Chapter Eight
July 1869
Denver launched another big Fourth of July celebration in 1869, one that lasted almost a week. A wide variety of events was scheduled, including a parade through downtown, horse races, mule pulling contests, shooting contests, knife and hatched throwing contests, and a horse show.
One of the new events was a horse and rider endurance race from a ranch just north of Colorado City to Denver, a distance of over fifty miles. Another new event tested both horse and rider in roping a running yearling. A third new event involved a cutting horse competition – the horse had to separate a cow from a herd and move it into another corral. Other cowboy-related activities included bronc busting and a chili cooking contest, standard fare on cattle drives.
Almost every com
