It’s boots and chaps. It’s cowboy hats. It’s spurs and latigo.
An invitational rodeo was held for high schoolers at the Central Kentucky Ag & Expo Center in Liberty.
Hundreds of talented teens and their specially trained horses attended this rodeo. They were accompanied by enthusiastic parents and a parking lot full of fancy horse trailers.
Make no mistake, these kids and their mounts are true athletes. No slackers here.
Boys competed in rope-themed events like calf break-away and tie-down. They stored fancy lariats in round suitcases, which I initially mistook for hat boxes.
Girl’s events included barrel racing and pole bending. Their horses were fast and nimble, weaving around obstacles with breath-catching speed.
Rodeo events are timed, putting pressure on both the rider and horse. These sanctioned meets will earn the riders points, titles, and money. There’s a lot on the line here.
You’ve got to admire the dedication and hours of training these teens put in to reach this competitive level. Not to mention support from their parents who hauled them around the country to participate. Unlike other sports, rodeo equipment has to be fed and watered daily.
I didn’t have a chance to see the bull events, but I did visit the ‘rough stock’ pens. At least these animals seemed a little tame. As I recall, the bulls used in professional adult rodeo look like they could chew the tires off your car.
It was a long, dusty weekend of events for these high school kids. Exactly what they live for.
It’s the ropes and the reins. And the joy and the pain. And they call the thing rodeo.
– Garth Brooks
1 comment
Cool!