What's better than a rodeo?
Answer:
Not much.
Yes, the Olympics are fine and fun to watch, but no one in London is getting on a ton of angry bull and trying to stay on board for eight seconds. Only at the rodeo can you see such raw courage or foolishness depending on your point of view.
I had the privilege of attending the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas this week. I grew up near there. My family has been going to the rodeo for almost as long as they've had a rodeo in Abilene. I'm serious. There's just something wonderful about watching the skill displayed by the pick-up riders as they slip a cowboy safely to the ground from the back of a running, bucking bronc. That takes some very fine riding, I'm telling you. Okay, those boys look good in the chaps, too, but I do admire their horsemanship.
And talk about courage! When a bull rider is thrown and a clown rushes in to draw the bull away, you know that takes real guts. It's no video game. There's no reset button on a bull's nose. Those men lay it all on the line.
Is it any wonder that cowboys have captured our hearts and imagination in romance novels for generations? I certainly see the appeal. Don't you?
For me, the only thing better than watching a bull-dogger throw a steer with his bare hands was watching the little kids in the mutton-busting competition. It might have been a sheep that they were riding, but those kids put their hearts and souls into it. I saw some future rodeo stars in Abilene last week.
Kids and cowboys.
You just can't get much better than that.
You just can't get much better than that.
Cowboys have made some wonderful heroes in our Love Inspired books. Which one has been your favorite cowboy and why?
Me?
I like them all.Pat
Posts
Pat, when I was a kid in Montana, our neighbor had his own mini-rodeo--no bull riding, but lots of steer roping. At age 6, I was impressed. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the rodeo. Last one I went to was in Shenandoah, Iowa. No, wait, I went to one in Prescott, Arizona.
ReplyDeleteWonder why bull riding is not in the Olympics.
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ReplyDeleteLOL, Pamela. I have to wonder, too, why bull riding is not an Olympic sport. It's certainly more fun than watching a badmiton match.
ReplyDeletePat, how fun! I've never been to a rodeo. I need to remedy that!
ReplyDeleteI was Miss Mount Vernon during high school in Northern VA and rode around the rodeo arena with the TV star from "The Rifleman." Okay, it was the Dark Ages, but still so much fun to be part of the rodeo show!
ReplyDeleteOh, Missy, you've missed so much. I grew up with my dad talking us to the rodeo every January. Stock show came to Denver that month. The skill those guys and girls have is amazing.
ReplyDeletePat, thanks for the post. Rodeo clowns are the only clowns I am not scared of! I know they are there to help!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, first of all, you were Mis Mount Vernon AND you got to ride around with Chuck Conners?
Apparently, I lived in the dark ages too.
Debbie, that was not in the dark ages. I remember The Rifleman vividly. How cool that you met him.
ReplyDeleteJulie,
I love Rodeo clowns, or bull fighters as they like to be known, although I only met one personally. He's an awesome guy. So modest and such a good dad. Gotta love a cowboy like that.
Julie, actually I think it was the Rifleman's son. He was about 20-something although probably played a teen on TV. Forget his name. I thought he was darling, of course! :)
ReplyDeleteNever been to a rodeo. Seen it on tv etc and read about it.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to one either. But sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteLOL, so when I lived in Lubbock, Texas, back in the 80s, I had to cover a political event for the school newspaper. It was Chuck Conners who was giving a talk in support of George Bush. To this day, I remember Chuck Conners but cannot remember if I even mentioned Bush in my article LOL.
ReplyDeleteWHATEVER IS HAPPENING?
ReplyDeleteARE YOU GALS ON LEAVE?
PLS KEEP POSTINGINGINGINGING!!!!!