Stock Show!

My family has a few traditions. We had many more when I was growing up, but I seem to be the lone representative of my siblings that tries to continue these. One of the traditions is the Stock Show. The stock show is probably the largest livestock and horse show in Colorado. It happens every January, and my grandmother has been taking us to the Rodeo, and then watching the draft horses for the past 20 years probably. When I was younger, my parents, my grandma, and all 5 of us kids would all go and spend at least part, if not all of the day looking around, and seeing the rodeo. Now it's down to me and my family. My grandma has made up for this in part by collecting a larger group of lady friends to bring. We always go to the Rodeo the final Saturday of the whole event 3pm. It's tradition. The Stock Show lasts for about 3 weeks I think. For quite a few years, during the rodeo the had a 1 or 2 events with saddlebred horses, but that has been moved to another night with the building of the horse building. For a few years, we even stayed until almost midnight in order to watch the grand prix jumping competition for free after the rodeo. Sadly, that too has been moved to another night and now requires you to purchase a ticket to see it. Needless to say, the Stock Show has changed slightly in format, and content over the years. This year was the 100th anniversary of the show. How cool is that?

On Thursday evening I went to a fairly new event called "An evening of Dancing Horses" with my Grandma and her ladies. This is the second year that they have had this event. It is mostly set to music with the Fort Collins symphony Orchestra performing live. It shows off mostly different "acts" of drassage and reigning (the western equivalent). This year it also included a vaulting group (acrobatics on horseback) as well as a very talented gentleman who drove 2 horses in harness ahead of the horse he was currently riding. That meant he had 3 sets of reigns in his hands at once! It was a very nice evening away from the kids, and some time with my Grandma.

Unfortunately, my pictures didn't look like they were turning out well on my camera due to the dark arena and the distance, so I gave up quite early, and didn't even attempt to take pictures of the rodeo on Saturday. We left the baby who is 2 with my other Grandparents while my husband and I took our 4 yr old son to the rodeo. Shaya probably would have enjoyed it too, but with my rather large pregnant belly, and the crowds, my husband didn't think we could handle 2 of them. Out of the entire rodeo experience, I think the things that Alex remembers the most, were the really loud bangs from the fireworks at the beginning, and the animals he got to see in the "children's ranch land" before the rodeo. With my husband and son in tow, I didn't stop by the weaving or spinning demonstration, nor did I go looking for other "knitty" type things. We all had a great time, and are looking forward to next year when Alex will participate in the "mutton' Bustin'" Competition. This is where very small children climb on the backs of sheep and try to stay on like "real cowboys" do in the bronc riding. The sheep don't buck, they just run, but it's very funny to watch. I, myself have a slightly tarnished belt buckle that I won when I was about 10 from riding a sheep.....lol