When I was a kid, we lived in rodeo country, although I don’t remember being to many at all. Dad rode bucking broncs in some but was never decked out totally with all of the cowboy fanfare; you could only tell where his heart was by his cowboy hat and the twang in his voice when he played his guitar and sang. I guess he must have had a buckskin jacket with fringes, too, 'cause back in those days they did that.
True cowboys really stand out in a crowd; you can’t miss ‘em! You know the guys — the ones wearing the tight jeans, a belt buckle as big as their six-pack or keg, snap-button shirt, cowboy boots and a Stetson, the horse-shoe style moustache and the drawl in their speech. Some are even a little bowlegged, probably from riding horses all day. But one thing is for sure, they are true-blooded country folk, authentic, hard-working and tough-skinned.
As I was reviewing this week’s paper before it went to press, it became evident that the cowboy is still alive and out there.
Some ranchers even reveal their soft-side by sharing their poetry prowess. Check out the guy on page five with the Stetson, snap-button shirt and horse-shoe style moustache at the Swift Current Doc's Town event!
Perusing a little further into the paper, good news! Canada’s oldest rodeo, Wood Mountain Stampede returns after a reprieve because of the pandemic and will be held from August 13th to 15th. The annual rodeo that has been on-going since 1890 is attended by people from all over the country.
It’s nice to see a younger generation of cowboys and cowgirls trying their hand at a variety of rodeo events. Twin Lakes Ranch just held their 9th Annual Fun Youth Rodeo, a family affair, as parents and grandparents and spectators enjoyed watching the pre-schoolers to young teens perform. By the look of the pictures, the kids were having a barrel of fun, too!
On another ride, the roar of over 100 motorcycles will be in Moose Jaw on August 12th, and all of them driven by women! The Women in the Wind rally is hosted this year by Saskatchewan and draws women from all over Canada and the US; it’s an opportunity to get away from the hubbies and have a little fun, motorcycles included.
From motorcycles to biking, a couple will be on a 1,000 kilometre cycling tour to raise money for the Wounded Warriors PTSD service dog program. The tour starts on August 11th with a stop in Moose Jaw sometime following. It sounds like a great endeavour for a good cause.
And for those that like a roller-coaster ride, just take a trip down Ninth Ave. SW/Hwy 363. Council hopes the project to fix it will get provincial funding, but until it’s fixed, it continues to be a roller-coaster like problem.
Read about all this and more in this edition of the Moose Jaw Express and online at MooseJawToday.com
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
