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Shorty and Gene Creed were two nationally famous Greenhorn Valley residents. Loyce Ual ‘Shorty’ Creed was a multi-event professional rodeo cowboy for 20 years specializing in Bulldogging with a 17-year record at Madison Square Garden in New York.
His wife Mary Geneva ‘Gene’ Krieg Creed was the youngest female to win bare-back bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days at the age of 16. She went on to become National Women’s Bronc-Riding Champion and was known for the beautiful rodeo costumes she wore while competing in trick-riding for 18 years. They were both inducted into the Cowgirl and Cowboy Hall of Fame respectively.
Gene’s brother, John Krieg and sister, Vaughn Krieg Huskey also competed in rodeos. John bull-dogged in men’s dress shoes, competed at Madison Square Garden, married Edna Creta Hoar and raised their three children in Rye.
Vaughn joined the rodeo circuit in 1927 was also a National Women’s Bronc-Riding Champion, also known for her satin costumes and was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. She and her husband, Lynn Thornberg Huskey established the Flying V Ranch in Texas. Vaughn produced a women only rodeo for several years.
In the early 1930’s Shorty and Gene settled in Rye and lived for a short time at 2124 Main Street. In 1936, when the Rye Home Church congregation completed their new church building on the east end of town, the Creed’s purchased the old church building and converted it into their home at 2126 Main Street.
They purchased ranch land past what is now the KOA Campground off what is now the I-25 frontage road. When they gave up performing in early 1941, they moved to Bellvue, Colorado.
Many valley residents remember the Creeds and Kriegs when they performed at the 4th of July Rye Rodeos. They were popular at the Colorado State Fair and earned the respect of rodeo attendees in Southern Colorado and around the world.
(to be continued)