Horse Blog

Tomorrow is one of the days that the little kids get on and try to ride the cows. Its funny to watch and I’m sure the kids will love it. The worst part will be that its supposed to be 107 tomorrow. Today being 101 currently and supposed to be as high as 106. The Rodeo starts at noon which is the start of the hottest part of the day. I’ll just dress them as comfortable as possible, apply the sunscreen in layers and send their little squirters that Grandma bought for Disney.

What is ultimately needed for a Texas birthday is, of course, a rodeo. I missed the Star of Texas one, but there has to be someplace I can go for cheesy countryness. Not that I could ever drag the husband there, but what’s the point of living in Texas if you can’t wear a cowboy hat and/or boots at least once without being ironic?

Starbucks Corporation has faced intense public scrutiny recently for sponsoring various rodeos and rodeo organizations, including Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, the Miss Rodeo Washington Association, the PRCA Belton Rodeo, and the Calgary Stampede. In some instances, Starbucks donated money; in others, it donated beverages. Regardless of the nature of the donation, the company that’s been heralded for its progressive policies and hot coffee is suddenly alienating consumers through its affiliation with cruelty to animals.

Animal Rights - organizations that support animal rights philosophies seek to end the use and ownership of animals. Animal rights organizations seek to abolish by law: the raising of farm animals for food and clothing, rodeos, circuses, zoos, hunting, trapping, fishing, the use of animals in lifesaving biomedical research, the use of animals in education and the breeding of pets.

I gotta say, though, those guys (and gals) sure do know how to handle their horses. Mm-mm-mm. And for all everybody says how “real” cowboys are wizened and bandy-legged and so not anything like how they’re depicted in romance novels, most of those guys weren’t exactly ugly, either. In fact, some of ‘em were downright cute. If on the young side. But then, you’ve pretty much gotta be young (and reckless) to get on the back of a bull whose sole mission, during that eight seconds, is to get you off.

First, God made the heavens and earth. Then came Arby's, followed shortly by Carl Jr. and other inferior brands of fast food. Fast foward. Homer's epics, Texas was created, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier, died at the Alamo, King Kong attacked Manhattan, and then, in a completely reactionary move, I was concieved. I was born 9 months and 2 weeks later by a midwife/wolf named Janie Jean, who would prove very influential during my formative years. Shortly after, I became interested in politics and got involved with Gary Condit (not like that). I served as a parking aide to Nancy Pelosi (I won't even start on her) but was fired when Barbara Boxer came onto me. Eventually, I decided that my teeth needed to be cleaned, so I came to Colgate with a band of gypsies (who I have declared war on and will one day destroy). I decided to join "The Forum" to make friends but obviously that hasn't worked out. So, soon I will probably find a cow at a nearby farm and ride my way to glory in either LA or at the Calgary Rodeos.

The perniciousness of U.S. military recruitment is second only to that of the U.S.’s conduct of its wars. What the military calls “influencers,” parents and teachers and advisors of young people, are approached with cookies and gadgets, as are the young people themselves. Military recruiters sponsor “fun” events, such as rodeos, all-star high school football games and NASCAR races to give potential recruits the idea that being in the military is akin to a spring break vacation, and they even have the nerve to try hooking people with the promise of a “free” college education. Meanwhile, anybody intelligent enough to truly benefit from a college education can find a means of financing one without joining the Army.

There’s something about New Mexican green chile cheeseburgers, the way they make your mouth smart as you eat them, like you’re eating green glass. And the kinds of green chile cheeseburgers you get at rodeos, or Frito pies for that matter — chile served inside actual Fritos bags — well, they’re enough to make you want to give up writing your book and become a rodeo clown instead. Or at least a rodeo clown sulking outside a green chile cheeseburger shop, where the painted french fries look like stylized mustaches made of mustard.

The fair starts today. I’m a little bit excited about it; mostly that’s just because this year I’m going to the rodeo and the demolition derby. I know, I know, it sounds awful oakie or redneck or whatever farm town slur you wanna throw my way. That’s alright with me though. I really don’t mind…I love rodeos. I started working security for rodeos when I was 14. I was already a regular at the arena since my infatuation (ok, so he was my boyfriend, but in retrospect, I was 14…what the hell did I know about anything??) was a bull rider. He went pro, by the way.

For the British people reading this, the closest thing to Rodeo in Britain is probably something like Speedway Racing. It’s got the same excitement but also the slightly down at heel, past its prime feel to it. Not only is it dangerous but nobody wears any padding or helmets and they’re sitting on top of 1400lb bulls which could crack your skull with a single kick. I was surprised to see the junior events: Kids as young as 8 being strapped to bucking bulls for 6 seconds without helmets or padding. But, we stood up with everybody else for prayers and the national anthem and generally went with the Cody zeitgeist. The idealised “cowboy life” existed across the western USA at the turn of the century and at its zenith in the 50s, the entire world knew of the cowboy through countless avidly watched movies and TV shows but there’s no doubt that the experience of a town celebrating a 50 year old idealisation of a life that existed 100 years ago is somewhat odd.

Competing on the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association circuit is challenging.

Kyle Smith, a 23-year-old steer wrestler from Muholland Wells, is experiencing an up-and-down season.

