THE SPUR STORY

Had been done before?' they asked. The result was the forma-tion of a committee, the old American solution to any civic problem-and things got rolling in a hurry. What floored the cattle people was the manner in which such folks as Read Mullan, an auto dealer, Ben Projan, a portly clothier, and Howard Pyle, now Arizona's governor, but at that time a radio executive, and a host of other people got out and pounded the city's pavements to gain pledges. Their enthu-siasm was spontaneous, above the regular type of "duty" drive for funds. A quota was quickly reached that insured an initial success. It takes quite a bankroll to promote a livestock show. Frank Armer, the livestock field representa-tive for the Valley National Bank, was shanghaied from his job to become manager, an engrossing task for which Armer was well fitted. He is a third generation Arizona cattleman and a graduate of the University of Arizona. He under-stands all the complexities of range cattle producing, as well as purebred operations, and has a boundless capacity for work.

That was in 1949. Two other beef cattle breeds, mean-while, had decided to hold shows in conjunction, to which the Hereford people graciously agreed. The added attrac-tions were Aberdeen-Angus and Shorthorn cattle.

Since then the Phoenix show has become one of the Southwest's top winter attractions for visitors. It has become a major show on the circuit (no mean accomplishment) and it has received such state-wide support that the name has been changed to Arizona National (no presumption). The board of directors, all members of which take an active part in the show's direction, contains such civic, business, live-stock and farm leaders as William R. Mathews, Tucson newspaper publisher; Lewis Douglas, former ambassador to England and now a ranch operator near Sonoita, where his family has cattle interests; John Jacobs, cattleman, farmer and university regent; Ed Tovrea, vice-president of the largest pen feeding operation in the world; H. V. Watson, Flagstaff banker and cattleman, and a number of other lead-ers in all phases of Arizona's economic life.

Leaders in all phases of Arizona's economic life.

Today each of the four major beef breeds, Herefords, Angus, Shorthorns and Brahmans are represented. Herefords predominate as they are the country's major beef breed. They are the deep red and white marked cattle from Here-fordshire, England, and were introduced into this country, in large numbers, during the latter part of the last century in an effort to breed up the local cattle-to put on more beef yet have the rugged adaptability to get out in more sparsely grassed areas than those to which they were accustomed. Herefords proved to be able to quickly acclimate themselves and were an important factor in the growth and economic life of the Southwest range country.

Aberdeen-Angus are the solid black cattle, native to Scotland. They are hornless, thus eliminating the devitalizing set-back cattle usually undergo when they are dehorned, as a number of feedlot steers are, to offset injury in corrals or at shipping time. Angus cattle are very popular in the Midwest, with a number of growing herds on the west coast and in Arizona.

Shorthorns, too, are an English breed, the first to be imported to this country. They vary in color from a deep red to pure white. Brahmans are the sacred cows of India, characterized by the prominent hump above their shoulders, long, rabbit-like ears and a morose expression. They have been used extensively in cross breeding experiments in the southern sections of the country as they are said to be able to withstand intense heat, are not so bothered by flies and are immune to several cattle diseases.

Champion specimens on exhibition and in competition of all four of these breeds, all ages and all sizes from baby calves to 2,000 pound bulls; throngs of visitors from all over the country; nationally known purebred breeders; suntanned, Stetson-hatted cowboys just in off the range; eager youngsters just getting a start; winter sunshine in the desert country capital city, Phoenix; that's the Arizona National Livestock Show.

Uniformity of conformation is the goal of every commercial beef cattleman, as buyers, the cattle feeders and farmers pay premium prices for pea-in-the-pod similarity, illustrated by pictured lightweight pen-of-five steer champions from H. L. Bounds ranch at Santa Rita, New Mexico, and sold to a California 4H girl for 75 cents a pound.

