then came destiny's fair child,
and I can see him still......
the Champion All 'Round Cowboy—
Bud's big brother, Bill.
He could ride the bulls and broncs
that came straight outta hell.
He could ride most any brute
and always he'd excel.

Rodeos...I've seen a lot...
but nothin' can compare
to the home town rodeo
when all your friends are there;
and you're all there together
a cheerin' loud; and when
the riders that you're cheerin' for
are local home town men.

 © 2000, Bette Wolf Duncan, All rights reserved
 This poem may not be reprinted or reposted without the author's written permission.

Bette Wolf Duncan comments: I grew up in in Rodeo Country, southeast Montana. Red Lodge calls itself Home of Rodeo Champions. And it is that.. The three cowboys mentioned in the following poem, Bill and Bud Linderman and Turk Greenough, and Alice and Marge Greenough were world champions, all World Chanpion riders. In later years, so was Deb Greenough. All are in the Cowboy or Cowgirl Hall of Fame. A statue of Bill Linderman stands in front of the rodeo gallery, National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.

My late husband, Bill Duncan, lived close to Red Lodge; and, as a child, he used to play rodeo with Bill and Bud Linderman.