'Tis the Season to be Busy...

As professional rodeo enters its busiest season, known affectionately as Cowboy Christmas, and the whole nation celebrates Independence Day, it's wise to remember just how hectic it can be for a typical rodeo cowboy during this time.

During the 4th of July week, Cowboys and cowgirls are nervous wrecks of driving, driving, and driving some more...

Then it might be prudent to hop on a fight up to the Ponoka Stampede in Canada or try and pull an all nighter to make Molalla or Mandan. To be sure the rodeo cowboy does not enjoy the climate controlled luxury of a team bus or private plane. One game a weekend? Please!

Welcome to the rodeo...

So ladies and gents, if you're out and about on your holiday travels and happen to see a horse trailer blaze by you only to catch up with it later at the service station a few miles down the road and out steps a barrel racer with hair-on-end talking frantically on a cell phone to a rodeo secretary in some God-forsaken corner of our glorious west, just tip your lids in respect and mutter under your breath, "...well done, cowgirl (or cowboy as the case may be) just a few more miles..."

That or maybe buy them a tank of gas (yikes!) and rest assured that they wouldn't have it any other way!

Happy 4th of July to everyone!