‘Buffalo Bill’, aka William Frederick Cody was an American Pony Express rider, Army Scout and showman. His touring show ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ toured Europe eight times. It toured Great Britain in 1902, 1903 and 1904.
On 09 September 1904 “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show came to the Public Park in Saltcoats. The cast of the show included American Indians, Japanese, Russian Cossacks, English Lancers, United States Cavalry and Artillery, Mexican Lassoers, American Cowboys, United States Coloured Troopers, Bedouin Arabs, American Western Girls, South American Guachos, Cubans, Roosevelt Rough-Riders and American Scouts (both Hunters and Guides).
Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West” Show had its own trains which transported 800 men, 500 horses and equipment. Even those who could not attend the performances would have seen the sight of a lifetime at Saltcoats Railway Station.
The day of the performance was spoiled by wind and rain, but in the words of old “the show must go on”. In the early hours of Friday morning the Public Park was made ready for the two performances which were given at 2pm and 8pm. (Millar Road and Kerr Avenue were later built on the ground known as the Public Park.)
In spite of the rain and wind, the crowd went excitedly to see the show and expectations were high. The spectators sat undercover, protected from the increasingly heavy rain. 16,000 seats were provided to ensure that everyone had a comfortable view of this amazing event.
The show began with the ‘rough riders of the world’ dashing into the arena in sections; the Red Indians (howling for effect) followed by the Cowboys, Mexicans, U.S. Cavalrymen, Japanese, Cossacks, etc., etc. Colonel Cody, with his white hair flowing down about his shoulders, introduced each group in person.
It was an exhibition of outstanding horsemanship combined with athletic ability and military skill including a realistic battle scene of “General Custer’s Last Battle” in which the Red Indians annihilated the 7th Calvary’s company, and a stagecoach hold-up re-enactment.
The horsemanship throughout the day was often astonishing, the fighting scenes interesting, followed by Indian war dances, a daring leap through the air by ‘Carter, the Cowboy cyclist’ and an exhibition by the American marksman Johnnie Baker.
Buffalo Bill would go on to influence films, comics and books before his death in 1917.