Going To The Rodeo. Mutton Busting.

Yesterday we decided to knock off work in the middle of the afternoon and meet some friends at a Rodeo in a nearby town.  We had a fantastic afternoon.  The theme at the moment on The Farm seems to be dust and the Rodeo certainly continued that.

The Farmchildren were very excited about the planned trip to the Rodeo and dug out their best cowboy/cowgirl clobber.

Look - here they are with The Farmer heading into the arena.

The Farm Family - Very Dusty Ground

We arrived in time for all of the main events.  The atmosphere was brilliant even though it was a smallish rodeo.

The setting was rustic but did the job.  There were two options for seating

Hay bales.

Hay Bales

Or a gravel bank.

Cowboy, Horses and Dusty Bank Seating Arrangement

Farmboy decided he wanted to enter the Mutton Busters.  (Very safety conscious uber Mums had better stop reading now...)  Small children are allowed to take part in the Rodeo by riding a sheep!  This is a particularly popular event.

I would love to show you a photo of Farmboy on his sheep (which The Farmer had carefully selected behind the chutes) but he didn't stay on long enough to photograph.  He was very proud of his efforts though, and I did get this photo of him dusting himself down and being helped from the arena by the Baby Clown.

Farmboy and Clowns, Offending Sheep in Left Foreground

At one point the sheep needing rounding up and getting back behind the chutes.  Fortunately there were a few kids around who were pretty handy at sheepwork...

Rounding Up The Mob, With An Audience

The bull riding is the one event at a Rodeo that I find amazing.  I always wonder which bit of it is ever going to be a good idea.  Whoever came up with the idea of riding a very cross bull and only hanging on with one hand?  There were no serious injuries but the Clowns (grown up ones) did take a bit of a battering a few times when they couldn't quite climb the fence fast enough.  The bulls had names like "Spider Pig" and "Mr Floppy".  Riding Mr Floppy doesn't sound quite as cool as riding Spider Pig....

Big Bull With Brave (Stupid?) Clown

I apologise for the yellow rails being in the way but this bull was big, cross and giving me the hairy eyeball.  There was no way I was going one step closer to that fence....

The amount of dust was beyond comprehension. I could feel it between my teeth, in my eyes and my ears. It was like having a large, even coating of mineral bronzer (which I suppose it kind of is) all over your entire being.  No need for makeup - everyone was the same colour by the end.  (Except for the poor girl who wore a pretty, white broderie anglaise strapless dress with cowboy boots.  I am sure at some point she looked amazing.  And then she got out of the car. )

The Farmchildren had "the best day ever".  We enjoyed it too.  I can't say we will hop on the Rodeo Circuit but we will definitely go next year.  Farmboy is planning on training for the Mutton Busting between now and then.  Our sheep had better watch out.