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ON
THE ROAD AGAIN
In late July I took off with my two
‘guard dogs’ who have traveled with me
for over sixteen years.
So far no one has tried to rob me
or accost me and I know the reason I’ve
not been bothered is the dogs I travel
with and their thorough training in protection.
Prizzi is 5 pounds and 5 ounces,
all muscle.
Cody, her litter-mate brother,
weighs 13 pounds, and they are Maltese.
You do remember the Maltese Falcon?
No relation.
Although they are not
the typical dog a cowboy or cowgirl
chooses to be their ‘best friend’ I
must say these little angels have been my
traveling companions to and from rodeo
venues from one end of this nation to the
other.
They have enjoyed
Florida
,
New York
,
Calgary
,
California
, Pendleton,
Cheyenne
, Sidney (IA), Grover (CO), all the Rodeo
Clown Reunions, and too many other rodeo
destinations to mention.
Yeah, they are a little long-in-the
tooth, but hey, when you’re having fun
whose counting?
My first stop was
Amarillo
. The
American
Quarter
Horse
Museum
is a must.
It has recently been renovated, ‘updated’
and had a complete make-over.
Whether you are passing through or
it is your destination, stop in, you’ll
be glad you did.
Next, we stopped at the ProRodeo
Hall of Fame & Museum, in
Colorado Springs
, and I must say when entering I was
impressed.
The foyer is full of ‘new’
things to see and even buy.
Next I viewed the art of Sophie
Brown.
Remember her name as you will be
impressed with her art of cowboys and
bulls and broncs.
Her colors are dynamic and bring
out the strength needed in the sport of
rodeo.
She has truly captured the visual
of rodeo.
Her showing there has been
completed, but her prints are still
available through the gift shop. The
Hall, according to Tanna Kimble, who is
ramrodding activities, is working on many
new and exciting projects. Most
important presently, is the entire Chris
LaDoux collection has been donated to the
Hall by Donna Vold Larsen, and is on
display.
There is much road construction
going on in front of the Hall on
Interstate 25, but working your way around
to get there is worth the visit.
From there I headed to Cheyenne
Frontier Days.
My stay was brief
but I saw the parade the last
weekend and I think it is the best parade
I have ever seen there.
The variety of floats, bands,
military, horses, wagons, stagecoaches,
and cowboys & cowgirls, was just right
– and the weather was great!
I continued to northeastern
Colorado
, where I was born and raised, and I will
say I have never seen it look better.
The wheat had been cut, everything
else was green, due to the right amount of
rainfall this year, and
Sterling
was getting ready for their annual Logan
County Fair and Rodeo.
My last stop was
Dodge City
(
Kansas
) Days, a five day rodeo, from August 1st
through the 5th.
They had been celebrating since
July 21st, with all kinds of
rodeo-related activities.
This rodeo committee is one of the
best you’ll find anywhere in the
country.
Not just my observation, but they
have received the PRCA Best Rodeo
Committee of the Year eight times.
I might add the first few times
they were selected they competed against
all PRCA rodeos.
Recently the PRCA broke down the
competition, for the award, in to rodeos
of various sizes, and indoor and outdoor
rodeos.
By this time of year western
Kansas
had finished harvesting the crop and is
ready to have a rip-roaring good time and
I will say that they know how to do that.
The night rodeo was packed every
night.
Harry Vold supplies the stock and
you can’t get better than that.
The bullfighters were Jerry Norton
and Lance Brittain and funnyman, Mark
Swingler.
All the top cowboys and cowgirls
make
Dodge City
, the season is drawing toward the end and
everyone wants to make the National
Finals.
The days were filled with various
other venues, which included continuous
slack at the rodeo grounds, (due to so
many entries), historic
Boot Hill which is a year-round
event, where gunfights and history
of Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson are told,
plus the Kiddie Parade, Miss Rodeo Kansas
competition, Arts & Crafts Show, and
more. I
also had an opportunity to see their
Repertoiry Dinner Theater which has been
converted from the early day railway
station to their state-of-the-art theater,
plus much more.
The railway station was one of the
early Fred Harvey Houses, which served
food to weary travelers, with his famous
Harvey
girls as waitresses.
The theater is first rate and I
understand their five annual productions
are as well.
The entire community and
surrounding area participates
in Dodge City Days, and rightly so.
The rodeo committee puts their
heart in to their responsibilities and it
shows.
It is a celebration everyone
enjoys.
Don’t miss it next year.
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