Rodeo Hero
Pictures and Story
by
Wanda Snow Porter
"A rodeo is in town, Joey," Dad said. "I heard heroes perform there. Do you want to go?"
"Yes, yes, yes," Joey said.
Once in the car, Dad made sure Joey buckled his seat belt and off they went.
When they arrived, Dad bought tickets. They climbed the steps to the top of the bleachers. From the highest seat, Joey could see a Ferris wheel turning around and around in the distance.
A vendor in the bleachers sold cowboy hats in different
colors. "We will look like real cowboys, wearing one of
those," Dad said. He chose a white one. Joey chose red.
Dad also bought cotton candy. The fluffy spun sugar
melted in Joey's mouth and turned his lips as red as his
hat.
Everyone stood when the national anthem blared from
the loudspeaker. With their flags flying high, a color guard galloped their horses into the rodeo arena below.
Dad said, "The colors on the United States flag stand for truth, purity, and bravery."
The color guard exited the arena.
A carriage entered, pulled by a team of horses with shiny black hooves and ribbon braided in their manes and tails. With high-steps, they trotted in a circle and halted alongside the grandstand. Wearing a tall top hat, the mayor of the town got out of the carriage and sat in a box seat in the front row.
Then the show began.
A carriage entered, pulled by a team of horses with shiny black hooves and ribbon braided in their manes and tails. With high-steps, they trotted in a circle and halted alongside the grandstand. Wearing a tall top hat, the mayor of the town got out of the carriage and sat in a box seat in the front row.
Then the show began.
A woman dressed in a pink outfit with fringed sleeves raced in riding a palomino horse. She stood on the horse's back. Then, she lay backward across the saddle and kicked her leg toward the sky. Her hair almost touched the ground.
"That looks dangerous. Is she the rodeo hero?" Joey asked.
"Trick riding is dangerous," Dad replied, "but no, she is not a hero."
Barrel racing was the first competition of the day. The announcer gave the names of the riders while their horses danced and pranced behind the starting gate. Then the riders let their horses go. They shot out of the gate at breakneck speed and raced around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern.
Joey looked up at Dad. "Are the barrel racers heroes?"
"The riders take chances, but they are not heroes."
After all the riders had competed, they announced the winner whose horse had run the fastest time without tipping over a barrel.
Joey looked up at Dad. "Are the barrel racers heroes?"
"The riders take chances, but they are not heroes."
After all the riders had competed, they announced the winner whose horse had run the fastest time without tipping over a barrel.
Kids got a chance to win a prize next.
Mutton busting gave everyone a chance to see future
cowboys in action. Sheep acted like wild steeds when the children climbed onto their wooly backs.
Joey cheered along with the crowd as the children struggled to hang on. Very few riders managed to stay on until the buzzer sounded.
Bareback bronco riders were next on the program.
"Instead of a saddle, a leather-and-rawhide rigging is cinched around the horse," the announcer said. "The cowboy can clutch the rigging with only one hand. He cannot touch the horse with
the other one until the eight-second buzzer sounds."
One arm in the air, the cowboy leaned back as the bucking bronco twisted and turned. Ears flattened, the horse bucked and reared, determined to throw the rider.
Could the bronco riders be the heroes, Joey wondered? He looked at Dad who shook his head.
"Instead of a saddle, a leather-and-rawhide rigging is cinched around the horse," the announcer said. "The cowboy can clutch the rigging with only one hand. He cannot touch the horse with
the other one until the eight-second buzzer sounds."
One arm in the air, the cowboy leaned back as the bucking bronco twisted and turned. Ears flattened, the horse bucked and reared, determined to throw the rider.
Could the bronco riders be the heroes, Joey wondered? He looked at Dad who shook his head.
The announcer's voice blared from the loudspeaker. "Good ropers are important. On a ranch, calves must be roped to be branded to show ownership. The next event is calf roping. The cowboys will show their roping skills. They must lasso an animal and tie three of its legs together with what is called a 'pigging string' to keep him on the ground. The fastest time wins."
A calf ran into the arena chased by a cowboy twirling a lariat. He tossed his rope and caught it. Then he jumped off his horse and rushed to lay the calf down. When its feet were securely tied, the cowboy raised his hands to signal the timer he had finished the task. Then, instead of branding the calf, the cowboy untied him to return to the corral.
The winner was announced and the crowd cheered. Although the event was exciting, Joey decided ropers were not rodeo heroes.
A calf ran into the arena chased by a cowboy twirling a lariat. He tossed his rope and caught it. Then he jumped off his horse and rushed to lay the calf down. When its feet were securely tied, the cowboy raised his hands to signal the timer he had finished the task. Then, instead of branding the calf, the cowboy untied him to return to the corral.
The winner was announced and the crowd cheered. Although the event was exciting, Joey decided ropers were not rodeo heroes.
