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A Bald-Faced Story

Jill McCormick & a Lifetime of Horseplay

HORSES ARE SOME OF HUMANKIND’S Bald-faced horses are prized in Native Based in South Dakota, Gale recalls watcholdest domesticated animals. American culture, including the rare ing the tournament broadcast a few months According to National Geographic, they “Medicine Hat” with its mostly white body after the event. were originally tamed as beasts of burden and colored patch on top of its head and around 4,000 years ago by Asian wander- ears. Native legends claim these unique “Guys came to our house and watched it ers, and people’s views and feelings towards animals held magical powers that protected on TV. It was pretty cool,” Gale said. The the equine species have since evolved. both horse and rider. families have remained close throughout the years, a testament to how long rodeo Loving owners such as Jill (DeMontigny) McCormick claimed her father’s bald-face friendships last. McCormick cherish the animals for more was equally beautiful and unpredictable, than their function. She considers them showing a different personality any time “When you get to be 60 years old, the part of her extended family and appreciates someone mounted him. Her father rode his number of really good friends you can their beauty and unparalleled athleticism. prized steed in parades around town wear- count on one hand gets to be difficult. Jill ing a full headdress and authentic Native and Mike are probably on the first two McCormick’s seven-plus acres, located American riding gear. fingers,” Gale said. off of 120th and Giles streets, is home to a mixture of horses, donkeys, and McCormick remembered DeMontigny McCormick attended Fort Scott mules. Her family has always appreciated always wanted a black bald-faced horse. Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas, steeds, dating back to her father’s days as a He even wrote a poem to one of her sons where she was a walk-on member of the rodeo rider. professing his desire. rodeo team and met her husband, Mike. “Dad probably rode rodeo in the ’50s,” “The last line of the poem was about The couple moved to La Vista on the first McCormick said. “He met my mother in something he wanted for his birthday and saturday in May, also known as Kentucky Ralston...and had a pen down the tracks rhymed with ‘a black horse with a bald-face Derby Day, in 1983. Her father found where he broke and traded horses. He of course,’” she recalled. the former dairy farm that the couple live stopped riding rodeo when he started on to this day while maintaining train working for Burlington Railroad.” McCormick’s own love of horses evolved signals nearby. The couple started Haunted as she grew up. Since her father constantly Hollow in 1999. Her father, Jim DeMontigny, may have acquired injured and unbroken animals, stopped riding rodeo while working the horse pen in the back of their house The McCormicks worked hard to support for the railroad company, but he never was always full. He would rehab and their two sons and a collection of animals, stopped loving horses. McCormick recalled break them before reselling them, and she including horses. Their horse pen, coined DeMontigny trading, training, and reha- admits being afraid of horses until she was “The Arena,” was used to teach horseback bilitating broken steeds until his passing in nearly a teenager. riding for local 4H horse programs. February 2018. One of his most memorable animals was a beautiful bald-faced horse he “I was scared because my dad always had The couple acquired DeMontigny’s coveted rode in parades around town. the wild ones,” she said. bald-faced black horse after he passed in 2018. McCormick named her gelding J.D. “Dad really went out of his way to name Around age 12, McCormick worked up to honor her father, but the purchase also things,” McCormick said when trying to the courage to ride at a horse show. She included a mare they named Honey. recall the animal’s handle. “So, his name then started riding horses with organizawas probably Bald-face. They’re considered tions holding rodeo events at arenas around “I really didn’t want her, but the seller bald-faced if the white goes behind their the Midwest. wanted to get rid of both of them and I eyes and behind their muzzle. Best horse wanted the bald-face,” she said. you ever saw.” She experienced nationwide success with one of the oldest youth-centered rodeo Mares are notoriously bad-tempered when She remembered the horse was striking to organizations, National Little Britches in heat, and within a month Honey triglook at, with a chestnut-colored coat, white Rodeo Association, culminating with gered a tragic accident, leaving J.D. with a legs, black legs, and a splash of white cover- the top prize at the final competition in serious hip injury. McCormick’s beloved ing his face. While the horse’s name was 1979. Her former teammate, Kevin Gale, gelding’s leg was broken up high, and she unassuming, McCormick referenced her remembers the day his longtime friend was forced to put him down shortly after. late father’s Native American heritage as won her title. justification for the moniker. Hopefully, old Jim DeMontigny is “I’ll never forget in Huron, South Dakota, looking after his daughter’s steed in “That’s what Natives did,” she said. “That’s when she won her Little Britches National the afterlife. how they named things. Whatever they Championship in Pole Bending,” Gale were, that was the name. Dad was a reg- recalled. “I ended up fourth in bareback istered Chippewa Indian from the Turtle riding. She and I celebrated together.” Mountain reservation in North Dakota.”