The summer rodeo is an event that Sydney looks forward all year. We all love it and have a ton of fun but the idea of a week on the back of a horse is what its all about for Sydney.
Let me rewind and give a brief (or not)history. Sydney has always loved horses. One morning when she was three and a half she came up to me and shared her dream. She told me she had the best dream ever...she was running on a horse and she was jumping over rose bushes....oh, thats a great dream i told her. BUT, inside (knowing of her love for horses) my heart jumped a little. silly girl, running on a horse is dangerous, and jumping over rose bushes...hahaha, thats just plain crazy. Dont get me wrong, I love horses, have since I was a kid, my Dad bought me a pony and I loved it. as a kid. then I didnt ride for years, got old and got scared. It hurts when you fall! The dream of my kids on a horse was fine. walking. with a lead rope. Well, we all know how parents dreams go out the window sometimes. Mine ran. out the window, over the rosebush and into the arena.
I guess it's no surprise really that all the kids ride. And love riding. but, who is this women in the stands screaming - GO GO GO! FASTER FASTER! KICK KICK - DONT LET HIM STOP AROUND THE BARRELS - GOOD GOOD - NOW BRING HIM HOME -GIVE HIM THE REINS - KICK HIM-(thinking - good thing she remembered the spurs) WOOH! GOOD RIDE!
And i mean every word. where did that come from? Well, where ever it came from I'm glad to have it! I just hope I can have it when Rylee is riding like Sydney and Kole are now! But how can you not cheer for this.....
I love watching Kole handle a horse. He looks just like Jim out there. He handles it like its a quad or something. He has no fear and no problem of telling the horse who's the boss. He has no fear of going fast and stooping fast.
This was Koles first year doing sorting. He was awesome! He had so much fun and they got all seven in on his first try!! Second place (only by three seconds) and $37.00! GO COWBOY!
Rylee rode and wanted to do it all by her self this year! GULP. She was too cute out there!
Doing the barrels at just my speed :)
Headed home. - what is she doing kicking the Horse!
Now its not all about riding. The time hanging out with cousins and friends is the best of it, of course!
On the way back from lunch. um..is that cheesy mac driving?
Chan and Rylee enjoying the sunset.
We especially like friends who share fun things they find. like snakes found at the pond! fun, fun.
Cute Cowgirls! This is Rylee and Gracie. Gracie gets the bucking bronco award for the week-end. (maybe for all time) She was on the back of their horse and it spooked. Started bucking. up, down sideways. oh, and it was tied to a fence stand while it did this. We sat frozen in the stands while her amazing Dad and Papa tried to get her off and control the horse. She had a death grip on that horse and once her Papa got a hold of her he had to YANK her off caz she wasn't letting go. They were all three amazing. AND...she rode to compete about twenty minuets later.
Cheer team in the stands.
OH, and a lot of 5:30 am wake 
