Washington County Enterprise-Leader
History Of Lincoln Rodeo Street Dance
FOUNDER RECALLS ORIGIN OF IDEA
LINCOLN — Early in his rodeo career, Louie Guess, now 85, who was born and raised at Briggs, Okla., frequently came to Lincoln to compete in the sport.
Guess was entering four rodeos a week in the 1960s. A concerned Lincoln resident offered him steady employment.
“Why don’t you get you a job?” the man told Guess, then invited, “Come up to Lincoln,’ he said. ‘I pay $87-a-week.’”
Guess eventually did make his home at Lincoln, but at that moment the man, who founded the Lincoln Rodeo street dance, was consistently in the money.
“What do they pay in calf roping?” the man asked.
When Guess informed him he’d make $800 in a few weeks and get to $1,000 shortly after, the man was flabbergasted.
Guess remembers, “He couldn’t hardly believe that.”
Rodeo Events
Guess’ favorite rodeo event has always been calf roping. He also team-roped along with the late Ray Washington. Although Guess didn’t have a preference for either position in team-roping, Washington always took header with Guess at heeler.
Guess’ talents were in demand as hazer when bulldogging got going. One year he hazed the steer for six different cowboys during the Lincoln Rodeo.
“Every one of them won a prize,” Guess remembers. “They were first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth all in the same
Lincoln Rodeo.”
Guess said having a good horse is a key to success in lining up a steer for bulldogging.
“If you ain’t got a good hazer, you don’t get nothing back (from an entry fee),” Guess said. “I had a horse that could really do it. He’d take that ol’ head and line them out. We aced them.”
Good Payday
That particular year, somewhere along 1964 according to Guess, he raked in the winnings at Lincoln.
He won the first go-around in calf roping and placed second the next night and came in first the third night to win the average. He also won the wild cow milking the first night, placing second the next time out, and taking first the third night.
Founding The Street Dance
Lincoln Rodeo founders J.R. and Anna McCratic never objected to Guess’ initiative to get a street dance added to events surrounding a weeklong rodeo celebration in the community. Still, he was on his own in taking an idea to fruition.
“We were good friends, we just never did associate that much,” Guess said.
The street dance became part of the 13th annual Lincoln Rodeo in 1967. Determined to make the added event memorable, Guess began cooking at 5:30 a.m., finishing at 4:30 p.m. Guess made a quick trip home to shower while others served and feasted on the meal. He arrived back in time for the street dance.
“One guy from Siloam Springs showed up to help with the cooking that hot day,” Guess said. “I just kind of organized it. I talked them into it and it turned out real good.”
This year as the Lincoln Rodeo celebrates 65 years, the street dance is now in its 52nd year. The Lil’ Mister and Lil’ Miss contests and speaking portions of the 2018 Lincoln Riding Club royalty pageant for Lincoln Rodeo queen, junior queen and princess immediately precede the street dance which gets underway at 8 p.m. on the Lincoln Square, Aug. 8, 2018.
The street dance showcases community support of the rodeo and provides an important venue which empowers hometown folks as well as out-of-town visitors to celebrate small-town hospitality.
Benefit Rodeos
Guess and Floyd Luginbuel organized rodeos at the Lincoln Riding Club Arena and used funds to benefit the Lincoln Library and Lincoln schools.
“We had a rodeo that paid on the library and the school and other things,” Guess said. “We really had a good time together.”
On one occasion during 1967, Guess recalls, “We donated all the rodeo profits to the school,” and of another, “He (Luginbuel) would take the money and donate it to the library. We had a real, good crowd both times we had it. It wasn’t much money, just over a thousand dollars, just enough to donate.”
Cooking On Grand Scale
Guess’ penchant for cooking on a grand scale filled many hungry bellies in various community events. To make certain the first street dance went off without a hitch, Guess cooked 150 pounds of pork, 20 chickens, plus hotdogs and hamburgers; a feat he replicated more than once during the annual Lincoln Rodeo street dance.
Guess has also cooked at the Lincoln Senior Center, whipping out hotcakes by the dozens doing no less than 600-per-day. One day he made 1,100 hotcakes.
Rodeo Artwork
As a boy, Guess picked up a pencil and started drawing pictures of cowboys, cowgirls, rodeo and western lifestyle. He created art to occupy himself during down time, not wanting to be idle.
“I just started,” Guess said. “I drawed broncs and I drawed calf ropers.”
Some of his drawings dating back to 1949 from his teenage years are among his personal collection of memorabilia. He took correspondence drawing courses, and sometimes his originals were mistaken.
“People thought I copied that,” Guess says of a drawing he envisioned in his mind and put on paper. “You didn’t do that, did you?” they would ask.
Lincoln Legacy
The 85-year-old cowboy is still going strong. Guess plays guitar and enjoys getting together with friends for a jam session in his backyard shop. A plaque proclaiming, “Louie’s Guitar Lounge,” in the shape of a guitar pick hangs on the wall. There are two rooms — one for eating and one for musical expression.
Guess’ philosophy remains all about having a good time. The Lincoln Rodeo street dance serves as an appropriate legacy.
2018 Rodeo Dates
The 2018 Lincoln Rodeo is scheduled for Aug. 9-11 at the Lincoln Riding Club Arena one mile west of town. The street dance will be held Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m. at the Lincoln Square following the 2018 Lil’ Mister and Lil’ Miss contests and portions of the 2018 LRC queen, junior queen and princess pageant.