Grit, Mud, and Small Wins

Central Indiana Youth Rodeo Association | Hoosier Horse Park, Edinburgh, Indiana

Some days we joke that Central is cursed for us.

Then we laugh and remind ourselves. Maybe it is not cursed. Maybe it is just a place that keeps us humble.

This weekend we hauled to the Central Indiana Youth Rodeo Association rodeo at Hoosier Horse Park in Edinburgh, Indiana. All three of our teenagers and the Widick twins competed. It was one of those weekends where people rotated in and out. Ella stayed with us the whole time. Mirren joined Friday night through Saturday. Brooklyn came Sunday morning.

So picture this.

Saturday morning. First rodeo of the day. Bonnie is coming home in her barrel run on Dixie. Everything is fine until her heels slip too far back. Dixie pops her feet up and Bonnie meets the dirt.

No injuries. Just mud and a quick reminder of how fast rodeo can humble you.

From that point forward Bonnie ran Gemma the rest of the weekend. That mare stepped right in and gave her rider confidence again. That is what good horses do.

Dixie had just had her hocks and stifles injected earlier in the week. I rode her Friday night and she felt great, so we let Mirren run her in poles Saturday afternoon.

Mirren broke into the 18s FiNaLLy in barrels!

And honestly, Mirren laid down a really nice run.

It would have been her best time yet if her toe had not tapped a pole on the way out. One tiny mistake. One pole over. Rodeo math. But the run itself showed real progress.

We honestly can't wait for her to get Maverick in the rodeo pen!

Now Loretta quietly had one of the biggest moments of the weekend.

Saturday morning she ran a 28 second barrel pattern. That was her baseline.

Saturday afternoon she came back and ran a 25 second pattern.

Three seconds faster.

For a young rider that is a huge jump. And you could see the difference. She finally trusts that mare and she is riding with confidence instead of hesitation. People who have watched her the last few years noticed it right away. She is finding her groove with Gemma and it is fun to watch.

Ella and Popcorn had a tougher weekend.

Saturday morning we were rushing between trail and poles. Trail did not go our way. A barrel got clipped and the gate got caught. You could feel the frustration start to build. Once a rider starts feeling defeated, the next run gets harder.

Poles looked like dominoes. Barrels had one fall as well.

Then Saturday afternoon we had a health concern pop up with Popcorn that had us calling our veterinarian. We followed her guidance and adjusted the plan.

Sunday was not about speed.

Sunday was about control. Keeping him settled. Keeping his mind together. The biggest takeaway from the weekend is simple. The alley needs work. Someone is getting a little anxious before the run and we will fix that.

And then there was the weather.

Saturday it rained so hard the drive between the stalls and the arena turned into a literal river. No exaggeration. At one point we joked a boat would have been easier than walking the horses across it.

Mud everywhere. Water running through the lanes. Kids splashing through puddles like it was summer break.

Which of course Bonnie fully embraced. She turned into a muddy swamp rat with her friends while the rest of us tried to keep boots from disappearing in the muck.

By the time Brooklyn arrived Sunday morning the rain finally started to let up and the arena began to dry out.

Brooklyn ran Gemma in barrels and Dixie in poles. Before her pole run we reminded her about Dixie’s habit of kicking up her heels when a rider’s feet slip out of position.

So Brooklyn focused hard on keeping her legs exactly where they belonged.

And it worked.

She rode with the best seat we have seen from her yet. One small adjustment changed the whole ride. Those are the moments that make a coach grin.

Saturday night the girls slowed down a little.

They ran around with friends from other rodeo families and even made a few new ones. Ella knocked out homework in the trailer while the rest of the kids burned off energy in the mud.

That is rodeo life.

But we also have to talk about the parents.

Because none of this works without them.

They help unpack trailers. They help pack everything back up. They jump in as videographers while Dan and I live in the warm up pen most of the day. They keep eyes on our girls when we cannot be everywhere at once.

They are rockstars and this program would not run without them.

Sunday wrapped up cold after a warm Saturday, but the weekend gave us exactly what rodeo always gives if you pay attention.

Lessons.

Progress.

A few bruised egos.

Central might test us every time we go there.

But that might be exactly why we keep going back.