One Last Time

Hey guys!

 

Thank you for stopping by once again and for following my blog throughout this adventure! Last week I told you about the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign. Rodeos across the country have worked to bring awareness and rally support for breast cancer victims. If you missed my last blog and would like more information about the campaign and how you can contribute, click here.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, this is going to be my last blog post. I have learned even more about an industry that I am so passionate about. Thank you for hopping on this ride with me! I hope I have been able to provide you with news and information about the rodeo world. I also hope that I have been able to inspire you to find what it is you’re passionate about and tell the world about it.

 

 

 

The following poem is from the movie 8 Seconds. Lane Frost, Tuff, and Cody are flying over Cheyenne on their way to a rodeo. Cody recites the poem “Cowboy Is His Name” which is actually a shortened version of Baxter Black’s poem “Legacy of a Rodeo Man” (“Poems,” Lanefrost.com).

“Cowboy Is His Name”

There’s a hundred years of history
and a hundred before that
All gathered in the thinkin’
Goin’ on beneath this hat.

The cold flame burns within him
‘Til his skin’s as cold as ice
And the dues he paid to get here
Are worth every sacrifice.

All the miles spend sleepy drivin’
All the money down the drain,
All the ‘if I’s’ and ‘nearly’s,’
All the bandages and pain,

All the female tears left dryin’,
All the fever and the fight
Are just a small down payment
On the ride he makes tonight.

It’s guts and love and glory,
One mortal’s chance at fame.
His legacy is rodeo
And cowboy is his name.

                                         ©Baxter Black

 

 

For anyone who has watched the movie, this moment is so touching. I won’t ruin the ending for those of you who don’t know the story but I strongly encourage you to watch it. I guarantee you won't have dry eyes by the end!

 

I believe this poem embodies what it means to be a cowgirl/cowboy. So much must be sacrificed if a person decides to make the sport of rodeo his or her life. But like the poem says, all of the blood, sweat, and tears are a small price to pay for the result.

 

If I can leave you with just one thing, it would be this: Rodeo is family, courage, determination, and passion.

 

 

The following links are for you to follow if you would like more information about rodeo or want to keep up on the latest news.

• Rodeo News
• Spin to Win
• Barrel Horse News
• Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association
• Women’s Professional Rodeo Association
• PRCA Hall of Fame
• National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
• Professional Bull Riders

 

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read my blog!

 

Emily Engelhard

Are You Tough Enough?

Hello Everyone!

 

Welcome back to my blog! I’m glad to see you here again. Last week, I informed you about the current outbreaks of EHV-1. Check it out if you want more information on this troublesome infection. This week, I’m going to be talking to you about a foundation very dear to my heart.

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyways.”      --John Wayne

 

 

 

I think that this John Wayne quote can be applied to so many different situations in life, whether it be starting college or fighting cancer. Life takes courage. Terry Wheatley gathered her courage and took a chance to start a campaign for a cause she believed in. Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a national campaign promoting awareness of breast cancer and raising money to find a cure.

 

 

 

Breast cancer affected so many different parts of Terry Wheatley’s life. Her mother had a double mastectomy, her daughter had two surgical biopsies before she turned 20, and she lost her grandmother to the disease. Terry underwent breast cancer surgery herself in 2004 prior to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She realized from her experiences that “early diagnosis and treatment was key to a successful outcome” and was compelled to make a difference (“About,”Toughenoughtowearpink.com).

 

 

 

 

With the help of Wrangler and PRCA commissioner Karl Stressman, Wheatley was able to have the first Tough Enough to Wear Pink night at the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Nobody was quite sure if all of the big, tough cowboys could be convinced to sport the color pink on such a big stage. But they did and “that really tells the true character of what cowboys and cowgirls are made of.” (Wheatley, 2014)

 

 

 

 

Whether it’s your mother, your sister, your cousin, or your neighbor down the street, most people know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Rodeo communities across the country have rallied around this cause and Tough Enough to Wear Pink events have raised over $17 million dollars to date (Wheatley, 2014). In fact, one of the top 5 fundraisers is the Minot Y’s Men’s PRCA rodeo. Minot, ND hosts this event as the Badland’s Circuit Finals every October and they have raised over half a million dollars in the past six years ("Tough Enough to Wear Pink," Minotysmensrodeo.com).

 

 

If you are interested in finding a Tough Enough to Wear Pink event close to you, or if you're looking for more information about the campaign, go to www.toughenoughtowearpink.com.

 

Are you tough enough?

 

See you next time!

Emily Engelhard

Recent Risk

Hey everybody!

 

 

I’m happy to see you decided to make another pit-stop at my blog! Last week, I told you about a great website for news in the rodeo industry. This week, I will be covering a more somber topic that has been grabbing attention the rodeo scene. The recent cases of EHV-1 have put many horse owners, especially in the Midwest, on edge.

 

What is EHV-1?

 

Dr. Thomas R. Lenze states EHV-1, equine herpesvirus type 1, causes “respiratory disease, abortion in mares, neonatal foal death and/or neurologic disease” (Lenz, 2011). Approximately 80% of horses carry the disease in their lymph nodes but never show any symptoms. When a carrier horse is stressed by trailering, extensive training, etc., they can potentially 'shed' the virus. The most common form of EHV-1 is the respiratory infection. Horses infected have a fever, depression, nasal discharge, and loss of appetite. In the rarer, deadlier, neurologic form of EHV-1 horses are weak, lethargic, have urinary incontinence, decreased tail tone, and are unable to stand (Lenz, 2011).

 

 

 

 

Who is at risk?

 

Young horses are especially susceptible to the respiratory form of EHV-1. Older horses and horses that under a lot of stress are more at risk for the neurological form. If your horse is frequently being trailered, experiencing extensive training, or attending shows/rodeos they might be a higher risk as well (Lenz, 2011).

