Monday 8 February 2010

Bully Ballet




(photo courtesy of www.manitobastampede.ca)


In a few short months, the local rodeo season will commence. Not that I want to participate, you see. But there is something rather exhilarating about watching supposedly sane men climb onto very large and often ill-tempered herbivores with only a small rope handle to hang on to.

A town a short drive south of Winnipeg has the only pro-rodeo in Manitoba... so in July, I intend to head on down and take in some bone jarring, spit slinging (on the bulls' part), ground shaking excitement.

Hopefully, this summer will be hot and sunny... unlike last year, when it was chilly and wet for the most part.

Hey, it's a chance to wear a cowboy hat and big belt buckle and fit right in!

13 comments:

  1. "...supposedly sane men..."

    I think you're onto something there, but I agree--watching those insane cowboys is Fun R Us.

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  2. The sign on the fence says Manitoba Stampede. How does it compare size/event-wise to Calgary?

    Did you ever do any rodeo events yourself?

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  3. Charlie: I personally think they are all nuts... but males in general seem to have a thing for adrenalin pumping, testosterone laden activities. But I get a rush out of watching them too, even if I do have to shake my head and cringe at times. ;-)

    XL: It's nowhere near the size of the Calgary Stampede (have you been to that? I never have and I lived in that province for 7 years...). Nope, have never had any? desire to go super fast on a horse. I think that barrel racing is the only event that women participate in and considering I didn't learn to ride a horse until in my early 30's, I didn't have the fearless years that young girls have when starting into the speed events.

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  4. I have to ask, never having been to such an event myself: what proportion of the audience do you reckon is secretly on the side of the bulls?

    Call me cynical, but I can't help imagining that there must be an underlying macabre desire to see humans being trampled and gored ... a little bit.

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  5. Luv the rodeo!

    The first time I went to one, I laughed out loud when I saw the kids trying out and competing--by riding on sheep!!!

    I've been to the rodeo when it came to Houston--huge event! It's more than just bull riding and calf roping and racing; they pull out the big stars to sing and perform!

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  6. Have only seen bits of Calgary on TV. My last rodeo was when I lived on Maui. They had a nice Western parade and rodeo every July 4th.

    I personally only liked it when I rode my grandfather's slow and gentle farm horse. My other grandfather kept a quarter horse for someone else, it was to jittery and fast for me.

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  7. Ro: I don't root so much for the bulls, cuz they are a ton (literally) of muscle and testosterone and can pretty much look after themselves. And having seen guys with their hand hung up in the rope, having their shoulder torn to bits and their arm broken, knocked out cold, legs trampled and bodies flung about, no... I don't really like that part. But when a rider gets tossed and the bull goes after him and the rodeo clowns do their job to distract the bull, it gets pretty wild. I'll see if I can find some on youtube and will post a link so you can watch.

    (bullriding 101)

    You want to root for a bull? This is Bodacious. He knew his job and was damn good at it! :-)

    Eros: Calgary is like that - huge event! This little rodeo has a couple of live bands and the other events as well - calf roping, steer wrestling, mutton busting (some of those kids are like glue on the sheep!) and barrel racing, along with the chariot races, of course. It's all fun! Fun in the sun with a cold drink and some high calorie concession food. :-)

    XL: You live in Texas! You should take a trip to Dallas! They must have a huge rodeo there... ;-)

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  8. So... your dirty little secret is out at last! I always knew you had a thing for men in chaps and even bigger hats.

    I wondered why the Mapped one was taking photies of himself wearing Dog the bounty hunter boots and very little else.

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  9. Jimmy: Nothing better than a well turned cheek in tight Wranglers and chaps... especially walking away! It's never been a secret with me... ;-)

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  10. Och hen... troosers are for wimps. I like to swing low under the cut of my tartan cloth.

    I do see you in a reverse cowgirl kind-of-way though.

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  11. I'll bet you cut a fine figure in your tartan... but it would make riding a horse a bit difficult... ;-)

    That would work! :-)

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  12. It beats sitting on a cushion hen!

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  13. I had a patient once whose son was a beginning rodeo rider. After his first bad spill, he walked over to her, where she sat wringing her hands in the stands and (wiping blood from his forehead) said, "I'm not quitting." I don't get it.

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So you have something to say about all this, do you?
Well, let's hear it, then!