Rodeo Friends

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I hauled the boys half of the time by myself.  I certainly wasn’t the only mom doing so.  My dad quit hauling me once I learned to tie my 2^nd loop on.  Since my mom hauled my alone, I just never thought about doing anything different.  A friend of mine has related to me that my mom encouraged her to do the same, and she did.  I made some great friends during that time.  Rodeo people generally just help each other out when needed.  If your kid’s horse gets crippled there is always someone there offering theirs.  Two times in particular stand out to me. 

The first was when we were on an AJRA triple rodeo weekend to Crane, Pecos, and Monahans.  The first problem started when I hooked up my trailer in the dark to go from Crane to Pecos.  I had missed the ball and had dropped the trailer in front of it.  It’s a wonder I made it to Pecos at all.  The next morning I realized what had happened.  I had done a pretty good job of tearing up the jack on the trailer, the bed of our truck and the tool box.  Thankfully, Jack Alexander helped me wire the jack up and get hooked up properly so that we would make it the rest of the weekend.  That afternoon at Pecos, Jake’s head horse collicked.  Pete Fincher had brought some IV fluids with him and got as much in him as he had.  He and Barry Finstad got him up and loaded in my trailer and I took off for Dr. Brock’s in Lamesa, driving like a bat out of hell. 

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

I never thought twice about leaving my kids there because I knew Kay Alexander, Jennifer Finstad, Karen Fincher, and Angie Yates would take care of them and the 3 horses I left in Pecos.  I don’t think I have ever thanked any of them enough.  And thanks to Pete, the horse made it. 

The other time, Jacky was with me.  We were in Brownwood at the KJRA finals.  Jacky and Jake left in 1 rig to go to Abilene for a team roping the next morning.  They  left another rig for Clay and I to get home.  When it got time to leave I couldn’t find the pickup keys.  I called Jacky and he insisted I wasn’t looking in the right place.  I tore that pickup apart.  I kept calling him and he kept telling me they were there; each of us getting a little madder and a little louder with each phone call.  After they got to Abilene he found them in his pants pocket.  We made it home though.  The Eggemeyers and the Barbers each hauled a horse or 2 for us and Clay and I hitched a ride home with them. 

I wouldn’t take anything for those days.  Whatever your kids are involved in, enjoy it.  Even though they may still compete at some level when they are grown it’s not the same.  I’m way too old and tired to do it now but it’s a part of my life that I will never forget or regret. Even though I don’t see some of those moms and dads very often that we saw every weekend, I think of them often and fondly. Whenever we do get together we have lots of laughs and great memories to share.