Our First Rodeo

Cowboys, horses, bulls, dust, and the ever-present wind.  Oh, but what a show it was.  

Women's Drill Team

We had a fabulous afternoon at the 20th Annual Los Fresnos PRCA (Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association) Rodeo.  We got there about an hour early and walked around the carnival adjacent to the rodeo arena.  The music from the various rides, the screams of the children, the aroma of corn dogs, popcorn, and pizza, the smell from the livestock barn, and the rush of about 3,000 people all melded together to create the perfect Texas rodeo atmosphere.  We found our seats and settled in for our first ever rodeo.

The day was somewhat overcast which was good.  We weren’t uncomfortably hot and the sun wasn’t blazing in our eyes.  It actually sprinkled most of the second half of the rodeo—just enough for me to put my camera away but not enough to actually get wet.  The wind was fierce, however.  The wind was blowing so hard it blew a man’s beer right out of his cup.  I finally stuffed my hat in Gene’s backpack.

They got started with announcements, a prayer, and the National Anthem.  The first event was the bull riding.  The clowns were great, especially Rudy, who was like the co-announcer.  My favorite events were the bronco riders, both bareback and saddle.  The steer wrestling was okay and I didn’t like any of the roping events, especially the tie-down roping.  I felt sorry for the poor little calves.  Gene’s favorite part was the women’s barrel racing.  Even the children got involved chasing the calves trying to get the ribbon off their tails.  What fun.

We had a great time, but I got in the truck feeling like I had most of the Texas topsoil stuck to my face.  Well, there was a lot of it stuck to the truck.  With the few sprinkles to make the dust stick, it looks like we’ve been 4-wheeling.

Tomorrow, we both have a few chores to do and we will probably stay inside out of the wind for a change.