John and I celebrate our "engagaversary" every year by going to the fair and rodeo. It's a family tradition of ours to enter and attend the fair every year. This year marks 7 years together. I didn't enter anything this year, but the kids participated. Shawn in the Diaper Derby (baby crawling race) and Sarah in the rodeo.
We headed to the fair on a weeknight for Shawn's big race. He would compete in heats of two. There were 16 babies. He was first to race. He hesitated for a moment and ended up crossing the finish line first! Then he did it again! And again! Instead of crawling straight to mama, he kept heading towards the other moms who were using all sorts of goodies to entice their little ones. On one heat, he got to the finish line and then just laid down right on it. He won "by a nose". Then on the final heat, be *barely* made it! The other baby stopped just sort of the finish line to sit and watch his mom, and our little 9 month old Shawn crawled right past him. I was so excited I whooped and cheered, and then the other baby started to bawl because I startled him :( . That made me feel so horrible! The other mom and I said good job to one another, but in the end, it was Shawn who brought home a basket full of over $50 of baby goodies.
Then we hurried over to the rodeo arena to get a good seat for Sarah's Mutton Bustin'. The kids get to ride a sheep out of the chute and try to stay on. Sarah has always had great balance, and is a fearless cowgirl through and through. We knew she would do great at this event. Tuesday-Friday are qualification nights, and then Saturday is the final. We watched her get into position with Daddy and Papa helping her. We had practiced in the living room (her mom makes a great sheep, if I do say so myself. Here's video proof, which is pretty scary.) and coached her on what to do inside the arena. She was so ready, but bored waiting for her turn, since she was close to the end of the 10 riders that night. When it was her turn, she did exactly as we instructed: layed down and held on tight. Soon, though, she started slipping and Mama was SO SCARED! She was being dragged around the arena and I just wanted them to stop that sheep! She hopped up and gave a high five to one of the bull fighters and I was so entirely relieved. Sarah was just doing what she was told: hanging on! We never told her when to let go! She scored a 79, pretty far behind the girl who won that night with a score of 84, but still in 2nd for the night. By the way, laying down is NOT the correct way to ride a sheep, we found out. You can watch the footage of her ride and the other kids' here. She is the fourth rider. She is NOT the girl at the end waving her hat. She got a $50 savings bond and a t-shirt for her participation. What an awesome time we had at the fair that night! I was so proud of my kids! they were so tired, that Katie and Shawn fell asleep in the stroller before we got to the car, and Sarah fell asleep before we left the parking lot.
Saturday morning I got a call from the fair office.
"Sarah got 3rd place in mutton bustin' [over all 4 qual nights] and will need to come back tonight for finals."
"SHUT.UP. 3rd?!!? SHE made 3rd?!?? Seriously?!?"
"uhh.....yeah? So...meet at the chutes just like last time and she'll get to ride again. She'll be in chute 8."
Well, I just couldn't believe it. I guess I thought out of 40-50 other kids that she would have surely been beaten by more riders than that. But she wasn't. So we go for the finals night on Saturday and the place was PACKED. Katie couldn't even see her sister ride because we were just so crammed in there. Capacity in the arena is 8000, and there was standing room only. She was sitting up this time when she came out of the chute. That's a good thing. She kept riding! Then (oh, no!) she started slipping! but that girl pulled herself back up straight on that sheep. But, she overcorrected, so she pulled herself back up again. As she nears the other side of the arena, the crowd gets louder and louder. 8000+ people cheering for MY BABY!!!!!! WOOOO! HOOO! She tumbled off, was picked up by Rowdy Barry, the bull fighter, and she gave the crowd a wave. She scored an 85! Still holding my breath because the girl who beat Sarah on qual night had taken 1st and was about to be shoved out of chute 10. Oh my, she does really good, but not *quite* as good as my kid. Will the judges see that? Am I just biased? Megan scored an 84! YYYYAAAAAAYY! Sarah won! She was whisked up on top of a horse by one of the Top Hands and given a victory ride around the arena where she waved like a rodeo queen to all her adoring fans. Then she had her picture taken (where are those pics, anyway?) with the rodeo staff, sponsors, and the clown, and recieved her $200 savings bond and belt buckle.
My girl is a PRCA rodeo champion! I just can't even believe it. The thrill I get from every play and show I've done can only begin to compare with the pride and excitement I felt that night as Sarah entertained a crowd twice the size of the biggest one I have ever preformed for. I still get chills and a fire in my soul when I talk about it, or even think about it. She did SO AWESOME. So proud of that girl.
She's pretty proud of it, too. Here's Sarah's version: "A long, long time ago, [see how bad mom sucks at blogging? it was FOREVER ago!] I was riding a sheep and I'm the champion. I won a pretty belt buckle. Everyone wants to see it. I want to ride a sheep for next year. I hope Katie rides a sheep like me."
