BUCKJUMPING STEERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 498, 4 May 1909, Page 6

BUCKJUMPING STEERS.

■ (BI TBLXaEiPH—SPECTiL COBBISPOHbBirr.) _, ,--'■,- Auckland, May 3. ine torn of amusement known as "buck- • jnmping steers" is described by tho "Star" as having taken place at .tho Tukekohe militaiy sports. The paper thus 'relates what took placo at tho closo of the ordinary programme:—!'Tho crowd congregated round a stockyard, into which,was run from an adjacent -pen a young steer. The. animal was mounted, but after several ineffectual attempts had been made to induce it to buck was released, and another;bovine was dragged into the arena. Half-a-dozen young giants in uniform hauled on a rope attached to the animal s head, and others pushed behind in the effort to get this '.wild beast' into the stockyard. The animal, a white eteer, evidently hadn't a kick in it, for it rolled oh its back and refused to be.persuaded to go forth. Pulled on its feet, however, and-at' the same tune subjected to the test known as the tail-twist, it rushed into the square Here two heavy men mounted the steer, and while several youths hung on to the Tope at tho animal's head the two riders dug spurs into-the bnrte's flanks while others twisted its tail. Once again the steer refused to buck, and got rid of its tormentors'by again rolling on its back.. No fun being forthocmmg from this wild specimen of the bovine tribe, it was liberated, and a third was dragged forth; This time tho crowd was provided with a little, exictement. A rope was passed around the steer's body, thus.providing the 'rider .with something to grip. Another rope was passed round the animal's neck, arid drawn throngh its legs so that three of the four hanging on behind were able to heave on its head. A rider was forthcoming, and with tho application of spurs, tail-twist arid a cut or two,from a rope, tho steer worked, into a stafo of frenzy. ' careored wildly round tho stockyard, making pitiable attempts to rid'itself of its persecutor. This it succeeded ;in doing several times to tho ovident amusemennt of the crowd, bnt ultimately its 'bucks' became moro feeble, and a successful rider rode the bellowing and frightened animal round and round, receiving tho plandits of tho spectators. A fourth steer was liberated and driven into tho arena but on this'occasion there was a general exodus of thoso. within tho enclosure A warning cry was.given to look out, and the animal,-evidently more wild than its brethren, was given a wide borth, no attempt being made to proceed further with this form of amusoment." . . .