Dad bought two hotdogs and sodas to wash them down. Joey piled his with mustard and pickles. Juice squished out when he took a bite. While they ate, the announcer said, "Everyone, welcome the team ropers. Two cowboys make a team. The man riding on the left of the steer is the 'header'. He ropes the animal's horns or neck. After the head is caught, the cowboy on the right called the 'heeler', ropes the steer's hind legs. The heeler must throw his lasso exactly right so the steer steps into the loop. There is a time penalty if only one leg is caught. When both cowboys wrap their ropes around their saddle horn, or 'dally', and both horses face the steer, the timer stops."
"Team roping doesn't sound dangerous, Dad," Joey said. "When are we going to see the heroes?"
Dad shook his head. "Doing something dangerous does not make a person a hero. A hero protects others from danger."
Joey nodded. "Like a fireman?"
"Yes," Dad agreed and looked at his program. "I bet we will see heroes in the next event."
"Team roping doesn't sound dangerous, Dad," Joey said. "When are we going to see the heroes?"
Dad shook his head. "Doing something dangerous does not make a person a hero. A hero protects others from danger."
Joey nodded. "Like a fireman?"
"Yes," Dad agreed and looked at his program. "I bet we will see heroes in the next event."
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," the announcer said. "The next event is the wildest contest of the rodeo. Our cowboys will attempt to stay on the meanest, toughest critters in the west for eight seconds. Can they do it? Before the contest begins, let me introduce Bill and Joe, our rodeo clowns. They are the men cowboys call heroes."
The audience applauded as two men jogged into the middle of the arena. Suspenders held up their baggy pants. Their cheeks, noses, and lips were painted red.
"Clowns look silly. How can they be heroes?" Joey asked.
"It is not how they look," Dad said. "It is what they do."
"Bulls are big, fast, and dangerous," the announcer continued. "When the cowboy is on the ground, the clowns risk injury by distracting the bull until the rider is safely out of the arena. If the cowboys are ready, let's see some bull riding. Open the gate and bring it on."
The audience applauded as two men jogged into the middle of the arena. Suspenders held up their baggy pants. Their cheeks, noses, and lips were painted red.
"Clowns look silly. How can they be heroes?" Joey asked.
"It is not how they look," Dad said. "It is what they do."
"Bulls are big, fast, and dangerous," the announcer continued. "When the cowboy is on the ground, the clowns risk injury by distracting the bull until the rider is safely out of the arena. If the cowboys are ready, let's see some bull riding. Open the gate and bring it on."
A huge bull jumped out of the chute. The cowboy riding him clutched the rigging with one hand and stretched the other one above his head. The mighty animal bucked like a tornado, twisting one way and then another. The cowboy quickly lost his balance and fell to the ground.
The bull turned, snorted, and lowered his head. That is when the clowns leaped in front of him and waved their arms. One jumped into a barrel. The bull butted it with his head, knocked it over and rolled it with his horns. To the relief of the crowd, the bull finally saw the open gate and trotted out of the arena.
More cowboys tried their bull riding skills. Only two managed to stay on for eight seconds. The clowns were ready to help them reach safety.
The bull turned, snorted, and lowered his head. That is when the clowns leaped in front of him and waved their arms. One jumped into a barrel. The bull butted it with his head, knocked it over and rolled it with his horns. To the relief of the crowd, the bull finally saw the open gate and trotted out of the arena.
More cowboys tried their bull riding skills. Only two managed to stay on for eight seconds. The clowns were ready to help them reach safety.
After the awards were announced, Dad and Joey left the grandstand. As they walked out the front gate of the fairgrounds, the wind blew Joey's cowboy hat off. He ran into the street after it.
To the squeal of car brakes, Dad rushed to grab Joey and snatched him out of the path of an oncoming car. It slid to a stop right where Joey had stooped to pick up his hat.
Safely standing on the sidewalk, Dad furrowed his brow. In a stern voice, he said, "Never run out into the street. Always stop and look both ways. That was a close call. Next time you may not be so lucky."
Dad looked both directions before they started to cross the intersection. In the street, Joey saw his now squashed cowboy hat. "My brand new hat is ruined." Tears wet his cheeks.
"You are lucky it isn't you," Dad said. "You can wear my mine." He placed his white hat on Joey's head and hoisted him up to carry him piggyback.
The too big hat fell over Joey's eyes. He smiled and whispered in Dad's ear, "You're my hero."
As they drove from the fairgrounds, the Ferris wheel still turned around and around. Joey fell asleep before they arrived home. It had been a long day.
To the squeal of car brakes, Dad rushed to grab Joey and snatched him out of the path of an oncoming car. It slid to a stop right where Joey had stooped to pick up his hat.
Safely standing on the sidewalk, Dad furrowed his brow. In a stern voice, he said, "Never run out into the street. Always stop and look both ways. That was a close call. Next time you may not be so lucky."
Dad looked both directions before they started to cross the intersection. In the street, Joey saw his now squashed cowboy hat. "My brand new hat is ruined." Tears wet his cheeks.
"You are lucky it isn't you," Dad said. "You can wear my mine." He placed his white hat on Joey's head and hoisted him up to carry him piggyback.
The too big hat fell over Joey's eyes. He smiled and whispered in Dad's ear, "You're my hero."
As they drove from the fairgrounds, the Ferris wheel still turned around and around. Joey fell asleep before they arrived home. It had been a long day.
