The Railroad Transported Competitors
A major attraction of stock shows was its competitions and most of those competing in The National Western Stock Show traveled by railroad until after World War II. A particularly popular competitor at the horse show was Loula Long Combs. Miss Combs traveled in a private rail car from Kansas City to Denver. Her horses and carriages also came by rail. An article in 1917’s Saddle and Show Horse Chronicle stated that the number of transfers her freight cars made from one “road” to another forced her to withdraw from some competitions because not all her carriages reached their destination in time to compete.
