Thursday, January 8, 2015
Badger Mountain
In 1925 a bay bald
faced colt was born on the Willms brothers wheat ranch near Douglas,
Washington. This colt was destined to be one of the most famous bucking horses
in the world. When he was big enough to ride he was traded to some neighbors, who intended to use him for a
saddle horse. The young horse bucked off more than a dozen men before they
decided he would only be a work horse. He liked the harness even less than a
saddle so the neighbors took him back to the Willms brothers. The Willms had no
use for a horse of that kind on their farm so they took him to a near by rodeo.
The young bald face
horse proceeded to throw every rider who mounted him. By 1932 he had been bucking over three years
and no cowboy had ever came close to riding him. Attending some of these events
was a newspaper man named M. E. Hatcher. He was a friend of Leo Moomaw’s and he
told Leo he’d better go take a look at this big bay horse. At the first opportunity Leo went to the
Willms brothers ranch. Henry Michel was the first to try the horse. The ride
was over 3-4 jumps. Leo worked a trade for him, named him Badger and put him in
the draw. The very next day he threw Henry in 3-4 jumps.
The list of bronk
riders who tried and failed to conquer Badger Mountain reads like a “Who’s Who”
of rodeo history. Some cowboys tried him as many as ten times and failed to
ride him ten times. Some on the list are: Casey Tibbs, Gene Rambo, Bill
Linderman, Bill Ward, Jack Wade, Burl
Mulkey, Jerry Ambler, Buck Tiffin, Bev Connor, Guy Cash, Vic Swartz, Bob
Burroughs, Jackie Cooper, Stub Bartlemay, Mose Kruger, Johnny Tubbs, Ike
Roberts, Norman Stewart, Cecil Bedford,
Felix Cooper, Ole Rice, Shirley Hussey, Joe Kelsey and a great many
others.
By 1951 age was
taking it’s toll and the great Badger Mountain was taken home to be cared for
as long as he may live in peace. In May 1954 he was run into a bucking chute to
check his teeth. After a few minutes in the chute he collapsed and died.
Presumably his great heart failed. Badger my have preferred to end his life
that way.
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