Unknowingly, I recently joined a new group – the rodeo moms club.
I cannot pinpoint exactly when it happened. Somewhere amidst boots, chaps and ironing starched jeans I realized we were in the thick of rodeo season this summer.
Earlier in the season, our daughters tested out a play day at a local riding club. We have a set of barrels at home. They had practiced running around them for several weeks. When we showed up, my husband entered them in every event of the night. The girls turned white – they hadn’t ever done some of these events. Their dad laughed and told them to get out there and rodeo, so they did. They were thrilled with their hands full of ribbons at the end of the night. The boys and I sat in the bleachers and cheered them on.
In July and August, the boys tried out mutton busting at a few rodeos. The first few times were smooth sailing on some sheep. They weren’t thrilled about getting dumped off in a muddy arena. Somehow we convinced them to give it another shot.
Our oldest son had his heart set on a pair of BRIGHT GREEN chaps from a local western store. I told him he’d have to win some money mutton busting to go buy them. His spoil-the-kids uncle bought them anyway. He was a proud 6-year-old sporting them for the first time at the county fair. At some of the rodeos, our daughters even got in on the mutton busting action. When it came to boys versus girls, the girls cleaned up on the prizes!
They’ve incurred some bumps, bruises and one bloody nose. All-in-all it’s been a great season of fun watching the kids compete and learn about rodeo.
As I sat in the bleachers at these events, I wondered, why do we do this? Where did the rodeo tradition come from? Being the geek that I am, I had to do some research.
Rodeos were not originally considered a sporting event. They were an important part of cattle ranching in places with Spanish influence. It was a time when ranchers came together to separate cattle. Reminds me of when we work our cattle.
The roots in cattle wrangling and wrestling are actually in Spanish and Mexican culture. Rodeo was a series of chaotic events from frontier days to stampedes. These included trick riding, roping and what became known later as bulldogging (a steer).
Rodeo evolved over two world wars to become an organized sporting event. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) was established in 1929. Today Americans from all walks of life come to watch gutsy cowboys and cowgirls of all ages competing in a variety of events.
We recently traveled to Oklahoma to watch our nephew compete in a bull riding event. I had to hold my breath and half-cover my eyes! He’s only 17 and I was a nervous Nelly. Fortunately that night, our daughter won the mutton busting and he won the bull riding competition.
Not every cowgirl or cowboy goes home with a prize every time. Why do they keep doing it? In the words of singer Garth Brooks, “It’s the ropes and the reins. And the joy and the pain. And they call the thing rodeo.”
We enjoyed the season this summer and are anxious to see what our kids will try next. I hope you find yourself in the bleachers enjoying the thrill of a rodeo soon, neighbor.
