b'admired the young man, as did a fellow Cowboy, a much older man by the name of Jake Ross, who had known the young Cowboy when the two of them worked side by side in Montana. Ross, and who would become known as the "Champion Rider of Montana" thankfully put down his reminiscences of knowing Cody in writing,"He (Cowdery) never knew what it was to fear anything and the least of his fears was a bucking horse" (Ibid., p. 19).Cowdery also confided in Ross his prediction that his life would end by the age of 25, as the odds were his work, whether breaking horses, the natural hazards of the trail, or Cowtown violence would do him in (Ibid, p.28). However, it might be said that "The Great Die-Up" of 1887 gave him an extra 21 years beyond his 25th birthday. Cowdery, like so many other Cowboys, found himself out of a job when the cattle perished and the era of the open range came to an end. As resilient as ever, and confident that the embryonic Wild West shows would be seeking his roping, riding and sharpshooting skills, he learned that Philadelphia horse-trader-turned-Circus entrepreneur Adam Forepaugh was looking for trained ex-Cowboys to169 E Wickenburg Wayaugment his circus and Wild West show. Offered $60 a month, the out-of-work Cowboy signed upWickenburg, AZ 85390with Forepaugh in April 1888 and made that leapSamuel Franklin Cody in 1909. 928-684-6123from one career of riding the trails to another careerCody arrived in Europe in Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. DAILYriding the arenas. 1890, claiming to be the sonAnd he would change his name too.of the well-known William "Buffalo Bill" Cody.Next month, Part 2.ArizonaRealCountry.com August 2021 21'