So You Wanna Be A Cowgirl
Seems there"s a resurgence of interest in all things Western, probably because of the popularity of Brokeback Mountain. The West is unimaginably beautiful - God"s Country they call it out here in Colorado. Last year I quit my job, sold everything and moved here to work outside. I"d hardly call myself a cowgirl, but it sure is fun playing at one. There"s nothing comparable to waking up to the Sangre de Cristo mountains turning purple, pink, then white in the morning sun. From my bedroom (which is also my living room, kitchen and office) I can see a herd of 60-some horses, heading down from the trees where they huddled the night before, and looking for hay.
The Calgary Stampede and Exhibition
The Calgary Stampede and Exhibition is rich in tradition and it is also known for the cowboy atmosphere that takes over the city, everybody gets out the cowboy boots and Stetsons for the 10-11 days of good fun. This year (2006) it starts with the Calgary Stampede Parade on July 7th. Calgary's dedicated volunteers and community supporters present the world's largest western parade as the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth" kick-off to the over 350, 000 on-route spectators and a global television audience. In 1912 the great Stampede was born from the vision of Guy Weadick. Guy was a famous working cowboy and vaudeville entertainer featured in the traveling wild-west shows that were popular world-wide in the early 1900s.
Colorado State Fair and Rodeos
In Pueblo, Colorado there is a State Fair that is filled with Cowboys, and Cowgirls and celebrates Mexican culture in Rodeos and an Annual Fiesta Day. This fair is held every year from late August to early September. Visitors to the fair come to check out the food, and the music and the broncin" bucks. This is a Rodeo Fair with both the PRCA and the Charreada Rodeo. At the PRCA you"ll sit on the edge of your seats watching rope tricks, target shooting from a racing horse and the grittiest rodeo riders around. The Charreada has some tough competition but has some scary moments with bull riding and bull tailing in which the charro has to grab the tail of the bull!
Wyoming State Fair and Rodeo in Douglas
It"s amazing that the small community of Douglas, Wyoming hosts the State Fair each year in mid August. This town usually contains only 5, 000 people, but when fairtime rolls around that number swells. An interesting feature is the North Platte River which happens to run through the town and provides a great place for visitors to picnic or simply get out the fishing pole. Visitors to the fair can find free parking south of the grounds on Brownfield Road. The fair has recently undergone a bit of a remodeling and in the 2006 state fair new facilities were unveiled. They have a much larger livestock pavilion, a multipurpose livestock exposition building, the special show center, and a multi-purpose swine show facility.
Rodeo; The Most Dangerous Sport for the Toughest Men
You know I have just about heard enough about all these tough football stars who are paid millions of dollars to wear lots of protection pads and bump into each other on the field for 15-seconds at a time? Why? Well, I will tell you why, because the real men ride the rodeo and 15-seconds, hell 8 seconds is a literal eternity on a 6, 000 to 8, 000 pound bull of pure muscle that wants you the hell off of there. They do not get million dollar endorsements to go on Television to drink some colorful foo foo soft drink or airport outlawed sports drink. These guys are severely under paid and riding rodeo is 50 times as dangerous and you do not wear any pads to protect yourself as the bull tries to break every bone in your body and re-arrange your face.
Saving Horses
Saving a Horse There are many equestrians around the United States and in foreign countries. Some compete with their animals and some just ride for fun. However, most probably do not know about the cruelty that is happening throughout the equine industry. A nurse mare foal, is a foal who was born so that its mother might come into milk. The milk that the nurse mare is producing is used to nourish the foal of another mare, a more "expensive" foal. Primarily these are thoroughbred foals, though certainly not limited to the thoroughbred industry. The foals are essentially byproducts of the mare's milk industry. A thoroughbred mare's purpose is to produce more racehorses.
Bandera, Texas: Cowboy Capital of the World
Wanna be a cowboy? That's an easy order to fill in Bandera, Texas, nicknamed "The Cowboy Capital of the World." In this community, located 50 miles northwest of San Antonio on TX 16, you can"t toss a horseshoe without hitting a dude ranch, rodeo ground, western wear store, or dance hall. Bandera"s Western heritage is a big draw to today"s travelers but its roots date back to the founding days of Texas. Bandera Pass, located twelve miles north on TX 173, was first the site of numerous battles between the Spanish conquistadors and both Apache and Comanche Indians. According to one local legend, a flag (or bandera in Spanish) was placed here to mark the border between the forces.
Poster Professional Rodeo Star- Capturing The Essence Of Western Heritage
Buying a poster of a professional rodeo star should not be very difficult as there are a number of places that sell exciting such items. There are many cowboy posters as well as bronco riding posters as well as bull riding ones to choose from. If you are looking for some very good professional rodeo star posters then you should check out the works of Jack Sorenson who is a renowned Western artist and who also owns Leanin" Tree, which is the largest of America"s greeting card companies with a Western theme. Check Out The Works Of Jack Sorenson A look at the wonderful professional rodeo star posters made by Jack Sorenson will reveal an exciting collection of everything related to the Wild West that do not cost much, but say a whole lot.