Life of Rodeo

Rodeo, is the playing of the national anthem

With the wind furling Old Glory for all to see

And Rodeo is the invocation where

All bow their heads and ask

God, to look after both

Brave entrants, and the noble spectators,

Rodeo, is and announced who starts the show

By saying "And now Ladies and Gentleman turn your 

attention to the Bucking Chutes!

Getting down in the chute No1 an old cayuse

We call Trail's End is....

Rodeo, is a cowboy cramming his hat 

Down on his head,climbin aboard his

Bareback horse grabbing the "Suitcase Handle"

And hollering, "Let Me Have Him!"

Rodeo is the eternity between coming out

of the chute and hearing the whistle blow

Rodeo is the goose egg you get for not 

Marking him out

Rodeo, is yer new hat that gets trampled

And the pickup men who save yer neck

It's the indescribable feeling you get when 

You ride a rank mount to the whistle

Rodeo is funny clowns insulting the announcer

and conversely the announcer insulting the clowns.

Rodeo, is the dirt eaten' by the dogger

Whose steer "set -up"

It's the fast stop of the lightly trained 

ropin' horse

And the hole in the rope that the last

Calf managed to run through

Rodeo is the time keepers diligently cutting seconds

into tenths.

Rodeo, is trick and fancy roping fascinating

Spectators and cowboys alike

Rodeo is also beautiful Cowgirls in lavish

Outfits riding fast well trained horses

in the barrel race.

It's cowboy's running helter-skelter for the

Safety of the fence when a bronc

heads their way

Rodeo, is a brave photographer, standing in front

of the chutes taking pictures of the bull riding

Rodeo is the same photographer seeking the save sanction 

the chute gate with an enraged

Bull a bare three feet behind

It's the cowbell attached to the bull rope

That keeps the cowboy awake when he rides

Rodeo is Ten calves, and Forty cowboys tumbling

Together in the kiddies calf scramble

Rodeo is an over-anxious roper who breaks 

the barrier

It's also the chaw of tobacco you swallowed

During hectic ride or the bandage

You must wear on that trick knee

Rodeo is the trick and fancy riders at

Their very best and rodeo is the is the thoughts

Of taking yer best girls to the big dance

After the show

Rodeo is a limping cowboys returning to the chutes

with nothing to show for his efforts

But  the crowd's applause and empty wallet

And few bruises

Rodeo is a hard-working chute boss

And his wife's consternation when she 

Spots a rip in his brand new shirt

Rodeo is the clown sneaking up behind

the photographer and shouting "look 

OUT for the bull!"

Rodeo is a steer that falls the wrong way

And it's your piggin' string liberally sprinkled

with pepper when your back was turned

Rodeo is the admiring, worshiping look

from the youngsters in the stands

Rodeo is a wife nervously biting her nails

while her husbands rides a bull

Rodeo is a husband encouragement as his wife 

competes in the barrel race

It's the entry fees which must be paid 

And the long miles you must travel

Yes, rodeo is horses, bulls, saddles

Clowns announcers, spectators 

Calves, chutes, pickup men

Steers cowbells, boots flags

Cowgirls and Cowboys

Last but not least, 

Rodeo is Fun