The Pretty Prairie Rodeo

We look forward to going "home" to the rodeo every year.  The biggest night rodeo in Kansas is held in Al's hometown.  The rodeo began in 1936 and Pretty Prairie, population of about 600 will draw 15,000 people over the 4 day period.  I thought I would miss it this year since I was in Colorado, but lucky for me, it was this week, not last!   We took our friends, Lynn and Loren.

Al's brother and sister were helping with concessions.  After finding good seats, the guys went to get some burgers and drinks.

The rodeo opened with a word of prayer which was so very touching.  We are living in troubled times politically and morally, and it is good to look to the Father and be grounded in His care!

A group of Pretty Prairie highschoolers sang the Star Spangled Banner.  They were great!  And later we sang God Bless America.  

God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam 
God bless America, my home sweet home, God bless America, my home sweet home

We like to sit on the east side.  The sun is in our eyes for awhile, but we are up closer to the action!  Unfortunately, we should have sat up a couple rows higher as the bar was in the way of taking pictures.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

          I will counsel you and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule,

            which have no understand

     but must be controlled by bit and bridle."    Psalm 32:8,9

Look at these Clydesdale horses....and the baby Clydesdale!  I've never seen a baby before!!  Too cute!

Clowns sumo wrestling.

Mutton busting was so fun to watch!  The winner, a girl who had never ridden a sheep before, won a pair of cowboy boots!

My favorite is the bull riding! 

 Afterwards, they let a bull take a run at the clowns.

This happened so fast I didn't have time to focus.

A couple of the clowns and cowboys had to climb the fence to get away from the bull!  They had to be alert and on guard!  Spirituallly, we also need to be on guard, don't we, against the evil one?

 

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 

1 Corinthians 16:13