We headed down to the Rodeo around 6.30pm to get our seats and of course a beverage for the evening’s entertainment. This was exactly what you would expect a Midwestern rodeo to be, good old classic country music blaring out of the speakers (We didn’t hear Wagonwheel play though…), cowboys and cowgirls all with their spurs, chaps, jeans, and leather boots, and plenty of farm animals herded into pens waiting to be riled up for a few seconds of entertainment.
Things kicked off in typical American fashion with the USA national anthem being played whilst two flag bearers rode around the grounds on horseback. First out of the gate for the evening where the riders on the bucking horses, which we both enjoyed. Next up were toddlers, like I mean little children no older than 5, on the back of angry sheep. This was funny but also a bit weird, I was completely amazed that they would put their kids in harm’s way, but then I suppose that is the only lifestyle they know. After this they had the older kids riding bucking calf’s, before one of the organisers came out and place three blue barrels in the middle of the arena. This was a bit perplexing as we couldn’t possibly figure out how these related to trying to stay on a bucking animal for 9 seconds, however the announcer soon informed us that these were for Barrel Racing, an time-trial event where the rider attempts to race their horse around the barrels in the shortest possible time. This was good to watch, and was the only female dominated event at the Rodeo. Finally came time for the main event, the adult riders on full-grown angry bulls. We had seen these bulls being loaded into the pens during the Barrel Racing and they were not happy! The Bull riders definitely provided the best entertainment of the evening – a couple of riders even managed to stay on for the whole 8 seconds which was impressive! We were both really pleased we can say we have been to a Rodeo, would we go again, probably not.
TWO TRAVEL AS ONE 