Faraway Horses (22 page)

Buck and his brother, Smokie, in front of the horse trailer they took on the road. The house in the background is 3219 North Fourth Street in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Buck and Smokie practicing their rope tricks.

Smokie on his first horse, Running Doe.

Ace Brannaman in Idaho, supervising his sons’ roping practice.

Seven-year-old Buck practicing rope tricks in his Whitehall, Montana, home.

At a performance for the Special Olympics: Ace, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Buck, an unidentified contestant, and Smokie.

Buck and his pal Sampson the bull. Buck taught Sampson to do almost anything a horse could—including lower his head for bridling.

Buck and Smokie at the Shirleys’ ranch.

Buck’s graduation day from Harrison High School. Buck is flanked by Smokie and his aunt, Anne Annis (left) and his foster parents Forrest and Betsy Shirley (right).

Buck on his horse Billy, doing a Texas Skip in Three Forks, Montana, 1980.

Buck meets the locals on a Friendship Force tour of Japan in 1980.

Buck at the Madison River Cattle Company. It was here that Buck’s life as a horseman truly began.

Buck works Bif near Monida Pass, Montana. Bif was a difficult horse to start, but a close kinship developed between the two.