What’s a Rodeo?

We have lived in Pincher Creek for 5 years and the Pro Rodeo Weekend is a big deal in the town.

Usually, I would make it to the parade and some of the other activities around town and then go home and just hear the loudspeaker announce things from the grounds below.  I have never really had a desire to make it down the hill to sit in the stands.  This year, Ron is retired and he wanted to take in the whole rodeo experience.  We bought our weekend pass and Friday night we were in the stands.  Let’s say that evening was not great for me.  When a calf was let out of a pen and a big cowboy raced his horse beside him and jumped on his head, I had to turn mine.  

I was the one in the stands that let out a quiet cheer when the calf got away.  The barrel racing was a little calmer.  The cowgirls raced their horses around three barrels and back to the start.  

Some barrels got knocked down but for the most part it looked like the animal and rider were a team.  That was not my perception when the evening turned to the bronco horses.  These poor animals were in a tiny little area with something that was making them very angry and then a cowboy jumps on.  The gate opens and for 8 seconds the horse goes wild and the rider holds on with one hand trying not to be thrown and I guess, having good form?  

When the buzzer sounds, two other cowboys try to rescue the rider and then removes a strap from the bucking horse.  The beautiful animal calms down somewhat and is directed toward the exit gate.  Well, if my heart rate wasn’t high enough by then it certainly was when they did the same thing with the bulls.  Bulls are massive animals and seem to have never taken any anger management courses.  I remember back to when I was young and in a hay mow swinging on a rope with my friend at her farm.  Below, we heard snorting and banging.  We looked down and saw that the bull had gotten out of his stall and was storming the area.  He was angry for what seemed like no good reason and there was no way of escape for us.  We went to the opening in the loft and begin yelling for my friend’s brothers or dad to come and put the bull back in the stall.  This memory has stuck with me and has always given me a very healthy fear of bulls.  In my opinion, it is absolutely crazy for anyone to willingly get on on the back of one of those animals.  Who knew that there were so many crazy people?

Perhaps even crazier were the two rodeo clowns who intentionally got the bull’s attention when the ride was over for the cowboy or he was thrown off prematurely.  Looking around I sensed that my concerns for the animals was not shared by the crowd. I’m thinking that people that were of like mindedness did not attend a rodeo.

On Saturday, we went to the much more peaceful event….the rodeo parade.  There were lots of horses, farm equipment and special salutes to the RCMP for their 150th year.  

It was quite touching to watch the members in their red serges march by and have the spectators break out with applause.  

After the one hour parade, we toured the pioneer village and walked home to get warmer clothes for the afternoon rodeo.  

The day was more of the same.  Barrel races, bucking horses, roping cowboys and anger filled bulls.  There were a couple of moments of collective gasps from the crowd.  A bucking horse came out of his confined area and took the cowboy for a ride.  Straight across the arena it went, jumping and kicking and then the cowboy was flying.  He went up and over the two fences and landed near the stands with the spectators.  He dusted himself off and saluted the crowd and was able to walk away.  The horse won that round.  A little while later a bull threw his rider right out of the gate.  The bull was bucking hard and the cowboy found himself under the the moving hooves of this giant animal.  The clowns distracted him but only after being trampled twice.  My heart felt sick but the man slowly got up, holding his ribs and was able to walk away.

There were a few less violent events provided for the kids.  Kids were called into the stadium by two different age groups.  They lined up and then two calves were released.  One calf had a ribbon on his tail and the child that could get that ribbon received a new bike.  Another event was when a team of three children had to try and get a pony under control and ride it as long as they could.  Mostly what happened was that the ponies dragged a child around for while.  Then there was the mutton race.  

It may be crazy for grown men to jump on a bull or a bucking horse but what parent puts their child on a sheep?  Apparently, a lot do.  Most kids were dropped rather quickly.  Some kids cried, some ate dirt and some will grow up to ride in a rodeo.

On Sunday, we went to the cowboy church, which was just a regular service at the grounds.  Okay, not totally regular.  There were cows mooing, horses moving and tractors motoring around.  Ron was a little disappointed that the music didn’t include a banjo or a fiddle.

The afternoon was the finale.  These cowboys and girls were all working to move ahead in the rodeo circuit.  It seemed like a big deal.  There were riders from the western provinces, Montana, Texas, Idaho and even one from Australia.  

Rodeos might not be my thing, but we did it.  It was very well organized and it didn’t seem that any animals were hurt.  I can’t say the same for the riders.  I’m glad that we did experience the Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo because it will be a memory.  A memory of angry bulls, flying cowboys and parents that throw their kids on sheep and wish them well.