Old Missoula

Missoula’s 1^st 50 Mile Horse Race – 9 riders (1 Lady) – Fabulous 4^th of July – Bash for the Books

Missoula sponsored a dilly of a celebration for the 4^th of July in 1934. Over a three-day period, the events included a huge variety of activities, but the main event was the 50 Mile Pony Express Horse Race. The Missoulian proudly presented a [partial] list of the festivities for July 2, 1934:

 

Today’s Program.

9 a. m. – Start of pony express race at six points, each 50 miles from Missoula.

About noon – Finish of pony express race at the city corral on West Main street.

4 p. m. – Baseball games, City park.

6:30 p. m. – Horseshoe pitching contest at the fire hall.

8 p. m. – Free entertainment, platform at corner of Higgins avenue and Main street.

9 p. m. – Pony Express Days dance at the Mount Sentinel Community club.

Lions club carnival, across from N. P. station.

 

The Pony Express Race was more than an authentic reenactment. It captured the spirit of Western Montana in a way that had not been done in a long while, and the excitement wouldn’t be matched for decades.

A later Missoulian article provided the best description:

 

Drama of Pony Express Race Told by Winner

Experiences of 1934 Give Hint of Battle That Riders Now Face

It is in the light of previous experience that future events must be judged.

That being the case Western Montana is entitled to anticipate a thrilling contest in the second annual Pony Express race Wednesday afternoon for it is only a year ago that the ponies set Missoula agog with their performances over a 50-mile stretch in the wholly unexpected time of 2 hours and 51 minutes.

Not only was the time a distinct surprise – the more daring had offered wagers that the race would require something over three hours – but the manner of the finish astounded the spectators who had assembled on West Main street. The crowd was so densely packed that there was danger of some being severely injured.

In order that Western Montanans this year may know what to expect at the fairgrounds track late Wednesday afternoon, a review of the 1934 contest will serve as an excellent hor d’oeuvres.

Review of 1934 Events.

It was at noon last July 3 that Melvin (Hoot) Gibbons, riding the last of five horses in the string of Homer Hooban of Florence, pounded across the county bridge west of Missoula near the end of his 50 – mile stretch of the hardest kind of riding. He looked to his left, and bent again to the task of urging his horse forward.

And his best efforts were needed. Coming along Toole avenue, from the Flathead Route, was another rider who seemed assured of victory. And during the last few blocks, Gibbons and the other rider – Charles A. Brooks of St. Ignatius – staged as thrilling and desperate a finish dash as ever was seen on a race track between spirited sprint horses. And each of these mounts was at the end of a 10 – mile stretch.

Nor were these two riders alone in their astounding performance. The fifth – place winner was only two minutes behind Gibbons and the other riders only a little slower. These riders had started at marks along routes through Frenchtown, down the Bitter Root valley, from the Flatheads, from the Blackfoot and from the Drummond route. Each starting point was 50 miles from the finish line. It was a case of ride, ride, ride, not knowing what those on the other routes were doing – a supreme test of skill to pace the animals so that they would make the maximum speed and yet finish their stretches without injury.

The race was something new to Missoula – although the real pony express days are not so far distant in the past – even the most skeptical were enthralled.

From the standpoint of the rider:

The test of courage and endurance was something not thoroughly understood. But the men and one woman, Jean Barnes, who had ridden to Chicago from Missoula to visit the Century of Progress Exposition, finished in good shape, ready to tackle it again. But let the winner tell about it:

“I knew it was going to be a tough race after we had run the first half-mile, and I was surer than ever when I pulled into that final stretch, half a mile from the finish and nearly a quarter of a mile from the leading horse,” said Gibbons after he had completed the contest. “The other horse was faltering, though, and mine was pulling at the bit, raring to go, so we cut down the distance rapidly. When I crossed the finish line, I felt as though I had ridden 500 miles, instead of 50, but I was sure glad.

“We were nose to nose during the first 10-mile stretch out of Hamilton, and I knew it was going to be a race, no matter how fast they were going on the other routes. In the second lap, my horse pulled ahead, and I felt a lot better as the lead grew bigger, but I wasn’t too sure yet.

Making Good Time.

“In the third lap, I felt fine. We stretched into a big lead, and I knew I was making good enough time that none of the other riders would have much on me. In the fourth lap, though, Dishman’s horse was gaining rapidly, and my mount wasn’t quite as good as the first three. I began to worry a little but I still had a fair lead and a good horse for the final 10 miles.

“After the last lap started I forgot about Dishman [and] the other racers – everything but getting to that finish line as fast as I could. Then, the other side of Fort Missoula, my side began to hurt like hell, and I was all doubled up over the saddle. I knew the horse was strong, but I began to wonder if I could last. After going 45 miles I didn’t want to have to quit, so I stuck to it.

