Another Rodeo Weekend

We had such a busy weekend, but it was so much fun. I never could have imagine how fun it would be to watch my child compete in something she loves so much. There was a day I really enjoyed competing myself and in the past 10 years I have loved watching my Kyle compete but nothing compares to how much I enjoy watching Jenae compete. I am looking forward to the day Aubree will be entering the rodeos as well. Every rodeo we go to she asks me "is this one my rodeo??" For now she is a good sport and tags along to cheer on big sis.

Our weekend started out with Kyle entered in the Chambers Rodeo. He did a good job. He won the bronc riding with an 81 and was 4th in the calf roping. The high light for me was watching Jenae make an exhibition barrel run. She did so good. She was really excited she got to run with the big girls. She ran a 20 second pattern. A 16 won the rodeo and there were a lot of 17 and 18 second times. I was proud that my 6 year old daughter on her 27 year old horse ran just a few seconds off the winning times.

Saturday we(Chip, Marilyn, Jenae, Aubree and I) got up early and headed out for Taylor's Jr. Rodeo. It was so nice and cool. There was a lot of down time from when the rodeo started until Jenae ran her events. I took the girls out to an open area and they rode there ponies all over. It was a lot of fun to just be hanging out with the girls. I worked on some of my photography skills and took a lot of pictures of the them on their pony's. Barrels an poles were the only events that Jenae rode a horse in. She had a little bad luck and tipped a barrel and a pole over. Her pattern was still fast enough in the poles to place 2nd. There was a goat scramble on foot also at the rodeo, but she had no luck in that event and has asked me to never sign her up for that event again!!!

Sunday was Burwell Jr. Rodeo. Jenae did really well. She won the barrels and the poles and was 2nd in the goat tail untie. She had a nice cheering crowd. Chip, Marilyn, Aubree and I took her down and Hope, Ben and Trey met us there. They had been at a wedding in Omaha and got up super early to travel to Burwell to watch Jenae. It really meant a lot to Jenae to have so much support. Little Trey was such a trooper and did really well during the rodeo.

We are so lucky that Chip & Marilyn are so supportive of Jenae & her love for rodeo. With Kyle gone so much I would not be able to take her all over the place like gets to do. So Chip & Marilyn on behalf of Jenae and myself Thank You....Thank You....Thank You ;-)You are the best!

Marilyn started back to school today. Chip wanted to keep the girls for the day. Last plan I knew he was going to take them trail riding and they were going to have a picnic lunch. So much fun!!! Jenae goes back to school on Wednesday. She is really looking forward to it, I wish I was looking forward to it as much as she is. It makes me sad to see summer come to an end!


Jenae and Aubree before we headed into the fair.





Chip, Jenae & Aubree before the Chamber's rodeo.




Chip, Jenae & Aubree before the Chamber's rodeo.




Kyle with Jenae and Aubree riding in the Grand Entry at the Chambers Rodeo.





Jenae enjoying a snow cone.





Aubree loving her snow cone.




Aubree Kissing on Beauty.





The girls of course had to work on their trick riding during the down time at the rodeo.





Jenae was working on her "ponying" skills. To pony a horse means to lead another horse while riding. It is more tricky than it looks, I did not get to far away from them in case she got tangled up.




Jenae sizing up her competition. This is probably my favorite picture of all.




Jenae just starting her pole run. Grandpa Chip helps her get in the arena and lined up where she needed to be.




Ben went to Pizza Palace and treated us with an awesome lunch. Way better than concession stand food :-)




Jenae's cheering section.





Grandpa Chip with Jenae's youngest fan, Trey.





Trying to entertain herself at the rodeo. She rubbed lotion all over herself.

Happy Friday the 13th!!

Trick rider Aubree! She has watched Jenae working her her trick riding so much that she is getting a little too brave!! She is having a blast with it. It amazes me how she goes from girly princess wearing a dress and bracelets or as she calls them "spacelets" to dirty ranch girl who loves to ride her pony Cinnamon. She for sure is enjoying all aspects of being a little girl!



Jenae on Speedster getting some practice time in before the weekend. We have a busy Jr. Rodeo weekend coming up.




Jenae showing me her art that is at the fair. She was happy to see the first place ribbon next to her picture.




Aubree enjoying her new favorite snack! I was making a dessert and had some whipped cream left over. It did not take her long to finish it off for me.


So it is Friday the 13th. I do consider myself somewhat superstitious. No so much that I am afraid to get out of bed, but there is just a little something in the back of my head that just is a little uneasy. I will be really happy when we are all tucked in bed and sound to sleep.

We have had of course another busy week with the fair in town. Wednesday I got up early and made salsa. When the girls woke up we went over to Chip and Marilyn's for Jenae to practice for her upcoming rodeos. Then the girls and I went to the fair to watch the horse show and hit some garage sales. It is so much fun to take little girls garage selling. They always find some treasures :-) It was so hot on Wednesday when we got home from town we ate some lunch and relaxed in the cool. Jenae went back to town with Chip, Marilyn & Trey to watch the horse show. Aubree took a nice long nap. I kept busy with house work.

