Posted on 02/25/2017 9:58:32 AM PST by SandRat
TOMBSTONE – Saddle up and hang onto your hats! It’s rodeo time!
While Arizona celebrates Tucson Rodeo festivities, third-graders from Huachuca City School are learning all about riding, roping and ranching, as well as a little rodeoing on the side. On Wednesday, about 50 young buckaroos traveled to Tombstone High School for a crash course on cowboys and ranching.
The Future Farmers of America students organized the event and worked with the young cowboys and cowgirls as they dabbled in bull riding and roping and learned how to saddle a horse. They met goats and other petting zoo animals and tried riding a bucking bull (barrel, that is). Rosie “the rodeo clown” Fulton was on hand to help the kids to their feet when the barrel got the best of them. Several kids also opted for face painting.
Third grade teachers Pam Carns and Deborah Paul had been planning the morning field trip as part of a reading project about the history of 1800s cowboys.
“We use the children’s book ‘Yippee Yay!’ by Gail Gibbons, which is a nonfiction expository about the old west cowboy,” said Paul. “The children learn about things like cattle drives, the role of horses in ranching and roping.”
The FFA students set up different stations for the kids to explore and managed to keep everyone active and occupied with a list of hands-on projects.
“I was one of the group leaders, so I led them around to the group stations,” said Kenna Conley, a sophomore. “We had bull riding, face painting, roping, a petting zoo, barrel racing and a greenhouse tour. We also showed the kids how to saddle a horse. They were really interested in everything and asked a lot of good questions.”
It was Fulton who kept everyone safe after the bucking bull (barrel) launching.
“It was really rewarding to work with the kids,” she said. “I did some bullfighting routines after they were thrown to show them how rodeo clowns keep cowboys safe.”
Freshman FFA member Kayla Baird took photos, spoke the younger students about FFA and what the program offers and helped with the face painting.
“They absolutely loved the face painting,” she said. “I had so much fun working with the kids.”
FFA instructor Katie Swaim said the project was such a success, she hopes more classes participate next year. “It really went well,” she said. “We had multiple stations going on and all the students really enjoyed it.”
Third-grader Alex Edlund summed up his full day of rodeoing with, “Today was a great day. I got face painted and I did tons of activities. I really liked barrel racing. Our team won and the rodeo clown ‘Rosie’ high-fived us.”
Wednesday was Malachi Worley’s first day at Huachuca City School.
“I enjoyed the roping,” she said. “They taught me how to rope and I learned that it is dangerous, so you shouldn’t play with ropes all the time. Even if you feel you’re the best, you need to be careful so you don’t hurt yourself. Learning about cowboys was exciting because it was my first day at school and I didn’t expect to go on a field trip on my first day.”
While Damien Sikon enjoyed the whole cowboy experience, he liked the bull riding best.
“I thought the bull riding was fun, especially when I was bucked off,” he said. “I also liked being able to rope a bull for the very first time.”
On Thursday, 24 FFA students and Swaim traveled to the 92nd annual Tucson Rodeo where they started the day by watching the parade. Then they were off to the rodeo grounds for a full day of rodeo competition.
“We were so fortunate. The president of the Tucson Rodeo Association donated all our tickets,” said Swaim. “We got 30 tickets, which was right at $600 worth. It was a lot of fun.”
If You Go
Tucson’s 92nd annual rodeo - La Fiesta de los Vasqueros - winds down this weekend, with the final two days of rodeo action today and tomorrow.
The following schedule is for both days: • Gates open at 11 a.m.
• Coors barn opens at noon with a live feed of the rodeo.
• Muttin’ bustin’ and the junior rodeo starts at 12:30 p.m.
• Pro rodeo competition goes from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
• Coors barn dance is from 4 to 8 p.m. ($5 online or at the door - kids 12 and under are free).
Saw this bumper sticker on a Cowgirls Pick-Em-Up at Rodeo in Davie years back
“See Dick Ride, See Dick Rope, See Dick Rodeo, Cowgirls Love Dick”
I love Tombstone, have stopped there several times. Enjoy talking to the locals.
The Future Farmers of America no longer exists. The
complete title was dropped in the 1970s in favor of
just FFA. The organization which began in the 1920s
was boys only and was affiliated with rural town HS
vocational agriculture science classes. Girls were
brought in during the early 70s and FFA chapters
started springing up in urban areas. Enough people
believed that the word “farmer” stigmatized the
organization as interest in agri-business careers
was booming that the title was dropped. As a son
of the 60s I regret the loss of the great title.
Farming is among the most noble of professions and
it is the cornerstone of all agricultural endeavors.
This is awesome! Wish more kids could experience this.
You sound like someone from GREEN ACREs? Oh yeah, Oliver Douglas.
It was obviously not a lesbian cowgirl affair ; )
Rodeos rock
Shouldn't that be the first thing done.
doubt if those exist.......Yet
I enjoy the PBR bull riding on CBS on Sundays.
Sorry thats a child.You blew it
were not on the same page
I won’t watch that station
I do watch RFD
You sound like someone who might have an urban liberal’s
understanding and appreciation of agriculture and
agriculturalists.
Coincidentally, my dad, a WIA WWII paratrooper became a
farmer after college, returned to school for an ag teacher
credential, started two HS vo-ag departments, and
retired as California State Asst FFA advisor. He earned
a PhD in vocational education along the way. He passed
in ‘15 after surviving 70 years with a titanium plate in
skull from his war wound. Pop despised the Green Acres
TV program because it depicted rural people as morons
while there were no such programs that revealed the reality
of rural people.
The last time I rode a horse, my butt hurt and I couldn’t get my legs together afterward.
I felt so cheap.
Cowboys are racist
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