RODEO

Some Days Are Like That

Cheyenne, Wyoming,  7/25/2015:  There's nothing quite like it.  Rodeo is supposed to be a competition among cowboys to see who's best at doing what cowboys do.  Of course, what you see in the arena may be a bit larger than real life, but that's OK because it's more fun than a picnic..at least for the fans.

   This is the great Cheyenne rodeo's 119th year.  We spent the day there--first at the big parade and then out at the arena.  I'm not going to get too wordy here; we'll just let the pictures speak for themselves..mostly.

   That's how it's supposed to be done.

  

 That isn't.

You think that feels good?  Check his face.

 
Or his..

 
That bull has evil intentions.

 
So does that one.

Back to work.  Catch the critter..

Got him..now what?

  
    Git 'im down and hog-tied for branding, that's what.  This is a good study of how the horse and the rider work together.  The horse's job at this point is to keep the rope (lariat) taut so the calf can't move away from the rider.  It works out, generally.

   
    This doesn't look like much fun, either.  The rider is diving off his horse to catch the steer by the horns to rassle him to the ground.  This can produce interesting results (see top picture).

-0-

   Nobody ever said a cowboy's life was bed of roses, but these guys make it look way too hard.  

   They are the cream of the crop, though, and among all the chills and spills that make such fun pictures, you see performances that make you wonder how in the world they can do that.  They're like professional golfers: if I could hit a ball the way they hit a ball on their worst days, I'd be doing pretty good.  Same with professional cowboys.

   It's also well to keep in mind that the animals are athletes, too.  They are trained for rodeo..records are kept of their performances.  And they are really smart..some might even call them cunning.

   Ride 'im, Cowboy.

   Ride 'im.

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JS.  7/25/2015