I must be a glutton for punishment.
I start the week looking at the RC's on duty, what events we're going to hold, and think of how many bruises and hoof marks I'm going to collect doing it.
The Head Rodeo Clown sets down with us. We look over a list of the animals we're going to campaign and in what time spots. Then we pee in a bottle, and hand it in to the doctor. That isn't to check for drugs. That is to check for blood. People get racked up badly in this game and the doctor has to be sure no one is going in with a busted kidney or ripped liver. It has happened.
The morning of the rodeo we trim out the arena, remove any rocks we can find (and there will always be a few we didn't catch).
We suit up and get in war paint, then we join hands and pray nobody gets killed.
We set the props like bull barrels and make sure all the grips are silid on the horse walls in case we need to escape quickly. We meet with the riders and stunters, see if the ladies doing barrel riding are all okay, and the crowd files in.
We say a Rodeo prayer, pledge allegiance, and the wranglers saddle the animals, while the clowns get warmed up by doing our show.
We try to do a different show every time. You have to or you get dull and complacent. When we are limbered up they begin with barrel riding, calf work, bull dogging, and maybe a few washboards.
The band will play the eight second waltz with every ride, and that will keep the crowd going.
By the end of the night everyone is dog tired, but we still have to help the wranglers pull saddles and put the animals in hot walkers. You don't want to put them away wet, let me tell you.
These 12 hour days can take it out of you, so no RC is on two days in a row.
The next day you have off. You need it.
Hey, I get paid for doing something I like, and there is a real family here. Not everyone can do it and they shouldn't. I like it though.