the pur tory

Throughout the ages, the horseman has clothed himself in many garbs. Whether it be gilded armor or faded Levis, however, his one distinguishing feature has been retained. The horseman wears spurs. Since their earliest use, spurs have possessed a special significance far beyond their original purpose as goads. Traditionally, they have always been emblematic of superior position, rank or caste. In the Middle Ages, rank was shown by the color of the spurs. More recently, a cavalry trooper's spurs would gleam even when his other equipment was tarnished. That tradition still lives in our Southwest. A cowpoke's Levis may be held up with baling wire, his shirt torn and his hat sweat-stained, but his spurs must be just right! He may rust the embarrassing newness off he may wear them with studied nonchalance-but their jingle is still his favorite music. So fascinating is the history of the spur that all of the older types are sought after by private collectors. One of our finest local collections is that of Dave Hopkins, of Douglas, Arizona. During his many years as a Border Patrolman with the U. S. Customs Service, Dave was given some fine early Mexican examples. Though he now has many other types represented, these still predominate. Dave inspired this research, and we illustrate herewith several of his finest relics of the days that have passed. The earliest history of the spur is hazy. The Legions of Julius Caesar are believed to have used them, and specimens have been uncovered in England which were probably theirs. On the other hand, early Roman, Greek and Byzantine sculpture does not show its horsemen wearing spurs. Alexander the Great inaugurated the use of cavalry, but his warriors had neither spur, bit, nor stirrup. They neck-reined their mounts, just as present-day stock horses are controlled. The first spurs had a single sharp projection. These are known to historians as prick spurs. Bronze goads of this type have been found in Etruscan tombs of the second century B.C. Many later variations of the type have been attributed to various European sources. Iron examples, some with silver inlay, are to be seen in the British Museum and are considered to date from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries. The Mongol hoards of Genghis Khan wore a simple form of prick spur in the year 1200. France is usually given credit for originating the revolving rowel, but the details are lost in antiquity. The rowel spur was first shown upon the Seal of Henry III of England (1207-1272). This type did not come into general favor, however, until the fourteenth century. It was during the age of chivalry that the spur truly came into its own. To have one's spurs fashioned of gold, or gilded, was the sole privilege of royalty and knighthood. Esquires' were silvered, and those of a page were simply tinned. Therefore the rank or position of a man could be determined, even when his clothing or armor gave no clue. Since the caste system was all-important at that time, it became the practice for knights to indicate their prestige with the most costly of spurs. Some were jeweled, and all were art objects. They were usually buried with their owner, which accounts for the fact that few of these exist today. Old records disclose that the Guild of Spur-Makers of Paris, in the middle fourteenth century, allowed only one apprentice to each master craftsman. Apprenticeship was for six years, during which period the boy received little or no payment. At the end of this strict training he was adjudged a master artisan. When a valet became an esquire, or an esquire was knighted, his new spurs were fitted upon him in a special ceremony. In extremely rare instances, a disgraced knight would have his spurs hacked off in public by the cook's chopper. Gentlemen of the church were not permitted to wear spurs. Furthermore, any knight who failed to remove his before entering a church had to pay tribute to the choir boys for the return of his gilded beauties. It was during this period of history that the "battle of the spurs" occurred. In the year 1302, near Courtrai in West Flanders, 20,000 Flemish burghers faced 47,000 French knights. The Flemings were afoot, yet they repulsed the attacks of the horsemen. Afterward the victorious burghers collected seven hundred pairs of gilded spurs as trophies.

As an added hazard to cavalry, spurs were occasionally buried in the ground with the points protruding.

"Bards," or horse-armor, had much influence on spur design. Piece by piece, this leather-lined plate armor was introduced. Finally, in the middle fifteenth century, the full "panoply" of seven sections became standard. The "flanchard," or section protecting the animal's flanks, necessitated an extremely long spur shank in order to reach the horse. This shank was sometimes a foot in length. Bards gradually went into the discard, until by 1600 they were rare. Simultaneously, spurs returned to normal length.

The Spanish armorers developed large and ornately decorated rowel spurs. Some of these came to the new world with the conquistadores, and the same designs are still evident in Mexico and South America. The Argentine is particularly noted for spurs that are essentially decorative. El Gaucho, for many years, had the odd habit of wearing them on his bare feet!

In our own country, styles have undergone constant change. In colonial days we followed the English pattern. This was a light, conservative type with a slight curve and a small rowel. We also adopted a straight shanked one known as the hunting spur.

A dress spur of our Revolutionary War period is shown in an accompanying photograph. The example is of particular interest to historians, as it was made by the American patriot Paul Revere. Famed for his midnight ride to warn the Minutemen, Revere is equally renowned in some circles for his brilliant military career and for his gold and silversmithing, of which the classic simplicity of this design is an example.

The regulation cavalry spur of our own 1882 Apache Indian Campaign was solid brass, slightly curved, with small rowel, black straps and brass buckle. This closely followed the type popular during the Civil War. In more recent years the army changed to a straight shank and eliminated the rowel. This remained the regulation spur until World War II, when the death-knell sounded for the army horse.

Just previous to this, boots and spurs were part of every officer's uniform. A lighter version of the duty spur was worn for "dress." An extremely light type was known as the "dance" spur, for social functions.

In the course of doing this research, many interesting side-lights came to our attention.

