This Ain't Our First Rodeo

We went to the rodeo again tonight, this time with Ba-Ba, Nana and Mommy as well, and the temperature and sunlight were perfect for the evening.  Getting there an hour later, the sunlight wasn't directly in our faces as it was last time, and that made for a more enjoyable experience, visually.  Last time, we were facing that sun - Madison and Daddy - and there was a bit of squinting initially.  Anyway, we sat in the front, and had a fun time watching all the different events.

You can see here the traditional opening, where the riders parade into the stadium, somewhat like the opening of the Olympics.  There was an opening prayer, and of course the National Anthem.    And not long after all of that, it was time to see the different competitions.

There were all the same events we saw last time, minus a few.  But the biggest things were included so the others could see some ropin' and ridin'.  The cowboys and cowgirls weren't as successful with their performances tonight, with only a handful actually able to stay on the bucking horses, or rope some of the fleeing cattle.  

But it was still an enjoyable experience, and we were surrounded with a pretty enthusiastic crowd, many wearing cowboy hats and cheering loudly for each cowboy and cowgirl.

In between some of the events, there were rodeo clowns entertaining the audience.  All in all, the clowns were a bit funnier last year - in fact the entire rodeo seemed to be a lot smoother last year.  But it was still fun for everyone, and we stayed until the very end, all the way until the last bull rider.

Speaking of which, for the second time in a row - the bulls won.  Last year when we went, there was not a single rider that could make it eight seconds riding a bull.  This year we came close with one rider making it 7.4 seconds.  So close!  But close doesn't count - in order to qualify, you have to make it eight seconds, and out of all the riders - two sections of them - there wasn't a single successful ride tonight.  So Madison and Daddy have been twice and haven't seen a single successful ride yet.  Maybe next year!

The worst part was what you see above, one guy who the bull kept attacking after the fact.  The poor cowboy was already down and flattened, but the bull decided he wasn't flattened enough.  This guy actually had an ambulance ride afterwards, and we were all pretty nervous for a few moments.

It's a scary choice of a profession, bull riding.  I have no idea why people still voluntarily do this, but rodeos make a big deal out of it.  The intense "main event" music plays shortly before it all starts, and the audience has been waiting for this one, the end of the evening and the big finish.  And we all sit and watch as these enraged beasts violently spin and throw themselves in every possible direction, all that weight jerking this way and that in an attempt to hurl this comparatively small cowboy off into the air, with hopes to pound said cowboy into filthy mush afterwards.  It's a crazy thing, rodeo.

We had a good night though, and it was something different for the grandparents, who enjoyed the visit.

Today was a day off for all of us, so we took them over to Goodwill, and then Aldi's afterwards.  We had a nice meal together, something Mommy and Nana prepared, and sat on the front porch for a bit as well, enjoying the cooler temperatures.  It's still warm, but not overwhelmingly so.  The hummingbirds are out there, flitting around the porch, and the day was a good one.  The day is not so good for those south of us in the path of this hurricane though - we're keeping a very close eye on this one, as are many, many others.  It could change a lot of plans dramatically, and as this thing continues to shift in direction, we prayed tonight for those in its path - which for all anyone knows, may be us before it's all said and done!