 

 

 

 

Current Cases

 

Outbreaks of EHV-1 have occurred multiple times in the past. Unfortunately, the disease has decided to break out again in 2014. The outbreak began in Minnesota and Wisconsin but has now spread to locations all across the country including Colorado and Iowa (“EHV-1Outbreaks Across United States,” 2014). Many of the infected horses have recovered but some have had to be euthanized.

What can I do to reduce my risk?

 

Because of carrier horses that don’t show clinical signs, containing this virus is extremely difficult. That is why outbreaks of EHV-1 can be so devastating. However, there are many steps you can take to reduce the risk of your horse becoming infected with EHV-1. Tara Christianson for The American Quarter Horse Journal provides some key guidelines for keeping your horses healthy (Christianson, 2011).

 

·         Work with your veterinarian to develop a vaccination/prevention plan

 

·         Vaccinate for EHV-1 and provide boosters appropriately

 

·         Do not share equipment and avoid nose-to-nose contact with other horses

 

·         Do not use communal watering tanks or hoses

 

·         Clean and disinfect stalls and equipment periodically

 

·         Keep health certificates and Coggins papers current

 

·         Make biosecurity a priority on the road and at home

 

 

 

 

For more information about equine herpesvirus type 1 and updates on the latest outbreaks, you can visit the American Quarter Horse Association’s website or by clicking here.

 

Keep your horses safe and healthy!

 

 

Emily Engelhard

"Nothin' but Rodeo"

Hey Everybody!

 

Thanks for checking in! Last week, things got a little silly at this blog. I discussed a funny video created by the Sam Houston State Rodeo Team. A couple of amazing videos showcasing the talented horses in the rodeo industry were also included. Check it out if you haven’t already by clicking on this link!

 

 

 

 

 

The Rodeo News magazine is one of the main places I go to get my rodeo fix. Rodeo News is “the pioneer for quality information and coverage connecting all rodeo enthusiasts” (“Vision Statement,” Therodeonews.com). The magazine is published 21 times per year, semimonthly March – November and once in December, January, and February. However, the Rodeo News magazine can also be found entirely on their website. This converged way of publishing makes it easy for readers to access information at their leisure. This week, I’m going to provide you with my analysis of the website.

 

 

 

In their book, Agricultural Communications in Action, Telg and Irani state that good web design principles include division of space, balance, visual vectors, repetition, contrast, and typography (2012). The Rodeo News website is very strong in the majority of web design principles but could also improve on some aspects.

The website is presented in a block-like structure giving it a very formally balanced appearance; items are symmetric on the left and right sides of the page. This layout allows the reader to skim the page quickly to access the stories they are most interested in. I would recommend a little more contrast between the background and the type. However, contrasting colors are used well in specific articles and pictures.

 

 

 

 

The visual vectors, lines, of the page draw the reader’s eyes across and down the page very smoothly. All sections of the website are very systematically organized. Changing the sizes of different feature story blocks could make the home page a little more creative. The repetition of the navigation buttons to various parts of the website give the reader easy access to any part of the site. All of the fonts on the website are very easy to read, but the titles of the articles could be more unique to grab the reader’s attention.

 

I encourage you to visit this website to get plenty of rodeo news, contestant profiles, photos, and testimonials. If you love rodeo, I promise that you’ll love this site!

(Click here to go directly to the Rodeo News home page)

See you next time!

Emily Engelhard

Just Some Fun

Hey there!

 

I’m glad to see you back once again. I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of this blog-writing stuff! Thanks for stopping in again to see what’s new. In the last post, I talked about a handful of the amazing people that have made an impact on the sport of rodeo. Charmayne James, Joe Beaver, and Billy Etbauer are a true inspiration to anyone with dreams in this sport.

This week, I’m having a little fun with the subject matter! I have found some videos that I would like to share with you that show some interesting aspects of rodeo.

Rodeo has a lot of blood, sweat, and tears but it is also so much fun. As with any sport, competitors like to kick back every once in a while and be a little silly. This first video is of the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Team. No booing from the NDSU fans. I’m one of you, I promise! These college contestants decided to make their own video for the famous song “Gangnam Style.” Although they didn’t change the words of the song, it is still pretty humorous! In the sport of rodeo, your friends turn into your family. It may be a dysfunctional family but they will always be supportive and up for some laughs.

(Click here for the video)

These next few videos aren’t necessarily clever or funny, but I want to share them with you because I think they shed light on a particular part of rodeo. Rodeo horses are sometimes overshadowed by their more technically impressive counterparts, such as reining horses or cutting horses. I often hear people say that barrel horses are out of control or that a roping horse doesn’t have any real talent. The horses and riders in these next two videos show that is definitely not the case. 


It takes years to train a roping horse. It takes even longer to train one to be a heading horse, heeling horse, or calf roping horse. In the video, Trevor Brazile and his great calf roping horse, Texaco, compete at an American Quarter Horse Association event during the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo (Johnston,2010). This was Brazile’s very first time roping bridles on Texaco. You can get more information about his run from this article.

(Click here for the video)

Charmayne James’ bridleless run was unintentional but still showcases the intelligence of rodeo horses. This run took place at the 1985 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on Friday the 13^th. Kenneth Springer, a photographer during the Finals, commented on their ability to hold it all together and even win the round. He said, “That [run] spoke volumes about her as a focused, quick thinking and athletic individual” (James and Wheatley, n.d.). To find out more information about Scamper and Charmayne James, please visit this article.

(Click here for the video)

 

Thanks again for stopping by my blog. See you next time!

 

Emily Engelhard