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Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Countdown to Kaye Spencer's Favorite Rodeo Song – Part 1 of 4 #rodeo #rodeosongs #prairierosepubs




July 4, 2019 marked the 150th anniversary of a rodeo in Deer Trail, Colorado. Deer Trail is proud to claim the honor of being “world’s first rodeo. In fact, The Handbook of Texas Online states: “One of the earliest 'bronco-busting contests' on record was held on July 4, 1869, in Deer Trail, Colorado Territory.*


Thinking about the Deer Trail rodeo took me back through the years, and I consequently spent a good deal of time reminiscing about my own rodeo years.

During my teenage years and into my early twenties, my best friend was part of a family of small-circuit rodeo-ers. This family and my parents were friends during their school years, so rodeo was part of our collective entertainment. Although, my dad didn’t ride saddle broncs much past his early twenties, my family rarely missed attending a rodeo that was within a day’s drive from home.

From about age 14 through 21, I didn’t miss attending these three rodeos:

*The Brush Rodeo in Brush, Colorado, which is ten miles from where I grew up in Fort Morgan. The Brush rodeo began in 1954. I was the Brush rodeo queen when I was 16. The Brush Rodeo Facebook page is HERE https://www.facebook.com/BrushRodeo/

If I locate a picture of me as a Brush Rodeo queen, I’ll include it in a later post.

*The Deer Trail Rodeo in Deer Trail, Colorado, which is about 70 miles straight south of Fort Morgan. The Deer Trail Rodeo Facebook Page is HERE. 

Colorado Map - Deer Trail and Fort Morgan marked in red and blue respectively**

 *Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is 100 miles from Fort Morgan. Website Here



Quick anecdote: When I was the Brush Rodeo Queen, I participated in the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade and in the rodeo arena parade. At that time, visiting queens weren’t allowed to bring their own horses, so horses were supplied by rodeo cowboys.

Fast forward thirty-ish years to my job as Director of Exceptional Student Services for 13 school districts…

One evening, and in the midst of deep conversation in the hotel’s bar at an educational conference, one of the school superintendents I worked with and I discovered he was the cowboy who loaned me his horse for those parades all those years ago. (Yes, I know, TMI.)

Back to the title of this article and rodeo songs.

In the course of my reminiscing, rodeo songs naturally cropped up, and I spent a few minutes… okay… hours… on YouTube searching for, and listening to, rodeo songs. Consequently, I decided to write this four part article leading up to my favorite rodeo song. I’ve chosen my seven favorite rodeo songs, which I will share in similarly themed pairs, until the last post, which will focus on my favorite rodeo song.

Now for Numbers 6 and 7…

While one of these songs isn’t technically a rodeo song in that it doesn’t take place inside a rodeo arena, bronc riding is a rodeo event and that’s good enough for me. Pay attention to the similar theme in these two songs. In fact, the lyrics are quite similar.

Number 7
Bad Brahma Bull - Chris LeDoux



Number 6
Strawberry Roan - Marty Robbins
 


What are your favorite rodeo songs?

Until next time,
Kaye Spencer


You can find Kaye here:

Amazon Author Page | BookBub | Blog | Twitter | Pinterest

Attribution:

** “Large Detailed Roads and Highways Map of Colorado State with All Cities: Colorado State: USA: Maps of the USA: Maps Collection of the United States of America.” Maps of All States, Regions and Cities of the United States of America | Maps of the USA, https://www.maps-of-the-usa.com/usa/colorado/large-detailed-roads-and-highways-map-of-colorado-state-with-all-cities.

*Handbook of Texas Online, Sylvia Gann Mahoney, "RODEOS," accessed September 10, 2019, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/llr01. 

Bull and Rodeo Clown images: Fotolia.com - author purchased license
Bronc image: Morguefile.com - photographer beat0092


10 comments:

  1. I've never been to a rodeo. You make it sound really exciting. I don't blame your father for not riding rodeo past his twenties. It certainly looks like a young person's game!