Marilyn took Jenae into the dog and cat show at the fair yesterday. Jenae is really wanting to do 4-H when she gets old enough. She is having a hard time understanding why she could not enter the horse show this year. She said to me "you should be able to join as soon as you know how to ride a horse, not have to wait until you are 9!"

Yesterday we sold our last 2 puppies. It was bitter sweet. We are glad we found good homes for all of them but we all grew really attached to them. I am proud of the girls they seemed to handle it well. Hopefully it works out that we can raise another litter next summer.

Kyle is up in the rodeo in Chambers tonight. It will be nice to have him home for that, I know a lot of people from the Chambers area enjoy getting to see him compete.

Jenae is going to be hitting the rodeo trail this weekend also. It will be her last rodeos of the season. It looks like it will be a little bit cooler this weekend so that will be really nice.

I hope you all have a great Friday the 13th. Hopefully it the good luck will find you insted of the bad luck ;-)

Trick Rider Jenae

I took this from my camera phone. I am a little dissapointed in the quality of the video but I posted in anyway.

Grandpa Chip's Trick Riding School

Aubree watched Jenae do her thing on Beauty and she was sure she needed to ride standing up. Jenae learned to ride standing up by riding behind Chip like Aubree is doing in this video.

Burwell Rodeo/ Valentine Jr. Rodeo

Kyle & Jenae at the Valentine Jr. Rodeo

Jenae on Speedster & Aubree on Hippie at the Valentine Jr. Rodeo

We had another busy weekend. Kyle came home on Thursday evening. He was in slack in Burwell Friday morning. I had to work, but Marilyn took the girls down to watch. Kyle had a nice cheering crowd. Hope & Trey went and several of the Zutavern's were there as well.

He made a nice run in steer wrestling and was 5.5. It sounds like he had a bad call in the calf roping. His roped his calf and made a nice run, but got a slow flag. The calf has to stay tied for 6 second to be a qualified run. From the sounds of it Kyle's calf stayed tied well over 6 seconds but eventually kicked free and the judge gave him a no time. :-( If he would have got a time on his first calf he would have won the average. It is times like that make rodeo very frustrating!

Saturday I was able to spend most of the morning in the house and my garden. It was so nice to have Kyle home to handle the chores for the horses, calves & chickens. He had been gone for 3 weeks. With him and his traveling partner around I spend a lot more time in the kitchen, but I do not mind trading in my chore boots for oven mitts!

Saturday evening we went back to Burwell for Kyle's 2nd calf & 2nd steer. It was a hot day but got pretty nice when the sun went under. We always have a lot of fun at Burwell. It is nice to see friends that we have not seen in awhile.

Sunday morning we headed out at 6:00 am for a Jr. Rodeo in Valentine for Jenae. I knew it was going to be hard to get the girls up and going so early after a big night out at Burwell so I let the girls put on their pj's when we left Burwell and we climbed in the trailer and went to sleep.The girls & I slept all night in the trailer. Kyle took off early in the morning and we were able to let the girls keep sleeping. Aubree slept all the way to Valentine:-) Jenae had another good rodeo. She was 2nd in the poles and 3rd in the Barrels. I think less than .5 sec separated 1st from 3rd in the barrels. Marilyn is a good time recorder and I know she has the exact times written down. Jenae also competed in the goat tail untie and flag race. She used a young horse, Hippie, that she is hoping to make into her next rodeo horse. He is a 6 yr old gelding that Chip bought as either a yearling or 2 year old, I can't remember off hand. He is the horse that I have used the last couple of years when I help out on the ranch. He is a super quiet nice horse to ride. Jenae has pretty much taken him over and really enjoys riding him when we move cattle. She started working on the flag race with him. To give Speedster a little bit of a break she wanted to take Hippie to Valentine to do the goats and flag race. He did good in the goats, when she went to get off to pull the ribbon off the goat tail he stood right where she got off. Most of the other horse took off back to the gate when the kids jumped off. The flag race went good until Hippie realized there was grain in bucket holding the flag. I guess he thought he would stop an have a snack! All in all for a 6 year old girl to be riding a 6 year old horse in his first rodeo is neat in itself. When Jenae got on Speedster to run the barrels & poles she said "Okay Speedster it is time to show the world what you can do!" She is pretty proud of him and thinks no other horse can hold a candle to him! Aubree was a good trooper through the day. It was hot and I am sure got a little boring for her watching her big sister get to compete. When we got to the rodeo Aubree said to me "is this my rodeo" I had to break her heart and say "no it is Jenae's rodeo" It was really nice to have Kyle there to watch Jenae compete. I know it really meant a lot to Jenae to have him there.

I am going though a little depression today. Now that we are in to August school is just around the corner. I have so much enjoyed summer with Jenae at home. She has had such a fun summer it makes me sad to see it winding down. She has not said much about school starting. I know she will be excited to see all her friends again but she is really going to miss riding her horses and helping Grandpa on the ranch.