In boxing it's bad form, but ear biting okay in this sport

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In the chaotic sport of wild horse racing, Steve Solway is known as an ear man. This title should not be confused with the gentle art of horse whispering, however, because Solway is not interested in talking to the horse. His task, when the chute opens and a wild horse bursts into the rodeo arena, is to subdue the beast by grabbing, twisting, and occasionally biting, its ear.

Solway is part of a three-man team that has the unenviable task of catching, saddling and riding a wild horse. In addition to the ear man, the team is comprised of a shank man and a rider. The shank man is responsible for keeping a firm grip on the rope that is attached to the horse's halter before the race begins. The rider is charged with saddling and riding the horse across the finish line.

"When that horse comes out of the chute, we have to grab it, cover the eyes and work the ears," Solway explains. "The shank man and the ear man try to turn the horse to the side to limit its strength and kicking ability. Once the saddle is on, they haze, block and swat the horse to direct it across the line."

That is how it works in theory, but the theory tends to get lost when the chute opens and the horses come charging out. The only way to describe the scene is pandemonium as the teams try to get their horses under control. The level of confusion varies with the number of teams competing at once. At the Calgary Stampede, each race features 16 teams. At the world championships in Rapid City, South Dakota eight teams compete. At Calgary's Roughstock Rodeo in mid-March, the races featured four teams.

"Anything happens," says Solway of the moment after the horses are released from the chutes. "It is completely unpredictable and the wilder the horse the better, because they will run away from you. Horses that aren't so wild will try to line you up. We like 'em to run."

Solway has the memory of numerous injuries including torn ligaments in his ankle, knee, and shoulder to remind him of the dangers of the sport, but wild horse racing also has many attractions. The 38-year-old Siksika man started competing in 1994 and, before that, was a bull rider and calf roper on the amateur rodeo circuit. "When you're bull riding, you're by yourself and it's kind of hard on the head. With calf roping, it's just you and your horse travelling together. In wild horse racing, it's a real team effort and there is an instant camaraderie. The adrenalin gets you going. There is nothing like the feeling of stopping a wild horse."

The camaraderie was on display in Calgary at Rodeo Royal recently as Dale Belisle, a rider from another team agreed to join Solway and shank man Mike Labelle for the qualifying race. They won the race but in the final on March 19, their rider (Solway's nephew, Cedric) was bucked off and they didn't finish.

It is a good thing wild horse racing has its own rewards because the prize money tends to be small and the nature of the sport means there are no guarantees. Solway makes his living by ranching and driving a school bus for Siksika Education.

Wild horse racing is a way to supplement his income, stay involved in rodeo and satisfy his competitive spirit.

"I've always been competitive and daring, even as a kid and seeing how far I could jump my banana bike off a ramp," he says.

Last year Solway and his team (known as the Killer Bees because of their yellow shirts and black safety vests) captured the Canadian Wild Horse Racing Association championship and, while he won a belt buckle that he wears with obvious pride, he figures he lost a little money once his expenses were taken into account.

These expenses included travelling to Rapid City last February to compete in the world championships for the third consecutive year. Solway and his team finished fourth after finishing sixth in 1998 and 1999. The event is particularly gruelling because the teams compete 10 times over the course of four days and Solway counts his fourth place finish as one of is finest moments in the sport.

It is an achievement that puts him in the ranks of other Siksika wild horse racers. Jack and John Spotted Eagle were Stampede champions in the event in 1945 and 1948 and Solway is proud to carry on the tradition.

He has already qualified for this summer's Stampede but he is seriously contemplating retirement in order to look after business on his ranch and spend more time with his wife and four kids.

"I'm always eager to go and compete," he says. "But I'm tired of getting my bags together, kissing my wife and kids, and departing."