County of marker: Harding County
Location of marker: Canam Hwy (US-85/SD-20), Centennial Park, Buffalo
"The wolf, donated by Wally & Linda Stephens, represents the prairie wolves and the buffalo wolves which roamed this area. The most famous wolf was Old Three Toes, which killed thousands of dollars worth of livestock before he was trapped. He stands on a rock donated by the Gordon Helms family.
"The statue of Tipperary, sculpted by Tony Chytka of Belle Fourche, SD, depicts the rich history of rodeo. Tipperary, which stand on a rock donated from the Gordon Helms family of Reva, SD, was one of the greatest bucking horses of all time, reputedly bucking off 91 cowboys while having only two qualified rides on him." ~ Harding County Chamber of Commerce
Many people say Harding County's two most famous characters are a horse that could not be ridden and a killer wolf that played havoc with the ranchers. Tipperary was the horse, and Old Three Toes was the wolf.
Three Toes was a ruthless predator of the range. Three toes had age, cunning, stamina, and a killing lust. It is estimated that between 1909 and 1925 he killed over $50,000 worth of livestock. At today's market price, the livestock would be worth well over $250,000.
Three Toes was a large grey wolf of peculiar traits. When chased, he would trot through a ranch yard like a dog. He was unafraid of humans and would watch a lighted window at night as if he yearned for the friendliness of men. Trackers read his signs like a book. Some ranchers wondered if he had once been a cub in captivity or had escaped from a sled team in the northland. Others thought he was born about 1907 right here on the Little Missouri River 10 miles north of Camp Crook.
When hard pressed by pursuers Three Toes employed such tricks as circling, back-tracking, breaking circle, leaping over ground or snow drifts that would leave a trace of his passing, then charging into a bunch of cattle or sheep to scatter them so they would obliterate his trail. One time he hid in the carcass of an old horse. Another time being hard pressed by a pack of hounds, he jumped up over a 12-foot bank and left the dogs behind him. Three Toes was a powerful jumper. One time he made a flying leap across a 30-foot wide chasm to defeat pursing dogs and men on his trail." ~ Historic Marker - Harding County Chamber of Commerce
"That horse is the slipperiest fellow that ever caused a cowboy to pull leather. His hide actually crawls and he turns so fast that you can't tell which end is which...Just when he is going to sunfish, he does exactly the opposite, bucking in a straight line, with short, jerky jumps."
"And so the legend of the famous bucking horse unfolds. Raised by Ed Wickham, sold to Doc Latham and Mex Griffith, lost to Carr and Ridgeway in a poker game, Tipperary first bucked off Ed Marty who gave the blood red bay his name as he hit the ground exclaiming, "it's a Long Way to Tipperary." Charlie Wilson would but Tipperary and his partner, Tip Top, to become a part of the Wilson bronc string. From Camp Crook to Belle Fourche and all parts nearby, Tipperary bucked. His reputation boasted of 91 buck offs, including Yakima Canutt and Sam Brownell, champion saddle bronc riders.
"Rodeo was different during Tipperary's day than it is now. Bucking horses were trailed to the rodeos rather than being trucked. There were no bucking chutes. The broncs were snubbed to a saddle horse in the middle of the area, often just a large circle of cars and trucks. After being saddled and mounted, the bronc was turned loose to buck. The 8-second rule did not apply. The contest between man and horse lasted until the rider was thrown of the horse quit bucking.
"Tipperary's sage was written to song by Tex Fletcher in 1953. The famous bay was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage in 1976 and into the PRCA ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979." ~ Historic Marker