Whittlin' turns into true art for former rodeo man

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

'Buck' Fergeson of Bellville followed in his father's footsteps when it came to rodeoing, and a few years ago was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame. His talent at creating original sculptures from clay, wax, and bronze originated from Fergeson's whittling on pine and cedar with a little pocket knife. -- Staff photo by Taylor

August 21, 2003 -- A first impression of "Buck" Fergeson of Bellville is that you will be dealing with a "big" man. Well over six-feet tall, he cuts an impressive figure, complete in Western clothes and hat, but all this is a "drop-in-the-bucket" when it comes to the real man.

For the first 25 years of his life, Fergeson made the rodeo circuit, following the footsteps of his dad.

"The area around West Texas is where I started out, and with my dad," explained Fergeson.

He said he was born in East Texas, but raised "all over the state of Texas and portions of Oklahoma and New Mexico." During rodeo seasons, his dad earned his living on the rodeo circuit, mainly as a contract performer.

Fergeson explained that his dad would be paid to create acts for the rodeo, and then used that money for entry fees in the various competitive events, such as bull riding. His dad, also, trained horses and dogs to perform in his rodeo acts.

"He had what we called a 'Liberty' horse, which worked just on signs and sounds ... no bridle or saddle or anything," said Fergeson.

He remembers riding a "Liberty" horse in the act when he was about 6-years-old. Another act involved trained dogs, ridden by little monkeys, who could "round-up" sheep.

Although Fergeson remembers these times with pleasure, it was the bull riding he enjoyed the most. Once he was older, he worked in the oil fields with his dad, if he wasn't riding, and he said, laughingly, that he like the rodeoing a lot more!

"I did some of all of it (rodeo events), but bull riding is what I did, mostly. If I could work more events, I did, but, usually, I was confined to one event, financially," he explained.

"I liked the bull riding better ... it was colorful and exciting. To me, it wasn't as hard as bareback riding .... You had a lot further to fall off a horse than you did a bull, and you hit the ground a lot harder!" he remembered.

Of course, you didn't have to run from the horse, like you did the bull, he laughed, but he still chose the bull riding.

As far back as Fergeson can remember, he loved to "whittle." He said he always had a little pocket knife, and was always working with wood, usually pine and cedar, just to have "something to do."

His original speciality was of little cowboy boots and hats, which were used on key chains.

Over the years, family and friends convinced Fergeson that he had more talent than he realized, and he branched out into clay, wax and bronze sculpture. Later, he began working pieces of gold and silver into sculptured jewelry.

Today, Fergeson sells his works from a shop in downtown Bellville. -- Staff photo by Taylor

During the rodeo years, Fergeson injured his right leg, and has had knee and hip replacement surgeries, recently. He continues to do his sculptures in spite of rheumatoid arthritis, and shows no sign of slowing down any more than he has to.

After years of working ... anything he needed to do to pay the bills ... he is able to enjoy his art, now, and loves to show visitors the photographs on the wall in the shop of him and his dad, back in the rodeo days.

Fergeson was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame a couple of years ago, and, by all the stories and pictures, it seems he really earned his entry. Several of his grandchildren have followed into the rodeo circuit, and he loves to watch them and show their photographs, too.

Thinking about the best part of his life, he didn't have to ponder long.

"I wouldn't take a million dollars for it, but I wouldn't give a nickel to do most of it over again ... especially, the rodeoing!" he said with a smile.