Oregon through my eyes: Memorial rodeo in Madras, Oregon June 2, 2013

This was a memorial rodeo and was very touching and had lots of local cowboys held every year at the Corwin Arena in Madras, Oregon

The grand entry started with The American flag, Oregon flag and the Confederated Tribes flag.

A riderless horse was lead in for each person remembered and a small story told about them. A very touching and heartwarming tradition.

Into every event a little humor must fall. When this riderless horse and the horse leading started taking a leak right together like it was a choreographed event everyone tried not to laugh. Then they kept going and going and going like the energizer bunny a few snickers were heard and pretty soon the whole audience started laughing. They even finished together. I don't think they had gone all day long as they went forever.

The wild horse race is always a favorite at the rodeo. All the Native American Rodeos I have gone to has wild horse racing and the cowboy loses most of the time. It is an extremely rough sport on horse and contestant but the cowboys take the brunt of it most of the time.

Another distraction from the rodeo. I saw these boots and just had to take a photo of them.

All rodeo's have to have the calf roping.

No rodeo is complete without the rodeo clown. His job is to entertain the audience in the slow times while they are loading chutes etc. but his main job is to keep the cowboys safe in the bull riding. This guy was a fun clown and I hope to see him again.

Saddle bronc riding. I look at him and think, this is going to hurt.

Even the cowgirls get into it with the cow riding.

Bulldogging or steer wrestling, I have seen it called both. This can be a dangerous game too. Well all of rodeo is dangerous. This time the cowboy went over the street and got tangled up in the other horses legs and it almost went down too. Luckily no one was hurt bad. I don't remember which team it was.