07/14/2025
๐ค: ๐๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐, ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ?
A: Yes, it happened on August 27, 1960, at the Eastern Montana Fair rodeo (not the Bucking Horse Sale). Ted Kennedy, age 28, was campaigning for his brother John during the presidential race. After Kennedy was diagnosed with fatal brain cancer, he wrote Montanan Joe Reber for Joeโs 90th birthday. Said Kennedy: "I'm just glad I survived that rodeo ride in Miles City."
In 2008, 48 years after the ride, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer had a dinner with Kennedy and others. Kennedy fetched a framed picture and told of his visit to Miles City. Schweitzer later commented, with some hyperbole: "How many Montanans who have ridden (horses) their whole life would, with a couple thousand people in the stands, jump up and say, 'I'll ride that bronc?' That's one tough man."
How did Kennedy do? The Associated Press reported five seconds. One report stated three bucks. Ted Kennedy was campaigning, and he would have done almost anything to help his brother, 15 years his senior. Kennedy borrowed boots, chaps, and spurs at the fairgrounds. The next day while in significant pain, Kennedy rode to Billings in Joe Reberโs single-engine plane. Montanan Joe Reber and Kennedy maintained a life-long connection.
Miles City Star photographer George Larson took the photo of a lifetime. The image was published nationwide. I normally post restored photographs of the Old West, but I was captivated by the photo and tale of bravado in my hometown. -Gary Coffrin
