Cut Me Some Slack

The road to the fairgrounds fills up with horse traillers on both sides. The parking lots become jam packed with rigs by the hundreds. It's slack night in Livingston, and that means it's the start of the Livingston Rodeo. As if the 4th of July doesn't make you feel patriotic enough, surroung yourself with hard working folks who are more apt to tell you, "shut up and saddle up" than they would say, "I'm too busy to help", kind of warms your heart.  Kickin' up dust and rollin' over steer, it's all going on right now.

     4th of July in Montana is also refered to as Christmas in July. With the Livingston rodeo being the 4th highest paying rodeo in the country, folks come from all over to take a whack at the purse in all the events. Slack is free to the fans and gives cowboys and cowgirls a chance to get a ride in and still make it to another rodeo. Sometime they ride, pack up and light out and sometimes they borrow a horse, ride and actually fly. Either way, one thing I have learned is to get out of the way of any truck hauling a trailer during July. Chances are, your plastic Honda Civic, doing 65, could be all that stands between a cowboy and his only paycheck this year.

Nothing like puttin' on your Sunday best and showing what you got in front of your peers.
     The parade starts tomorrow and two more nights of rodeo followed by fire works and patriotic music. The bronc and bull riding happen on the 3rd and 4th, they really get the crowd pumping. And don't forget the roded clown who is constantly on the verge of stealing the show. He has my dream job! Right here in my back yard.