Mutton Bustin'

For those of you that may not be familiar with Mutton Bustin', it's a rodeo event for children ages 4-7 and under 54 lbs. They ride a sheep bareback and are judged by the same judges that work the rodeo with the big cowboys. The top three from each night go back to ride in the finals on the last day of the rodeo. The champion gets a large trophy, a cd ($100?) and a ride around the arena (a victory lap) on horseback with a real cowboy so they can wave to the crowd.

Registration is the week before the rodeo, and it's a lottery. There were over 60 children that wanted to participate, but only 18 get drawn. Jake had talked about it all year, since the 2007 rodeo. We arrived at the registration table (you sign a medical release form and they weigh the children to make sure they aren't too heavy) and suddenly Sam decided he wanted to register as well. Sam's number was drawn, Jake's was not. He did a great job cheering for his brother though! Jake can't wait to try the lottery for the next couple of years. We hope he gets drawn.

Here are pictures of Sam riding, getting set up, and behind the chutes. He had a great time. Afterward he said he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up, but that seems to have fizzled since then. (He's back to a doctor or scientist of some sort.) He had a great sheep the first night he rode - it took off out of the chute and he hung on as hard as he could! Finally a cowboy had to come and drag him off the sheep. He told us "The man told me to let go". We had previously told him to just hang on and don't let go, but we forgot to mention that when your ride is over, it's time to get off!

Also, each child is only allowed one adult behind the chutes with them because the cowboys are back there preparing for thier own events. The first night, Sam wanted his dad. The second night Aunt Natalie was there, and he wouldn't have anyone but her with him.

The second night he did well also, but his sheep wasn't quite as interested in perfoming as the previous time. It was a much shorter ride, but in the end all the finalists got medals and their picture taken and Sam thought it was the best time of his life. He got a t-shirt, which he wears a lot, and he also wears his medal at home. The week after he got it, he wanted to wear it everywhere, even to church. He loves that thing.