Summer is Here So Let’s Rodeo….

Summer is here and rodeo is in full swing. I consider myself lucky for a city dweller that I can see a rodeo every weekend within a 40 minute drive and lots of other special rodeo events nearby. Ok, so this may not be Texas where you can see a rodeo everyday, but I’ll take it.

Last year I frequented Cowtown Rodeo in Woodstown, NJ and got to watch Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo qualifiers like Mike Adams, Andy Carter and Jace Angus. First Frontier Circuit finalist like Clovis Crane, Joe Bell Sr, Carmine Nastri and Casey Cox and many others at many other local rodeos like Shawnee on the Delaware in the mountains of PA.

So far this season I have been to 3 PRCA sanctioned rodeos in our circuit this spring. And I am very excited. Cowtown Rodeo, the oldest weekly rodeo in the country, is in their 61^st year. It’s outdoors and runs every Saturday night rain or shine May to September. I usually work my other job on weekends, but if I get off by 3pm I make the  drive over the bridge to get my rodeo fix.

So my biggest dilemma is where to sit. Cowtown is a big open arena. So you get there early so you can pick a good seat. Do I want to sit near the chutes or closer to my favorite timed events? I have tried both ends and finally settled on smack dab in the middle. Nothing like getting dirt sprayed on you as those ladies and their horses round that first barrel.

My next dilemma is what snacks to eat while there. We always stop at the roadside burger place before we get there and have burgers and fries. But nothing like popcorn and funnel cake to complete the experience.

But once we get there and before we settle in with our snacks at our chosen seats, we spend time with the steer and calves. They are penned waiting for their opportunity to outdo the cowboys. This year I have been very excited about the livestock I have seen. They are lively and energetic. As evidenced by the many no times and buck offs that last time I was there. My Lil’ Cowboy gets right up on the fence and assesses which ones are going to be roped and which are going to get away. He does a pretty good job at. I don’t know how, because they are all just standing there bellowing. But I guess that is a cowboy’s intuition.

Armed with my daysheet and pen I am glued to the arena watching all 7 of the events with enthusiastic attention. My favorite events are Team Roping and Tie Down Roping and my son favors rough stock events.  I am watching for legal catches and times during the timed events while he is often dancing around in the stands waiting for bulls and broncs. It paid off for him a few weeks ago, he was selected to be Fan of The Night by the rodeo entertainer. So all of my pleas to  ‘sit down’ meant nothing after that point in the night.

After 2 hours or so of a highly interesting night my friend Andy Carter came in 2^nd in bareback and the Barrels were fast with the top 3 under 18 seconds. By all rodeo standards it was a great night under the stars. We concluded the night with an ice cream at the local dairy barn and made our way back home.

So you see “Yes We do Rodeo Big in the North”! Stay tuned for some upcoming interviews with First Frontier Circuit Rodeo competitors.

Follow me on Twitter @cowgirl19114 and follow my blog to stay updated with my views on the western lifestyle from a northerner. I am going on vacation at a dude ranch in 2 week. I will have lots of stories to share for sure!