Intl. Finals Youth Rodeo

Shawnee Expo Center has hosted the IFYR for 18 years. This morning Bill and I went to experience it for the first time. There must have been a thousand people with their horse trailers. We were surprised that there was no charge for the event! It was already 80 degrees at 9:00 a.m., so we bought Dr. Peppers in souvenir cups that were filled with ice, and found seats in the middle of the covered bleachers. There were lines that had been strung to provide mist. As I looked around at the people dressed in jeans, boots and cowboy hats, I knew that I was observing a culture all its own! These people were from all over the United States and rodeo was their world! The arena had been divided into 3 sections so that 3 events could exist at the same time. There was non-stop action for 3 hours. We watched bareback horse riding, saddle riding, bull riding, barrel racing, team roping and goat tying. The champion cowboys were from Oklahoma and Texas. The champion cowgirl was from Mississippi. Two-hundred-thousand dollars were given away in the form of college scholarships, saddles, and a Cherokee horse trailor. I really admired those kids! I haven't ridden a horse since I was 16 years old, and I wanted the horse to walk nicely. I should have my uncle to give me some lessons before he dies. I bet he would like that!