Pretty Prairie Rodeo

Pretty Prairie (an actual town 30 minutes from Hutchinson) has a whopping population of 680 souls... and Pretty Prairie also have claim to fame as "The Largest Night Rodeo" for the past 73 years.  Not sure if it is the "Largest Night Rodeo" for just Kansas or all of Rodeo's in general... But.... let me tell you... it is a BIG BIG BIG exciting event here in this part of Kansas.  Folks come from towns all around every year to this event!

Joe and I attempted to go to this rodeo last year while I was in town on a visit to sign papers for our new home... and we actually drove all the way to Pretty Prairie with full plans to attend and be entertained for the evening.  It was Friday night and we decided this would be our date place for that Friday night, and we were also celebrating the contract for our new home.  However, as we were driving to Pretty Prairie a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in and dumped a bunch of rain quite quickly on the area... by the time we got to Pretty Prairie the storm had passed, but had left a field of mud behind its wrath... not just mud, but RED sloppy, gloppy, goopy mud!  I must mention here that I was wearing all white... from head to toe... ALL WHITE!!... it was a brand new outfit... and this is an outside event, sitting on bleachers.  NOT that I'm a princess at all... if I had been wearing anything else but ALL white, I would have sloshed my way through the crowd and enjoyed the evening with everyone else... but... not at the sake of ruining a brand new all white outfit... so we turned around and had dinner at the Amish restaurant instead... but vowed we WOULD return the following year to partake of this event.

And that brings us to last Friday night Date night.  Joe bought tickets in advance (hearing that they sell out quite quickly for this BIG event) and we looked forward to going all week... like a kid waiting for a trip to Disney Land!  We began our date night arriving in Pretty Prairie an hour before the gates opened so that we could dine at the famous "Pretty Prairie Steak House", that sits literally 100 steps away from the rodeo, and is known for being "the eatery spot" to go to.  It is a very small, very quaint, hole in the wall, greasy spoon type of place (my Dad would LOVE it!!!) but the character of the place once inside is priceless, and the food was actually quite yummy!  They served everything from chicken livers, country fried steak, ribeye's, to quesadilla's!!!  And to really give the place character... there was this rugged OLD gentleman cowboy up on a bar stool with an acoustic guitar, on the teeny tiniest little platform that served as a stage, playing.... wait for it.... yup.... Johhny Cash and Marty Robbins hits!!!

This particular night happened to be "Not Too Tough To Wear Pink" night.  I wore pink with a white skirt... BUT... it has been so dry here a drop of mud would be worth a bunch of bucks!  HA HA HA... Get it!!  Rodeo... Bucks!!!  cracking myself up here!... any hooty... Joe too would have worn pink, but he doesn't own anything pink, but all the rodeo contestants and most of the crowd were proudly supporting their pink.

It was a HOT HOT HOT night... I think it had been 107 actual degrees that day, with not much of a breeze... but the crowd was excited!  Unfortunately the contestants did not do well on this particular night... but the comedian clown and the announcer were HILARIOUS!!!  They were their own George Burns and Gracie Allen act!!  Even tho the contestants didn't stay on their broncs, barebacked and saddled, or their bulls, or able to catch, rope, and tie down their calves... it was still fun to watch... especially the mutton busting!!!  Mutton busting is when the little cowboys/cowgirls (as in ages 4 years old to 7 years old) get on a sheep bareback and try to hold on as long as possible.  They were absolutely adorable and just too funny!!!  On the way home we had the windows down and we each remarked at how cool it had gotten... then we glanced at the temperature gage and saw that it was still 91 at 10:30pm.... it's pretty bad when your body finally acclimates itself to being in the triple digits temperature for 2 months that 91 degrees feels cool!!!!

Next year when we head back to the Pretty Prairie Biggest Night Rodeo I will definitely be wearing the correct attire for the evening... which consists of... cowboy boots (DUH!!!), tight fitting jeans with a belt that has a HUGE buckle, a plaid shirt, and last but not least... a pink cowboy hat!!!  There could be a country/western song written about just the attire worn to a rodeo!!!!  There ya go Dad.... here is your chance to write a song and become a country music legend!!!  SERIOUSLY!!!  And I was amazed to see that not only the young girls/women wore the skintight jeans but EVERYONE wore them... young old, male, female.... skin tight jeans definitely puts you in the category of a true cowboy/cowgirl or rodeo fan!!  But then... people watching is a favorite sport for Joe and I anyway... they typically are a hoot and entertainment all on it's own... and people watching at the Pretty Prairie Rodeo is always worth the price of admission.  Joe and I had a really good time at the Pretty Prairie Rodeo and definitely plan to go back again next year!  Ya'll come and see for yourself... Ya Hear!!!