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    1. Rodeo accidents can sure change a participant's career path in fewer than 8 Seconds, that's for sure. *wink*

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  2. Well, who knew you once held the title of Brush Queen! Congrats on that accomplishment. I have to ask; why couldn't you bring your own horse to ride in those rodeo parades? Just seems kinda weird.
    I am well acquainted with the music of Chris LeDoux and Marty Robbins, but I had never heard those rodeo sings before. Keep in mind I was raised here in the city so there's bunches I don't know about rodeos and western life. I have lived in Nebraska and Texas (a year each), and visited many places in the Midwest, but it's different to visiting or living in a place for a short time and being raised there.
    I do have an affection for the Midwest though. I have been to a few rodeos and they are interesting as well as entertaining, mostly because they are at the heart of American culture. Every American should have the chance to experience a real rodeo at least once in their lives.
    I love western cowboy music. There is something calming and heartfelt about it. I worked with a doctor in the ER who loved it as much as I did. So, one day we played it the entire shift at the nurse's station. In a crazy place like the ER, that music kept me calm and focused.
    I liked your post, Kaye, and I look forward to reading the next installments. All the best to your corner of the Earth...

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    1. Sarah,

      Cheyenne Frontier Days was the only rodeo/fair/parade that I wasn't able to take my own horse and ride him. The reason Cheyenne had that rule is because it's a big enough (reputation and attendance) event that it drew debutantes and beauty queen (yes, dating myself for using that term)from all over the country. The closest most of this 'royalty' had ever been to a horse was on a merry-go-round, petting zoo, or the one outside the grocery story that you dropped a quarter in the slot and got on for a rocking horse ride. Horses were provided that were known to be calm, quiet, and docile for these gals. Needless to say, those of us who were riders looked down our snooty noses at these show girls. lolol

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  3. I don't know much about rodeos, so I enjoyed your post, Kaye!

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    1. Kristy, Thank you. In the next three installments, I won't talk much about rodeo. It will be mostly about the songs. Although *hint hint* one of the upcoming songs is sung by a former rodeo clown (bullfighter).

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  4. Loved your post, Kaye. Another thing we have in common besides writing is western songs and rodeos. The first Friday of June was called Farmer's Day where I grew up and it was a civic holiday celebrated with a rodeo. I still remember being so proud of that buckskin jacket with the fringes on the front. I wore it a lot and especially to the rodeo. That was quite an expense for my mother to buy for me. Congrats on being a Brush Queen and I hope you find and post a picture. I've heard this Chris LeDoux song although I've heard others. Marty's song I've listened to many times and loved it way back. I have to share this little anecdote. A neighbor gave Doug a cassette (yeah that's really going back LOL) of the Rodeo Song and Doug listened to it in the van, windows closer, laughing his fool head off....and the boys asking me, "Why is Daddy in the car listening to music? I think he hid that cassette very well. I look forward to seeing the rest of your blogs to learn your fave rodeo song. Marty has another good one about the man in a continental suit. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Elizabeth, I, too, had the buckskin jacket with fringes. I'll look for a photo of me and my jacket along with looking for my rodeo queen pictures.

      Oh my gosh. I love the Rodeo Song. It's so awful and funny and crude on so many levels. The louder it can be played, the better. lol I have a novella about that I need to republish that I reference this song in it.

      Aside: For anyone curious about the The Rodeo Song, you can listen to it on YouTube. Danger Will Robinson! It is not work safe or polite company safe. The lyrics are rude, crude, and hilarious.

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  5. Awesome post, Kaye! Even though I grew up here in Oklahoma, I have only been to two rodeos. My first one was one summer when I spent a week at my cousin Kim's house. Kim had 3 brothers and her dad raised cattle, so going to a rodeo was something they did often, but I was a 'city' girl and hadn't ever been before. Guess who was riding that night? LARRY MAHAN!!!! Oh, my dear lord. Well, Kim and I fell in love with Mr. Larry that night. Never mind we were barely even old enough to notice boys! LOL The second one was when my kids were young--I won tickets at a raffle for the rodeo at our state fair! WHOO HOO!!! One of the only things I've ever won in my life! Wade Hayes was singing. We had a great time. How cool that you were a rodeo queen! I want to see that picture of you way back when!

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  6. Ahh... The days of Larry Mahan -- I remember them well. I traded rodeo for thoroughbred horse racing, so maybe someday I'll write a few article about those experiences.

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