The Show

We all saw HORSECAPADES, but how many of us were witness to The Annual Show? Annual Show displays more and deeper emotions than the finest Shakespeare play and the thrills are greater than any Superbowl ever played!

Consider the elderly people or those of ill health, just to attend is a struggle, yet a warm smile to salute the riders. Did you notice how many people pitched in to help them in and out of the building? How about the neat sign hanging over the arena that someone worked hard to design, build and install? Did you notice that every horse was loaded/unloaded quickly and efficiently and all of the stall cards were up and there was a place for each horse and team? And how was the food and drinks that appeared as if by magic for each team and how about the costumes, all clean and pressed? Did you wonder who was running the spotlights or who ordered hay, straw and shavings? How do you suppose the vendors got there or the programs were created and printed? Did you wonder who were all those people that you had never seen before were and where they came from and what they were doing? Were you comforted knowing that there was a great first aid team on hand at all times?

Did you see the riders braiding each others' hair or helping each other with horses and costumes? Did you see the tremendous effort by the clown team and do you know how much effort it takes to hitch up a team of Belgians? Have you ever maintained a semi truck or driven a load of horses to a show or taken care of a herd of horses, managed their tack and assigned riders? Have you ever had to get 150-200 riders and horses in the proper order to go in and out of the arena on time?

Did you see the graduating seniors saying their goodbyes or the Instructor that ran down the ramp, took off his hat and saluted a senior on her last ride? Did you notice how Red Team covered without missing a beat when the feature did not make it in or did you see the Indian rider who was pitched off and down in front of the Cavalry unit get rescued by a Cavalry rider that jumped off his horse and carried the Indian out of harms way? That is the stuff that they make movies out of! Did you see the horse in trick that broke his leg, and did you know that that was to be the rider's last ride in Westernaires? I asked the lady who was crying if she needed help, her answer, "No, I graduated a long time ago and I was just remembering good times." You probably missed the graduating senior who was crying with her arms around her horse in the dark pasture after the show. (Would the Tenderfoot Mom that told me that the riders would not ever bond with rental horses please look me up again?) How about the trick rider that was dragging her hands in the dirt all the way around or the Cavalry Scout that was shooting under the horses neck? (Extra effort is what they call that!)

At the Superbowl games, up to $1,000 per seat, the Fans(?) are streaming out of their seats early in the Fourth Quarter, at The Show not one person leaves their seat until the last rider leaves the arena and they are told that it is over! They always leave wanting more!

The Show is easy to see and invisible. It is easy to see because it is all around at all times. It is invisible because we are too busy to take a second and enjoy the moment. It is both the end and the beginning. It is the end of careers for senior riders and the end of a year of hard work for others. It is the beginning of careers for many new riders and the beginning of a new year of hard work for others.

Next year, take a second, look around and enjoy The Show. It Is Great!

Glen W. Crofford