Rodeo

The 59^th Annual Chisholm Trail Rodeo was held last weekend at the Chisholm Trail Rodeo grounds in Nocona.  Events kicked off with mutton bustin’ (where kids ride sheep) at 7:30 pm and the real events started at 8:00 pm Friday and Saturday night. 

Friday night I went to the rodeo by myself since I didn’t really know anyone my age in town, hoping that I would see someone I had been introduced to.  Although I essentially spent the night by myself, I did have a lot of fun learning about the different events and enjoying the true community atmosphere in the stands.  My favorite part might have actually been watching the kids run around the spectator stands.  Kids in boots has to be one of the cutest things ever. 

I did get a chance to finally have a real conversation with Wayne Wood.  He’s the one who always gives me a hard time and teases me about running out of town and back to west Texas.  Turned out that he had lived in Amarillo for a number of years and still has kids there.  So we talked and compared stories of the friendly people and dust storms of west Texas. 

Saturday night went a little differently.  I arrived by myself and ended up talking to an old cowboy while I was in line at the concession stand for a BBQ sandwich.  He raised bulls and explained the process to me since he was there supporting a young ranch hand who was apparently a nationally-recognized bull rider.  Although his friend didn’t make it the 8 seconds for a good ride, I did get to experience what it was like to hang out with some old cowboys at the rodeo with a few cold beers in our hands.  After the rodeo, I took a few spins around the dance floor at the after-rodeo dance.  One of the cowboys – who couldn’t two-step very well  and was a former bull rider himself – explained to me that bull riders get the girls because of their skill, so good-dancing cowboys can’t ride bulls, and therefore have to find some other way to woo the girls.  Hahaha.