Denise, not my poem but an old song, my daddy sang when I was a small boy. Several western stars sung it later on, which was titled, I think, That Wild Brahman Bull.
Bad Brahma Bull by Tex Ritter I was snappin' out broncs for the old Flying U, At forty a month, I'm a real buckaroo. When the boss comes around and he says, "Say, my lad, You look pretty good ridin'horses that's bad. At straddlin'thr rouyh ones, why you ain't so slow, And you might do some good at the big rodeo. You see I ain't got no more horses to break, But I'll buy you a ticket and give you a stake." "So pack up your saddle and be on your way, It looks like you might be a champion some day. Step right down and choose them, and when you get through, Just tell them you learned on the old Flying U. Lay off of hard liquor and don't you get full, And I think you can ride that old bad brahma bull. He's mean as they make 'em, and don't you forget He's hurt lots of twisters and never been set." So I wrap up my riggin' and start raisin'dust, A-huntin' th@' show with that big bull to bust. I enter the contest and I pay entry fee, And I tell 'em to look at the champion--that's me. "So bring on your bad ones, you never had none That could set me to guessin' or bother me none. I'll bet you this bankroll and outfit beside That you ain't got nothin' I can't scratch and ride." They look me all over, and say, "Guess he's full, Let's give him a seat on the bad brahma bull." Says I, "Good enough, I'm not here to brag, But I've come a long way just to gentle that stag. You claim he's a bad one and I guess he may be, But he looks like a sucklin' or weaner to me." When he's saddled, I say, "I am ready right now, If you want this thing rode, I will show you all how." So while they're a-puttin' the bull in the chutes, I'm strappin my spurs to the heels of my boots. Then I look the bull over, and to my surprise, He's a foot and a half in between his two eyes. On top of his shoulders he's got a big hump, So I take a deep seat just in back of that lump, When I light on the brahma, I let out a scream, He's out with a beller, and the rest is a dream. He jumps to the left and he lands to the right But I ain't no greenhorn, and I'm settin' real tight. The dust starts to foggin' right out of his skin And he's wavin' his horns right in under my chin; At sunnin' his belly, he just can't be beat, He's showin' the grandstand the soles of his feet. He's dippin' so low that my boots fill with dirt, And he's makin' a whip with the tail of my shirt. He starts to fence-rovin' and weavin' behind, My heart starts to snappin' an' I go sorta blind. Next thing he's high-diving and turning handsprings, And I take to the air just as though I had wings. Up high I turn over, and below I can see He's pawin' the dirt and a-waitin' for me I picture a grve and a big slab of wood Readin', "Here lies a twister who thought he was good." I hit on the ground and I let out a yelp I'm plumb terror-stricken and howling for help. I jump to my feet, and I've got enough sense To outrun the bull to a hole in the fence. I dive through the hole, and I want you yo know I ain't goin' back to that old Wild West show. At straddlin' bad brahmas you bet I'm all through I'm sore-footin' back to the old Flying U.
I was thinking my first kiss was in Colorado, at age 14 when the Ferris wheel at the La Plata county fair reached its apex. I woke up last night and realized that was incorrect. My first kiss was at age 11 at the Wise county fair, Decatur, Texas. I had been spending time with one of my great aunties that had a ranch in those parts. I was at the fair where my boy cousins were showing their steers. I was showing one of their friends how I used the show stick to reposition a steer's feet for a better stance in the judge's eye. So their hillbilly friend from some nearby podunk backwoods opossum and armadillo town says, "Your cousin Faye ain't no real girl, she's like a boy and doesn't know girl stuff." I handed the lead rope and stick to my cuz and then grabbed the boy and laid a big juicy kiss right square on his lips. He stood stunned while the other boys laughed and my oldest cuz 16 remarked that it looked all-girl to him and he wished he was that lucky.
I was never a fair carnival fan. Even the Ferris wheel scared me if I looked down. I was about 18 when I took my last carnival ride. After I was ghostly white frozen with fear from the insanity of the Hammer wheel and my fiance held me up until I could walk it off, I was convinced by my future hubby that the Tilt a Whirl was the best way to recover my equilibrium. While the idea of it going round and round while the deck was leaned to and fro didn't appeal to me, his insistence that it was just an easy fair ride, was convincing. He had a long resume of County fair carnival rides with impressive state fair rides and on a more exciting scale, he had ridden every ride at Disney Land and Six Flags of Texas. I should have seen six red flags but my judgment was still clouded by the Hammer-created mind fog and blind love based on hormones which I had more than my fair share. Once on the tilt and whirl, I was snuggled next to my honey and then it began. I begged the operator to stop because I couldn't bear it. I yelled all the way around on the second rotation for him to stop and let me off. My mouth filled with vomit and my future hubs could see the impending disaster so he started yelling and the asshat running the ride sped it up. A crowd was gathering to see what my pre hubs was yelling and pointing to my expanding cheeks about. In the third time around I held on until I was close to the laughing crowd and clown asshat operator and then I let-er- go! I blasted about a dozen people with the biggest heave as I neared the operator. He brought the ride to a halt and he left quickly and another guy came and ordered me off. People were wiping vomit off of them and many were puking. I had started a barf-o-rama. My pre hubs was on the inside of me so he was left untouched by the blast of regurgitated fair cuisine. The cotton candy had added a touch of sweetness to that bitter moment. My pre hubs made it clear that the operator was responsible and the maddening crowd started threatening the carnival guy and the on-duty sheriff deputy was called and he ordered the ride closed for the remainder of the fair and wrote the carnie operator and boss a citation for endangering the health and welfare of the riders and bystanders. That was my last carnival ride. The year was 1968. My pre hubs made some harsh threats and when the carnie threw out some profanities and called me a bitch, my pre hubs made a statement I didn't hear again until 2010 when my neighbor and good friend Zek accompanied me to the fair, especially to watch bull riding. When a young guy yelled some gross abusive profanity at me because I had to stop in front of him to regain my balance getting to my seat which temporarily blocked his view. Zek says, "Hey sewer mouth watch your language in front of my woman or I will drive your pecker into the dirt like a fence post."
