ND Cowboy Hall of Fame - Archived Articles

2003 Inductees - press release

---NINE NEW INDUCTEES PICKED FOR HALL OF FAME---

The Trustees of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame (NDCHF) have selected three ranchers, three rodeo cowboys, a ranch with a lighthouse, a rodeo producer and a 50 year old rodeo as the nine 2003 inductees into the Hall of Honorees. The nine inductees, that come from across the state, will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 2 in Medora and Sentinel Butte on August 3.

In the Modern-era Rodeo Division, Trustees selected “Tex" Appledoorn of Dunn County.

Appledoorn was raised in Dickinson, but for more than 40 years has operated a ranch north of Gladstone with his wife, Pauline. Appledoorn began competing in rodeos in the 1950’s at Dickinson State University and placed 3^rd in the nation in 1957-58. He later competed across the region in the North Dakota Amateur Association and Rodeo Cowboys Association (now the PRCA). In 1956, Appledoorn won the Dickinson Match of Champions. He won nine consecutive calf roping, four steer wrestling and three all-around titles before retiring from rodeo in the 1970s. Appledoorn has served as chairman of the 80-year-old Killdeer Mountain Roundup Rodeo for 32 years and been involved in the NDRA, Cowboy Reunion Rodeo in Medora and Killdeer Saddle Club. He continues to ranch southeast of Killdeer.

In the Pre-1940 Rodeo Division, Trustees selected Frank Marshall of Dickey County and Alex LaSotta of Golden Valley County.

Frank Marshall was born in 1914 in Forbes, North Dakota. He began competing in rough stock events in the 1920's and, by the late 1930's, was riding bulls, saddle broncs and bareback horses in up to 100 rodeos per year, including major events like Calgary, Denver, Chicago and Boston.

Marshall was a member of the Cowboy Turtles Association (forerunner of the Rodeo Cowboys Association) and a world contender for bull riding and all-around titles. Marshall continued to rodeo when he returned from WW II, but he also became an engineer working on numerous large construction projects around the world. Marshall now lives in an Arizona nursing home.

Alex LaSotta was born in Minnesota in 1895 and moved to Golden Valley County, North Dakota, in 1902. Because of a mean stepfather, LaSotta, at age seven, along with his brother, ran away from home. For years, he worked on ranches for room and board and soon became known as one of the best bronc riders in the country. LaSotta later produced rodeos and raised bucking horses. He also traveled with a Wild West show. A Stetson hat given to LaSotta by movie actor Tom Mix is at the Pioneer Trails Museum in Bowman. LaSotta died in 1937.

In the Pre-1940 Ranching Division, Trustees selected Margaret Barr Roberts of Medora and

Margaret Barr Roberts was born in Ireland in 1853, but emigrated to the U.S. in 1864 and to Dakota Territory in 1877. She and her husband, J. Lloyd, began a ranching operation near Medora. In 1886, her husband was murdered on a cattle-buying trip to Wyoming, and Margaret, along with her five small daughters, was left to run the ranch. Barr Roberts raised cattle and sheep, sold garden produce, fought wolves and harsh winters and began the first Sunday School in Medora. She was a friend of a fellow rancher, Teddy Roosevelt. Later, while President, Roosevelt stopped in Dickinson and insisted on visiting Barr Roberts before giving a speech to an anxious crowd. Barr Roberts, whose friends called her the "First Lady of the Badlands", died in Dickinson in 1938.

Theodore “Ted” Albers was born in Illinois in 1881. His family was among the first homesteaders in Oliver County in 1884. Albers homesteaded, raised cattle, owned three stage lines that carried mail and became a rodeo stock contractor and judge. He served four terms as Oliver County Sheriff and, in the 1920s, was credited with breaking up a large, multi-state livestock rustling operation. In the 1930s, Albers became foreman of the Gaines Ranch (today’s Cross Ranch State Park) along the Missouri River. Later, he returned to his own ranch where he earned national awards for his Hereford cattle. Albers died in 1946, and the ranch is now run by Lyle Albers, his great-grandson.

In the Modern-era Ranching Division, Trustees selected Brooks Keogh

of McKenzie County.

Brooks Keogh was born in Williston in 1914. He was raised on the ranch near Keene that was founded by his father in 1899. He owned and operated the historic ranch until his death in 1985. Keogh was the founder of the Sanish Rodeo Association and produced the fabled event until the Garrison Dam flooded the rodeo grounds. He was selected as the NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Man of the Year in 1965. Keogh also served as President of the American National Cattleman's Association, was an original Trustee of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and served on countless boards and commissions. The Keogh ranch encompassed thousands of acres, and the family brand was one of the first 10 recorded in Montana and North Dakota.

In the Ranch Division, Trustees selected the Nelson Sunrise Ranch of Morton County.

The Nelson Sunrise Ranch began along the Heart River Bottoms west of Mandan in 1883. Although it began as a 160-acre spread, the Sunrise now encompasses more than 8,000 acres and is still operated by the descendants of Swedish immigrant Magnus Nelson. The Sunrise is probably the only ranch with a lighthouse. There were no roads, yard lights or fences to guide travelers in the early 1900's so Magnus built a small stone lighthouse on top of a hill. When the weather was bad, he would light a lantern in the window and many travelers followed the small light to food and warmth. Today, Nelson's grandson, Clifford, and his great-grandsons--Terry, Kevin and Dennis--run the cattle operation that has become a Morton County landmark. In addition to cattle, the ranch has about 400 irrigated acres for hay and feed crops.

In the Special Achievement Division, Trustees selected the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo.

The Y's Men's Rodeo became the state's first indoor rodeo with the opening of the Minot Civic Auditorium in 1955. The Y's Men's Rodeo is produced by volunteers who give their time and financial resources to bring together the best stock contractors and competitors. All of the proceeds go to fund Minot's YMCA and The Triangle Y Camp. The rodeo has produced more than $1,000,000 for the YMCA and related projects since 1955.

The tradition continues with the recent announcement of a $150,000 contribution

towards an expansion of the Y Camp. Some of the best bucking stock in the country and the nation's top cowboys combine to make the Y's Men's Rodeo a key part of the state's rich western culture.

In the Rodeo Producers Division, Trustees selected George Gardner of Billings County.

George Gardner of Medora was a turn-of-the-century bronc rider and Wild West show promoter. He traveled with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and then started his own and toured the United States with his friend, “Badlands Bill” McCarty. Gardner was the manager and performed as a trick and fancy roper. In 1906, he and his wife filed on a homestead near Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch and ran a cattle business there. Gardner continued to be involved in horses, rodeoing and roping, and he won bronc riding and steer riding matches across the country during his rodeo career. In 1919, he won the ”World’s Best All-around Cowboy” honors at the Roundup in Glendive, Montana. His numerous trophies and pistol are in the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in Los Angeles. Well known in western North Dakota and beyond, Gardner died in Dickinson in 1927.

Hall of Fame Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says the nine newly selected inductees will join 56 others who have been inducted since 1998. The Honorees will be featured in the planned Hall of Fame’s Hall of Honorees which will be the centerpiece of the $3-million Hall of Fame planned for Medora.

NDCHF President Phil Baird of Mandan notes, “Those not selected for induction into the Hall of Fame this year are eligible for nomination in future years.”

Dorgan says, “Bids are being sought and it’s possible construction on the Hall of Fame could begin the end of September. Construction depends on fundraising and the bids. So far, we have commitments of more than $2 million and the cost of the total project is about $3 million. We plan to make it a work in progress and build as we have the money.” With a bit of luck, we could raise the rest of the money and complete virtually all of the project by late summer of 2004.”

Work on the NDCHF began with a Dickinson organizational meeting seven years ago. Nearly a thousand people from across the county have become charter and annual members. NDCHF has a nationwide fundraising drive underway to pay for the project to be built on the site of the current Museum of the Badlands in Medora. Contributions for the project may be sent to The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1110 College Drive #216, Bismarck, North Dakota 58501.

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FOR RELEASE For Additional Information

July 26, 2003 Darrell Dorgan 250-1833

---HALL OF FAME INDUCTION PROGRAM SET---

Three ranchers, three rodeo cowboys, a ranch with a lighthouse, a rodeo producer and a 50-year-old rodeo will be formally inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame this coming Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3, in Medora and Sentinel Butte. Governor John Hoeven will be the keynote speaker at the program for the nine honorees on Saturday at the Tjaden Terrace in Medora at 1:00 p.m. MDT. The Medora portion of the program is free and open to the public.

The nine inductees come from across the state and will join 56 others who have been inducted since 1998. The inductees will be featured in the Hall of Fame Hall of Honorees that is planned for Medora.

The nine inductees for 2003 include: “Tex" Appledoorn of Dunn County in the Modern-era Rodeo Division; Frank Marshall of Dickey County and Alex LaSotta of Golden Valley County in the Pre-1940 Rodeo Division; Margaret Barr Roberts of Medora and Theodore “Ted” Albers of Oliver County in the Pre-1940 Ranching Division; Brooks Keogh

of McKenzie County in the Modern-era Ranching Division; the Nelson Sunrise Ranch of Morton County in the Ranch Division; the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo in the Special Achievement Division; and George Gardner of Billings County in the Rodeo Producers Division.

The honorees will be featured in the planned Hall of Fame’s Hall of Honorees, which will be the centerpiece of the $3-million Hall of Fame planned for Medora. NDCHF President Phil Baird of Mandan notes, “Those not selected for induction into the Hall of Fame this year are eligible for nomination in future years.”

NDCHF Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says, “Bids are being sought on the Medora project, and it’s possible construction could begin the end of September. Construction depends on fundraising and the bids. So far, we have commitments of more than $2 million, and the cost of the total project is about $3 million. We plan to make it a work in progress and build as we have the money. With a bit of luck, we could raise the rest of the money and complete virtually all of the project by late summer of 2004.”

Entertainment at this year's inductions begins at 12:00 p.m. MDT at the Tjaden Terrace in Medora. The actual induction program is expected to begin at 1:00 p.m. The inductees and their families will be introduced the following day at the Champions Ride Rodeo at the Home on the Range in Sentinel Butte.

Dorgan says people looking for rooms may call the Medora Chamber of Commerce at 701-623-4910 or the Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau at 701-483-4988.

NDCHF has a nationwide fundraising drive underway to pay for the project to be built on the site of the current Museum of the Badlands in Medora. Contributions for the project may be sent to The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1110 College Drive #216, Bismarck, North Dakota 58501.

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