Well last week got away from me, but as promised, I wanted to tell you a little more about the National Western Stock Show’s rodeo. There is a kids riding club from Colorado that appears every year at the Stock Show rodeo. On their website, they describe themselves as a “mounted precision drill organization” and the word “precision” doesn’t do enough to describe the amazing maneuvers these teenagers and their horses perform!
It amazes me every time I see the show at how good the horses and riders are. You can join the drill team as early as age nine and ride until you are 19, and it boggles my mind to think of the amount of work and dedication these kids put into their horses and drills. While there are horses running full steam in all directions, you easily forget that it’s young kids doing the riding – which is a testimony to the trainers, riders and of course horses.
Their opening act was all in the dark, and the first rider came flying into the arena with glow-in-the-dark bridle, tack, saddle, chaps, and beautiful American flag. Then the rest of the group joined in, and the arena was filled with flying flashes of red, white, and blue lights, swirling and crossing paths. It was really breath-taking, especially when you realize the speeds these horses are moving at, and knowing just when to race, when to turn, when to slow down, and stand still.
If you ever have a chance to check out the Westernaires, don’t hesitate, you won’t find very many shows like it – whether you are a horse lover or not! A real tribute to the precision and discipline it takes to be a part of this group was when one of the riders fell off of their horse, the entire troupe immediately came to a halt, it was very impressive (and scary) to think about how dangerous of a situation that could have been, but the discipline of horses and riders saved a girl from getting badly hurt – and of course, she got right back on and continued in the drills!
One more blog coming on the National Western Stock Show Rodeo and it’s amazing horses..