“As I pounded across the county bridge and hit the junction of the roads from the Flathead, Coeur d’Alene and Bitter Root, I saw a horse and rider a quarter of a mile ahead of me, and beyond them I saw the crowd at the finish line. I forgot the pain and everything else, and gave the horse his head and talked to him. We closed that quarter of a mile in a flash, and when I saw the other horse falter at the end, I knew I’d make it. I had a tough time getting through that crowd and the cars, but I was sure glad when I slid off that horse knowing I had won.”

The above article appeared in The Missoulian on June 30, 1935.

 

Melvin (Hoot) Gibbons was described the previous year as a 21-year-old rider who resided on W. Pine St in Missoula.

 

An article from the Missoulian on July 3, 1934, gave the complete results from the race along with another terrific description of the event. Seven riders finished the race and two others were entered but did not finish.

Below is from the Missoulian article:

 

How They Finished

Monday’s pony express race, with seven contestants finishing, provided the big thrill of he opening day. The riders finishing, with their times, were:

First – Homer L. Hooban of Florence. Time, 2:51.

Second – Charles A. Brooks, St. Ignatius. Time, 2.51.1.

Third – O. P. Dishman, Missoula. Time, 2.53.

Fourth – Francis Tammetti, Coeur d’Alene. Time, 2.53.1.

Fifth – Alfred Deschamps, Frenchtown. Time, 2.53.1 plus.

Sixth – Mrs. Jean Barnes, Missoula.

Seventh – Wesley Binko, Binko Dude ranch.

Gibbons won the 50-mile race when he nosed the last of Hooban’s string around Charles A. Brooks of St. Ignatius, 10 feet from the finish opposite the city corral on West Main street.

Two minutes later a swirl of dust thundered in with Carl Dishman riding the O. P. Dishman string of Missoula a few feet ahead of Francis Tammetti’s string from the Bitter Root.

Delayed at Crossing.

The fifth prize-winner was Alfred Deschamps of Frenchtown, who came two minutes and a half later. Deschamps’ time allowance of two minutes, 20 seconds, failing to get him higher in the prize winners. He had been delayed by a freight train at Alberton.

Sixth place was taken by Mrs. Jean Barnes, who rode in from the Drummond-Philipsburg route a few minutes after 12:15 o’clock. On the final lap of the 50-mile run Mrs. Barnes was delayed when his saddle cinch broke. Sixteen-year-old Wesley Binko, who came in seventh, trailing Mrs. Barnes by a few moments, rode out of the Blackfoot, and had also experienced similar difficulty with his cinch.

Others Have Bad Luck.

Two others who started the race at 9 o’clock Monday morning did not finish the grueling run. On the third lap, the horse of George Weisel on the Blackfoot “pulled” a shoe and had to discontinue the run. On the first lap on the Bitter Root road, Harold Schreckendgust’s mount became lame and could not continue.

The Brander sisters of Avon had to scratch their entry Monday after two of the horses of their string which were to be taken down the Blackfoot went lame during a workout Sunday. Because of difficulty with his string of horses, Isaac Plant of the Reservation district also had withdrawn from the race before its start.

Belle, the black mare that carried the young Missoula rider the last 10 miles to a winning finish, is a descendant of the original stock with which the Maloney brothers started their ranch on Miller creek some 30 years ago, and her good blood told in the driving last lap Monday. She was reared on the Maloney ranch, the M Bar M.

Thousands of partisan spectators lined the five routes that stretched like gnarled fingers 50 miles into the valleys tributary to Missoula. Nine strings of hard-bitten mustangs, trained for bitter going, were in the race in which each of the five horses in a string ran 10 miles.

When the starting guns sounded sharply at 9 o’clock, the riders dashed from their posts to bear the mail to Missoula.

Progress Watched

Within a few minutes hundreds of persons gathered within sound of the public address system manned by “Powder River Jack” Lee to hear the progress of the race along the five routes. Pencils scratched notes as spectators kept track and estimated the time they could rush to the finish line for the last dramatic thrill of the race.

From the first, it was apparent that it was “a hoss-race.”

First report on the riders came at 9:40 when Charles Brooks, riding from Post Creek out of the Flathead, was reported 13 miles along the way and going fast.

Five minutes later, out of the Bitter Root came word that Carl Dishman, followed a hundred yards by young “Hoot” Gibbons, had thundered through Victor.

At 10:09 o’clock, out of the Drummond pass, came word that Jean Barnes, who had ridden to the World’s fair at Chicago, was 17 miles along her route – well past Nimrod.

Brooks Going Strong.

Brooks again was reported far on the way, and going like the wind down the Flathead slopes. It was 10:22. Brooks was past Arlee, 21 miles out of Missoula, pounding toward the grades of Evaro. Twenty-nine miles in an hour and 22 minutes inflamed the imagination of the crowd.

Who was this Brooks? Was anyone else reported? They didn’t have a chance.

