The Sports Fan Project

Event 22 – Why, Yes, this is Our First Rodeo

^{Just hanging out in Chute 5 prior to the day’s start at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.}

Chute 5 at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (Helena, Carol, & Doug) — ^{Just hanging out in Chute 5 prior to the day’s start at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.}

The Written Word

Buck Yeah, I Attended a Rodeo!

Still Photos

This statue just outside the CFD Museum is of cowboy Lane Frost who lost his life in 1989 after being thrown and struck by a bull.

Carol likes to know what’s going on … clearly:-)

This was our guide for the “Behind the Chutes Tour.” In our group alone, 35 states were represented as well as someone from Ireland.

These steer are awaiting their turn for a roping event.

Cheyenne Frontier Days leans into being rodeo’s daddy.

All manner of fabrication material is evident on the CFD grounds.

This is the area near Chute 9 where all the roping events begin.

Doug, Carol, and Helena on the arena floor.

The east grandstand was eerily quiet pre-rodeo start.

There seem to be as many CFD logos as there are items with CFD logos emblazoned upon them.

You always need to be on the lookout for Cheyenne Souvenirs:-)

This chute leads to the pens where the bulls and broncos are housed for riding events.

These guys look ready to buck.

There is a major concert nearly every night at CFD. This stage is on wheels and is pulled in after the day’s rodeo is completed.

There are also many smaller acts performing in Frontier Town all day long.

Part of the parade that rode onto the track to open the festivities.

Our seats may have been high, but there was a breeze and shade.

Cody Sosebee is barrelman and Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster were the bullfighters.

A bit of bull riding.

A bit of bronco riding.

A bronco rider in midair.

This bull had enough of his rider.

A wide shot of the Barrel Racing.

I’m thinking I was only attendee wearing British Open ballcap.

Team roping was a fun event to watch.

All the animal athletes waiting for their time to shine.

One of the horses in the Wild Horse Race was injured and is being helped into an ambulance.

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Video

^{“The Star-Spangled Banner”}

^{The U.S. Navy’s Leap Frogs arrive}

^{Some bull riding action}

^{Some more bull riding}

^{This bull did not want to leave}

^{What’s occurring backstage}

^{Some Saddle Bronc riding}

^{Cowboy Stetson Wright doing his thing}

^{Some more Saddle Bronc riding}

^{Ladies Ranch Saddle Bronc riding}

^{What’s it look like in Slo-Mo?}

^{A Barrel Racing run}

^{Wild Horses are brought in for the Wild Horse Race}

^{One of the craziest things I’ve ever witnessed}

Audio

Fun Facts

Traveling Party – Doug, his wife, Carol, and adult daughter, Helena.
Last Time Visited – Doug had been to Cheyenne before back in the early 1990s but never to Frontier Days. This was Carol and Helena’s first trip to the state.
Scouting the Competition – As this was our first rodeo, we were all unaware of how the allocation of riders and animals is made. During a break in the action the public address announcer informed us that random draws occur the night before at about 5 p.m. pairing bulls and/or broncos with riders. While it’s a random draw, most of the bulls and broncos are used for the entire rodeo season so there is a video footage of previous runs. As such, the riders devote a fair amount of their evening and morning reviewing said video to pick up tendencies the animals might have to better enhance their chances of a successful ride. Of course this is all for naught when a bull or bronco exits the gates incorrectly and a ride is deemed “no ride.” The rider then has the chance for a re-ride, but it’s on a new randomly selected animal that the rider will have no opportunity to review the video as it gets reharnessed and ready to ride.
Rooting for the Animal Athletes – Tiedown Roping, Team Roping, and Steer Wrestling all appeared to be rough on the animals. So rough, in fact, that Carol and Helena were actively rooting for the steers to escape prior to having their horns roped and/or the cowboy jump on their back and wrestle them to the ground. It did look rough on the animals, but none seemed worse for the wear following a successful roping or wrestling. The steers sprung to their feet and merrily trotted back to the pens no doubt eager for a drink and whatever feed might be getting served up that afternoon.
Running List of States Traveled To/Through (25 total) – Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, & Wyoming
Running List of Countries Traveled To/Through (7 total) – Canada (Ontario & Quebec), England, Japan, Korea, Scotland, United States, & Wales
Distance Traveled – 2,245 air miles roundtrip from DTW to Denver International Airport. Add another 108 miles roundtrip from my home to DTW and another 225 miles roundtrip to Cheyenne Frontier Days. That’s a total of 2,578 miles.
Cumulative Distance Traveled After 22 Events – 54,814 miles (now on lap three of the globe!)
Up Next: A championship boxing match in Detroit followed by South American soccer in Argentina

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