Well it started back in Jacksonville when Declan confessed he'd always wanted to see a rodeo. Debra and I searched the country to find one that would tie in with our trip. We landed on Payson, Arizona, 20 May 2016.
We arrived early, bought a hat, learnt about hat etiquette, had a bite to eat and then settled down. What an experience...
Awe at the hard work and the danger for the cowboys, concern for the livestock: the horses; the bulls; and the young steers, side-splitting for the mutton busting where 6-8 years olds are stuck on a ewe and sent charging out into the arena.
It was a great show and made you realise the importance of all the skills to the everyday life of a rancher.
The shots include a few of the items we saw which included bare-back riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, barrel racing, bull racing and our favourite by far, the mutton busting. How H&S has not got involved I do not know.