This is the salinas rodeo.....tell me what you think @Cody Fousnaugh ...thumbs up or down? https://www.carodeo.com/
Well, believe it or not, I never even knew the word “rodeo” until I went to the one in Long Beach, California. I was a teen “hog farmer”, not a rodeo cowboy. My step-parents were pretty shocked when they found out I was involved in the sport.
It's funny, to me being a former farmer then getting involved with rodeo, that those that many who don't like rodeo, also don't want to know what goes on on farms and ranches. "Buy my wrapped-up meat at the grocery store and I don't want to know the process of how it got there", many will say. Well, with working on a hog farm, there are things done to hogs, that I won't mention here, that many so-called "City Slickers" wouldn't want to know. Things go on with raising cattle or at dairy farms that people from the city don't want to know about. Don't even think about taking them to the Butcher Shop........never.
In my younger years I went to quite a few rodeos. My ex and I had horses and my oldest daughter was training to be a barrel racer (I hope that's the term). We had lots of small rodeos around here and probably still do. We have a rodeo going on in our Coliseum this weekend and last night most of the grandkids and their parents went to the 7:30pm show. My ex has been taking the grandkids to the Coliseum rodeo for quite a few years now. Along with Trail Rides, Rodeos seemed to be a part of almost every weekend in my younger days and I enjoyed being an "honorary Cowgirl" and loved my Cowgirl boots. Those days are over for me but I'm glad the grandkids go with the Grandpa and enjoy that time with him. I really enjoyed the Trail Rides much more than the Rodeos and the Campouts that often went along with them.
I have never been part of a rodeo, and have fallen off more horses than I have ridden successfully, but when we covered the livestock show and rodeo in Mercedes, Texas, we maintained a first-aid trailer there 24-hours a day, parking an ambulance at the trailer at night in the event that we needed to transport. The carnival people, the vendors, the kids who had animals in the show, and some of the rodeo people were there all night and had barbecues after the gates were closed. For the kids especially, that was a great time. We'd ride around on the EMS golf cart that they gave us for that purpose, and talk with people, and others would come in for bandaids and such from time to time, and occasionally there would be a traumatic or a medical emergency that needed to be dealt with. We enjoyed it too, in part because we weren't in the line-up to take outside EMS calls unless there was a dire need for another ambulance.
My “competing” days are way over, but both of sure miss the rodeo action that isn’t around here. One of the reasons for us to move.
Actually, my first dealing with horses came working at Knotts Berry Farm (amusement park) in Buena Park, California. I worked on their stagecoach for a few months. Some years after that, for a short time, I rode/cared for a horse as a Trail Guide at a Regional Park in Irvine, Calif.. Have owned two Quarter Horses and was a member of AQHA. Even done a little Team Penning.
In Hungary it's a tradition in most places to butcher a pig and then make sausages, bacon etc. Ive even had it done at my second home there which was more out in the country.
Country music became associated with cowboys because cowboys might sing, not only to pass the time at night but to soothe the cattle during drives, but the clothing worn by country singers is an exaggeration or a warping of those worn by actual cowboys, who chose their style of dress for practical purposes rather than to impress the women. Working cowboys wore wide-brimmed hats that combined the features of the sombreros worn by the Mexican vaqueros and the headwear that was worn by both sides during the Civil War. They wore bandannas to wipe off sweat and to protect their eyes and nose from dust. Leather cowboy boots had pointed toes to help them slip easily into stirrups, high heels to keep them in the stirrups, and high tops to guard the cowboy's calves while riding, as well as a protection against snake bites. Cowboy pants were jeans with a smooth seam on the inside in order to protect from blistering while riding. Leather chaps added further protection.
Well, singer George Strait has a ranch, hosts a nice big Invitational Team Roping every year in Texas and is a Lifetime member of PRCA. The look of a cowboy hat can be different, depending on what part of the U.S. a person is in. Montana has can be wide brim, whereas Colorado, Wyoming, California, Texas and Oklahoma hats may not be. Some guys and girls in the southern states like the “Redneck” look, which is bent way down in the back and front. I have a Resistol Straw “Bandera” hat and regular Western Black Felt one.
I was referring to the cowboys of the 1800s. Today, they use ATVs and helicopters so the conditions are not the same.
Actually, there are still cattle ranches that herd (drive) cattle by horseback. But, have seen ATV’s and helicopters used, which looks very weird. In fact, one rancher obtained a helicopter license and bought one to run his each with. There are hands on horseback, but he always uses the helicopter.