North Texas State Fair and Rodeo Read online

  IMAGES

  of America

  NORTH TEXAS STATE

  FAIR AND RODEO

  RODEO QUEEN. Former rodeo queen Jessica Geldard proudly presents the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo flag to a packed arena. Geldard is now a member of the North Texas Fairgrounders, an all-female precision-mounted riding team. (Courtesy of Ronny Collins.)

  ON THE COVER: YOUNG POSSE. The theme of the 2010 North Texas State Fair and Rodeo was “Don’t Make Us Come Gitcha!” The young cowboys are ready to ride are, from left to right, Clay Akins, Ronnie Sellers, Tyler Akins, and Levi Nelson. (Photograph by Sara Barnes; courtesy of the North Texas Fair and Rodeo.)

  IMAGES

  of America

  NORTH TEXAS STATE

  FAIR AND RODEO

  Nanci Monroe Kimmey

  and Georgia Kemp Caraway

  Copyright © 2016 by Nanci Monroe Kimmey and Georgia Kemp Caraway

  ISBN 978-1-4671-3493-4

  Ebook ISBN 9781439656891

  Published by Arcadia Publishing

  Charleston, South Carolina

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016935121

  For all general information, please contact Arcadia Publishing:

  Telephone 843-853-2070

  Fax 843-853-0044

  E-mail [email protected]

  For customer service and orders:

  Toll-Free 1-888-313-2665

  Visit us on the Internet at www.arcadiapublishing.com

  This book is dedicated to cowboys and cowgirls who have ridden, roped, and wrangled and especially to the volunteers, vendors, sponsors, and all the folks from Denton and beyond who have contributed to and honored the tradition of the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo.

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  1. The Roundup Years: Beginnings (1885–1930s)

  2. Going through the Mill: Wartime and Postwar (1940–1950s)

  3. It’s Gatherin’ Time: Driving On (1960s–1990s)

  4. Saddle Up: Transition Years (2000–2004)

  5. The Cowboy Way: A New Era (2005–2015)

  Index

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The authors extend their gratitude to Jim Bainbridge, of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA); Denton Record-Chronicle (DRC); Denton Public Library (DPL); University of North Texas Portal to Texas History (UNT); the North Texas Fair and Rodeo archives (NTFR); newspapers.com; Dallas Morning News (DMN); James P. Owen, for the use of excerpts from his bestselling book, Cowboy Ethics; Denton Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB); Sanger Historical Museum; the city of Ponder; and special kudos to Kim Cupit of the Denton County Office of History and Culture (DCOHC) for assistance in gathering research material and images.

  Also, thanks to those who provided photographs from their personal collections, particularly Weldon Burgoon, the Earl Foreman family, Patsy Pitner Kelsoe, Will Williams, the Ken Burdick family, Jim and Tricia Bolz, and Sammy Andrews. We appreciate the professional photography of Terri Cage, James Hammer, Ronny Collins, Sara Barnes, Mindy Bruce, Al Key, Alex Lieban, Aaron Semas, Mickie Blagg, Jo Haigwood, Becky Alambar, Earl Armstrong, Roger Caldwell, Bruce Davis, Thomas Judd, Arthur Baker, Don Shugart, Carl Oberman, and Todd Brewer (the official fair photographer).

  We had indispensable access to research materials, books, and articles by those in whose footsteps we followed, and they cannot go without gratitude. Kim Wendt Collinsworth wrote her bachelor’s degree paper on the fair, and her research was integral in the fair receiving a Texas State Historical Marker. Historians E. Dale Odom, Ed F. Bates, C.A. Bridges, Hollace Hervey, Nita Seals, and the creators of the Texas State Historical Association’s Handbook of Texas Online deserve recognition for their important contributions to previous works.

  Many thanks to Bob Montgomery, whose encyclopedic knowledge of and engaging lectures about Texas history have delighted people for decades. Barbara Harpool Hall deserves praise for her contributions as employee, friend, and volunteer. Heartfelt gratitude to Weldon Burgoon, whose memory astounds and amazes.

