Tiny rodeo sticks the landing at Western Heritage Classic
It was a real rodeo, just a miniature one.
The Stick Horse Rodeo is a perennial favorite at the Taylor County Expo Center's Western Heritage Classic. Children from ages 3-9 compete in three age classes in events mimicking their grown-up rodeo counterparts. Only instead of a live horse, these cowpokes ride stick horses.
That doesn't mean stuff doesn't happen. Just like in regular barrel racing, competitors sometimes go the wrong way around a barrel, disqualifying their run. There were a few tears, mostly thanks to nerves, but most were cheered on by nearby parents and grandparents.
In the bronc-like "roughstock" contest, where each child leaps from a miniature livestock chute astride their sticky steed, the rider has to keep on their feet for eight seconds. That's harder than you'd think, style counts and to that end a few cowboys got a little wild, crossed boot toes, and hit the dirt. Undeterred, they leapt back up.
A few cowgirls listened to their mee-maws, taking their hats off to fan their horses' ears, or giving the hat a good fling across the arena in true rodeo form. Others kept a hand in the air, waving it at the crowd to cheers.
Winners received cash prized, belt buckles, and the occasional cooler. A big haul at this tiny rodeo.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Tiny rodeo sticks the landing at Western Heritage Classic