Sir Walter Scott tells us of an old Scottish custom. If there was an empty larder, a dish would be brought to table containing only a spur. Thus, a raid on some other clan was indicated. This may have given rise to an expression of our own, popular around 1900. "Dish up the spurs" was usually sufficient to speed guests on their way when it was past time for them to depart.

A century earlier, American jockeys' slang described a man as "having a spur in his head" when he was slightly inebriated.

The Bureau of American Ethnology confirms our belief that the early Indians of the Southwest did not use spurs. They always preferred the quirt or riding whip. The Bureau records the South American Tehuelches as the only Indians who ever developed their own heel-goads. As we have illustrated, these were of the simple prick type, with two points rather than one. They were of wood. Oddly enough, these Patagonians also adopted bits and stirrups, neither of which found much favor with our local red men until much later on. These articles, as well as saddles and cinch-rings, the Tehuelches fashioned entirely of wood.

Styles change regularly in the spurs of our own Southwest. They are invariably rowelled, and the influence of early Spanish design is still as evident as ever. The minor variations, however, are many. Twenty years ago, the local trend was toward lighter, more slender frames than were formerly popular. The present favorites reflect the return of the heavier styles, but with shorter shanks and smaller rowels. The star rowel, with its five widely spaced points, is fast becoming a leader with ridin' men. The less experienced horseman would do well to content himself with the other types, such as the flower, sunset or wagon-wheel rowels. Remember, the more points on the rowel, the easier on the horse.

Chaps are worn for warmth in the Northwest, while Southwesterners rely on them for protection from desert growth. In either section, spur design is again influenced. Here the drop heel pattern is almost universal, as is also the addition of a chap guard. This guard is the curved, blunt projection on the shank just behind the heel. This is repeatedly and erroneously termed a "buck hook," but its only intended purpose is to keep the chap clear of the rowel. In areas where chaps are not needed, a straight shank without chap guard is preferred.

"Tie-downs" are virtually a thing of the past. These chains under the insteps are considered superfluous by nearly every puncher. As a result, spurs are seldom furnished with them in place. On special order they can still be attached to most patterns. One friend tells us that he always liked tiedowns around haying time, so that spurs could be worn on shoes. They are necessary with shoes but not with boots.

As regards ornamentation, also, styles have changed with the years. Thirty-five years ago, blued steel spurs were the fad. More recently, the plain metal spur with coppermounting held sway. We are now swinging back to the silver-mounted and heavily engraved types, which complete a cycle. The only new thing on the horizon is the solid stainless steel spur. This cannot rust or tarnish, and should be practically indestructible.The author gratefully acknowledges the kind assistance afforded him by personnel of the North and Judd Mfg Co., by Bulletins of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and of The Bureau of American Ethnology. He particularly acknowledges the aid of Dave W. Hopkins of Douglas, Arizona, and of other personal friends who have shared with him the solace of a jingling spur on a lonely trail.

MEXICAN SPUR GREAT ROWEL SPUR FOLIATE ROWELS BOX SPUR BOX HEEL SPUR CUP HEEL SPUR LONG NECKED SPUR STAR ROWEL ROSE ROWEL PYRAMIDAL POINT PRICK-SPUR CREST ROWEL BOX ROWEL STUD RIDGE SPIKE SIDE STRAP PLATE NECK JINGLE HEEL PLATE THE PARTS OF A SPUR BALL-AND-SPIKE SPUR SPURS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR COMMONER FORMS DURING THE CENTURIES

Yours Sincerely

RAILWAY CLUB OVERLOOKED: As usual the June edition of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is incomparable. However, listing visitors at Grand Canyon, as well as other points in Arizona was certainly not as complete as it should have been. Have you forgotten the following: Holiday in Arizona; Grand Canyon Holiday; Apache Holiday; Summer Holiday; Apache Trail Holiday; and our trip through Oak Creek Canyon enroute to Colorado last year? However, you are forgiven and we repeat we love every foot of your grand state. And the people. Hospitality is Arizona, and Arizona is hospitality.

GREETING: I am a professor of geography and have travelled quite a lot, but your publication opens my eyes in realizing the wonderful beauty and grandeur of your state. The splendid way you are showing it makes it possible to understand and to grasp the picturesqueness of the semidesert country. If I were younger, I would certainly like to join a ride of the Desert Caballeros, which must be a wonderful opportunity to see the country and to usefully pass and enjoy a few days without worry and sorrows and to cultivate good fellowship. I wish to congratulate you especially on the beautiful and really extra-fine colored pictures, which make your publication extraordinarily attractive. This paper is especially valuable to me, as we have here but little contact with America.Prof. Dr. Jerzy Loth Warsaw, Poland

CAMPING IS HIGH ADVENTURE: Your May issue of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS tops them all. "Camping Is High Adventure," your second Alice Drought article, is very well done. You are helping to open up a new area of life for those within and without your state boundaries. This should encourage summer living in amazing Arizona. Keep up the good work.

