Rodeo!

Tonight, in the company of Grandma Sue, Donovan, Uncle Lee, and Aunt Cammie, we went to the Strawberry Days Rodeo.  We haven't taken the kids to the rodeo before--an oversight on our part--and we felt it was about time.  A perfect summer evening activity.  The kids really liked it, had lots of questions about what was going on, were happy to watch and not participate, but didn't want to stay until the end.  They got tired before it was over, and being considerate parents, we got up and took them home.  We missed the wild milking, barrel racing, bull riding, and motorcycle jumping (grand finale), but we saw enough to have satisfied the kids, and we'll go again next year.  We sat right next to the gate where competitors in some of the events started from, and were able to see the cow ropers back their horses up to the starting position.  They were good seats; pretty cool.  We also got to eat strawberries and cream, so all in all, it was a great evening.

I learned that the cream portion of this strawberries and cream is actually ice cream base.

It was a sticky mess, but delicious!

These are the sheep that has participated in the mutton bustin'.

Lots of little kids in bike helmets rode these sheep, to a greater or lesser degree.

The little girl who won had to be plucked off after her sheep was chased down,

and she was crying and crying and crying.  

She did not exalt in her win at all.

The sheep will likely be in therapy for months too.

Donovan wanted to ride a sheep.

Not Brandt and Blythe.

 

This was a funny activity.

Three cows were covered in dollar bills and then turned loose in the arena,

along with all the kids under 12 who wanted to come down and chase them and try to get the money off them.

The "cash cow" was sponsored by Central Bank and was pandemonium.  

More animal therapy.

Again, Donovan wanted to participate.

Not Brandt and Blythe.