Rodeo

Rodeos around here are a big thing and they happen to be someting I love and embrace. There is always alot of good junk food and you cannot walk through one without running into so many friends. Dave's best friend here, Josh Keyes was one of the organizers. His father, Jim Keyes is a die hard cowboy (or as he prefers a Buckaroo....there is a huge difference that I haven't quite grasped yet.) Jim was just elected into the Utah Cowboy Hall of Fame. He actually is an old fashioned rancher and is the extension agent in our area for Utah State University on all livestock. His true passionion is horses however...who can blame him. He usually is the auctioneer here with the whole voice real fast and everything. He is behind all these awesome events and loves to play golf with Dave and Josh. The above picture is of his other son Justin (a cutie pootie that the girls call JK who is also a great cowboy in his own right...he just doesn't know it yet). Anyway one of the events is roping. A calf is released from a shoot and then the horse/rider runs after it. They have to lasso it then jump off the horse and tie one front leg and two back legs together then get back on their horse and have the calf tied up for 6 seconds. Justins job was to untie the little guy once those 6 seconds were completed. I'm not sure the calf finds this event as fun and exciting as the rest of us but what these guys do is amazing. Even more amazing is watching that horse. Once the calf has been lasso(ed) the rope is tied to the saddle horn (thats what its there for,,who knew...I thought it was a safety measure...kidding...I know what the damn thing is for). This horse stops and will back up to keep the line tight. These animals are so well trained and I hope one day I can have my horses trained as well. Maybe not for that but ...well...you know to walk and be nice and not take off at 100mph while I scream for mercy and that kind of stuff.

Justin use to work for Dave and is back for a few weeks before moving onto school (we hope).

This picture is of the bucking broncos. You have to stay on for 8 seconds. Now that resembles my horses a bit more but thats for another post. We tried to get more pictures but these animals are moving so fast it was impossible. The bullriding was the killer. Only one rider managed to stay on for 8 seconds. You can't even imagine the enormity of these animals. They are solid muscle and the sheer size of them is astounding.

My favorite event is the barrel racing which is for women only. That is one of the big reasons I bought my Elliot who can turn on a dime. One day ladies and gentlemen I will barrel race. I'm not promising I will win or not break a limb but I will do this.

The big rodeo event takes place in Las Vegas in December. I hope I can go sometime. But its televised. Now I know asking my city friends to check out a rodeo on TV when there is perfectly good football on is a bit much but if you decide to surf on over it really is awesome. And if you do think of me. I love it and cannot get enough. We would've gotten more pictures but I forgot to charge my camera...thats my bad.

All in all we had a blast especially after recovering from the tragedy of the plane crash. Then to top off everything Bernie Mac up and dies. WE LOVED BERNIE MAC. Thats another one that died too young. He cracked us all up.

Save a horse, ride a cowboy as they say

Love Lisa