Today as I was running around town (yep - it is raining once again), I saw this truck that I thought Bryce might like. Look at those horns!
Its the weekend, but Bart and Brandon both had to work today. I pre purchased the rodeo tickets online earlier in the week to the Franklin Rodeo. The news said that they sell out every year. Right after the guys got off of work, we headed over. Can't believe that we saw buffalo on the way!
Their rodeos are
held inside the Agricultural building. Bart, Marteen (an employee) ~cool guy, and Brandon are all headed inside. (Note: Sky is in Las Vegas). We are hoping it's gonna be a good one.
As we got up to the front doors we hear music! Look at these cool kids who were all playing the violins. They sounded really good too. They were even dancing around - made you want to start dancin! Bart didn't want to dance....he just hurried me inside.
Inside it is pretty big, and holds a lot more people that I thought. It didn't look that big from the outside.
We walked around the top of the arena to look at the little booths that they had set up. In one section there were windows that you could look out and see all of the livestock that they would be using tonight. Look at that longhorn steer! We need a few of those at our place!
Our fun group tonight! Marteen, Brandon, Bart and ME.
One of my very favorite parts of the rodeo is the opening ceremonies. They always represent the flag in such a reverent way. I most always tear up. I just love it. It's times like this that is doesn't matter what religion you are (or aren't), all cowboys and patrons come together to show their respect. As they were talking about the flag, the boys pulled the flag out nice and taunt and then started waving it. It looks so cool.
Tonight's program was done by a local scout troop. They did a great job. Of course, I have a soft spot in my heart for the scouting program too. The national anthem as sung beautifully.
Trying to get some good pictures of the rodeo queen for Bryce, but she was just goin too fast!
Then all of the participants for the next event of the rodeo made a loop around the arena.
Tonight's clown was named Hippie. He was from Iowa. He started out as a bull rider, but realized that he liked to make people laugh instead. As a kid, he got into all kinds of trouble at school and thought he had his own room - the Principals Office! He was out in the arena, and up in the stands playing with the people. He was a funny guy. He was trying to get this girl in the black and white dress to dance, and was even rubbing his hands thru her hair, but she wasn't having none of it. What a party pooper!
This is how close we were to the bucking shoots during the saddle bronc riding. I didn't have my camera zoomed at all. We were in row B. It was awesome. A few times when they opened up those shoots, we would get dirt flipped up onto us.
I just had to share these photos. If you can see through the bars you can see that leather strapped onto this cowboys wrist and hand. What kind of contraption is that?
He looks like he has a bionic arm! It didn't help him much either. He got a NO SCORE.
This lady that sat right in front of us was completely decked out in pink. ). I mean completely! That is even her purse sitting on the fence. (It was breast cancer awareness night). She has been to every rodeo that they have held there....all 66 years! And, she sits in the same seat every year!
Then there was THIS guy with his 6' lens. Did he really need that? People are nuts!
But most of all I really enjoyed our rodeo announcer. His name was Roger Mooney. He had a nice deep, booming, clear voice, and was funny too! He was from Georgia. He announces 45 rodeos a year. He says, "I show up to my office in a saddle, wrapped in leather and witness the greatest show on dirt - I've got the best job in the world." I thought it was cool that his horses' breast collar had Roger's name embroidered on it - first name on one side, last name on the other.
His black and white paint is 20 years old ~"Flash". I was really impressed with him. He was super broke. Hmmm...I wonder how much he would want for him??? He is a retired "pick up" horse that he uses at all of the rodeos.
They had some entertainment while we were waiting for the next event. These people were in a bubble wrap looking thing, and they were trying to kick the soccer ball across the arena. They kept running into each other and falling down, rolling around. It was pretty funny.
These cowboys are nuts. They get
banged around so bad. I can't believe that they like doing this. I know it is for the
money, but their poor
bodies are gonna pay for it in the long run.
Marteen and Brandon hangin out. May 2015 Marteen kept calling Bart - - Mr. Barker (with his accent). It was so funny.
After that cowboy got done riding that mare, they opened up another gate and in ran a little colt. He was so cute. This was one of the next generation of buckin' horses that they are raising. They were asking people to name it. Brandon came up with "short straw" - you know like when you draw straws and you get the worst one?!
At the intermission, we were entertained by the "One Armed Bandit Company". We thought that we were gonna see THE one armed bandit (John Payne - who only has 1 arm), but this time it was his daughter, Amanda Payne. She was pretty good too. She came riding in cracking her bullwhip! She got her horse to jump up onto the bed of her truck, then climb up the ramp to the top of the trailer.
Then she ran around the arena and rounded up the Watusi long horns (some of those horns are 6' long) and there were 3 of them, using a bull whip that she snapped. She then made them do the same thing - they loaded up onto the top of the trailer!
She got all of them loaded up onto the trailer, and then rode her horse up there to, and then stood up on top of the saddle. Pretty impressive.
And, remember that truck at the beginning of this post? This is her truck that I saw! Pretty cool.
Next they had the muttin bustin. There were 10 little kids that were participating. They equipped them with helmets and chest protectors. The whole challenge was to just hang on as long as you could with just their hands onto the wool. Most of them didn't last very long, but they were all good sports and they all got trophies!
After that they had the cattle rustlin'. There were so many kids, I couldn't believe it! They all had to stand behind a rope. There were 3 cows at the far end of the arena with red ribbons on their tails. When the announcer said GO, the kids ran to the other end and tried to grab one of those ribbons.
There were kids all over the place. The poor cows didn't stand a chance. There were only 3 winners. 1st place = $20, 2nd place = $10, 3rd place = $5
Then I spotted this large horse. He was a really cool color. Now I can't decide if I want the black and white or this one! lol
Bart & Karen havin a good time!
Then they had some lawnmower races. They had to do the barrel pattern just like the barrel racers do. That was different. I guess they only do this in Tennessee.
Then came our favorite event of the night: BULL RIDING
And, out of all of the bull riders, NOT ONE stayed on. It was really disappointing, but exciting all the same.
Some of those bulls can get quite nasty.
When it was over, the real fun began. Finding our way to the truck!
See all those lights? Those aren't city lights, they are lights from all of the cars and trucks trying to get out at the same time!
There was a huge long line, but Bart managed to surprise us yet again and found an escape route thru the back way. We were out before some of these cars even got to move. It was really a fun night.