I can and have ridden some of the most extreme rides and coasters in America but I am terrified ince childhood of ferris wheels, thanks to my cousin who insisted on swinging the car when we were stuck at the top. I love him dearly and have long forgiven him but if I ever got him on top of a ferris wheel, I'd be tempted to push him out.
Mostly tractor shows around here.We sold our old 1949 Massy Fergeson tractor to an old man who loves old tractors ,siad he was putting it in the show. We only had it a year paid $250.00, for it sold it for #1000.00. Could have got more but let the first man buy it.
I don't recall the country fairs in Indiana (I was 9 when we moved) but we certainly must have had them. We moved to Virginia just outside of DC in 1963, so by then that region was not very farm-based. There was an annual carnival in town, but that was rides & sides, exclusive of any community orientation. I've been to our state fair a few times, but that lacks the local flavor. The only county fair I've regularly attended have been here in Louisa County (starting in 2010), and those have been kept strictly ag-oriented. There are no rides or side shows. There are baking contests and jam/jelly contests, sack races, nail-driving contests, and a smattering of churches and organizations with info booths set up. The local community groups sell food...there are no outside vendors. My favorite is the 4H area where the kids bring in the livestock they have raised. The critters get auctioned off, and the locals (businesses and individuals) always pay higher-than-market value to help the kids with their college funds.
Back in 1999, I was a Show Ring Steward for the Los Angeles County Fair in So. California. Since I had so much experience around livestock in rodeo, they hired me instantly. Wore Wrangler jeans, boots, Sport Coat, dress shirt and tie. Sometimes the Stewards would help the Judges and other times they'd keep the inside of the Show Ring organized. All of us were up until 2AM on the day of the livestock auction. A lot of livestock went for amazing prices! I still have my L.A. County Fair Show Ring Steward I.D. from back then. It was three weeks of long hours and, at times, pretty hard work. But, the lunch the Fair Committee had for employees (like us) was top-notch.
I was considering doing livestock judging clinics for 4 H again and maybe judging in the county fair. Since I was once a certified livestock judge at the state level. it wouldn't be a lot of study to get recertified. A friend trying to get me at least back into judging 4 H and doing pre fair clinics, sent me the all the new criteria for judging 4 H. I was appalled at one of the changes. It is no longer the system to have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and give out ribbons accordingly. It use to be one blue ribbon winner, one red, etc. It would start with the kids walking their steers or heifers, depending on the class, around the arena. I would pick out what appeared a clear 1st place and then signal that show kid to bring their animal to the center. Then what looked to be a second, etc. until all the cattle were lined up in the center of the arena. Then I would do a closer exam and switch places if necessary. Now it appears if all the animals qualify in the blue ribbon category by score, they all get blue ribbons. I can't believe that 4 H has bowed to the wokeness of everybody is a winner. Back in the day when I judged, I explained why, if there was one small thing that divided blue from red. That one small thing might just give the blue ribbon winner just 1 point over the red. Now if one has a 91 and the slightly better has a 92, they both get blue. I may still do educational clinics if asked, but I sure can't judge using these woke guidelines. I remember so many shows where placing the 1st place from the 8th came down to nitpicking, but that was no reflection on the kid that raised the animal. I made it clear to all the exhibitors they had raised amazing animals, but small details can lead to a higher selling price if they chose to become ranchers or farmers. A blue ribbon indicates achievement of 90 percent to 100 percent of a perfect score, a red ribbon indicates achievement of 80 percent to 89 per- cent of a perfect score, and a white ribbon indicates achievement of 79 percent or less. Their animal is evaluated as to how close it comes to the ideal. Every youth who meets the criteria for a blue award receives one. Every child meeting the criteria for a red award receives one and the same is true for a white award. You may have a class where every youth meets the blue award criteria; in that case each child would receive a blue ribbon.
I live in a very old copper mining area ( mining ceased 100 years ago ) Most of the population of where I live is Cornish due to many emigrating to the area from Cornwall, UK ( to Australia ) around 1860 to,work in the copper mines …..any way if anyone is interested I can post a few photos of the huge festival we have here every 2 nd year ….our town / area swells to over 20.000 for the 10 day celebrations in various towns . We had our towns day yesterday with maypole dancing / parades / Cornish pasty making / and the list gos on and on ….however it poured with rain and somewhat spoiled allot of events ….but the show must go on and it did with the children still continuing to dance in pouring rain
As mentioned in other threads, I practically lived on the rodeo grounds when we covered the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo, since we maintained an EMS station there 24 hours a day for the duration, and previously covered the Los Fresnos PRCA Rodeo during rodeo hours. I won't go into that here because I have already done so elsewhere. Growing up in the UP, we didn't have rodeos, but I attended the county fair pretty much every year, and, some years, I would attend the fair in the adjacent county as well. Each year, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan held its own state fair, and I nearly always attended that, as well. While in California, I didn't attend any county fairs or rodeos. Here in Maine, we always attended the Common Ground Fair and enjoyed that, but once they tried to do a BS virtual fair during Covid, we didn't renew our membership in the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and haven't attended any since. I don't even know if they have had any or if they're still doing BS virtual fairs. We sometimes go to the Aroostook County Fair in Houlton, Maine, and the nearby Springfield Fair used to be very good, although the last one we went to, about five years ago, was a flop so we haven't been back.