Over the Fourth of July weekend we went to my brother's ward rodeo. He lives in a little town where EVERYONE has horses, cows, pickups, boots - you get the picture. So every year they have a ward party that's a rodeo. And it's a real rodeo - everyone brings their horses, sheep, bulls, and other rodeo necessities. We might have stood out as outsiders - look at Tyler in shorts and sandals - and the kid next to him. (feel free to sing 'One of these kids is not like the other . . .') Then they hold events - pole bending, barrel racing, steer riding, (I couldn't even name a rodeo event before this), and of course, mutton busting. On the way there Derek and I were asking the kids if they would want to mutton bust - we of course had to explain what that even was! Tyler says he's game, Emmy says no way, and we're all set for our family's first mutton busting.
I'm all excited for Tyler to ride this sheep as he's line with other kids. When he's 20 kids back, I'm all game for this idea. I got to see a lot of other kids go before us and they had cowboys clowns (I'm sure just Preists from their ward!) run alongside with the kids, so when they fall off the clown makes sure they don't get trampled. When he's 20 kids back, I'm all game for this idea . . .but as he inches closer I'm starting to rethink the intelligence of this. Then it's his turn. I told Derek I wanted him to run along with Tyler - trusting Derek more than cowboy clowns who don't love Tyler, but Derek assured me that he in his sandals wouldn't really work out. So Tyler mounts this sheep and is waiting in the chutes (are you proud of my rodeo terminology?). By now I'm starting to have a heart attack - I'm sure this is a bad idea now - but way too late for a mom's intution. And he's off . . .
Tyler held on so good while that sheep went the entire length of the arena. He even stayed on longer than any other kid! I was completely hyperventilating until I saw him get off his sheep and walk back to us in one piece. When he got back to us we asked him a hundred questions about how it went - all he told us was that he wondered if the ground was hard or soft if he fell off. He also told us that while he was walking back with the clown he said to Tyler, "nice work pal". Our first participation in a rodeo was a hit. Consider that mutton busted.
4 comments:
Oh my word! You've got yourself quite the little cowpoke. I love that the city boy rode the mutton longer than the countrified boys. Cute story.
whoa! They might as well turn that mutton into chops right now! That's awesome, the whole thing is awesome. Did you see Robb smiling in the picture?
Way to go Tyler, you've made us all so proud. I myself would have been to afraid - you're one brave boy!
Way to ride' em Cowboy Tyler! What a cute little cow poke, he really busted that mutton. Too bad he didn't sign up for the Snake River Stampede, he would have shown them a thing or two!
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