RANCH RODEO & FIRE UPDATE

Connie and I went up to Darby yesterday late afternoon to watch a new event up there in their arena call "Ranch Rodeo".  I have been to some ranch ropings, but this is quiet different.  Teams compete against each other in branding, sorting and doctoring, team roping, saddle bronc riding, and big loop team roping.  We left home and drove through a pretty good rain storm (which is good for the fire) getting there.  Drove by where the Roaring Lion fire is and it is still smoking.  They have let some of the people back into their homes and the fire is now over 8000 acres.

Not many people have arrived yet as the rain kept them away.

You can see the storm as it is going away to the north.

If you look closely you can see the smoke from our fire.

This is the branding competition.

Some of the cowboys waiting to rope.

Branding the steer with paint.

The pick up men for the bronc riding.  The young lad on the white horse is Jackson our grandnephew.

And he is a redhead.

The first bronc rider did the best.  The rules are a little different from regular rodeo. 

Getting a little high in the seat, but doing well.

Jackson leading the horse back to the bucking chute area so the saddle can be taken off.

Driving home I captured these pictures of some of the fire area.

I was surprised to see so many ravens flying over the fire.

After the rain, the smoke was just hanging in the trees.