Rodeo Time

It is getting close to time for the Stock Show and Rodeo.  It's a pretty big deal here.  Kim tries to gear up for it at the resort.  They get a lot of folks from out of town that come down to either participate or attend the events.  When I say participate, they won't be the actual cowboys at the resort, maybe vendors and such.  It has snuck up on me as it usually does, I'm blaming Kim.  It has been a big deal for her business even before she went out on her own.  Ever since I got into working leather a couple years ago she wants items geared to that.  She tends to forget I need a huge lead time to produce just one item not to mention having quite few related items on hand.  I ordered some materials today, but I doubt I can get everything done by the opening.  It lasts 2 weeks so it gives me a bit more time.  It's still her fault, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  If you don't see any posts from me after this you will know she read this.

We don't usually attend much, we have in the past, mainly in order to see a specific performer.  A couple years ago we went just to the stock show.  They also have various events that qualify participants for the main stage.  Have you ever seen a male barrel racer.  I hadn't either and had never heard of one.  But there he was, competing with the ladies.  He was almost as old as I was.  Maybe old age was setting in on him a little more than most and wasn't thinking to clearly lol.  Actually, I am pretty sure I knew him.  Our parents were friends more years ago than I care to admit, and so we were too.  I never would have expected him to be a barrel racer, and competing against the ladies.  I don't know.

I remember one of the times I was taken to the rodeo by my grandparents.  Rex Allen was the big name performer that came to town in those days.

That was just fine with me, he was one of my heroes back then.  As he came in or left the arena. I don't remember which, he would ride his horse, Koko, around the rails of the arena greeting all the fans.  We were seated on the rail, he got to us and stopped and let me pet his horse.  That was pretty 'neato', as we would say back then. 

There wasn't ever a prettier horse

Made me a lifetime fan.  I still remember his narrating all those Disney nature films.  I saw him one other time when I was a bit older.  I was on the school safety patrol and was the crossing guard for a crosswalk to our school.  It was rodeo time then too.  It was morning and I was standing at the crosswalk and there comes this pick-up and horse trailer driving by.  It was Rex Allen and Koko.  It was blazoned on the trailer.  He was by himself.  Just what you would expect from a real cowboy.  No fancy bus, no driver, just him, his pick-up and his trusty horse.  Very humble, what we wanted from our heroes back then. 

 

Remember when all our heroes were cowboys?

I miss the '50's

And as one of my other Heroes used to sing

 

Happy Trails