The trailer is unhitched and parked on the edge of the field between the trees. The horses have been unloaded, groomed and tethered in the shade where they can relax until needed. The truck has been backed up to the arena fence, the front door has been dropped and is ready to provide seating to enjoy morning slack or the evening rodeo performance.
People who visit and mingle with friends and family as they prepare for the events in which they participate. The little ones are excited to be a part of lamb hunting and calf riding. Next, the kids on the generation ladder wait their turn to ride steers and team up with a sibling, parents, or good friends. Both teens and adults are warming up their horses for calf rope, steer fighting, and barrel racing.
The younger generation hones their skills by swinging ropes on hay bales and tying calves made from half-tires with legs made from four sticks cut to length. Attentive mentors who give advice and praise efforts.
The smell of burgers and onions being grilled at the outdoor food stand hangs in the air along with the aroma of strong coffee. All mixed with the smells of the rodeo grounds.
The announcer has done his sound checks and the person who acts as the rodeo clown during the day is finishing his face painting as he mentally goes over his antics scheduled for the afternoon.
The cattle contractor’s trucks arrived the day before to unload the rough cattle and the local ranchers who are supplying the calves and steers long gone and left in the early hours of the morning. Your livestock feed is safely enclosed in pens located behind the arena.
The sounds from behind the ramps indicate that bareback horses are running towards the ramps to wait for the cowboys who have pulled them. Soon the bareback rigging will be in place and the horse and rider will explode out the door when it opens.
The performance will soon begin with a grand entrance and introductions from the community leaders and organizers who have worked so hard in preparation for this day. Recognition will be given to the oldest and youngest person entering, local celebrities such as a scholarship winner, rodeo royalty from another city, timekeepers, judges, and pickup men.
For those who came, they did the best they could, and maybe, just maybe, they were lucky enough to take home some of the prize money; the luck of the draw was on his side.
This was a detour forty years ago; and at the end of the day, when the trucks and trailers left the rodeo grounds to return home; there was a comfortable feeling of belonging.
