I made it to the rodeo last Saturday, and I’m always glad when I
do. I’ve gone nearly every year since we moved here and it’s a
local tradition that gives a lot of richness to our community.
I made it to the rodeo last Saturday, and I’m always glad when I do. I’ve gone nearly every year since we moved here and it’s a local tradition that gives a lot of richness to our community.
However, I hope the Saddle Horse Association realizes there is a demographic phenomenon coming their way, and they had better get ready.
I’m not concerned about the rodeo and the horsemanship and ranching skills fading away, since there were lots of very adept young people competing this year.
No, I am speaking of the demographic group of which I am a member, the baby-boomers. On the leading edge of this demographic bulge, I may be in a position to predict what’s coming.
I’m sure I’m not the only baby-boomer who has had to struggle with the psychological scars left from not having grown up on a ranch. Now that we are older and more mature, we see that wranglin’ can be ours to enjoy, as soon as the Saddle Horse Association comes up with some easier events.
In other words, I want a buckle.
I can actually stay on a tame horse for more than 8 seconds (the time a cowboy has to stay on a bronc or bull); in fact, I can stay on for several hours if the horse is standing still.
Actually I can stay on a moving horse quite well, as long as it isn’t moving too fast or suddenly changing direction. And I’m willing to work and practice to hone my skills; the buckle will be worth more if I put some hard work into earning it.
But I know I’m unlikely to master sorting, or figure-8 roping, or wild cow milking, so I’ve come up with some events that might be more suitable.
For example, I think I might be able to stay on a horse as it reared and pawed the air with its front legs. So I propose a “Hi-Yo Silver” event for the person who does the best Lone Ranger imitation in that position.
Then, inspired by the Rodeo queen and her court, who gallop past the grandstand, reins in one hand and heavy flag in the other, I propose an event where the rider actually lets go of both reins and rings the dinner gong, astride a slow-moving horse. Surely this was an important ranch skill in the days before cell phones and walky-talkies.
Finally, I know that broken or torn fences are a recurring problem, so I propose an event where a rider circles the arena slowly, stopping periodically to examine damage on the arena fence, and actually get off and back on the horse to do so. Pretend damage could be set up in advance and the event would be scored by how many damage spots the rider found in the allotted time.
So you can see I’ve given this some thought and I hope the Saddle Horse Association will take heed, lest we baby-boomers put down our remote controls, rise up from our recliners and call the Saddle Horse office en masse.
