Charles (Charlie) "Blue Bird' McDade

"He drew large crowds ,to the Denver arena being the favorite of rodeo fans, including a whiskerd one named, Buffalo Bill Cody, who is claimed to have cheered his rides.
They liked the way he dug into the bronc`s back and hung on like I was bolted to the saddle"

"They __them rodeo men__told me to scratch my bronc" McDade recalled. "I, was wearing my star spurs and scratch him I, did" he said. "I, cut him from the foreleg to the rump,
"Thats when they arrested me" His riding weight was 155, and he was strong.
"I, couild break a lariat over my knee", he recalls. "I, guess there wasnt anything I, couldnt ride, I went all over too," the old cowboy remembers.

From Texas to Canada, he rode and roped. "I, used to win some" McDade admitted in a modest voice. "Shoot he won em all whenever he rode, grace added quickly. (his wife)"Yep!, he said,"I, was raised on the back of a bull yearling." "It did me some good".

McDade, spent an exciting youth, and met some craggy characters.
"I, met Pat Garrett once, he`s the one who shot Billy the Kid, you know," said McDade.
"Pat Garrett, was a dirty sneaking coward, Laid in wait for the kid, then shot him in the back"
charged the old cowboy. "Sure Billy the kid killed a few men, He was pretty quickon the draw.
But, in those days, lots of men died. Som just went out and never came back"

McDade had slightly more love for Booger Red, an old time ranch hand around San Angelo.
"Red was the ugliest son-of-a-gun in Texas,but he was a natural musician. He could play two harmonicas and a guitar at the same time," he said. Red played that second harmonica through his nose," he explained. "Red sure blew some good music"

McDade kept rodeoing until he got his chance at the saddle bronc championship, in Denver.
"You know, they didnt actually arrest me, but told me I had to appear in court the next day".
"Well, I went to court that next day.
The judge said he couldnt find any charges against me, so they let me go. and the case dropped But I, was out of the championship riding.

"To tell you the truth, I think I, was the Worlds saddle bronc champ", he added, with a square jaw \and a half closed eye."
"Thats the way it was, riding in the West, back in "95"
Or, was it "96"