A Little Rodeo History.....

RODEO HISTORY 101 - HOWARD TEGLAND. Howard Tegland, son of Mike Tegland, was a Salt Creek, Montana bronc rider. He won every big rodeo in America in 1922 by participating in 19 rodeos--and winning 18 rodeos, including New York, Cheyenne, Chicago, and Pendleton. At the Bozeman Round-Up in 1922, he was the winner of the Waldorf-Astoria Challenge Trophy presented for the title of World Champion Bronco Buster. He also was successful at Yankee Stadium in New York in 1923 bronc riding. He was one of the greats on top of a bucking horse. He couldn’t be beaten unless he bucked off or blew a stirrup. In 1924, he won the World Bronc Riding title in London, England. He also won the Roosevelt trophy in 1924. An annual rodeo was held in Malta, Montana and the Circle Diamond Ranch always supplied a bronc 'Circle Diamond' that couldn’t be ridden--just for the annual rodeo. When 'Circle Diamond' was finally brought into the arena, the audience was surprised when an elderly woman wearing a black dress, sunbonnet, and carrying a parasol came out to ride him. The bronc was blindfolded and was snubbed against Rufe Rollins’ horse, so that she could climb aboard the horse. Rollins took the horse’s blindfold off and the bronc began bucking wildly. The lady never dropped the parasol while riding 'Circle Diamond.' The audience was roaring. When the gun fired to signal the end of the ride, Rufe Rollins and Bob Askin rode alongside the horse to pick up the old lady. Rollins’ grabbed for the black dress, which was only held on by a few threads--and the dress came completely off. There was Howard Tegland--still holding the parasol--wearing boots and spurs. Suddenly, 'Circle Diamond' got a second wind and began bucking again right in front of the grandstand so everyone could really see Tegland. Rollins and Askin finally managed to help Tegland get off the bronc where he could change into his regular cowboy duds.
Howard Tegland was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1991.