COLUMN: Lookin’ forward to mutton bustin’
I think I’ve been brainwashed by the cowgirl I’ve been hanging out with all summer, but I’m purdy doggone excited fer the college rodeo comin’ up this weekend.
Before a few months ago, I had no idea Utah State’s rodeo team even existed, much less if it was any good.
As stated in Megan Bodily’s article in the Sept. 21 issue of this newspaper, Aggie team roper Trevor Merrill walked away from the College National Finals Rodeo last year with the Best Header in the Nation title. I think that’s pretty good. I mean, I’ve never won a national award for being the best at anything — yet.
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to a rodeo in person, and most of those were when I was too young to really appreciate them.
I remember watching mutton busting — when the little kids hang on to the sheep as they run around. I thought as a city kid I would definitely be able to show up all those small-towners at their own game. My mom never signed me up to do it, though. She was probably afraid I would fall over the sheep’s shoulder and get turned into mutton stew.
This summer I went to the Cache County Rodeo, and it was a blast. I had a couple of my hick friends from Idaho help me look the part, complete with cowboy hat, boots, pearl-snap shirt, Wranglers, a bushy beard and aviator sunglasses. Let me tell you, even though I was missing a blingin’ belt buckle, I looked real dang good.
I had forgotten how many events there were in a rodeo. My favorite was watching those country cuties with the rock ‘n’ roll booties competing in the barrel racing, much to the objections of all the females in The Statesman Office, who heard me re-read that aloud. I really enjoyed the bull riding, bare-back and saddle bronc events, as well, for reasons far less chauvinistic.
The only thing about bull riding I didn’t like was the lack of scoring riders. I can’t remember how many people stayed on, if anyone even did. It was still cool, but it was way better in the movie “8 Seconds,” up until the guy died. Oops, sorry if I spoiled that for anyone.
I never really knew what the big deal was all about when I moved up from Midvale, Utah, to Logan last year. Especially during the summer, there is huge rodeo culture in Cache Valley. There were so many people at the arena in the fairgrounds, I was barely able to find a big enough space to fit the four of us who went together.
I imagine it will be more of the same this weekend for the college rodeo, because of all the students from Idaho, who will undoubtedly want to go. I never realized before how everyone from Idaho owned a gun and lived on a farm; I thought all the Idaho jokes were just exaggerations.
Either way, I expect I’ll have a lot of fun tonight pretending to be a cowboy.
Oh, and don’t worry ladies, the cowgirl who brainwashed me is just a friend.
– Tavin Stucki is a sophomore majoring in print journalism. He is the sports editor for The Utah Statesman and writes USU football stories for ksl.com. He is an avid Aggie fan and has been since birth. Follow him on Twitter at @tavinstucki for football updates and send any comments to tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu.