Coarsegold Rodeo

We've live in our little mountain for over ten years. And in that time the Coarsegold Rodeo has been held the first weekend in May every year. This year, for the first time, we have gone and truly enjoyed all of the competitions. We sat on the hard bleachers from noon until 4:30 this afternoon. If we go back tomorrow we'll take our own chairs and set them up on the hillside overlooking the arena like a whole lot of folks did today. Obviously they've been to the rodeo before and knew better. I won't bore you with the nearly 80 pictures I took but just give you a glimpse of this small town event.

I learned that cowboys come in all sizes. This one told me he was waiting for the Mutton Bustin' to start!

I felt a bit out of place with just my visor on and the back of my neck was getting sunburned, so I indulged in my own Cowgirl hat!

The rodeo started by introducing the crowd of about 300 to the candidates running for rodeo queen. Here is our friend Laura Haen who is running against eight other young ladies.
The queen will be crowned tomorrow.
(Remember she is the one who is our goat friend, previous owner of Destiny and a state champion in raising goats.)

The opening ceremony included a patriotic recording sung by Johnny Cash and this cowgirl rode her horse standing up circling the arena caring this beautiful flag. It gave me goose bumps!

Bronc competition . . . oh, my aching back!

Of course every rodeo needs a clown!

Cowgirls don't have to rope the calf and jump off and tie'em up. They do have to lasso them.

Here the cowboy has to chase after the calf, lasso it and get off the horse, run to the calf and tie up three legs together, fun and get back onto the horse who has by then backed up so that the rope is taught, and after he has mounted the horse and loosened the rope, the calf has to stay tied up for six seconds.

Here a cowgirl took a picture of her shadow . . .
note the new hat!

Calf wrestling—

Barrel Racing—my granddaughter wants to do this next year!

And finally Bull Riding . . . none of them qualified by staying on more than eight seconds.

Our 4-4 Club was in charge of the Pizza Booth as a fund raiser.

After the rodeo was over they were selling their pizzas at half-price!

It was a fun day.

Life is good!