Whew!!! We've survived so far!
I say that because 4 days at Pendleton can take it's toll on a person. The trick is to pace yourself...and remember the word "moderation."
Really, we're not wild and crazy people, but we like to enjoy ourselves at Pendleton. We dance a lot in the evenings, and we also walk everywhere, so we're pretty beat by the time Saturday arrives.
We've shopped all we can shop, visited with numerous friends that we sometimes only see once a year...at Pendleton...and in general, we enjoy a good time with no responsibilities...no dogs or horses...just us!
Where we camp it's really nice and quiet...until 7 AM every morning. The live band starts up next door at Stillman Park for the Cowboy Breakfast. The first morning there's absolutely no way to sleep through that. But, by Saturday AM we're so tired, we actually slept until 8 AM...then it's time for coffee!
Each rodeo performance starts at 1:15 PM, so that gives us plenty of time to take showers, get breakfast, and window shop on our way to the rodeo grounds.
Saturday is obviously the best day for rodeo action. The top 12 contestants in each event come back for the championship. After each event is finished, the champion rides out on a horse with the saddle they just won and receive the rest of their awards in front of the South Grandstands. Then they take a victory lap around the track. It's really fun to see them carrying all their stuff and waiving to the crowd as they gallop around the track!
Well, let's head to the rodeo!!
I've mentioned that my camera just won't do a very good zoom from where we were sitting. I managed to get a couple during the bull riding. But mostly I took shots that were just interesting to me.
Ropers and steer wrestlers warming up their horses
on the infield while the wild horse race is being held.
The hard working pick-up men taking a
well deserved break before the next
event begins.
Clown and barrelman Keith Isley...he took over the
position when my favorite clown, Flint Rasmussen, quit
the PCRA for the PBR...I miss Flint :~(
What's this? Looks like a bunch of PVC made into
a fence...yep, and it's the fence they use for the bull
riding...crazy huh?!? It won't hold freezing
water in the winter, but it'll hold a bull!!
Well, it actually works...most
of the time! There were a couple of
breakouts...and boy can those cowboys laying in
the prone position "get 'n scoot in a hurry" when
a bull charges the fence!
A successful ride.
Here's the fence crew putting in a replacement
section after a bull busted through and broke
the fence.
Speaking of the fence crew, see all the guys with the
maroon shirts? They're part of the fence crew. There
are probably 30 guys that volunteer to help with
the fence. Sections of the track fence go up and
down at different times throughout the rodeo.
And of course the bull fence has to go up and down
twice daily when they have two sections of bulls.
They have to commit to be there every day
of the rodeo. Many of the guys have been
on the fence crew for years...they love it!
My friend Debbie...look at that tiny camera...but
she can zoom right in with it...a totally cool camera!
Ha!! But then there's these two guys in front of us.
OK...I'll take one of those cameras please!
BTW, they were from Germany!
You know how the sport of rodeo has been...and still is...
being criticized by the PITA wackos. Well, this
handsome gelding fell on the track after the
rider had gotten off.
He just collapsed...it looked really weird...nothing
seemed to have caused him to fall. But, he layed
totally still.
Well, they came in with the tractor and the sled
and removed the horse. Cowboys held the horse down.
Then about an hour later, after the vet had examined
him and determined there was nothing
wrong, they turned him into the arena
to show everyone he truly was fine.
It was a good ending!
You know how the bull riding is usually done at the end because it's so popular and they want to keep the crowd in? Well, barrel racing is more popular!!
WhooooHooooo go cowgirls!!!
I've been going to the Round-Up ever since I met My Man...this is year 12 for me. They didn't have barrels back then. About 5-6 years ago, they brought it back, and I really think it's the most exciting event at the rodeo.
These are the finals gals waiting for the
barrels to get set up.
I can feel the tension and excitement.
There was only .65 hundredths of a second between the top and lowest rider coming into the finals. Charmayne James still holds the arena record.
Our friend Brenda Mays (who will be going to the NFR again this year) was in the middle of the pack...so we really wanted her to win. But, she knocked over barrel 2 and it put her out of the money.
So...our next favorite is Linzie Walker. Her and her cute lil' horse has won Pendleton for the past three years...Can she do it again?!?
Is that exciting or what?!? I would love to have a horse that could do it. I think the hardest part of the pattern is that second barrel...no matter which barrel you start with the second barrel has the horse going straight toward a grandstands with lots of movement, color, and shading. I think the horse has a hard time finding the barrel after that long run across the infield. But, when they get it right, it sure is a pretty sight!
Congratulations Linzie Walker...4 time winner...2006-2009!
Well...that's it!! Thank you all for coming along with us on our vacation! I hope you enjoyed it. If you're going next year, I think we need to get a Blogger Meet 'n Greet going!
A couple parting shots...
My favorite truck sighting of the week.
WOW...That is some crazy barrel racing. Talk about a horse race!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that you showed the winner's run because I was poking around on the WPRA site last night and read how she prepared for running at Pendleton. That takes some conditioning to get horses prepared for that.
Thank you so much for sharing your trip. That was great!
I can think of no other vacation I want to take more than a trip to the Pendleton Round-up. What I wouldn't give for a reliable ranchsitter! Thanks for letting me be there vicariously.
ReplyDeleteThat was so cool! And I can't get over that barrel race! I asked Wade, what's a good time on that? A 32? He said close, and then I heard her time of 28.2. That's a totally long run!
ReplyDeleteTooooo cool!! Thanks for taking us with you!!!
Wow, that's a huge barrel pattern! So much more fun than the small indoor arena ones.
ReplyDeleteFlint is one of my faves too.
Calgary Stampede is very much like Pendleton Roundup; the whole city gets western for 10 days and it is a blast! If you ever get there check out the Chuckwagon Races.
Love those big pickup horses****
I think a blogger meet and greet is a great idea. It's hard to manage though when your there going with the flow. We were there again this year with about 8 other people. Looks like we actually sit in about the same area except on Saturday we are in the West granstand. Next year we'll be there Tuesday through Saturday. Surely that would be enough time to meet up somewhere!
ReplyDeleteI love the barrel racing also! But I sure enjoyed all the pictures and the video's!
ReplyDeleteThat is the longest barrel pattern I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI have a year to figure out a trip.
I have family in Washington, Hmmmmm.
That is one huge pattern! I barrel race so that looks fun, man your horse could get up lots of speed in between each barrel that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you guys had a great time!
Wow! What a fantastic trip, I am so glad you took us along with you :)
ReplyDelete