Dear Rodeo,
“I’d be lying if I tried to tell you I don’t think about you
After all the miles and the wild nights that we’ve been through, Lord knows we had a few” – Dear Rodeo
Cody Johnson really sings it best, but have you really thought about your/our future of rodeo? Who will carry on the traditions set in place by previous generations? How will they know how to work the out-gate? Who will continue to raise world championship stock? Is there education in place for people to learn the industry? How can we better share the love that we all have for rodeo? That, my friends, is the goal and mission of the Rodeo Heritage Foundation.
“Dear Rodeo
I’d like to say that I took the reins and rode away
No regrets, no left unsaids
Just turned the page
Oh, but you know better, babe“
Our goal is to create a community that is made up of rodeo committees, businesses, and individuals that share knowledge, opportunities, and collaborates on projects geared towards preserving the traditions of rodeo. At the end of the day, we don’t want there to be any regrets or things left unsaid because we didn’t take a chance at creating this community.
“Between the almost-had-’ems and broken bones
The dream of the buckle I’ll never put on
I’m jaded, woah, I hate it, but somehow the highs outweigh the lows”
In the sport of rodeo, the highs most definitely outweigh the lows. What comes to mind is that electric feeling before the rodeo starts, the bucking horses are being loaded, and the crowd is bustling with anticipation. That is the feeling that we are chasing, that is the feeling that we are trying to preserve.
So Dear Rodeo
“I tried like hell to tell myself
It was all your fault
I held on tight with all my might
I just couldn’t hang on
And that’s hard to hang your hat on”
So, Dear Rodeo, it isn’t your fault that many people misunderstand you. But where there is a misunderstanding, there is a lack of education. So let’s educate folks on why we do what we do. Why the animals are treated with the utmost care and respect. Why rodeo should be preserved and documented for years to come. What’s your why in rodeo? Are you a competitor whose livelihood relies on it? Are you a stock contractor? A volunteer? Let us know below!
“Dear Rodeo
I’d like to think you miss me too
But I know you don’t
Oh, but that don’t change the past
And that don’t change the truth
I’m still in love with you
Dear Rodeo”