The show began with a really really long god and country intro. The national anthem was sung, there were multiple people riding around with flags, there was a prayer, a poem by a solider about how freedom isn't free, and so on.
Our state representative, Bill Reiboldt, gave a little speech which included a bit about how some people wanted to stop rodeos in Missouri but he wouldn't let that happen. You could tell he was serious because he said it "MissourUH". MissourEE is where the sissies live.
The rodeo was pretty awesome. There were multiple events and a joking clown came out to entertain while they were setting up the next event. When we first arrived there were little kids trying to stay on the backs of fast running sheep. Now that was amusing.
I'd say this was the most brutal event that we saw. In calf roping the calf is first lassoed from horseback. The guy then runs over to it and picks it up off the ground and body slams it down. The calf's legs are then tied up and have to stay tied for a certain amount of time for it to count. I recall one calf in particular becoming airborne from the whiplash of the rope around its neck. That's gotta hurt. One was so stunned it took a while for it to get up. It was all wobbly legged like it had the memory of learning how to walk knocked out of it. It was funny that even after all of the abuse the calves usually just popped up and started jogging to the exit like they hadn't just been severely womped.
At some point there was a kids event. Here a bunch of calves were set loose with some sort of prize tied around their tail, and the kids all chased after them. It was some pretty hilarious chaos. Maybe it's just a reflection of my own unfamiliarity with livestock, but having little kids so close to the animals makes me nervous. I feel like somebody could get knocked over and get their head stomped pretty easily.
Well my first rodeo was awesome. It was good that I liked it because I already had tickets to go to a different one the next day.
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