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after a bit joe came walking back. his hat sat on a bush of wet hair and his face was clean of dust. he went to his sorrell horse and began checking his gear and rope. when he was satisfyed he mounted and went to the warm up area. he simply walked circles with the good sorrell. while doing that he handled his rope and ran it through his hands getting a feel for the seven egths hemp rope. . he checked it for weak or broken strands. he did the same with the piggin string coiled and stuck under his belt. his good horse showed a touch of energy with a spring in his step. the rodeo atmosphere had him charged. over at the arena ed and jerry were watching joe . they knew enough about houlihaning a steer to know a injury might not show up for a while. but joe just seemed focused on the chore comming up. when the steer roping was announced ed was first out.. his steer horse was a big sorrell that had seem many contests. they drew a big steer who ran a little harder than everyone expected. the sorrell had to strain a little to get in throwing distance. when ed had tied the steer half way down the arena and threw his hands up to signal time they had posted a 28 scond run. the next two entrys were local cowboys one of which missed and the other had a bad fall on his steer and had to remount and throw the steer a second time. makeing him in the 40 second range. when joe was called to rope he rode into the box. his loop in hand. jerry stood to one side and quietly said"this steer is big but dont run much. get a solid trip on him" joe nodded that he had heard. when he called for the big wide horned steer he let the steer almost all the way to the 35 foot line before turning sox loose. the bald faced sorrell exploded from the box and rolled up on the steer like a frieght train on a tramp. just as he was getting in range joe threw his loop in a perfect through that caught booth hornes clean. joe flipped the slack over the steers right hip just above the hock as the stout sorrell leaned over in a left hand turn catching another gear.just as the rope came tight joe slipped his right leg over the back of the stampeding horse. when the rope came tight he was stepping to the ground. the steers head was pulled around to its right side and the rope swept his legs from out from under him. just as the steer pancaked into the arena dust joe stepped up and strung the bottom front leg then pulled the hind legs up to it and wrapped and tied them off. then threw his hands up. from the chutes came a whoop and a holler as jerry and ed cheered him. joe walked the rope to sox s hind end then touched the horses hip and quetly praised the horse as he patted him before mounting.the man with the megaphone annunced joes time as a 19 second run. over the 35 foot score it would be hard to match. and as the steer roping event ended it was plain that joes run was the best of the day.. the last event of the day was the team tying. joe and sox once again roped the horns and turned the steer but jerry missed catching the hind feet.. when the performance was over and the ground was slowley filing out of the grand stands joe, jerry and ed were walking back to the contestants camp area leading their horses. ed explaine the next day the rodeo would finish the first go round.. then the top ten in that go round would come back and compete on sunday for the average prize money. ed and jerry both thought their calf roping runs would make the top ten also joes steer roping run but they would have to sweat the next day to be sure.

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joe had never bull dogged a steer from a horse before. he had wrestled them a foot in the corral, but running full speed over a 35 foot score? but he watched ed and jerry on their runs and felt he could do a passable job. ed used his steer horse to jump from and jerry hazed for him.. when joes time came to run they mounted him on eds horse and jerry was going to haze for him. when he nodded for the steer and the gate opened the big steer left like a rocket. eds bay horse hit the score line just right and in just a few moments the two horses and steer were flying down the arena. as he rolled up on the steers left side joe realized the size of this big steer. jerry on the other side yelled at him to GET DOWN! joe leaned over and put his right elbow over the steers back bone. eds horse caught a gear and slid him up on the steers neck. joe put his hands up in front to catch the hornes. eds horse motored on by with jerry joe had the left horn in his left hand his right arm under the opposite horn when eds horse left him he popped joes feet in the air in front of the steer. when his feet came down the steer ran over them tripping him. it caused the steer to summersault takeing joe with him the dust cloud raised by the wreck was so thick no one could see what was happening. when the dust cloud lifted it showed joe hanging on the steers head twisting his neck. finally the steer gave in and collapsed. joe turned him loose and rose and started back to the chutes. jerry passed him leading eds horse. " daamn pard, all you needed to do was throw the steer , not thrill the crowd!"jerry said in passing. as he walked out the gate ed caught him and started beating the dust off his back " you ok? " he asked. joe nodded and helped knock the dust off his body. " many a guy has been hurt doing that, broken legs and such we should have explained it a little better. i hope you wont hold it against us."ed was brushing the dirt out of joes hair. " ill know better next time." joe was spitting dirt from his mouth." how long until we rope a steer? " two events" ed answered. " good ime gonna find some water. be back in a bit." joe turned and walked away.