Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Flint Hills Rodeo Celebrates Eight Decades Crediting Start With Roberts Rodeo Family

It’s a rodeo family story unmatchable.

That’s E.C. Emmett Roberts, his wife Clara and their six children’s instrumental beginning of the Flint Hills Rodeo at Strong City.

It’s the 80th anniversary Flint Hills Rodeo, June 1-2-3, at Strong City.

Beginning with regular practices in the 1930s of staging pasture rodeos at the Roberts Ranch near Strong City, birth of the Flint Hills Rodeo was 1937.

It was only a natural step when Roberts along with his son Ken Roberts and his son-in-law Eddie Boysen put on what they called the first annual Chase County Rodeo in 1938.

The rodeo they hosted was renamed the Flint Hills Rodeo the following year and has kept going without fail ever since.

Today, the Flint Hills Rodeo has the distinction of being the oldest consecutive rodeo in Kansas.  The first full weekend of June finds the rodeo convening in Strong City, using the same arena and grounds built for the event in 1948.

A legend in his own time, Emmett Chester Roberts, born in 1895, was a cowboy from get-go. Born when horses were still the only mode of transportation, everything to do with horses became Roberts’ life, his love, his business.

The Roberts Rodeo Family gathered at the Flint Hills Rodeo in 1940. They include Ken, Gerald, Clifford, Howard, Emmett, Clara, Marge and Gloria.

Married to Clara in 1914, Roberts had first Morris County, then Chase County livestock and farming operations. Yet, better for Roberts was constant calling to help with Flint Hills cattle roundups.

Best of all was demand for Roberts’ abilities training unbroken horses for neighbors from many miles around.

Into Robert’s most mature years, nothing would bring a bigger smiling reflection than talking about bucking horses.

Rodeo was all in the Roberts family with rodeo contestants, contracting-producing, and bookkeeping-secretarial duties, while momma Clara provided steady home base and hospitality for all.

Marge Roberts was born in 1916, and Emmett placed her on a horse as soon as she could sit well. Always “loving the ponies,” Marge was just 13-years-old when she went with the Clyde Miller Wild West Show during the summer.

Upon graduation, Marge joined the show full time, where she was later joined by brothers Ken and Gerald. Marge married Eddie Boysen, and they competed and produced rodeos.

Riding saddle broncs, Marge was said to be “real showy, whooping and hollering every time the bronc’s feet hit the ground.” She won the women’s bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1940, the equivalent of being world champion.

Marge also had a trained horse act and did exhibition trick riding at rodeos around the country.

Gerald Roberts was born in 1920.  It’s said, Gerald “could ride a horse before he could walk.”

“Dad bought young colts by the carload,” Gerald said. “Ken, Marge and I used to break them while riding to school. I guess that is how we really learned to ride.”

Stories are that the Roberts kids would amuse the neighborhood by having rodeos in their backyard.

Claiming to be the first bull rider to use a nine-plait-braid in a rope for bull riding, Gerald continued making bull riding ropes like that in his rodeo tack business at Abilene.

In his first 14 years of rodeo, Gerald accumulated 10 trophy saddles and 40 belt buckles. He was the first Kansas cowboy to become all-around cowboy of the world in 1942, and again in 1948.

Additionally, Gerald was the only cowboy in the world to win championships as a member of the Cowboys Turtle Association and again in the Rodeo Cowboys Association, predecessors to today’s Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Ken Roberts was born in 1918, becoming a world champion rodeo cowboy, too. Ken was said to always give credit to Marge as being his toughest competition and credited her with leading him and Gerald into professional rodeo.

Winning in bronc riding, Ken’s forte was bull riding being named world champion bull rider three years in succession: 1943, 1944, and 1945.

Younger brothers Clifford and Howard served in the Merchant Marines and also did some rodeo competing. Daughter Gloria was a rodeo secretary for a number of years.

After being at the Roberts Ranch four years, the Flint Hills Rodeo Association Inc. was formed, stock sold and issued, with an arena on lease ground from 1941 through 1947.

In 1947, the association purchased 20-acres for the arena on Highway 50, where it remains today.

Roberts Rodeo Company supplied livestock for the hometown rodeo and contracted events throughout the Midwest for many years. Emmett Roberts was honored as the 1977 Rodeo Man of the Year.

To honor the Roberts rodeo family, a large mural was erected and dedicated on the Flint Hills Rodeo grounds in 1994. The paintings have been moved for protection from elements and can now be viewed on the back wall of the east ticket booth.

Rodeo action begins Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings, at 8 o’clock, with many activities throughout three days highlighted by the Saturday afternoon parade.

It’s a pasture filled with vehicles every year at the Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City, going back for 80 years. This aerial photo from 1951 is verification. There’ll be modern version for this year’s special anniversary edition June 1-2-3.

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