Ever since the early cowboys cut a swath through the open range and the bawdy cow towns, rodeo has been part of the American scene. This work tells the story of rodeo from its beginnings, and takes us along the dusty trails traveled by cowhands of only yesterday - to Cheyenne, Pecos City, Prescott, Lander, and Miles City.

Ever since the early cowboys cut a swath through the open range and the bawdy cow towns, rodeo has been part of the American scene. Today it has a huge following. Alive with color, movement, and sharp observation, "Man, Beast, Dust" tells the story of rodeo from its beginnings. Clifford P. Westermeier takes us along the dusty trails traveled by cowhands of only yesterday - to Cheyenne, Pecos City, Prescott, Lander, and Miles City. We attend "two-bit," one-day shows and the fabulous arena contests of the cities. We rodeo with the champions across America as well as with those in Canada, England, South America, and Australia. Clifford P. Westermeier (1910-87) was a noted historian and painter of the West. Bill Crawford is a former editor of "Prorodeo Sports News", the official publication of the "Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association". Kristine Fredriksson is a rodeo authority, who traces the developments on the rodeo scene and books on the subject from 1945 to 1986.