Visit recalled deep in heart of Texas

Kelly Van Dries remembers the moment as if it were yesterday, when she presented the 10-gallon Stetson cowboy hat to Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping 45 years ago in a private rodeo show especially set up for Deng and his entourage when he visited Simonton, Texas, on Feb 2, 1979.

"Oh my god, we had to do this on a horse and trying to get the horse over to him close enough to present him that. My hands were just shaking," Kelly said.

Speaking to China Daily on the ranch of Kitty Van Dries, the two sisters recalled that historic event, and mused about the current state of the bilateral relations. They both are still making a living ranching.

Kitty's ranch is only minutes away from the site of the Roundup Rodeo, the venue where a special rodeo show was held in 1979.Located about an hour to the west of Houston, it was owned by their father Louie Van Dries at that time. The venue stopped operation in 1997 as rodeo became less and less popular as a pastime. Some years later, the site was sold and turned into an industrial factory.

Despite all the changes with the venue, the sisters and others present in Simonton on that day still remember the big event. There is a Facebook group dedicated to Roundup Rodeo and people still talk about the event today, said the two sisters.

It started about six months before Deng's visit when the Roundup Rodeo was contracted by the Department of State to prepare for a private rodeo show for Deng. They wanted to treat him to an authentic experience of American West with a rodeo show and barbecue when he came to Texas.

The sisters, who were about 15 and 16 years old at that time, didn't realize how big the event was until the day came. Not only was the interstate highway 10 shut down, every bridge on the back road leading to the arena had secret service agents posted.

'Hectic, exciting'

"(It was) hectic and exciting because there was so many people there," said Kelly. "One side was the dignitaries where Deng Xiaoping was going to be and then the rest the other side was all the reporters. And the more cameras showed up and the more light showed up. It was almost blinding."

In fact, there were more reporters, more than 700, than Chinese dignitaries and accompanying US hosts.

Kitty and Kelly, carrying US and Chinese flags respectively, were responsible for leading the grand entry with all the contestants. Kitty was arranged to present the hat to Deng after posting the flags.

"I had just had my knee operated on and wasn't really supposed to be riding yet. As we crossed on the far end, my horse slipped and went down completely," said Kitty. She fell off the horse and was lying on the ground for a moment.

Kelly curbed her urge to jump down to help her sister because as a rule she shouldn't let the Chinese flag touch the ground. Before she could find someone to take the flag out of her hands, Kitty was carried out on a stretcher.

Kelly ended up being the one to present the hat to Deng. "I was so nervous because he was a very famous person. That's a big deal, especially for someone so young," Kelly said.

Deng accepted the hat, put it on, took it off, and waved the hat toward the crowd. Then, he got into a Western stagecoach, wearing the hat at one moment, taking it off and waving it toward the crowd at another. Deng rode in the stagecoach and circled the arena once before going back to the stand to watch the rodeo show.

"They really enjoyed the rodeo so much, and they enjoyed the barbecue, and everything," Kitty said.

Deng also visited Atlanta, Seattle and Washington, DC, during his eight-day state visit to the United States in 1979, but the image of him with the cowboy hat became the most recognizable symbol of that visit.

Only years later did the two sisters realize what an important moment that was in the US-China relations when Deng put on the cowboy hat in Roundup Rodeo. Looking back, Kelly said the Roundup Rodeo was perfect for hosting Deng.

"I think it was perfect for the time and what was going on with the United States and China when the negotiations were happening. It was kind of a pinnacle situation where we were all as one in that building. It was something fun to do and it was televised everywhere."

"I read afterward that was a real pivotal moment for our relationship," said Kitty.

Both sisters said they felt very special to have been part of the rodeo show when Deng visited the Roundup 45 years ago. "It's history, it really did happen and I carry that on forever. I am very proud of it," said Kelly.

They both wish things could be different today. "We're very divided right now and we need to go back to simplistic times," said Kelly.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com