The Trip to Explain a Lifetime: Final Installment

Remember back in August when I went on a trip with my dad and brother to dad’s hometown?  Remember how I said the final installment would come soon?  Sorry about that.  Things have been a little more than crazy around these parts and before they get even more crazy, I thought I’d go ahead and wrap it up.  I left off on the trip to TX with the upcoming World’s Largest Free BBQ & the XIT Rodeo.

The Brother, dad and I slowly made our way to the lake where the BBQ and rodeo are held each year.  I’ll be darned if we ever saw a lake… or any water for that matter.

While we were in the Dalhart Chamber of Commerce and the XIT Museum there was a photo documentary of the BBQ process.  The process begins Thursday afternoon when the crew stacks the wood in 2 75 foot pits.  Friday at 0100 the crew starts the fire then the crew meets at 0600 to season and wrap 9,000 lbs of beef in burlap sacks.  Friday afternoon at 1300 the meat is placed in the pits, covered and left to cook until 1300 on Saturday when they unload the meat into flat bed trucks lined with plastic then transferred to the fair grounds in preparation for the 1600 free feed.*

Dad, my brother and I arrived shortly after 1700 to purchase tickets to the Rodeo and partake in the free BBQ.  The scene was unreal.  Thousands of people were there, sprawled across the lawns on blankets and folding chairs.  There was a small assortment of circus rides set up for the children to play, vendors handing out free ice cream, sodas, and toys.  We made our way to the tents dishing up the free BBQ, I believe there were 7 tents, with 2 lines on each side of the tent dishing up massive amounts of meat, beans, applesauce, sliced onions, pickles and bread.  The pinto beans (a Texas dinner staple) were served from a 50 gallon trash can and a 4 foot ladle.

We parked our bums on the grass under the shade of  a tree for  a little reprieve from the blazing hot sun.  The food was great, as great as you can expect from 9,000 lbs of beef being cooked under the earth’s surface.  The excitement was building for the Rodeo that would begin soon.  The three of us talked about rodeos and cowboys.  Dad said he always attended the rodeo as a kid and was excited to see it again.  He told a story about once riding a bull.  That one experience was enough to last a lifetime.

We walked to the Rodeo stadium and found a spot about halfway up the stands with a great view of the whole arena.  The sun overhead was blazing hot but fortunately for dad, his new cowboy hat kept the sun out of his face.

Of course, like good Americans, the Rodeo began with the presentation of the colors (flags) and singing of the National Anthem.  The stadium was silent as the colors were brought in on horseback, then as if we were all a single person, all 2,000 people came to their feet at once as the National Anthem filled the speakers (of course, I don’t have a picture of that… hand over heart and all). It was amazing to know that there is still a place in this great country where the colors are recognized for all they mean and the Anthem is revered with an intensity which cannot be fathomed.

The first event of the rodeo was Bareback Bronc Riding.  Bareback riding is the product of the cowboys’ need to break wild horses and turn them into working animals.  These days, bareback riding is a rodeo event only, the horse has a soft sheepskin flank strap as a safety device to encourage the horse to kick rather than gear.  Rules & Penalties:   The rider must remain on the horse for 8 seconds to be scored.   Marking Out: If the cowboy leaves the chute with his feet below the horses shoulders, he is disqualified.  If the cowboy touches the horse or himself with his free hand, he is disqualified.  If the horse doesn’t buck to performance specifications, the judge may offer the cowboy a re-ride or a chance on another horse.

The second event was Steer Wrestling, a pretty traumatic event for me to watch because I was afraid the cows were being hurt.  I sent a series of texts to The Troop (my favorite cowboy) asking if the cows were being injured.  Basically, there are two cowboys and a steer.  The steer is released from the chute while the two cowboys try to flank either side of the steer, then the steer wrangler (one of the cowboys) dismounts his horse, grabs the steer by the horns then digs his heals in the dirt to stop the steer, then wrestles the 500-600 lb steer to the ground.  Once the steer is on his side, the clock stops.  Rules & Regs: Breaking the Barrier: the steer is allowed a head start while the cowboys wait in the “box”, if the cowboy breaks the “box” too early he breaks the barrier and is assessed a 10 second penalty.  Clean Fall: The steer must be on all 4 feet until the cowboy changes the steer’s direction.  Cool fact:  Steer Wrestling horses are the “sprinters” of the rodeo world, accelerating from 0-35 mph in 150 feet. (See the series at the end of the article for step-by-step perfect roping)

