Wild Cow Milking - Part 2
I have another wild cow milking memory. This one was with my friend KK. I met KK at BYU in Provo, Utah. He was Hawaiian. His real name was Al Austin, but I like his Hawaiian nickname of “KK Kau Manua”, which interpreted in English means “KK cow manure”. A pretty appropriate name for a mugger in a wild cow milking contest, which he became. I talked him into it with vision of glory and fame and money. I think the fame part may yet materialize.
KK and I drove up to Idaho Falls from Provo, Utah one weekend to participate in the rodeo at Ammon. We trailered Hondo and Ranger. I instructed KK on all his duties and responsibilities as the mugger while we were traveling. It was a warm summer night. It felt good to be out in the arena, the lights, the crowd, the smell of the livestock, something I always enjoyed.
KK was wearing a very colorful Hawaiian shirt and tenny runners. He immediately got the attention of the announcer who made some complimentary remarks about his attire which brought applause for the “Paniola” or Hawaiian cowboy. We were all in a good mood, and KK just put the frosting on the cake.
Well the buzzer sounded and all the ropers were off. Cows running in all directions, a few minor wrecks out there with ropers and their horses. I finally got a loop around a cow, but it ended up slipping off the back of her head and I then had her by her nose. That didn’t last too long, KK tried to get the loop back over her head, but she pulled loose and got away. While I was going after another mama, Al saw a cow standing close to him, in a sort of be-wildered state of mind. He thought, “Hey, I can get her myself” so he jumped on her neck and pulled her head around in a good thumb and finger fashion as I previously described. He was just waiting for me to jump off Hondo and get to milking. Meanwhile the announcer saw what happened and over the loud speaker told the “Hawaiian Cowboy” he had broken the rules by mugging the cow ‘prematurely’. Rope first then mug. The crowd laughed and clapped for the Polynesian initiative. I finally got a cow, and we performed as planned, I got the milk to the judge for a 4th place finish-no money-but –hey-4th out of 12-down right honorable. Our blood was up by now, KK and I could have done the Hawaiian war chant, the Maori Haka and the Fijian Meke Wese all in one, but we weren’t asked to, so we loaded the horses and went home, their loss. KK was probably the only “Paniola” that ever mugged at Ammon, and the crowd loved him.
