Legacy INDUCTEE
EDMOND C. “ED” SOLOMON
(1929 - 2015)
DISTRICT 4 - YEAR 2026
Edmond Chester Solomon was born on December 28, 1929, in Havre, Montana, to Chester & Delia “Meryl” (Redwing) Solomon. He came up the way many young boys did back then. No-nonsense, no-frills. Cowboy life wasn’t a choice; it was just life. Toys were rare, but imagination wasn’t. When Ed was stuck in the house, he’d pull thread spools out of his mother’s sewing kit, tie a bit of string to them, and drive them around the floor like they were cattle. The big spools were cows, the small ones were calves, and he was the boss riding herd. Ed wanted to keep rustlers away so he would brand the cattle using a “hot-iron” fireplace poker, and applying it just long enough to the thread spool to get a good impression.
Most of the time, Ed could be found outside helping with ranch work, as long as it didn’t involve machinery. When he was just four years old, he helped his grandma drive freshly weaned calves, 13 miles to the railroad corral. Somewhere along the way, and after a long day in the saddle, Ed started crying. No one remembers why, but he got louder with every step. Using her cow sense along with her lack of patience, grandma moved him to the front of the herd. Ed kept riding, still bawling, but so did the calves, right behind him all the way to the corrals.
Ed lived most of his life in the big ranch house, built by his grandparents, 13 miles south of Havre. Four generations lived together in this home, with a total of seven, over the years, before it was sold. In high school, Ed had a variety of jobs on the ranch including hauling milk to town before the school day began. While he knew his obligations working alongside his dad, there may have been an occasion when the machinery repair work at hand was disrupted by Ed’s shenanigans, which resulted in being relieved of the day’s chores. With rodeo already running through his blood, shenanigans made for a clean get away to get on the road with that one-horse trailer and make it to the next rodeo on time.
Arenas were often made by circling vehicles in a flat area out of town. If a bucking horse went past the vehicles, a ride out on the prairie was inevitable. When Ed was 17, a stock contractor had a pickup man working for him who broke his leg. A veteran hand looked over at Ed and said, “Think you can step in?” Ed didn’t hesitate. That started a lifetime of stories and countless miles on the road.
When Ed married, the couple lived in a two-bedroom one-bath home in the ranch house yard. After their sixth child was born, Ed’s parents traded houses with the expanding family. In time, nine children were raised, along with good horses and good Hereford cattle. Ranch life was a family operation, and old ways continued to be utilized. Feeding livestock during the winter months was usually done with a team of horses.
Ed was the pickup man for years at the National College Finals Rodeo held in Bozeman, Montana. At the 1971 finals, Ed , known to not be a very patient man, broke his leg after being kicked by a bucking horse. The family decided to take the day off and headed to Yellowstone Park. It was a rare vacation, and an enjoyable one at that, as Ed had stayed in Bozeman, watching the rodeo and nursing that busted up leg.
Summers were filled with weekends on the road. Trips consisted of singing⎯a challenge for a tone-deaf family⎯and great times camping out at any given rodeo arena. Camping in an overhead was filled from floor to ceiling, including a tent for the boys to sleep in.
Brandings were community events. Neighbors scheduled branding days so all could come to help. Mid-day meals were served in a festive manor and memories were made. Trailing cattle to new pastures continued to be a family outing. If rain happened to come to the dry prairie, Ed would holler at the kids to get inside. Not because anyone of them was made of sugar and would dissolve, but because he wanted every drop to hit the ground. Other chores were distributed among all with little instruction, and if any, he was brief and to the point.
In 1975, Ed bought a stockyards in Havre and named it Bear Paw Livestock Co. His kids and a lot of their friends worked at the yards because of a very flexible schedule. Selling the business in 1978, Ed kept busy, picking up at rodeos during the summer along with buying cattle. He eventually opened Solomon Trading Yards just west of Havre, providing a place for ranchers to weigh and ship their stock.
Later in his life, Ed coached the Northern Montana College Rodeo Team in Havre. He offered advice freely whether someone asked for it or not and was always willing to lend a hand. Ed helped young people transition from high school rodeo into college rodeo. This was his way of giving back to the sport he enjoyed.
Ed rode horseback well into his eighties. By then about every bone in his body had been broken at least once. Wear and tear took its toll, but thankfully his mind stayed sharp. Well … as sharp as it ever was! Not as light on his feet as he once was, he had his fair share of wrecks but refused to quit. One day when he was out in the corral, a mare knocked Ed to the ground. Knowing he had broken his hip, he was only able to crawl to the edge of the corral. A young female farrier driving by stopped because things just didn’t look right and called for help.
Ed always enjoyed a good game of cards, bowling, dancing and visiting with whoever would take the time to do so. He may not have remembered a name, but he always recognized a face. Ed was involved in several organizations including the St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Havre Roping Club, Northern Rodeo Association (NRA), Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA), Hill County Fair Board, Elks, Eagles, and Hill County Park Board. He was inducted into the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall & Wall in Billings in 2010 and was honored to celebrate this event with seven of his children.
Ed passed away at his home in Havre on March 19, 2015, and is buried in Highland Cemetery in Havre.
References:
- Overcast, Ken; Shootin’ The Breeze Cowboy Style; Bear Valley Press 2005
- Off-Beat Scenes at National College Rodeo; Great Falls Tribune June 26, 1971