Root Feast Rodeo kids day

One of the things I love about Warm Springs Rodeos is the events for the kids. In Madras we have the Cowdeo every October where the kids can rodeo too but Warm Springs usually has some kids events at every rodeo and on Root Feast Rodeo Saturday is kids day. The Rodeo contains nothing but events for the kids all day long. The adult rodeo is Sunday.

The rodeo starts with our nations flag and a little 11 year old girl, Mary Olney, singing the national anthem and a moment of silence to thank your God for everything and for help for those going through hurtful times.

The first event is the "Wild Colt Race", these kids range from 6 to 12 years old and yes even the girls participate.

The wild colt race is a tough and hard sport and you have to be brave. These kids hang on and never give up.

This round went to the horses with not one single kid crossing the line. This doesn't not even slow them down. When they lose their horse they chase it until the either catch it and try again or the buzzard sounds that they are out of time.

The next even is the teens, 13 through 18 in their wild horse race.  Most of them have been doing this since they were 6 and they are amazing to watch and every bit as good as the adults are.

Wild horse racing is a wild event as you can see from this photo. At least some of the teens won the contest and crossed the center line.

The first two cross the finish line. You have to get your horse saddled and then cross between the barrel and fence and many times the horse has different ideas of where it should go and you don't have a bridle or even the rope on the halter.

Then they had barrel racing

Then we had calf riding

This little girl did not give up even when her calf fell, she stayed right with it until that buzzer sounded.

Then came roping.

Then came chute bulldogging.

Then stick horse races

Then horseless roping. Boy do they start them young.

Then the ribbon race where they have to get the ribbon off the cow

Then cow riding, this bull screamed, growled and stuck his tongue out the whole time.

2nd go round of Jr. Wild colt races, horses won again

Then the Sr. wild horse race 13 through 18

If you ever get the chance to go to the Root Feast Rodeo in Warm Springs you should give it a try. It is a rough and tumble rodeo not for the faint at heart.