So I’ll keep quiet this year, and try to enjoy the Stampede… this year. Thanks to Turner and Swerve. I'll try. You can't make me wear a cowboy hat, but I promise not to be an active party pooper.

Cheyenne Frontier Days is a great event if you like country music, rodeos, parades, pancake breakfasts, and cowboys. For one week in July (22 - 31 this year) Cheyenne Wyoming a town of 53,000 people opens it arms to about 60,000 visitors. If you like the old west, the new west, or just cowboys and horses in general this is the place you want to be.

Inga und ihre Eltern liessen mich spaeter allein zurueck, da sie noch eine Verabredung in White Rock hatten. Gluecklicherweise klappte der vereinbarte Treffpunkt mit Peter, Angie und einer Freundin inmitten der Menge. Gemeinsam gingen wir in die Abendshow. Es regnete nach einem sonnigen Nachmittag mittlerweile in Stroemen. Die Show war beeindruckend. Echte Cowboys jeden Altern traten im Wettkampf gegeneinander an. Bullriding und Horseriding ist ja bekannt: ein Cowboy auf einem zuckenden, springenden Pferd bzw. Bullen. Nach einiger Zeit, sofern er nicht abgeworfen wird, ergreift der Cowboy den Arm des neben ihm Reitenden und gleitet von dessen Pferd gewollt zu Boden. Aber es ging auch brutaler zu. Es gab zum Beispiel einen Wettbewerb, bei welchem die Zeit genommen wurde, wie lange in Cowboy braucht, um ein Kalb einzufangen und niederzureissen. Pferd mit Mann und Kalb rannten gleichzeitig los. Nach einigen Metern sprang der Coeboy auf das Kalb und warf es um. Glaubt es oder nicht, aber beste Zeit lag bei vier Sekunden! Spaeter musste ein Kalb im Team eingefangen werden. Der erste fing mit dem Lasso den Kopf ein, der zweite musste per Lasso die beiden Hinterbeine erfassen und anziehen. Auch hier wurde die Zeit genommen.

This is not something I would pick as an activity, but DLJ is going with folks from his company, I mean, the company hired a bus to take people so they can drink on the way, etc. Organized event. All I want is a window seat, as we will be going to a new city for me, Prineville, I believe. I am always up for visiting new places. I’m not sure how I feel about rodeos, but since I have never been to one, it’s a new experience and we know how much I love making notches in my Experience bedpost.

This weekend our city hosts its annual Delta Jubilee. Imagine amusement park meets small town fair complete with fireworks, barbeque cookoffs, frog jumping contests, fishing rodeos and fun runs. At 8 am this morning my friend MJ was at the fairgrounds pumped to compete...for, I believe, her 10th year in a row.... in the 5K run. She and I make quite an unlikely duo as the only place I run these days is to the bathroom .......(its hell to get old).

The partnership in team roping calls for two exceptionally talented horsemen, but University of Arizona cowboy Rene G. Rodriguez says a larger team has enabled him to make it to the 56th College National Finals Rodeo.

The former Cholla High School athlete will compete in team roping at the finals in Casper, Wyo., from June 12-18.

"This has been a difficult year and I've had a lot of help," said Rodriguez, ranked No. 20 in his event nationally. Rodriguez, who rides header, qualified for the national finals by placing second in the Grand Canyon Region. Luke Lancaster of Central Arizona College won.

Charros are Mexican cowboys. In the past Mexican cowboys were skilled ranchers. Today, charros show off their bronco riding and roping skills at Mexican rodeos or ‘charreada’ as entertainment.

Here's your chance to go to the annual Metro rodeos, which highlight the skills of various Metro employees. A bus rodeo will be held at the Landover Division, while the rail rodeo will be at the Branch Avenue Rail Yard.

He worked a long time around Twin Falls, Idaho, and then later down in Nevada. Like so many cowboys, he made the rodeos in season. He was never a star or anything. Usually he just rode the broncs out of the chute for pay - seven-fifty a ride. Once he did win a fine saddle. He has ridden at Cheyenne and the other big rodeos.

Another illustration of the cosmopolitan veins of even the smallest town, is Bandera, pop. 877. The site of Spanish militaristic explorers and Indian battles is also home to one of the oldest Polish communities in the United States and, the authors say, the second oldest Polish church in America. Sixteen Polish families settled in Bandera to operate the cypress shingle mill. It's now the self-described "Cowboy Capital of the World," hosts rodeos throughout the summer and no doubt has more cattle than people.

Propose legislation to ban gay marriage or gay adoption and it speeds through what passes for the Alabama legislature faster than it takes for a Baptist preacher to take up collection. On the other hand, propose legislation to ban a vicious form of animal cruelty — otherwise known (to all the Billy Bobs that attend them) as “hog-dog rodeos” — and the Alabama legislators hang up a “Gawn Fishen” sign on their office doors.

According to this article in today’s edition of the Birmingham News, Alabama has the highest concentration in the country of fighting pens used for “hog-dog rodeos.”

Billed as family entertainment, the rodeos feature hogs, usually with their tusks removed, released in a pen with “catch dogs,” who subdue the hogs by biting their ears and pulling them to the ground. The contest is timed. The dogs are sometimes suited in chest armor, but both the dogs and the hogs typically sustain major injuries.

Only in Alabama, could this be billed as “family entertainment.”