  Special credit goes to Dorcas Monroe, my mother, who introduced me to the love and excitement of this vocation through her employment at the State Fair of Texas; to my daughter Ryan and son-in-law Ryan, who became second-generation volunteers; and to my husband, Ralph Kimmey, who understands my passion for making memories. Thanks also go to Georgia’s partner, Oscar Blankemeyer, who believes she can do anything she sets her mind to do. Very special thanks to Glenn Carlton and the North Texas State Fair Association Board of Directors for their support.

  INTRODUCTION

  Denton, established in 1857, is the seat of Denton County. It was named for John B. Denton, a pioneer and itinerant Methodist preacher and lawyer who was mortally wounded in a Keechi Indian ambush in 1841. Denton is located 39 miles north of Dallas and Fort Worth, both of which are noted for their fair and rodeo activities.

  In 1881, the Texas & Pacific Railway and Missouri Pacific Railroad began to offer passenger and freight service in Denton. These services changed the lives of early Denton residents who, until that time, had been engaged in ranching and subsistence farming. The railroads offered them freight service for money crops and cattle—exporting both to other parts of the state and the nation—as well as the prospect of passenger travel.

  John S. Chisum, who became one of the most famous cattlemen in the West, operated his first ranch in Denton County. Numerous Denton County ranchers—including William Crow Wright, Joe M. Waide, Edward W. Forester, Burk Burnett, and J.W. Medlin—raised and bred cattle and horses for sale.

  The North Texas State Fair and Rodeo took more than 130 years to develop into what it is today. The evolution of the fair is a tale of trials, tribulation, and triumph.

  The predecessor of the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo was reported in the October 15, 1885, Denton Doings as consisting of two days of running and trotting horse races, which were sponsored by the Denton County Fair and Blooded Stock Association (DCFBSA). Blooded stock are animals that are entirely or largely purebred. The Denton venue was a 40-acre tract bordered by Avenue A and Welch, West Hickory, and Mill Streets that was used by stock owners to qualify their horses to enter races at the Dallas State Fair and Exposition.

  The DCFBSA was organized on May 16, 1895, to host an annual fair and a half-mile horse race. The next race was held in September 1896 and featured three rabbit races, three horse races (running, trotting, and pacing), and a stock show. In October 1896, the association was reorganized and incorporated with capital stock of $10,000 held by J.W. Medlin, W.H. Pierce, W.A. Miller, W.P. Parker, M.S. Stout, J.C. Coit, J.P. Blount, and others.

  The 1897 event featured livestock and horse shows, plus exhibits in the floral hall that featured ladies’ handwork, preserves, artworks, culinary skills, and expertise in horticulture. The event also included shows featuring many breeds of cattle, swine, mules, and horses, as well as merchants’ displays. Also popular were events highlighting the expertise of female drivers and matched teams; the horse and mule races were always the high point of the day. Crowds gathered for the three-eighths-mile free-for-all dash that paid $75 to the winner and the four-and-a-half-furlong race that paid $100. The fastest mule in the half-mile race won $5, but the crowd-pleaser involved a bet on second place because that prize was five gallons of S.A. Bayless’s fine elderberry wine. Many jockeys pulled up on their steeds to ensure a second-place finish.

  According to the Dallas Morning News, in 1898, a machinery hall was added to the fairgrounds. The newspap
er also reported that a “negro cakewalk [took] place at the grounds each night.” J.W. Medlin touted the fair of 1899 as the “greatest county Fair, not only in Texas, but in the entire south.” From 1900 until 1903, the fair continued hosting horse races and featuring exhibit spaces. However, a Texas law against gambling was enacted in late 1903 and resulted in a shutdown of the fair until the 1920s.

  Several temporary locations in Denton hosted the fair during the 1920s and 1930s until a suitable permanent location could be acquired. World War II, however, disrupted any possibility of holding another fair until the men and women serving the country returned home and available livestock could be replenished. In 1949, W.C. Kimbrough donated a permanent site that would serve as the setting for the fair for the next 70 years. The fair and the North Texas State Fair Association fell under the helm of two men, James Roden and Ken Burdick, from the 1960s through the 1990s. Their leadership brought innovation and professionalism to the fair and increased fundraising activities, recognition, and attendance. More importantly, they placed an emphasis on the participation of children and upgrading the rodeo.

