Working Ranch Horse and Cowboy Poetry Competition

I would have to say(as a mother) that I'm extremely pleased with the experience we had last Saturday. No The boys didn't win, but they had a good time. They took 11th and 14th and learned what this kind of a competition is all about. They're thinking next year they'll do better.
I just have to throw in the thing that amazed me the most. We were competing against mostly just regular kids but there are always the kids that spend all kinds of time training for these competitions on horses that have been doing them as well for as long if not longer then the kids themselves. Well our horses have never been trained for this kind of competition at all except for the real work that they do during the summer working the cows on the mountain.
I was somewhat nervous about the reaction Bradens colt would have to the 60 plus horses in an indoor arena. Both Braden and Sammy, Braden's colt, did amazing. I can't say for sure but I'd bet money that Braden was the only kid there that was riding a horse that he'd broken himself. In fact, nobody else has ever even ridden Sammy. I'd also bet that Sammy was the youngest horse there. He's only three.

And then I have to brag just a bit about Caib, too. I accidentally signed the kid up for the wrong age group. He was the youngest kid in the competition and I'll bet not one person even knew it. It'll be funner next year with a little experience behind us. Here's some pictures. Caib coiling his rope after a head throw.

Braden in the sorting pens

Braden on Sammy as he rides his pattern

Waiting their turn

And then there was the cowboy poetry competition. Chance was in the peewee division. They didn't judge the Peewees.

Caib won the Junior division and Braden took second in the intermediate division.

I'll tell ya though, I was sure glad when we were finished and on our way home. That was an, awfully, long day for a one year old and her mother.