Life is like the Forest Gump Movie!

After the beach I went on to Shady Dale, Georgia which I was so excited for as I was going to get to work with Southern Rodeo Company and Dusty Meyers. I have heard so many wonderful things about both of these people and I could not wait to work with them! A big thank you to Robin Brooks for always checking on me throughout the weekend to make sure I was always ready and good to go! Another thank you to Robin’s son Josh for putting me on a good horse and also checking in to make sure everything was gonna be just fine and of course to his wife Dawn for always making sure I was taken care of! Well, it rained and it poured like I had never seen before. Have you ever seen Forest Gump where it rained sideways and upward and all around? Well that scene pretty much describes the rain in Shady Dale! I was a little bit afraid to see what the arena was going to be like, but to my surprise it was great! We are so thankful for God’s creations and the sand that he has given the world! The arena was full of sand and the groundskeepers did an awesome job at keeping things just right to put on the best rodeo! I seen water sweep in and make rivers through the ground in a matter of minutes. Robin told all of us that, that weekend was going to separate us from the rest and we were going to cowboy up! I really took what he said to heart and thought, he sure is right! It made me think of my family farm back home and how when my father or grandfather have something going on at the farm that can not wait they don’t. No matter the weather if there is a down calf or a momma cow that needs an extra hand they will withstand the weather no matter how bad. This past winter in Iowa it was brutal, negative forties and thirties at times and snow past your knees. My family stuck through it all and made it happen. They did just as Robin talked about and they would cowboy up! Thank you Robin for reminding me of home and for being my rodeo family that weekend! Your a true inspiration to me and I can’t wait to work with you again!

After leaving Shady Dale I got to go “home,” well my home here in Bama! I spent the week with the Terry family as I helped them prepare for their hometown rodeo. Now when I say hometown rodeo we all have one of those right? Well this one was awesome, I literally walked out the front door of the house and there I was, Rodeo Galore! I was right there at the rodeo grounds and ready to go! We spent some time at the LouAllen farms where I met several people and had the chance to talk about the rodeo and farming! My two favorite things! We also went over to the Co-op and met even more people and I passed out tickets and hoped to see many people there. Saturday morning we got up really early and went to a Veterans run, then over to a Veterans ceremony. My heart was so full as I thought of my sister and her being away from home as she is in the US Army. My heart was full and my eyes wanted to fill with tears as we placed metals on each Veteran  that stood in front of us as we honored their service! I had never in my life seen something so moving!

That night I went on to the rodeo where I had a blast and was reunited with the Bubba Oubre crew! I always have a blast with them! Kevin of course put me on my favorite grey horse John! Oh and before I forget, I got to do something that was so cool! Mr. Jerry Thornton was the specialty act that weekend with his world famous Andalusian White Stallion, Nervioso. Jerry let me try my hand at his tricks before the rodeo! By the way, I can’t ever say that was a lie as Jerry was sure to get pictures for the proof! I can’t thank Jerry enough for allowing me that experience! I have really had the best experiences and am so blessed to walk in the boots that I do! Before I leave you all as I hate to but I have so much to do before I leave for my next big journey, I wanted to leave you with another quote that I felt was very fitting for my life right now!

My life right now as crazy as it is, “is like a bull in a china cabinet,” this is by Kristi Coggins of Blythewood, SC! Thank you for the good laugh Kristi, you and Buck always had something fun to say or do!