My Buddies at National Western Stockshow

Remember my blog with the photo of cowboys riding longhorn steers? Tonight in the local weekly paper, The Florence Citizen, was this photo of the same longhorns with their riders, who are appearing at the National Western Stockshow in Denver this month.

"At 2 p.m. Jan. 5 Cole will host an exhibition in the Pepsi Arena. The exhibition will include a shootout off the steers using .45 caliber pistols and double barrel shotguns, driving a buggy pulled by a steer and a riding exhibition showing how well the steers rein. During the exhibition a steer will also jump through a ring of fire.

Cole started riding steers because it was something different to do, he said. In the past he has ridden rough stock and played polo. He knew some guys that had riding steers, he said. It was sonething not everybody did, he added."

I always enjoy seeing these longhorns lounging about in their pasture in Penrose; they are gorgeous animals, and love having their foreheads petted. I may have to attend the Stockshow this year to see them strut their stuff in front of the ranching crowd. Needless to say, this photo was taken last summer. That pasture is covered in white right now.