Bobby Brooks Kramer - Renowned Montana Cowgirl
Bobby Brooks Kramer , a nationally renowned cowgirl who was one of the early women to ride rodeo broncs for prize money , died of natural causes in Billings , Montana at the age of 91 . in January 2005 . In 2000 , she was inducted into The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame at Fort Worth , Texas . She grew up on a ranch as the daughter of the Prairie County Sheriff and spent her life in the wide-open spaces of Montana . In the summer of 2004 the Western Heritage Center in Billings featured a photo exhibit titled " Bobby Brooks Kramer : A Montana Legend ." She has also been featured in a pair of documentaries , " I ' ll Ride That Horse " and " The Last Stronghold ." Mrs . Kramer , showed her American Quarter Horse Association gelding , Red , at ninety years of age , and won one of four highpoint awards for riders 17 and older at the Billings Saddle Club , where she was a lifetime member .
Bobby Brooks Kramer grew up in Garfield County in Montana gathering and breaking wild range horses and riding broncs in rodeos . For six decades , Bobby has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the horse industry in Montana . Riding since she was three , Bobby has carried on the ranching traditions of her parents and grandparents . She and her husband formed the Hanging Diamond A Horse Ranch after both pursued notable rodeo careers . Bobby produced award-winning horses in cutting , trail , reining and pleasure riding . http :// www . cowgirl . net / HallofFameHonorees / Kramer , Bobby . html
18,000 Miles in Nine Years on Horseback
Bernice Ende , known to many as Lady Long Rider was camping at Big Medicine down the road in Hot Springs , Montana with her two horses a twelve year old Fjord and a five year old Percheron / Fjord cross . Bernice has been riding thousands of miles over the last nine years , eighteen thousand to be exact .
Her first year , 2005 , she did two thousand miles on horse back , zigzagging across the west only stopping to sleep with a tent and bed roll , on her way to the southwestern states .
Over the years she has made her way across parts of Colorado , Wyoming , Nebraska , New Mexico , Arizona ' s Highway 66 and along the Oregon coast .
She will be the first one to tell you she has no clue how it all started . A DVD she sells documents the first ten thousand miles . Her first horse was a Tennessee Walker , and she ' s taken two dogs along at different times . This year she is on no set route visiting the trails and byways of Montana , Idaho and Wyoming . Bernice depends upon the kindness of others for her food and spent last winter in Trego , Montana . Five months of not riding was rough on her . A former ballet teacher it was her walk and presence that attracted my attention . If you are interested in this amazing woman ' s long rides go to her website at : www . endeofthetrail . com
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Long Rider Bernice Ende visited Hot Springs in the middle of June . Photograph by S . F . Roberts