Happy Trails With Dawni O'Bryan

If you have followed my writing at all, you have noticed that I often refer to songs. I do have a job and don’t just sit around listening to music all day.

The cowgirls in southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado have a special blessing of having many ladies willing and able to put on competitions on each side of the state line. We love to barrel race, congregate, and live out the cowgirl spirit.

The seasons are changing in the weather, in rodeo, and in life. For most, these changes are welcome and signify something new and exciting.

Come Sunday afternoon following a county fair, the statement, “I am faired out,” is heard from many parents, volunteers, and participants. There are those of us that tend to overindulge in the fair activities and we can narrow it down to a few reasons for such.

When it is county fair time, life is about the fair, life is the fair, for at least a week, for the families, exhibitors, and volunteers that make this special event possible every year. Great preparation has gone into the many projects, activities, and events held during the county fair.

As Cowboy Christmas wrapped up, I was reminded of the great sense of patriotism that is portrayed through the western lifestyle and rodeo. Every rodeo begins with the singing of the national anthem and a prayer.

This is a wonderful time of year when ranchers are getting ready for branding. It is a little stressful as the ranchers want things to go smoothly as their precious babies are prepped for what lies ahead.

Hope is an amazing thing and is defined by Cambridge as a verb to want something to happen or to be true and having good reason to think that it might. I like it as a noun-I have hope.

There is just something about a baby goat that can bring out the giggles in a child. Maybe it is the way they jump and twist in the air for no apparent reason and then just run off.

Horse people love the smell of leather. It usually means there is something new to put on their horse or on them that typifies the western lifestyle.

In the rodeo world, the cowboys and cowgirls have basically two options when it comes to picking their equine partner. Option one is to dig deep into the bank account and buy a high dollar horse that will send them to the pay window.

With the passing of Mike Henry, I felt it appropriate to run a piece I did a couple years ago to honor the cowboy and friend of cowboys that Henry was. His cowboy gear that he custom-made will be treasured by his customers, friends, and family forever.

I guess you could call him a cross between Crocodile Dundee and Marlin Perkins of Wild Kingdom. Lloyd Brown has led an interesting and exciting life wrangling critters outside of his normal cattle and horses.

With the chopping of silage near completion and corn harvest beginning, farmers are busy during the month of October. The harvest moons make their appearances for all to see the wonder in the night sky.

I admit it. I absolutely love summer and being outdoors.

If you have been keeping up with me, I have been highlighting several of the county fairs in our area. The county fair is a little slice of heaven for animal enthusiasts.