BACK COVER Elmer F. Ott, President American Camping Association, Inc. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

GETTING ACQUAINTED: Some years ago a man told me about Arizona and its beauty, chiefly its colours. He had been a prisoner of war there, which is not a pleasant thing, but he said the beauty of the land made up for everything and that he would like to see the country once more. He also told me about a magazine which he had subscribed to with beautiful coloured pictures, but he said good though they were the beauty of the country was still greater and unimaginable. Then I did not think of it any more. But recently I found a few copies of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS in my dentist's waiting room and she kindly allowed me to take some of them home and now I and the two friends with whom I'm living are enjoying them ever so much. I did not know until now that coloured photographs could be as fine as that with so many delicate shades, say of purple or blue. I'm getting acquainted with your country. Some pictures are breathtaking (Portrait of a Storm, December 1951-Desert Nocturne and Superstition Mountain, December 1950) and some are so lovely, e.g., flowers. So many people in this country have cactus in pots (we have some); they are mostly poor little things and not willing to blossom-it is fun to see what they are at their best! and to get to know so many more; and other flowers and blossoming trees, too.

How very differently your eyes must look at landscape! How is it possible for a photographer (or perhaps the editor of the magazine) to call such a picture, "O Peaceful World"-well, I am scared even looking at it!

What I like in your magazine is the oneness of it-just one of U.S.A.'s many states-and that one from the points of view: nature and human life. But not this ever prevalent technical progress; not that dreadfully disgusting garbagebin that most illustrated papers are now-a-days, when you have to play the ugly part of garbage picker looking for something worthwhile amongst rubbish and filthy things.

Luise Crecelius Heidelberg, Germany

NIGHT HERD The milling herd grows quiet as the dark Comes on. The cowboys ride night-herd and sing A quiet old love tune. The coyotes' bark Cuts sharply through long distances to bring A touch of unreal weirdness to the scene.

Outlines of cattle blur in the star shine Into a shadowy mass resting serene. Within the circle, shade and song combine.

GRACE BARKER WILSON

SHAME

Along the winding highways of today Speeding shadows fall upon the yesterdaysWhere stub of post, cacti ghost, buried trail lay Kin to tire, sign and rusty can of today.

RALPH A. FISHER, SR.

VALLEYS OF SUMMER Valleys of summer, Valleys of dreams, Framed in green timber, Threaded by streams.

Valleys of beauty, Valleys of light, Sun-kissed at morning, Star-filled at night.

Valleys of fragrance, Sweet with perfume; Valleys of summer, Where wild roses bloom.

HARRIET MARKHAM GILL

I PICKED NO FLOWER

The lonely wind is crying on the hill; Scant shadows fall from wizen shrubs grown old. The sharp, volcanic rocks, that years untold Have weathered brown, are loose and tumbling still.

A chilling numbness covered me until I saw a host of star-eyed flowers of gold Were climbing up the mountain's deepest fold, Were climbing happily of their own will.

I was caught within their web of dreams, To clothe the barren hill in warmth and light! I knew how unproductive is this sodAnd yet, how wondrous beautiful it seems To spread a radiance on this somber heightI picked no flower that might transform a clod.

MARILLA M. GUILD

BLOOMING CACTI

Golden fingers from the shining skies Tap the waking-bells, and I arise To see the desert now a sheet of bloom, As though a giant swept with flowered broom And dropped strange blossoms carelessly to stand In fascinating beauty on the sand.

I see the purple hedgehog, bristly pear, The silver cholla . . . dauntlessly they dare To flower where there are no sparkling waters . . . Gloriously . . . like true desert-daughters.

ELIZABETH REEVES HUMPHREYS "WIND MILL" BY BOB TAYLOR. The photographer, who lives in Oklahoma, features farm studies. He was attracted to this scene because of the unusual sky which seemed to emphasize the mission and the beauty of the wind mill.

"ON THE TRAIL" BY BOB BRADSHAW. Crown Graphic, 4.7 Ektar lens, 4x5 Daylight Ektachrome, 60th second at f.11. The scene: Wilson Ridge just above Midgley Bridge in Oak Creek Canyon. Cattle are moving to Sedona from mountain range.

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