Trailblazer

JH Necklace

By Terri Mason

In 1960 tie-down roper Emil Chomistek (Eh-mel Ch like chosen) – Cho MIS – tik) purchased Necklace as a weanling at Brooks, Alberta. Emil tried to break her, but to no avail, so he decided to offer her to Harry Vold at the 1964 Stavely Indoor Rodeo.

Harry asked then novice bronc rider Ivan Daines to be the test pilot. As Ivan was preparing for the ride Tom Bews offered his encouragement, “Come on Ivan, get on, she’s just some farmer’s horse.” Then they opened the gate and as Harry said, “You talk about cowboys in the rafters.”

Harry bought her on the spot and that fall she was named the top bareback horse at the National Finals Rodeo. She won the same award in 1966, ’68 and ’70. That was the top award available to a bareback bronc of that era.

Probably the only reason Necklace was never declared the World Champion Bareback Horse was because that award never existed until 1974.

When asked about her name Harry recalled, “She was so pretty; you could have won ribbons in a halter class if you had taken her to a horse show, so I wanted a feminine name.”

Harry was once asked what were the best bucking horses he ever owned. Without hesitation, he said JH Necklace in the bareback category.

Most bucking horses have a number branded on their hip, not Necklace; she was branded JH on her left shoulder — the horse brand for B.C.’s Gang Ranch, which is where she was born and spent her first summer.

In October of 2007, JH Necklace was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.