Mutton bustin'
Mt. Pleasant hosts a two day rodeo, complete with bull-riding and rodeo clowns, for the Fourth of July holidays. Even with the serious riders looking for prize money, the hometown crowd gets to participate, and they start them young. Every kid got a blue ribbon and a high-five from the rodeo clown.
Royalty commanding her subjects
A surfeit of rodeo queens, from Mt. Pleasant and the various rodeo associations. One ten year old girl was as camera-aware and polished as any runway model, all while riding like she was born in the saddle.
The Mt. Pleasant junior misses
The duties of this group include leading the crowd in a rousing version of the chicken dance. Think hokey pokey or macarena, with flapping elbows.
Bronc riding
The real horsemen of the rodeo were the contracted riders in the beige shirts, keeping bucking horse from fallen rider and driving very angry bulls out of the arena.
Two serious injuries to riders, and one very hurt bull. Riders walked off the field eventually, but the bull was rolled onto a metal stretcher and dragged out by tractor. The announcer said it was a probably a pinched nerve when it came out sideways from the gate. The rider did not get a second chance. No way around the fact that this is a dangerous sport, to man and beast.
When the light goes, start panning.
The rodeo queens are judged partly on horsewomanship, which they put to use, galloping the arena with flags announcing each event's sponsors, clearing the calves after every roping competitor, and competing themselves in barrel-racing.
July in Utah could be completely filled with rodeos and Pioneer Days events all up and down the state. I'm aiming for the Fairview rodeo and demolition derby, the lacemaking day and the quarterhorse sale in Salina. If I can fit in the SLC parade and some fireworks, all the better. And sometime, there's a classic car show in Manti. Yikes! Let me know if you want to ride along.
P.S. More Ireland pictures are coming.
