Louie Guess: Living Portrait Of A Cowboy

STREET DANCE FOUNDER RECALLS PERSONAL RODEO HISTORY

LINCOLN — Louie Guess has seen a lot and practically done it all over the years at the Lincoln Rodeo.

Guess, was born during the Great Depression. Yet those hard economic times didn’t diminish his entrepreneurial spirit. Guess established the Lincoln Rodeo street dance in 1967, an event which helps kickstart the rodeo scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Lincoln Square.

Asked about witnessing 65 years of Lincoln Rodeo history, the 85-year-old cowboy politely declines to name a favorite year. They all seem to stand out in his memory as experiences that have enriched his life.

“Just about every one of them, it’s really good,” Guess said. “We had a lot of fun and I knew everybody that came just about from here to yonder.

Among his exploits Guess won the calf roping event held at the first rodeo Siloam Springs hosted in its new arena in the late 1950s. About a year later he replicated the feat at the first rodeo held at a new arena across the state line in his native Oklahoma at Watts. Guess also won several times while competing at the Westville, Okla. and Stilwell, Okla. rodeos.

He was born and raised in the Briggs, Okla. area near Tahlequah, Okla. before moving to Lincoln and joining Lincoln Riding Club in 1955 or 1956. Guess was active in rodeo competition for 30 years competing in calf roping, team roping and if a rodeo included wild cow milking he done that, too.

“I hazed steers for just about everybody that would come along and won some money about every time, so we just had a real good time,” Guess said. “I lived in Tulsa before I came down here and I got to coming down here and I got to know a few friends and the first thing I know I live down here. So, it’s been great.”

Guess went to work for Luginbuel Farm which had a rodeo grounds. Guess conducted rodeo events at the farm.

“I had two kid rodeos out there and they did have a good time,” Guess said. “People showed up and we had lots of jackpot roping. I branded a lot of horses out there. I put shoes on a lot of horses. It was just a great time.”

Eventually Guess got his own place and of course he established a rodeo arena. He began holding roping schools on his place. His original clients were a group of 11 young cowboys. Guess conducted an eight-day course in 1968 that launched the careers of ropers such as Jimmy Huffaker, whom Guess notes just retired in the spring, and Kevin Strope.

“Every one of them wound up winning money,” Guess said.

According to Guess, Strope won at least four saddles and quite a bit of money.

“It went on and every one of them learned good, won money and was happy with what was going on, and took care of me real well,” Guess said. “We done a great lot of things together. I loved every bit of it.”

Along the way Guess owned and trained race horses. He owned a quarter horse named “Red,” which netted Guess $58,000 after all bills were paid from the endeavor in about a six month stretch. The horse had a registered name, but Guess just called him “Red.”

Another horse Guess calls “Big John” brings back fond memories. Guess traded for the horse when the animal was still a baby. Guess acquired the horse when the anmial was a month old and kept him for eight years.

“I roped three nights a week on him and on Sunday I’d take him to the races,” Guess said. “He won every one. He got outrun (by) half an inch by a Triple A horse, but they gave us daylight so we got the money.”

Guess smiles and he recounts details about the horse’s disposition. Red was gentle and little bitty kids could ride him, but when he was put into a race the competitor in the horse kicked in and he ran like the wind. Guess took the horse to various race tracks in Oklahoma such as Tulsa, Oklmulgee, Fort Gibson and Muskogee.

Among his personal collection, Guess has a tattered drawing he made of a bull rider as a 16-yeardold. He took up drawing as a young man because he never wanted to be idle.

Guess represents a living picture of an American original — the cowboy looking forward to celebrating one more Lincoln Rodeo like he has done for the past 65 years.

“I hazed steers for just about

everybody that would come along and won some money about every time, so we just had a real good time.”

Louie Guess

Living Cowboy

SUBMITTED PHOTO This historical photo depicts Louie Guess, now 85, of Lincoln, in his hey-day as a calf-roper. Guess persuaded the Lincoln Riding Club and the City of Lincoln to add a street dance as part of the annual Lincoln Rodeo.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Louie Guess, 85, of Lincoln, displays a tattered drawing he made of a bull rider as a 16-yeard-old. Guess, who founded the street dance in 1967, to accompany festivities during the annual Lincoln Rodeo that began in 1954, took up drawing as a young man because he never wanted to be idle.