My favorite part of the rodeos around here are the muttonbusters, little kids in enormous helmets riding sheep to see who can stay on board the longest. Always stationed along the sides are ever vigilant sheep dogs ready to spring into action.
My daughter wants to enter her three-year-old son in the mutton buster contest. Come to think of it, there's the county rodeo and fair tomorrow. I'll bet tomorrow's the day.
The little kids and the dogs are what's real. The bull riders are adrenaline junkies; although the bull fighters are awesome, especially as everyone is leaving the arena, they observe the ancient bull leaping ritual. The bull charges them and the grab the horns and somersault over the bull's back. It leaves me in awe. In fact, I wrote a poem about it for Substack. Allow me to indulge after I find it.
I’ve read Hemingway’s bull fighting stories and he sometimes went from detailed descriptions into downright gory descriptions, especially when when a picador on horseback got his horse gored out from under him. They were definitely before the time of PITA.
That kind of bull fighting I could never really understand other than the man's need to bring a powerful male down as if it were a ballet. Meanwhile, I discovered I hadn't posted Vaulting the Bulls to Substack so I just did. It should be in your mailbox right now. Hope you enjoy it and thank you for bringing up the subject ... in a backdoor sort of way. It was spectacular to watch these guys. Talk about adrenaline junkies. I do need to research rodeo clown/bullfighters and learn why the makeup. There must be some yet again ancient tradition existing about that somewhere.
Another lovely salute to Americana here Sue. It makes me want to attend a rodeo ( never have been to one) and be in the middle of that excitement and that pride. Well done!
If you do go to one, choose one in a ranching community. My FIL lived in Hollister for years and would treat us to what became a summer pilgrimage to the San Benito County Rodeo at the Bolado Park Event Center near Hollister. Every ranching family in the area participates in this rodeo, from the kids to the grandparents, and the Grand Entry fills the arena with participants. Throughout the event, the families and whoever local and interested folks are the audience. As it's not a professional rodeo, it's a true ranch and community affair that was held last June 24-26. So it's still going every June. I highly recommend it if you can.
I love this! Some of my greatest fun has been found at local Small Time rodeos-the people, , and the atmosphere, the camaraderie.. Of the contestants. Rural America at its finest
Thank you, David. You're right about rural America at its best. If anyone wants to see the heart, the essence of America, it's in the small towns and cities inland from the coasts.
My favorite part of the rodeos around here are the muttonbusters, little kids in enormous helmets riding sheep to see who can stay on board the longest. Always stationed along the sides are ever vigilant sheep dogs ready to spring into action.
My daughter wants to enter her three-year-old son in the mutton buster contest. Come to think of it, there's the county rodeo and fair tomorrow. I'll bet tomorrow's the day.
I enjoy the little kids and the dogs even more the the bull riders.
The little kids and the dogs are what's real. The bull riders are adrenaline junkies; although the bull fighters are awesome, especially as everyone is leaving the arena, they observe the ancient bull leaping ritual. The bull charges them and the grab the horns and somersault over the bull's back. It leaves me in awe. In fact, I wrote a poem about it for Substack. Allow me to indulge after I find it.
You are officially indulged.
I’ve read Hemingway’s bull fighting stories and he sometimes went from detailed descriptions into downright gory descriptions, especially when when a picador on horseback got his horse gored out from under him. They were definitely before the time of PITA.
That kind of bull fighting I could never really understand other than the man's need to bring a powerful male down as if it were a ballet. Meanwhile, I discovered I hadn't posted Vaulting the Bulls to Substack so I just did. It should be in your mailbox right now. Hope you enjoy it and thank you for bringing up the subject ... in a backdoor sort of way. It was spectacular to watch these guys. Talk about adrenaline junkies. I do need to research rodeo clown/bullfighters and learn why the makeup. There must be some yet again ancient tradition existing about that somewhere.
Another lovely salute to Americana here Sue. It makes me want to attend a rodeo ( never have been to one) and be in the middle of that excitement and that pride. Well done!
If you do go to one, choose one in a ranching community. My FIL lived in Hollister for years and would treat us to what became a summer pilgrimage to the San Benito County Rodeo at the Bolado Park Event Center near Hollister. Every ranching family in the area participates in this rodeo, from the kids to the grandparents, and the Grand Entry fills the arena with participants. Throughout the event, the families and whoever local and interested folks are the audience. As it's not a professional rodeo, it's a true ranch and community affair that was held last June 24-26. So it's still going every June. I highly recommend it if you can.
Good to know! Thanks
I love this! Some of my greatest fun has been found at local Small Time rodeos-the people, , and the atmosphere, the camaraderie.. Of the contestants. Rural America at its finest
Thank you, David. You're right about rural America at its best. If anyone wants to see the heart, the essence of America, it's in the small towns and cities inland from the coasts.
I could not agree more.
Excellent, pard!
PS, Until now I had no idea where buckaroo came from.
It's the American/English bastardization of "vaquero." In Spanish, the V is pronounced B.