"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.
Harding County's Harold Ekberg would be the last rider on old Tipperary, retired in 1926. Both Ekberg and Tipperary were 21-years-old at the time. Tipperary continued to prance to the war song that bore his name, even after his stature was worn down. The old bucking horse died in a blizzard of 1932. His bones are said to be buried in Tipperary Park on Highway 85 just south of here.
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.
Alvin Cordell of Camp Crook carefully researched Tipperary, including interviewing Frank Latham, who was involved in the first attempted ride on the horse, which took place on the main street of Camp Crook. Rather than writing about the event, Alvin commissioned Belle Fourche artist Mick B. Harrison to recreate the event on an original opaque watercolor. The painting shows Elmer Wickham (fr left), Greenup Moseley on the white horse, Frank Latham on his horse Cole Younger, Ed Marty on Tipperary as the horse leaps into the air as was his renowned bucking style. Doc Latham (just right of Tipperary), and Jake Rideway (far right behind the buckboard). The scene took place in front of what is now the Camp Crook Area Community Center, looking south. The bandstand, which still stands at the intersection, can be seen in the background.