  The new century brought with it new leadership in the form of Glenn Carlson, Nanci Kimmey, and a strong and progressive board of directors. Under their guidance, the fair has become one of the largest and most recognized among its peers, winning many state awards for excellence. The popularity of the headlining performers draws large crowds, and the high quality of the rodeo attracts the best rodeo men and women in the business. These achievements have grown the fair to annual attendance of more than 175,000 and millions of dollars in revenues.

  Many names have been used for the association and the fair throughout the years, each reflecting the progression of the growth and stature of the fair. Association names included Denton County Fair and Blooded Stock Association (DCFBSA); Denton County Agricultural Fair Association (DCAFA); and, currently, North Texas State Fair Association (NTSFA). The event operated under the names Denton County Fair (DCF); Denton County Agricultural and Livestock Fair (DCALF); Denton County Agricultural Fair and Rodeo (DCAFR); North Texas State Fair and Rodeo (NTSFR); and, most recently, North Texas Fair and Rodeo (NTFR).

  Let us now begin a journey through the history of the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo from its humble beginnings to its current activities, achievements, and accomplishments.

  BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF DENTON, TEXAS, 1883. During the earliest days of the formation of the DCFBSA, the fairgrounds were located in the undeveloped northwest part of the city. This area was heavily wooded yet had cleared acreage that was suitable for a racetrack and fairgrounds. (Courtesy of DCOHC.)

  One

  THE ROUNDUP YEARS

  BEGINNINGS (1885–1930S)

  The earliest years of what would become the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo were not well documented in photographs. However, several newspaper articles published in the Dallas Morning News give a glimpse of the activities that occurred between 1885 and 1903 that led to the creation of the Denton County Fair. The newspaper reported that in 1890, association stockholders had the opportunity to purchase shares of the fairgrounds that were being divided into lots. That action halted the Denton County Fair and Blooded Stock Association (DCFBSA) show, which was first held in 1885, until 1895. A DCFBSA program of the 1899 horse races is shown in this chapter and is a rare and invaluable archival document.

  In 1900, the fair was organized into various departments, including the Negro Department, which was intended to attract colored attendees. The second day of the fair was designated as “Negro Day,” during which programs resulted in attendance of “about 500 of their own race, and a good-sized crowd of white people,” according to the Dallas Morning News.

  The installation of more than 1,000 32-candlepower incandescent lights allowed the first night horse race to be run at the fair in 1901. In 1903, the Texas Legislature outlawed gambling, which included horse racing. As a consequence, legalized horse racing in Denton County came to an end. When this happened, the DCFBSA board sold the fairgrounds at public auction as 40 residential lots, including improvements, thus ending eight years of fair activity in Denton County.

  The years between 1904 and 1915 were dormant fair years until the Denton County Fair was moved to Sanger, where it remained until 1917. In 1920, the fair started up again in Denton. For two years, the Denton County Fair was held on an airfield in Carroll Park. For the next two years, exhibits were displayed in temporary buildings, and tents were erected in the new city park. The fair moved to the athletic grounds of the North Texas State Teachers College for one year (1924), then moved back to the city park for five more years. Finally, in 1930, the fair was held in what organizers hoped would be a permanent location on Exposition Street. Throughout the 1930s, the fair expanded its buildings, entertainment venues, and stature as the county’s foremost fair; however, when World War II started at the end of the decade, it took its toll as most available livestock and eligible men were shipped off to aid in the war effort.

  RACETRACK LOCATION. In 1885, the racetrack and fairgrounds were located on a 40-acre tract bordered by Avenue A and Welch, West Hickory, and Mill (currently Eagle) Streets near what became the North Texas Normal College. The racetrack was located at 1105 West Chestnut Street, where the West Ward School stood for many years and where a University of North Texas (UNT) parking garage (pictured) now stands. A long line of stables was built across the north end of the fairgrounds. (Courtesy of NTFR.)

  CITY LEADER AND FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE DCFBSA. William Henry (W.H.) Pierce (1842–1927) promoted better livestock in Denton County and did much for the livestock industry as the first president of the Denton County Fair and Blooded Stock Association (DCFBSA). Pierce also served as president of the Texas Swine Breeders Association. He was elected county surveyor in 1886 and served in that capacity for 26 years. (Courtesy of DCOHC.)

