mutton bustin’

Every May our city holds a local rodeo – 60 years and running. Of course, there are other rodeos in the area, but the Rooster Days Rodeo is the big one. My 4 oldest kids have always wanted to try mutton bustin’ (riding a sheep), but we miss the 6 year old age cut-off each year. Not this year! A couple of days before the rodeo, I asked my youngest if she would want to try it.

She’s got a bold, adventurous bent to her, but she is also the type that needs to know every possible detail I can give her before she is ready to take the leap to try something new. I knew if I could get her on the sheep, she wouldn’t stop smiling for days that she did it.

Thus commenced 2 days full of mutton bustin’ talk.

We watched several videos online. We went over every detail and the timeline of events. How she would get on the sheep. If the sheep would go fast or slow. What it would feel like when she hit the dirt. Would she land in poop? What if wool got in her mouth. Every possible detail I could think of and every answer to her questions. Honesty with the unknowns.

And then she requested a cheeseburger if she did it.

She’s like her mom – we do well with thinking through the worse case scenario, calculating the risk, and then deciding if the thrill of the adventure is worth it.

She decided mutton bustin’ was worth it. Her siblings did a little training on the trampoline and in the grass…and then it was time for bed the night before the rodeo.
Around 3:00am the morning of the rodeo she came into my room and woke me up. Evidently she couldn’t sleep. “Mom, I can’t stop thinking about mutton bustin’. I’m a little bit nervous and a lot bit excited!”

Chris had been out of town, but made it back just in time to she his girl’s rodeo debut.
Hudson wore his chaps and cowboy hat…a proud big brother as his little sister headed to the sheep.At this point I still was not sure if she would actually do it. I knew she really wanted it, but I also knew it was scary and unknown and intimidating.And then her name was called over the speaker, the gate flew open and she was off! It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face – I WAS SO PROUD OF MY LITTLE COWGIRL!When she was back on her feet, her score was announced. She ended up winning 2nd place and $48. We didn’t even know there was a cash prize! So proud of herself and quick to request that cheeseburger that was promised to her. I grew up going to rodeos with my aunt, but I sure never got to be in one. She’ll be too old to do it next time, but one thing is for sure – if anyone ever asks her about rodeos, she can tell the she was once a winning rodeo cowgirl. And the cutest one I’ve ever seen.