Then from Alberton, on the Coeur d’Alene route, came report that Francis Tametti (sic) was through there in a scattering of dust with Deschamps at his heels. Then came report that Deschamps was trapped at a railway crossing. For this, the judges allowed him 2 minutes and 20 seconds. The Bitter Root trail again was heard from. At Florence Gibbons led Dishman by two miles. It was 19 miles to Missoula. It was 10:40 o’clock and a finish was expected within a few minutes.

Jean Barnes pressed down the Drummond trail past the Bonita ranger station at 10:45 – just 23 miles from the finish. One of her horses had failed her, it was said, but she was driving hard to finish.

Nothing out of the Blackfoot. What was happening to Binko? Where were the other riders? What was going on in Clark’s Fork? Someone would be pounding in in a moment.

Streets Are Cleared.

Police cleared the streets. The crowd began moving two blocks west to the city corral.

There, at the junction of the five Pone Express routes, stood in the center of a great white ring a power-line pole, marked on the east side “Finish of the Pony Express Race,” symbol of the invention that brought the passing of the pony express. There, too, was the oversight that cost first prize money to Charles Brooks of the Flathead. The westward side of the pole was not clearly marked as the finish, beyond the flag drapings.

Hundreds of persons jammed around the meeting of the highways.

Police motorcycles skimmed the edges of the crowds, driving spectators back, but as fast as a machine passed, the crowd again surged into the painted ring.

Deschamps and Tametti were reported past Frenchtown, riding neck and neck. No report from Brooks. He should be in any minute now. Necks craned to the west, where riders from the Bitter Root and the Flathead and the Coeur d’Alene would appear. Restlessly they turned to the east for possible arrivals from Drummond and the Blackfoot.

At 11:42, the dusty car of the Bitter Root judges came in to report their riders well out from the last station. At 11:46, the Flathead judges swished in. “Brooks is coming about a mile back!”

Orin Dishman, general chairman, pleaded with the crowd to keep the highways open. “Nine strings of horses. Nine strings of horses. Please keep your places. They’ll be here any minute now.”

Reports said Brooks’ third horse had failed him. Where was Brooks?

Reports said Tammetti’s horse failed a hundred yards from the relay station at Alberton and that he had to carry his saddle to the next horse.

Crowd Forced Back.

Of a sudden, the crowd broke into swelling tumult.

“Get Back! Get Back! Get Back!” The crowd surged to the road to see who was coming.

Then –

“Here comes Brooks! Here’s Brooks. Come on, you Flathead!”

Around a bend in the crowd dashed four or five hard-driven horses. Pace-makers! Contestants. Three horses dashed short of the crowd along the white finish ring and checked. One circled a clump of the crowd to enter the ring.

The one that circled the ring was Melvin Gibbons, riding the express for Homer Hooban – and Gibbons rides to the end of the road.

That check of pace for the crowd 10 feet from the circle cost Charlie Brooks of the Flathead first place. That dash as far as he could find an open lane brought victory to young Gibbons.

The crowd was frantic in excitement. Judges tagged riders as they came in. The crowd relaxed, jubilant and ubiquitous.

The crowd thought Brooks had won. They had seen him first.

Brooks Crowd’s Hero.

At that, Brooks was the crowd’s hero. Not because entirely of partisanship, but because he made a masterly ride over a stern course of grades and had come through the 50-mile grind with his 175 pounds of brawn in apparently as fresh condition as an ordinary man would be in running across the street.

“Who won?” Brooks was asked.

“I don’t know,” he answered.

“That’s up to the judges. It’s all right with me – whatever they say.”

And so, with reports still lacking from several riders, the crowd left the finish post. The Pony Express was in. They had carried the mail.

Though the horses, nearly two score of them, were tired following their hard-fought runs, as were their riders, not one of the animals which finished suffered any dangerous injury. Dr. C. H. Stevens, veterinarian and one of the race officials, stated.

C. M. Reardon was chairman of the large committee which staged the event of the celebration.

 

The following year, in the second annual Pony Express race, Cliff Dishman won in a record time of 2 hrs. 44 minutes. G. H. Piedalue was second, C. Brooks third, Hoot Gibbons fourth, and Walt Perry fifth. All finished ahead of the winning time from the previous year, despite the race being 51 miles that year, instead of 50.

Bobby Tull finished sixth, riding the R. Wilhelm, H. H. Koessler string of horses from the Blackfoot. Sadly, Tull would be killed in a Missoula rodeo in 1937.

Alfred Deschamps finished seventh. Again, thousands of people attended the event.

Apparently, that finished Missoula’s interest in Pony Express Days in connection with the holiday. In fact for the 4^th of July, 1938, Missoula did not have any formal observance of the holiday at all. Missoulians had to wait until 1939 for another good one, when the Golden Jubilee celebrated Montana statehood with a “thrilling program.”

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