This Week at Monday Creek: Rodeo on the Hocking

 

Rodeo on the Hocking, October 14, 2023

The rodeo was in town last night. Local Rocky Boots Outdoor Gear sponsored Rodeo on the Hocking at the new Hocking College Equine Arena. The event lasted two hours and featured team roping, bull riding, tie-down roping, broncs, steer wrestling, and women’s breakaway roping. The new arena is super nice. Considering it’s about ten minutes from my farm, how could I miss it?

The new and seasoned cowboys and cowgirls gave it their best as they vied for titles that could propel them to higher levels on the rodeo circuit. Diamond J. Ranch and Rodeo Co. from Oak Hill, Ohio, provided the aesthetics, thrills, and particulars. Some of the cowboys scoring events were also competitors, competing in multiple events. A program would have been nice to know who was competing and where they were from. Or maybe use the large, lighted “Rocky” board to announce event winners.

The two rodeo clowns entertained, especially the clown from Kimes Ranch. He flipped in and out of a barrel, climbed like a monkey over the rodeo gates, gave the crowd ample opportunity to get crazy, and spent a lot of time matchmaking (which didn’t end well for the girlfriend-to-be. What a brave soul she was).

We send prayers to the bull rider who landed backwards off his bull. When they told the down rider that the medics were “on the way”, he hopped to his feet and said, “I’m okay” in true cowboy style (as he limped from the arena).

Congratulations to the winners and participants! A great evening, I highly recommend this event and hope to see you there next year! My Pony Club will definitely make this a yearly outing! Yippee Ki-yah!