If it’s January; and it’s Denver; then it’s the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo! Ever been? I love being around farmers, ranchers, cowboys, and horse people. I love their values of God, country, and family. I love their work ethic, centered around kids, crops, and critters. I love their commitment!
We can learn a lot from cowboy wisdom:
Don’t squat with your spurs on.
Never drink downstream from the herd.
Texas Bix Bender
My wife is a horse person; my younger son, his wife, and my granddaughter, too. Coming from the Chicago suburbs, I live with a whole different “herd” now:
My husband said if I don’t sell
my horses, he will leave me. Some days I
miss him.
Unknown Sage
My wife was the National Western’s embroiderer. Over the course of a 16-day, 8am to 10pm, non-stop stretch, she would embroider 100+ champion coats for the Events Center equestrian event winners. That along with operating her booth making personalized horse halters, dog collars and leashes… 8am to 10pm;16 straight days; non-stop. That’s commitment!
My favorite National Western event each year is the draft horse competition. On the surface, the audience sees the power and beauty of the teams. They certainly exemplify western values as written about in James P. Owen’s book, Cowboy Ethics ©:
Ride for the brand.
Those in the know appreciate what it takes below the surface. Talk about commitment! The training hours alone preparing to compete in a venue such as the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo are indescribable. Not to mention the small fortune required.
In this picture from 2018 there are 14, 6-draft-horse teams (That’s about 84 tons of horse!). You’re also looking at
over eight million dollars!
Here’s my math: $105,000 for tack (42 sets of harnesses, hitches, and reins x $2,500 per set; 3 pairs per team - 2 horses are the wheel team; 2 horses are the swing team; and 2 are the lead team, all with special fitting, matching tack); 14 show wagons with trailer @ $25,000 each = $350,000; 14 pick-up trucks to haul the show wagon trailers @ $70,000 each = $980,000; 14 tractor-trailers to haul the 84 draft horses @ $110,000 each = $1,554,000; and 84 show draft horses @ $60,000 each average public auction price = $5,040,000. All in, that’s $8, 029,000.
Those millions don’t cover the cost of hay (50 pounds of hay per horse per day x 84 horses x $5 per pound x 365 days = $7,665,000); plus grain (50 pounds of grain per day…); plus shoeing… plus veterinarian … plus fuel for the vehicles for hauling… plus, plus, plus. And that’s in 2018 dollars!
The $2,500 prize money for the 1st place team (along with two “Champion” jackets provided by the National Western Stock Show and embroidered by my wife) was certainly not the reason these folks competed.
While others watched NFL playoffs on TV, these teamsters were filling water troughs; grooming horses; polishing tack and wagons; mucking manure. They all know one another and enjoy visiting with fellow competitors. While caring for their critters, they even eat their meals in the barn. Commitment!
Western folks are committed to our U S of A, too. During the National Western, at the start of every day, as well as before each rodeo, everyone stands and “removes cover” for the singing of our National Anthem.
Yep – I love the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo!
GAP
When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or…
we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.
No comments:
Post a Comment