Historic Hood River
Stalking Horse?
9-28-2012
Notes
This image was shot just a few days after the 1947 Hood River rodeo. I suspect it is related, but I don’t know much about rodeos.
The History Museum of Hood River County
Bringing the Rich History of Hood River County to Life
charlott
Rodeo was quite the event in Hood River in that era. It was naturally held where the Hood River Saddle Club building is on Belmont. They had quite the arena, holding pens and brought in a lot of qualified stock for bucking, etc.
I think that this……….animal (?) would have been used in the ring, probably as a clown prop. If it were used to distract bulls I can see where they would run away in terror. Maybe that is why one got on the loose and wasn’t captured until it was almost to the junction of Hwy 35. I am not certain that incident happened in 1947 though, but recall them basically putting Hood River on lock down until the runaway was corraled.
Jim F
Looks like something you’d use to practice your roping. I believe it is called a "roping dummy."
l.e.
I agree with Jim, although those definitely look like ears and not horns.
Connie
love this picture Arthur. It could be as simple as a kids attempt to create his own bucking horse after an exciting day at the rodeo. It looks a bit like one that my son made one time in the barn.
Dr. Steelhead Catcher
If you look closely at the "face" it appears to be a gas mask with woody woodpecker eyes.