Rendezvous Rodeo
July 9, 2005
The Sublette County Sporting Association held their annual Rendezvous Rodeo July 7-9th during the Green River Rendezvous in Pinedale. Events included bareback riding, barrel racing, calf roping, saddle bronc, calf scramble, Ring of Fire, breakaway roping, bull riding and team roping. Local cowboy humorist duo Andy and James Nelson kept the crowd laughing with their unique announcing style. The stands were packed with people from all over Wyoming, here from other states, and even from several other countries.
The rodeo had just gotten started when the second bareback rider, Sam Nelson, got hung up on his rigging during his ride and was drug across the arena by the bucking bronco. He finally got free, but not before getting banged into the metal fence around the arena. Local EMTs and the ambulance quickly converged on the scene. The hushed crowd held their collective breath, then clapped and cheered when Sam was able to get up under his own power and walk out of the arena toughing out the pain.
During the calf scramble, the arena filled with kids each trying to grab a ribbon off one of the calves in order to get a prize. In the Ring of Fire, brave participants were instructed to each stay within their own large circle drawn in the dirt throughout the arena. Then a feisty bull was set free among them, forcing them to run and dodge to get out of his way. Some were picked up by the bull and tossed into the air, but no one was hurt (see photos). The last person left who had not stepped outside their particular circle was the winner.
The local 4-H group manned the refreshment stand and Pitchfork Fondue was open for their famous steak on a stick meal. Local cowboy poets and humorists Andy and James Nelson kept the crowd laughing with their colorful announcing.
We’ll post the rodeo winners in this story as soon as we have the results.
Photos by Clint Gilchrist and Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
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