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Est. 1965 - Helena, MT 2010 - Kalispell, MT
| Dates to Remember |
The origin of O-Mok-See originates with the Blackfoot Indian Tribe
where they described a particular style of riding as " oh-mak-see
pass-kan" meaning "riding big dance." The second syllable of the
first word is pronounced like our English word mock. The last
syllable of the second word is sounded like our can. The Blackfeet
had no written language, all we can do is render the sounds. There is
no incorrect spelling, so long as the sound is correctly presented.
One might even desire to leave the second work ( meaning dance)
off entirely, and simply make it oh-mak-see — riding big.
The Blackfeet's riding big dance was not celebrated for some fifty
years. All the old people remember it as a very striking
performance. It was principally a war ceremony. Before setting out
on a mounted expedition against the enemy, the warriors of the
camp performed this dance as a part of the prelude of stirring up
courage and enthusiasm for battle. The warriors put on their finest
dress costumes, decorated and painted their best horses, carrying
their war bundles, shields, lances and bonnets. They mounted and
gathered at some distance out of sight of the camp. They turned and
rode together at full speed into the great camp circle, circled
around it once and then rode to the center of the camp. In the
center were a number of old men and women who sang special
songs and beat drums for the horsemen. The horsemen then rode
their trained horses to the rhythm of the singers and drummers.
from time to time the riders dismounted and danced about on foot
beside their horses, shooting in the air and shouting to one another
to be brave when the battle came. If anyone fell from his horse
during the ceremony it was considered an omen of bad luck.
O-Mok-See is more descriptive and more Western American than
other names used for the sport of pattern horse racing. O-Mok-See
found its way into our western riding vocabulary in the same
manner as the Spanish-American word rodeo. O-Mok-See,
historically speaking, was coined by people who were living here
long before the Spaniards arrived with rodeo.
where they described a particular style of riding as " oh-mak-see
pass-kan" meaning "riding big dance." The second syllable of the
first word is pronounced like our English word mock. The last
syllable of the second word is sounded like our can. The Blackfeet
had no written language, all we can do is render the sounds. There is
no incorrect spelling, so long as the sound is correctly presented.
One might even desire to leave the second work ( meaning dance)
off entirely, and simply make it oh-mak-see — riding big.
The Blackfeet's riding big dance was not celebrated for some fifty
years. All the old people remember it as a very striking
performance. It was principally a war ceremony. Before setting out
on a mounted expedition against the enemy, the warriors of the
camp performed this dance as a part of the prelude of stirring up
courage and enthusiasm for battle. The warriors put on their finest
dress costumes, decorated and painted their best horses, carrying
their war bundles, shields, lances and bonnets. They mounted and
gathered at some distance out of sight of the camp. They turned and
rode together at full speed into the great camp circle, circled
around it once and then rode to the center of the camp. In the
center were a number of old men and women who sang special
songs and beat drums for the horsemen. The horsemen then rode
their trained horses to the rhythm of the singers and drummers.
from time to time the riders dismounted and danced about on foot
beside their horses, shooting in the air and shouting to one another
to be brave when the battle came. If anyone fell from his horse
during the ceremony it was considered an omen of bad luck.
O-Mok-See is more descriptive and more Western American than
other names used for the sport of pattern horse racing. O-Mok-See
found its way into our western riding vocabulary in the same
manner as the Spanish-American word rodeo. O-Mok-See,
historically speaking, was coined by people who were living here
long before the Spaniards arrived with rodeo.
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| Dates to Remember |
Winter Meeting: October
15th & 16th in Verndale, MN
2011 NSCA Championships:
July 10 - 16, 2011 in
Verndale, MN
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