Daily TImes Editor
Americana at its best is right here in Farmington, N.M., this week.
Most of the 50 states, along with countries such as Australia and Canada, are represented at the National High School Finals Rodeo, where young high school rodeo stars are competing for a national championship.
Among the participants are 15 from Hawaii, 47 from Florida, two from New York, 48 from Montana, 50 from Texas, 117 from Canada and 14 from the "land down under" in Australia.
If you've not gone out there this week, you should.
Here's a quick Top 10 list of why you should go:
1. It's a darn good rodeo.
2. Cost is only $10 per rodeo, and access to the rodeo mall inside the fairgrounds buildings is free.
3. The traffic isn't as bad as most folks thought it would be, not since they posponed much of the ongoing construction work and reopened the main route to four lanes again. Except for the normal rush-hour crazy times early in the morning and during the 5-6 p.m. timeframes, it's not too bad at all. I encountered no unusual
4. There is a ton of things to see at the rodeo mall if you enjoy shopping for western-themed clothes, grown-up toys like a new pickup truck, ranch supplies, horse needs, a saddle, etc. You can find some pretty good bargains right now at the western stores around town, too, if you need a new Stetson hat or a pair of cowboy boots. If you happen to visit Western Warehouse, be sure to tell my daughters there hello for me. They say it's just a summer job, but all Daddy hears about are the cute cowboys and the cool clothes on sale.
5. Good food. Like all events at the fairgrounds, the vendors turn out and please the crowds with a good selection of not-good-for-you food you love to eat. Going to the rodeo is your excuse to eat it. BBQ sandwiches start at $3.50, turkey legs are $7-8, and there are quite a few other items in between that price range.
6. You might get to meet one of the rodeo queens. Wednesday, I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Alabama Rodeo Queen Natalie Thompson, a 17-year-old from the Gulf Coast who loves being on the beach. Earlier, the Wisconsin rodeo queen walked through the grandstands selling raffle tickets for a fundraiser, and the young guys in my section thought they were in love with what surely was Miss America working the crowd. It was fun to watch the interaction of all these smiling young ladies with their many admirers, espcially with little girls running up to them and asking for their autographs.
7. It's a good time to put on a cowboy hat. Folks like me who work inside an office don't get to do that every day, despite the fact that I grew up a real cowboy taking care of a herd of between 100-150 head of cattle. We normally have a dress code in our office, but because of all the rodeo coverage we're working so hard to provide, this week was designated as Wrangler jeans week. It's a heck of a lot more comfortable than a necktie and slacks.
8. You're the host. It's important that we give all these fine visitors a good, warm Four Corners welcome. There are about 1,500 participants in the rodeo, somebody told me, and at least one estimate of 10,000 visitors all total who are in town for this event. It's good business for the entire Four Corners community, and if you're a local with any interest at all in a good rodeo, you should attend this one to watch the action. When you go, be sure to tell some of these folks howdy, and welcome.
Finally, the numbers 9 and 10 reasons to go, as overheard in at least a dozen conversations:
9. The girls like to see all the cowboys in Wranglers.
10. The boys like to see all the cowgirls in Wranglers.
Go have a good time. It's a blast.
Troy Turner is the editor of The Daily Times. When not "at work" at the rodeo this week, he can be contacted at P.O. Box 450, Farmington, N.M. 87499; or at tturner@daily-times.com.
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