Midnight Ride

“I think it was pretty damn stupid.”

Anonymous comment at the Old Timer Café

Photo by Walt Hubis

A waiter, a dishwasher and a horse were unlikely participants in a mad dash through the streets of St. Ignatius, Montana (population 807) last week. It all started when two Amish girls tied their horse, Midnight, and buggy to a fence while they ran errands. Midnight, a nervous sort, reared back, broke its bridle, and bolted. Dustin Burckhard, a waiter at the Old Timer Café, and Tim Ranel, a dishwasher, saw what happened. They jumped in Mr. Burckhard’s Chevy Trailblazer to head off the horse. Twice they tried and twice Midnight veered. Then, like a scene from an action movie, Mr. Burckhard perched on the running board of the SUV while it drew alongside the buggy, and he leaped onto its open seat. With no reins to stop the horse, Mr. Burckhard climbed on Midnight’s back, inched up its neck, and pulled its ears. A couple of miles later Midnight came to a halt, but not before dumping Mr. Burckhard. The daring deed lasted no more than a few minutes, but the townspeople will long remember the Midnight Ride of Dustin Burckhard.

Read more → Jamie Kelly, Modern-day cowboy, sidekick save runaway horse, buggy, Missoulian, January 11, 2012.