The Bar Act
By La Mar, Bud
At the first major rodeo of the season in Cowtown, Texas, trick rider Leonard Carter announces a mysterious new stunt—the Bar Act—sending his competitors into a frenzy of speculation and espionage. As hungry cowboys vie for prize money that means the difference between eating and starving, Carter's rivals will stop at nothing to uncover his secret before the final performance. In a world where innovation can make or break a career, one spectacular trick threatens to upend the entire competition. But in the unpredictable arena of the rodeo, even the most carefully laid plans can go awry in the most unexpected ways.
Publisher: Doubleday, Doran & Co. (in Short Stories Magazine)
First published: 1928