Ranch Saddle Bronc Riding was next.  Considered one of the classic rodeo events, a cowboy mounts a horse who has never taken a saddle or rider.  The horse bucks, the cowboy moves controls his own movements to remain on the horse as he bucks.  The only grip the cowboy has on the horse is a 8 foot rope held with only one hand.  Rules & Penalties: A ride must last 8 seconds to be scored.  Marking Out: If the cowboy comes out of the chute with his feet below the horses’s shoulders, he is disqualified.  If the cowboy touches the horse or himself with his free hand, he is disqualified.  If the horse doesn’t buck to performance specifications, the judge may offer the cowboy a re-ride.

Tie Down Roping was fascinating but brought back the nervousness of the cows being injured.  Tie-down roping is a throwback to the days when cowboys had to herd cattle on an open ranch to bring them in for branding or other attention.  Only a single cowboy rides in this event.  The cow has a lead before the cowboy leaves the “box” with the rope and a “piggin string” in his mouth then the cowboy ropes the cow around the head, dismounts his horse, the horse walking away or stopping to pull the rope taught while the cowboy lays the cow down and ties any three of it’s legs together with the “piggin string.”  Rules & Penalties: Breaking the barrier, calves are allowed a head start, if the cowboy exits the box too early, he breaks the barrier and is assessed a 10 second penalty.  The tie must include at least one wrap around any three legs and a half hitch knot, or “hooey” or the run is disqualified.  The time limit is 25 seconds.  If the rope comes off the calf before the cowboy has a hand on it, the run is disqualified.

There was another round of Saddle Bronc Riding and Team Roping.  Next up was Wild Cow Milking.  There’s nothing much to say about Wild Cow Milking.  In my opinion, it was absurd.  A team of cowboys run out of the chute chasing a lactating cow and milk it while the cow (obviously distressed) runs away.  The goal is to fill a jar or something with milk.  After the craziness that was Wild Cow Milking came another round of steer roping.

The Cowgirls Barrel Racing was fun to watch.  The event requires an excellent horsewoman.  The arena is outfitted with three 55 gallon barrels in a triangle pattern.  The horsewoman is to ride in a cloverleaf pattern as fast as possible.  Rules & Regs:  There is no penalty for the horse or cowgirl touching the barrels, but she is penalized 5 points for each barrel that is knocked over.  The only dis-qualifier is crossing the score line before the cowgirl creates her cloverleaf pattern.

Last, but certainly not least was Bull Riding, the rodeo’s most dangerous event.  The cowboy settles onto the back of a bull in the chute then wraps a bull rope around the girth of the bull, holding the end in one of his hands.  The goal of bull riding is simply to stay on the bull for eight seconds.  Bucking is not required, simply staying on is required.  Rules & Penalties: A ride must last 8 seconds to be scored.  If the cowboy touches the bull or himself with his free hand, he is disqualified. If the bull doesn’t buck to performance specifications, the judge may offer a re-ride.

We made our way back to the hotel, of course… dragging Main on our way.  We slept a few hours before packing up the next morning, drug Main a few last times then headed home.  Stories of my father’s youth permeated the car as he reminisced about the things we’d seen.  The trip was one that will remain with me forever.  My memories of the 36 hours, just my dad,  brother and I will forever be ingrained in my mind much like the stories of my father’s youth.  I’m thankful for the time we had together, knowing that this was the best of all of us.  A moment with my father, sober, happy, full of life.  This is how I choose to remember him for my days.  Laughter twinkled his eyes, warm words graced his lips.  Full of overflowing love, my father shared his life with us.

*Thanks to Jamie at the Dalhart Chamber of Commerce for the timeline information because, like an idiot, I didn’t write it down and had to call to get further information.

**Information regarding Rodeo rules and regs brought to you by the XIT Official Program.