Happy Tracks Horse Tales
Goodbye to a friend

By Rob Pearce, Ph.D.

Seems like the first heat wave of summer has hit our area.  Nothing like a few days of near 
100-degree days to make appreciate winter and spring.

Hot summers are fun too, just takes a bit to get accustomed to those hot days again.

A few weeks ago a good friend of mine passed away.  Leroy Cline was one of the most 
genuinely nice people I have ever known.  I first met him when I was a little kid.  When I 
was a kid he helped work cattle on our family ranch.  I remember him working ground crew 
during spring brandings at our ranch.  He was always kind and helpful to me as a kid, and 
he was a good friend, as I became an adult.  I will miss the opportunity to visit with him.

Leroy was part of a well-known local family of horsemen and cowboys.  Clines have always 
had a great reputation for their abilities with livestock.  Most of Leroy's generation of 
Clines are all gone.  However, it amazes me how their reputation has lingered and is 
widespread.  A few years ago, I was on a job on a big ranch in Idaho.  I mentioned to the 
foreman that I was from Bishop.  He wanted to know if I knew of Wilfred Cline; of course 
I did, and the foreman started to tell me "Cline" stories.  Wilfred has been gone for many 
years, but that Cline reputation is still out there in the ranch and cowboy world.

My family was fortunate to know and work with multiple generations of Clines, as many 
worked on our family ranch here in Bishop.  Vasie, and his two sons, Lawrence and Ray, 
were all managers of the ranch at one time or another.  Other sons, Wilfred, Eddie, and 
Robert all worked on our ranch over the years.  As I mentioned, Leroy (cousin to the above 
mentioned Clines) worked at our ranch, as did another cousin Lester.  All were well-known 
cowboys throughout the West.

In more recent times Pat Cline (Ray's son) also worked on our ranch.  His sister, Judy, is 
a good friend too.  Pat is a local horseshoer these days.  I also worked for several years 
for Pard Cline (Eddie's son) in Texas.  I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to 
know the Cline family.  They were, and are, good people, and most had a reputation as being 
great hands with horses and livestock.

There is a large number of Cline descendants scattered around the country.

The ones I mentioned above as some of the Clines I know the best.

With Leroy's passing there are no more "Cline Cowboys" of his generation.  He was the last 
of the "old time" Cline Cowboys.  He will be missed by many.

When I think of Leroy I am reminded of many fond memories.  I cherish his friendship.

This month's quote comes from "The Broncho Twister's Prayer" by Bruce Kiskaddon.  Most all 
the Cline men were known good bronc riders and there are some lines from the poem that 
remind me of the Clines.  "Just a bunch of hardened muscle tempered with a savage grit, and 
he had the reputation of a man that never quit."

The Inyo Register, Bishop, Inyo County, California
Thursday, June 12, 2003 - Page A2
Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb, September 27, 2004