  EARLIEST DENTON COUNTY FAIR AND BLOODED STOCK ASSOCIATION (DCFBSA) OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS. In 1895, the DCFBSA officers were W.H. Pierce, president; A.H. Gee, vice president (right); W.P. Parker, secretary; and J.C. Coit, treasurer. The board of directors included J.W. Medlin (below), John Payne, J.E. Koonce, A.J. Nance, J.M. Weeks, Dr. William Whitten, J.F. Day, Dr. C. Lipscomb, and S.F. Reynolds. (Both, courtesy of DCOHC.)

  EARLY FAIR PARTICIPANTS. Prominent women of the community presented their domestic wares for judging in numerous categories. Participants in the 1897 contests included, from top to bottom, Myrtle Wright Magee (oil paintings); Lee Williams, Ladies Department superintendent (Battenburg and Princess lace); and Effie Wright Williams (embroidered linens). It also included Mrs. J.W. Medlin (sweet pickles and peach preserves), Mrs. W.H. Pierce (fruit preserves, pickles), Mrs. A.J. Nance (tea cakes, apple jelly, and knitted purse), Lily Stroud (crochet collar), Anna Brown (worsted quilt), Mattie Merrill (hand sewing), Jennie Collier (paper flowers), Mrs. C.L. Herbert (crazy quilt), and Lizzie Smoot (jelly cake). (Courtesy of DCOHC.)

  DENTON COUNTY NEWS, 1897. The 1897 fair was held for four days in September. The morning events included exhibitions of livestock; farm, dairy, and botanical products; food products; crochet work; and other items vying for “handsome premiums.” Prominent nurseryman Sam A. Bayless showed his prize-winning nursery stock. The afternoon was reserved for horse racing. According to the article shown here, “the occasion will be interspersed throughout each day with Music by a first-class Band. An abundance of pure artesian water will run through all parts of the grounds for our patrons.” (Courtesy of DRC at DCOHC.)

  DENTON COUNTY FAIR AND BLOODED STOCK ASSOCIATION (DCFBSA) RACE PROGRAM. This program includes a schedule of events and races held during the week of September 12–16, 1899. The program also contains advertisements for various attractions and businesses in Denton, including launderers, gun shops, shoe stores, barbers, grocers, furniture stores, confectioners, butcher shops, hotels, restaurants, and drugstores. (Courtesy of DPL.)

  OUTLAW FRANK JAMES. On March 11, 1900, the Dallas Morning News reported that Frank James,
older brother of famed outlaw and thief Jesse James, wrote a letter to fair secretary W.E. Smoot, of the Denton County Fair and Blooded Stock Association, for a consideration that he (James) come to Denton the next September and act as the starter for the races. His offer was refused, but he served as the starter for the races at the 1900 Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition. He paid his own way and donated his salary to those in Galveston who suffered after the “Great Galveston Storm” hurricane of 1900. (Courtesy of D.J. Taylor.)

  WILL WILLIAMS’ SHETLAND PONY FARM. Williams started his Shetland pony farm in 1905 with a foundation herd of four imported mares and 20 of the best American stallions and mares. By 1951, Williams had registered more Shetland ponies with the American Shetland Pony Club than any other breeder in the United States. He served as president of the fair association in 1952. The above photograph shows Williams and his silver-dapple stallion, Reveille Patton, in front of a shed on the fairgrounds. His daughter Branche Williams is shown in the below photograph with one of her Shetland mares and a foal. (Both, courtesy of the Williams Collection at DCOHC.)

  BRANCHE WILLIAMS. Branche Williams, daughter of Will Williams, became a renowned figure in the American Shetland pony business. She developed an interest in ponies as a very young girl. She is shown at right with Sensation, one of her father’s major herd stallions. Will Williams lived by the creed that “we’ve always been firm in the belief that blood will tell and have always bought the best breeding stock from the best pony farms in this country,” as stated in a Williams Pony Sale brochure. Branche, shown below with Gangster, dedicated her life to breeding and selling prize ponies. (Both, courtesy of the Williams Collection at DCOHC.)