The Rodeo. Like, THE rodeo.

The Houston Rodeo is one of the biggest events in Houston, all year, so we thought we’d better go and check it out. We do love a good rodeo. We’ve really only been to small town ones, that are out in the sticks just outside of San Diego. But we did also make going to PBR (professional bull riding!) a yearly tradition with our friends back at home. It was awesome. Like the kind of awesome that makes you cringe, and want to look away. Guys attaching themselves to wild bronking bulls, hoping they can hang on for 8 seconds and not get schmoosed to death afterwards. The worst -or best depending on how you see it- part is always bull poker. Four, ehem, idiots, from the crowd take a seat at a poker table and “play cards” while a bull roams around the center. Who ever is the last idiot sitting, wins a prize. Money, I think. Maybe just bragging rights?!  Either way it’s like watching a bad accident, as it’s currently happening. It makes me cringe just thinking about it.

Anyway, we went to the Houston Rodeo to see if they could top our previous rodeo experiences. And, I have to say, while it was bigger, louder, and there was much more to do, it wasn’t the down-home-back-woods rodeo we were hoping for. The crazy part was Brandon was only about 1 of 3 dozen guys wearing cowboy hats!! (what in the world Houston?!) Okay, it maaaaay have had something to do with the headliner for the concert that night was Kid Rock. Uh.And we only chose that night because we knew we wouldn’t be staying for the concert anyway, and we were running out of nights before the rodeo would be done.

But, but, it was still stinkin’ fun!!

With kids our kids ages, the petting zoo was by far the biggest hit. There was lots of petting, hugging, kissing of animals done by both Eliana and Hudson. Hudson even grabbed a goats tail, and when it took off, he held on tighter with both hands and got drug 2 feet. It was kind of epic, I just wish I had a video of it. Other highlights were of course the pony ride (which now solidifies in Eliana’s mind that she can indeed ride any animal she wants to) and I fear that “one pony” will make her Christmas list this year.

The actual rodeo. It was good. Since it was a huge event, it was in the convention center, which meant the tickets that we could afford were up wicked high. Like, so high I’m not sure any of us could tell there was anything going on down below. But the nachos didn’t disappoint, they were make you sick cheesy, and we even sat in good seats for a while until we got kicked out by the real ticket holders-twice. Then it was time to go, since it was post bedtime meltdownville. That, and Kid Rock was up next. (okay, I will admit I love that one song he does with Sheryl Crow)

Thanks Houston for the experience. We had a great time. It was just too amazing, too big, too much to do and look at! I think part of the problem with the whole evening was that Brandon and I had very high expectations. We’ve been to our fair share of Rodeo’s and I guess we just expected that one that was located in the heart of cowboy land, would naturally be the best. Like the best best. But perhaps what makes us enjoy a rodeo isn’t what makes a good rodeo, it just happens to be the kind we enjoy more. So it seems funny to admit, but I think we are small town rodeo type o folks. So we’ll keep a look out for the ghetto,smaller, less crowded versions from now on.