October 14, 1934
Blayne Beguin is the embodiment of a true cowboy. He is more comfortable in a pair of cowboy boots and hat than any other apparel. He is a cowboy through and through. In 2016 at the age of eighty-one he still tried to mount a horse at the local rodeo. A few years ago his horse, when charged by a bull while he was working at the local sale barn, threw him backwards over a fence breaking his leg. The following surgery, coupled with his age, has left him with a limp and much more devastating for him, unable to mount a horse. Most of his cowboy buddies and his brother/roping partner have passed on to the big arena in the sky. He has moved to town now but still has one paint horse.
Literally born on a ranch in the hills 20 miles south of Rushville, he grew up roping and riding as a way of life. Raising cattle and horses, especially paints, was how he made his living. Never much of a traveler he always said, “Why do I need to go anywhere else when everything I want is here”.
Blayne was born on October 14, 1934 to Henry and Agnes Beguin on the Beguin Ranch. He was christened Terry Blayne but was known as Blayne or Shorty. His spouses are Myrna Peters Beguin (deceased) and Judy Berryman Beguin. His children include Candi, Kirk, Roxie, Angie, Rex, Craig and Cody. He has 27 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren with 3 on the way.
He and his brothers grew up on the ranch, riding horses and herding cattle. He attended a one room country school until high school. He graduated from Rushville High School in 1953. He started veterinary school but was unable to finish because his father had a heart attack and he was needed to help run the ranch since his older brother was in Korea and the younger two were still in high school.
Rodeoing and judging rodeos were favorite hobbies. He rode some rough stock and steer wrestled in his younger days, but mostly loved team roping. He and his older brother Blake were a team. Known as the Beguin Boys, they participated in all the surrounding fairs, rodeos and jackpots. They pretty much stayed local, never going more than 100 miles from home. He is one of the original founders of the Fun Days Rodeo. In 1951, he and some of his buddies decided they needed an annual rodeo in their home town of Rushville. They organized it and held it that year, and it has been going on yearly for 65 years now. He is the only original member left.
He is a strong proponent of helping a neighbor. He was always available to help round up cattle, brand, fix fence, lend a horse&helip;it was just the cowboy way of life.
Blayne was Grand Marshall for the Sheridan County Fair and Rodeo in Gordon, NE, Grand Marshall for the Fun Days in Rushville, NE, Founder of the Fun Days Rodeo that has been in existence for 65 years, Beguin Family honors at Chadron State College for generations attending CSC, R Club (Letterman’s Club) Sportsman of the year twice (followed by all of his kids through every sport), lead roles in theatrical plays to make funds for the rodeo club, president of the school board for the rural school District #132, played on a semi-pro baseball team, Elks member, Lector for the Catholic Church, wrote sports articles for the local newspaper for thirteen years, volunteered for the grandparent program at the elementary school and served on the Fair Board in Gordon, NE.
He has always been a man who loves his home, his neighbors and his family and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t’ do for any of them. No matter where he lives or what he does, he will always be a true sandhills cowboy! If you ask anyone who knows him what comes to mind when they think of Blayne Beguin, they will say “A Cowboy”.