Ronnie “Cowboy” Neal
Jackson Hole Ski Club
University of Wyoming
rsns40@gtfalls.com
CURATOR’S NOTE- This post originally ran on Christmas Day in 2016. Coincidently it started off with a curator’s note, shared below:
Lars Grini, a Norwegian, plays a prominent role in Ronnie’s story, below. If you do one thing for yourself this Christmas day I would urge that it be watching this brief clip of Lars setting the world record of 150m in Obertsdorf, West Germany in 1967. A mark that stood for 2 years. As spectacular as it is to watch today’s jumpers flying over 250m it is, in my mind, trumped by watching this athletic, bare-headed dare-devil come in from the rafters and stick an old-style, knee to the ski telemark like it was nothing. Merry Christmas!
(Update 12/14/23 – upon further review, the fact that Lars is not wearing a bib in this video makes me very skeptical that it is, indeed, his world record leap.)
One winter about 1970, I would guess, there was the usual group of ne’er-do-wells gathered in Westby, Wisconsin for a tournament. I remember Jeff Wright, Winnie, “Pavo” (Tim Dennison), Lars Grini and others, as well as myself, ensconced in Doc Bland’s house (as there was a blizzard outside and thus no skiing that day). The most talented raconteurs had depleted their well of stories by early afternoon and with impending boredom signaling its approach someone suggested a poker game.
Of course none of us of had much money to speak of, but we figured with a low stakes game no one would be injured too badly. Thus we played a variety of card games for hours on end and I realized I was up $198.00. A near fortune in those days. Then some pea-brain suggested a round robin high card with the final player going against me. The final guy was Lars Grini and it was all or nothing. (He did have adequate funds to cover the bet). Guess what? He won the whole deal. I think he rewarded us with hot chocolate from Doc Bland’s kitchen.
With that education I learned about gambling and have subsequently since that time have never wagered a nickel at any time or in any way. Thus it becomes apparent that we ski jumpers learn valuable lessons from our peregrinations and experiences on the Nordic trail that don’t necessarily have to do with inrun, take-off, flight position and landing. I very much appreciate the life lessons obtained from ski jumping, the travels and associations developed, and the opportunity to do something within which so few are privileged to participate.
PS- My cows are cold here lately as it has been a balmy 28 below zero in the wilds of Montana, but they’re happy as we feed them lots of hay.
PPS- My ski club was Jackson Hole Ski Club, and Univ. of Wyo. ski team. We had Tim Dennison, Greg Windsperger, Peter Robes, I think Bruce Jennings, Per Sven and me. Denver University, Fort Lewis and Univ. of Colorado were our major opponents. Had some good skiers around the area.
Curator’s note- a longer British Movietone video of the 1967 Oberstdorf event is a classic and can be found by clicking here
