This ain't my first rodeo. Actually it is.

Okay so it wasn’t exactly my first but it was my first appearance as Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks, the first to pull my gooseneck trailer by myself that long of a distance and first rodeo for my new horse.\

As you may know, anything that involves horses usually takes longer than expected. I figured in an extra two hours because I had to go pick up my little brother, Chris, and then head to the ranch to get my horse, Maximus. Of course my little brother had not yet had lunch so we stopped at the diner in town and hit the road to Rush Springs Ranch, where I had been working with my horse throughout the week. I get my boyfriends’ big Dodge Cummins backed up to my trailer and crank the hitch over the ball, perfectly lined up but… my gooseneck wouldn’t latch. Yes the hitch had unaligned and it would not set down right. After an hour and a half of struggling and sweating, I along with the great help of my “never wrong” 13 year old brother, a 14 year old girl who stays around the ranch and three dogs. We got it hooked up and ready to go.

The Madison County parade was supposed to start at 3pm. We pulled into Huntsville, AR at fifteen after and made it up the treacherously steep hill to the rodeo grounds; only to find out that the parade was in town. So we made a U-turn and I called a co-worker of mine to get directions to the parade. We pulled in just as it was about to start and I was not dressed in my shirt, crown and sash nor was my horse saddled! First mistake.

As the parade line came into sight I was prepping my little brother. “Okay Chris, when we pull in, it’s going to be a little crazy. I need you to get everything out of the back of the truck and put in the living quarters so I can get ready. While you’re doing that I’m going to get Max ready. When we finish, take Shiloh and go sit with Jerri Faye and her son. She’s parked over there (I point to her blue Silverado, she greets us with a big wave and her small town smile.)”

Max handled his first parade like a champ! After the parade, we visited with Jerri Faye and her son, Dugger rode Max around. When we were almost back to the rodeo grounds I somehow managed to put the truck into fourth instead of first gear.. and killed it. With a line of vehicles behind us, I couldn’t get the truck started because my legs barely reach the floor so I slammed in the clutch in three hard times and still couldn’t get the motor to turn over. Thankfully, rodeo is about helping others out and a man walked up to start my truck and get us parked. For the rest of the evening, Chris and I hung out, had sonic drinks, ate peanuts, I worked Max in the arena and gave Chris a little riding lesson.  Max did so well the entire time and it was so much to help with the Muttin Bustin and stick horse grand entry. I love seeing kids get excited about rodeo! Despite our initial setbacks, it was an overall successful “first rodeo.”

We learned the following:

Make sure your trailer is in full working condition. Know WHERE you are supposed to be. Put a radio and sunscreen in the trailer. Be sure you can start the truck you’re driving. Always keep smiling because it could be worse!