Well 2013 Great Lakes Circuit Finals is in the books. It had its high points and low points, but all in all, it was a great trip.
I am going to brag on my husband for just a minute. He will probably be embarrassed, but too bad!
Kyle won his 10th Great Lakes All Around Championship this year. I know my husband is super talented, but getting to be there to witness first hand just how talented his is, was pretty cool! Kyle got stepped on in the bronc riding on Friday night. He spent some time with in the Justin Sport Medicine team. They told him his leg was bruised deep enough that they thought he would still be icing it in 3 months. He was disappointed to travel that far and work that hardly to get there to then get hurt and not be able to compete at his full strength. It was heart breaking. As his wife, I hurt for him because I knew he was disappointed. He iced his leg off and on for the 20 hours between Friday and Saturday's rodeo. I was really worried how the rodeo would go on Saturday. Trying to compete with an injury usually ends up getting a person hurt worst. He not only competed in all 3 events on Saturday night, but won the steer wrestling with a 3.3 second run and placed on his bronc. Now to me that is a true All Around Cowboy!!! I am so very proud of his determination.
I am going to give some of the highlights from the trip
Wednesday
Left home after the girls got home from school
Dropped Whitney off with Erin & My Mom to stay for the rest of the week (taking a 2 year old on a 16 hour road trip while trying to potty train did not seem very practical)
Drove all night to Louisville, KY!
Thursday
Got to Louisville 10:00 am Eastern time
They let us in our hotel right away, the girls were swimming by 10:30 :-)
Kyle and Chip got some much needed rest after getting the horses put in their stalls.
Rodeo went well that night
Kyle was 4.1 in the steer wrestling & won the round
Didn't place on his bronc, but made a nice ride
10.5 on his calf
Friday
Kyle took girls swimming first thing
Loaded up and went to Churchill Downs to watch some races.
Found out races didn't start for an hour so took the girls to the Museum
Watched several races, didn't pick any winning horses
Went back to hotel to get ready for the rodeo
Kyle, Chip & Aubree were announced at the opening for being 3 generations that rodeo
Jenae got to carry the American Flag in the area
Rodeo did NOT go well
Missed steer
Bucked off and got leg/knee stepped on in the bronc riding
Roped calf in 12.5
Iced leg
Saturday
- Iced leg
- packed up and checked out of the hotel
- Kyle & Chip went to a meeting/Me and the girls shopped the trade show
- Iced leg
- Rodeo went much better
- Kyle was 3.3 seconds in the steer wrestling won the round again and got 4th in the average
- 78 in the bronc riding -- 4th in the round
- missed calf
- Won 10th All Around title
- Loaded up and headed home. Left Louisville at 11:30pm (Eastern Time)
Sunday
Celebrated our 12th year wedding anniversary
Drove most of the day
Stopped at Mom's to get Whitney
Got home at 4:00 pm (Central Time)
Unpacked Trailer
Did Laundry
Went to be at 9:00
That pretty much sums up the trip!
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| Chip & Aubree at Churchill Downs. |
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| Aubree, Jenae & Kyle in front of Pat Day Statue |
Kyle, Me, Jenae & Aubree at Churchill Downs
Chip and the girls going through the gates to the Churchill Downs Museum.
Kyle and the girls trying to out run the horses!
Jenae & Aubree racing.
Chip helping Jenae weighing in to see if she could be a jockey.
Kyle seeing how much Aubree weighs
Aubree trying out how it feels to be a jockey.
Jockey Jenae
Looking on at the horses, pre race, hoping to pick a winner!
The girls watching the race.
Aubree enjoying an ice cream cone!
Kyle and the girls before Friday Night Performance.
Jenae with the American Flag.
Aubree seeing how it feels to hold the flag.
Chip, Aubree & Kyle being introduced as 3 generations in rodeo.
Jenae carrying the American Flag. It is hard to put into words the feeling of carrying the American Flag in front of thousands of people in dark arena with the spotlight. Of all things I did when I was Miss Rodeo Nebraska, it was carrying the American Flag that takes the was the most special.
Jenae standing by the rodeo announcer.
She was pretty proud to be holding the flag.
Aubree at the Rodeo Friday Night
Aubree at the rodeo Friday night.
The Girls at the Friday Night Rodeo.
The girls watching the rodeo.
My friend Shelli that I went to school with from kindergarten to 12th grade lives just an hour from Louisville. She and her kids came down for the Saturday Night Rodeo.
Kyle won his 10th All-Around Title for the Great Lakes Rodeo. Aubree walked out with him when they presented him with the saddle. She was waving to the crowd the whole time she was under the spotlight.
Silly Aubree Joy riding Comet!
