The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo winners are in the books and the world champions have been crowned. Here are some thoughts on the greatest show in rodeo along with my comments and astonishments. It is not always about who is the world champion, but that everyone there has a story, a journey, and has made great sacrifices to be the best that the cowboy culture has to offer.
Oh, the bright lights, the snow-covered trees, the sound of cheerful music, and the sweet smell of grandma’s home-made apple pie. It’s Christmas just the most wonderful time of year! For most people, Christmas truly IS the most wonderful time of year. There is so much joy, kindness, and PRESENTS to share. But did you know that the average American spends $700 on Christmas gifts a year? Or that charitable donations are 42% higher in the months of November and December than any other months throughout the year? So what is it about Christmas that causes people to be extra kind or more giving?
What do you think questions are? Truly, ask yourself, “What are questions?” Questions are opportunities for people to create their own opinions based on a simple answer or someone else’s opinion. Questions can start you down a rabbit hole of thoughts or give you the answer you were looking for at point-blank. These opportunities can challenge our mindsets and spark growth in our mentalities.
Youth rodeos and gymkhanas let contestants enter as soon as they turn five years old. Not all rodeo parents jump in that early, but the option is there. Rodeo parents work feverishly to find ponies or horses that fit the level of their children. Witnessing a situation when a kid is “over mounted” is not good and often ends in a wreck or the kid hates horses. At the Shawnee, OK Horse Sale, a young man trained and marketed a blaze face pony to sell that could be roped on, cowboyed on, and was “kid proof.” The young entrepreneur, Mr. Proffitt (pictured), is only 11 years old and sold his pony for $52,000. Many of you saw it on Facebook.
A year ago, I would walk to the C4C dining hall at CU Boulder to grab dinner with my fellow freshman friends. The leaves on the trees were changing to a bright yellow, signifying the joy of my new adventure in life—college. There were hundreds of smiling faces around, chattering about school, social life, and everything in between. There were so many new and different people, it was a world away from Kit Carson, but I loved the sense of “newness”.