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<\/a><\/p>\nThe October 2, 1909, and October 5, 1909 issues of the Sheridan Daily Enterprise<\/em>, reported on a Wild West Show and rodeo organized by Jim Jennings.\u00a0 The show ran from Thursday through Saturday, but it was so thrilling and drew such large crowds that a half-page ad in Saturday\u2019s paper announced a special show was planned for Sunday.\u00a0 \u201cIF YOU DON\u2019T ATTEND IT WILL BE YOUR LOSS: THE SHOW COMMENCES AT 1:30!\u201d<\/p>\n From the accounts in the newspaper, the participants were Sheridan locals or from neighboring communities. Events included a marathon, a hold up of the Deadwood stage, roping and tying exhibition, a relay foot race with four teams, a wild horse race, and a pony express ride; just to name a few.<\/p>\n One of the novelty races was the midnight race. \u201cThe most laughable event of the day.\u201d Contestants started 200 yards from the wire and rode to the front of the grandstand. There they donned longshirts, mounted and raced around the track. For this race \u201cA fast horse counted for little\u2026It was the handy man with a shirt who won.\u201d<\/p>\n For another race contestants were required to carry umbrellas. Then they rode to the wire where they \u201cturn their coats wrong side out, light a cigar and ride with umbrellas raised.\u201d<\/p>\n While the novelty races and trick exhibitions entertained the crowds, two events stole the show: bronco-busting and the race for the bride. \u00a0Reports in the Enterprise<\/em>, exhibit the bronco-riding held quite a few exhilarating moments.\u00a0 \u201cCorkscrew, a wild outlaw, threw every man, Bud rich went down like the sound of a pile driver hitting the top of a wet log.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClyde Brown on Aeroplane had a narrow escape in his broncho [sic] busting contest. He was thrown and his foot caught. People averted their heads for fear the crazed horse would stamp the man to death. But by a dexterous twist Brown himself got loose from his perilous position in safety.\u201d<\/p>\n But the climax of the bronco-busting was the ride of Jim Jennings on the back of Corkscrew.\u00a0 Jennings was a Sheridan local with a ranch on Mead Creek, fourteen miles from town. He traveled with Buffalo Bill for four years, touring in Europe in 1903 and 1904. \u201cHe is one of the best riders in the state, and that is the same as saying the best in the world, for Wyoming horsemen have no superior.\u201d<\/p>\n Corkscrew entered the rodeo a noted man-killer, sending a Buffalo, Wyoming man to the hospital for several weeks and severely injuring another cowboy just a year before. Jennings, having few equals as a rider, was game to ride Corkscrew and subdued the outlaw. However, Corkscrew had the final word sending Jennings to the ground with a hard thud on his back. \u201cJennings is carrying around a fractured rib as a memento of the occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd went wild for the \u201cRace for the Bride.\u201d\u00a0 The bride\u2019s name was given as Hazel Foster and Lillian Foster. However, it appears as Hazel Foster in most records and on Sheridan\u2019s official website. The \u201cgrooms\u201d name was Harry Lewis. Lewis participated in the pony express ride, bronco-busting and the wild horse race, as well as the bride race.\u00a0 While riding his bronc, he didn\u2019t place and he came in second to Sage Collins in the wild horse race, but he would outride Sage to capture the bride.<\/p>\n The \u201clady and the cowboy catching her would be married on the spot.\u00a0 Judge Story, it was said, would perform the ceremony without cost.\u201d<\/p>\n All we know of Hazel Foster was she hailed from Rock Creek, and was obviously an excellent horsewoman as she gave her pursuers a run for their money. Hazel was given a 200-yard head start and made good use of it not intending to get caught.<\/p>\n \u201cSage Collins, on his favorite roan, was after her, but whether or not he would have overtaken her will never be known. Harry Lewis started late and realizing that Sage could never be overtaken, he doubled back, intercepted the bride on the last quarter, and carried her to the grandstand,\u201d much to the crowd\u2019s delight. Harry Lewis won $50 and the hand of Hazel Foster.<\/p>\n Jennings show was such a success he decided to take it on the road. By the end of Sunday\u2019s performance he already had a long list of applications from the Wyoming cowboys participating.\u00a0 Enough applications, in fact, that he planned to take the show to Billings, Montana the next week.<\/p>\n As for the bride and her cowboy, I am not sure I would ever want to know what happened after the race. I prefer to make up my own happily ever after ending for the couple.<\/p>\n So from two newspaper reports Cal and Josie\u2019s story sprouted. I reduced the show to one day. Cal\u2019s character emerged from Jim Jennings wild ride on Corkscrew and Harry Lewis\u2019 daring capture of his own bride.\u00a0 Yes, Siree, it takes two men to make one of Cal. But it all started when I read about a young woman, Hazel Foster, agreeing to be the fox to seven Wyoming hounds. What would make her do such a thing? Excitement? Was she a spinster? Or did she need to save the family ranch? From these questions, and Hazel\u2019s race, Josie Allison was born.<\/p>\n Hope y\u2019all enjoyed RACE TO MARRY and the look behind the scenes!<\/p>\n SOURCES:<\/p>\n THE SHERIDAN DAILY ENTERPRISE.\u00a0 Saturday, October 2, 1909. Sheridan, Wyoming: pages 1 and 4.<\/p>\n THE SHERIDAN DAILY ENTERPRISE.\u00a0 Tuesday, October 5, 1909. Sheridan, Wyoming: pages 1 and 4.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHOO-EEE!!\u00a0 I don\u2019t know \u2018bout y\u2019all but Cookie was sweatin\u2019 bullets at the rodeo watchin\u2019 Cal ride that man-killer and then the thrill of the Bride Race! Why the ol\u2019 coot even shed a\u00a0 tear durin\u2019 the ceremony\u2026Yes ya did … Continue reading