Hell's Half Acre Rodeo
ABOUT
Hell's Half Acre started in 1939, in the beginning, it was just a few chutes built by the Mad Plume boys. Agnes (Chewing-BlackBones) Mad Plume owned many horses. Richard and Agnes Mad Plume's sons, Edward "Shorty", Frank, and Lawrence Mad Plume, would work together to break the horses. One day Shorty and Frank had a disagreement, so they then made a bet to resolve the matter. They were to run in two horses each, whoever stayed on the longest, wins. The story varies on who won but from that bet, Hell's Half Acre was born.
Since the beginning, Hell's Half has remained a place where all are welcome. The Hell's Half type didn't fit most other places, they were always rough around the edges. Hell's Half was a place for cowboys who wanted to blow off some steam, so you'd often find a cold beer and the occasional rumble. Back then, it was a place of gathering. A place where rough around the edges is just the way things are. Families and friends alike would gather at Hell's Half. The concept was simple; if you had something that would buck, you could always find eager, Indian cowboys at Hell's Half.
Our Story
HELL'S HALF ACRE
Established 1939
Hell's Half Acre Arena
The original arena was built near the Mad Plume family home, where the boys would break the horses. At the request of their mom, Agnes ChewingBlackBones-MadPlume, the arena was moved because her boys were too loud by the house. So the Mad Plume boys, along with help from their friends along the river, built the first arena.
In time, Hell's Half grew in the number and size of their events. Hell's Half is located along the Two Medicine River, just down the road from the Holy Family Mission. WIlliam "Bun-Num" Burd, neighbor to the Mad Plume Family, always joked about how he lived between heaven and hell. The Holy Family Mission was on his left and Hell's Half Acre to the right.