Rodeo Time!

Pony Pals Cambria and Titan ended up not mutton busting. At their last rodeo, there had been no protective vests and their falls from the sheep without that gear hurt. 

Plus, the sheep at this rodeo were kept in the arena and when a child clambered up onto the sheep's back, that sheep headed straight for the flock. More than one kiddo came off in the middle of the flock of milling sheep and disappeared in the dust.

But not watching the kiddos mutton bust was fine - we found seats on the grass and settled in to watch the rodeo.

And eat!

Mountain Mama Jessica told me that just about every small town in Utah has a rodeo arena.

and this particular rodeo was the youth component to the adult rodeo that would happen the next weekend.

We sat and watched the pole bending after the mutton busting was over.

They had two sets of poles running - one rider was on deck while the other ran the pattern.

Jessica has become a real horse lover as an adult, and she really wanted to walk the grounds and look at the horses. As you might imagine, her mama was all in for that!

She was interested in having me tell her about breeds and colors. (I had to look up the difference between dun and buckskin when she asked about those!)

We spent about an hour together just wandering the grounds and talking horses.

This cutie had ridden her pony in pole bending and was very excited to show him to us.

Her dad spent time explaining the freeze brands on this horse - they had to do with breeding lineage.

I have mixed emotions about branding, but I also admit that since I am not living the ranch life, there are reasons behind branding I may not fully understand. (And, according to most sources, freeze branding is far less painful that the hot branding iron style. I hope that's true.)

Jessica posing with a roping dummy.

Cattle awaiting their turn in the arena.

The warm up arena. 

Boompa and Titan watching the pole bending together.

"Petting" the wall art horse.

So the rodeo didn't go as we had planned, but that was okay. We enjoyed sitting outside as a family in the fresh Rocky Mountain air on a beautiful sunny day, watching sheep, horses, and cattle. 

I couldn't have asked for more.