Mutton Bustin'
Okay before I begin this post...I have to remind everyone that I'm from East Texas. So I had a somewhat different experience growing up than all you fancy Dallas and Houston (and even West Texas) people out there. Just so you can understand where I'm coming from...it was a big deal to go to Shreveport and eat at Pancho's when I was a kid.
In Texarkana and the outlying areas you can find lots of fun things to do in your leisure time like shop at TG&Y, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, or one of the many fine junkyards. Cruise state line. Go to church - there was always something going on at church. Go to a high school football game. Play volleyball with your youth group. (What was up with that? We used to play a lot of volleyball.) Eat at Taco Tico, The Charcoalbroiler, or Raleigh's. (No chain restaurants to speak of until I was well into my 20's.) One time when Mat and I were driving home to T-town we even saw a big crowd gathered and a hand-painted sign that said "Mud Bog." I always wished we had stopped to see what that was all about.
Anyway, it wasn't all that bad really. According to wikipedia the combined population of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas metro-area is 136,000. So it wasn't like "the country" where I lived, we just didn't really have anything to do there. But somehow I managed to live there 18 years, and I never went to a rodeo. That wasn't my scene, though there were plenty of people at my school who were deeply attached to their hogs and cows (until they presumably slaughtered them for bacon and hamburgers respectively).
We felt like we were in for a real treat this last weekend when we were in East Texas visiting Mat's mom and found out there was going to be a rodeo. We (actually Mat) have been wanting to make sure our boys are exposed to the idea that food doesn't just come from HEB. You know, people hunt and raise cattle and farm and stuff like that. Well I can tell you it was eye-opening alright and not just for the boys. First of all, I think this picture just about sums up the crowd. (You may have to click on the picture and make it bigger just to take it all in.) 
This young couple sat in front of us for most of the time we were there. Here they are entertaining their kids. Wish you could see the cigs in the mom's back pocket. They could not have been older than 19. We realized right away that we were not in Texarkana-East-Texas or Lake-Cypress-Springs-East-Texas where we feel completely comfortable and at home. No folks, this was DEEP East.
Yes, ladies, here's a camoflage baby bag. 
Almost everyone I know from East Texas is just as friendly and caring and genuine as they can be. Truly, the salt of the earth. But some of these Boomhauer's had accents so thick I thought I was no longer even in America. And most of the women/moms/highschoolseniors looked like they'd just as soon stamp you out like one of their cigarette butts as look at you.
After we looked at the animals we sat down for some good old fashioned Texas entertainment and this is what we saw.
That's called Mutton Bustin'! That little girl was either a 3- or a small 4-year-old. And she was the first - but no where near the youngest - of about 20 kids we saw do this. The youngest was 11 months. Oh yes, you read that right. Luckily his daddy/brother/highschoolsenior held onto him the whole time until the sheep really took off and then he snatched him away just in time.
Each and every kid was hurt and crying when their turn was finished. 
One kid cried the entire time we were there. I think the sheep stepped on his face. The thing is...there was even a policemen hanging around out there in the arena and the whole time I could not figure out why he wasn't arresting these parents!
Here is Jackson's reaction to the fun.
Uh...I don't think so. Now you tell me...have I've been living in the city too long? Is this typical for small town rodeos? Is it child abuse? Should CPS be called or what?!?!
13 comments:
Mesquiterodeo.com...check under "kids events". It's not just small town. We were actually thinking you might want to go there this w/e...uh, guess not:)
Yeah, that's interesting that Mesquite has mutton bustin'... .but I wonder if they actually let the sheep run as fast as they can across the full length of the arena, while trying to buck the kid off, and I wonder if they allow 11 month olds, 1, 2, 3, or 4 year olds... I have a hard time picturing in a city like Mesquite that they'd put an 11 month old on the backs of sheep, poke/ kick the sheep with a stick and let it run as fast as it could until the kid falls off. Each and every kid cried and most got hurt/ stepped on by the sheep. One kid, about 4, got his face stepped on and afterwards his parents sat close to us in the bleachers, holding water bottles to his face as it swelled up while he cried. Also afterward we went down to the "pen" where it starts. They were putting this 3 year old boy on the sheep while he was saying 'no I don't want to' and trying to climb off. Of course Jackson might've been the only kid at the rodeo who actually DID want to mutton bust.
interesting..from the Mesquite rodeo site about mutton bustin:
btw in east tx they did not have helmets, vests, or age/ weight limits...
Every Friday and Saturday night boys and girls ages 4 years and older and weighing 55 pounds and under (weight limit will be strictly enforced) sign up to ride in our Mutton Bustin event. Eight (8) children are randomly drawn to participate in the actual rodeo. All children who are chosen to participate will receive prizes; with the winner of the event receiving a special prize.
The Mesquite Championship Rodeo provides each child a helmet and a protective vest. However, parents and/or guardian will be required to sign a waiver form for each child participating in the event.
Honestly I was a shocked the first time I read the Mesquite website that they would even let 4 year olds do it! I cannot even fathom letting a 3, 2, 1 or 11 mo old do it!!
I can't believe you have never gone to a rodeo. The Mesquite Rodeo is really fun. It is a very, I guess you could say , polished rodeo. They do this every weekend and they have it down pretty good.
I grew up in Phillipsburg, Kansas, home of Kansas' biggest rodeo, and for the 50+ years I've been around, I've never heard of such a thing. Mutton bustin'? More like kid bustin'! Any parent who would subject their child to this should first be made to ride the really mean bull, the one that stomps on the professional cowboys and throws around a bunch of spit. And then their child should be collected by CPS before the moronic parents have an opportunity to bust their kids' chops. They could have a chute for it.
I grew up going to a rodeo much like this in my grandparent's small town in Oklahoma. The whole town would show up and it was much like your experience. Great post!
(gasp!) look what I found! kind of stalkerish of me, but i was trying to figure out everyone's birthdays and figured i'd just type in your names to see what came up. yeah, like i said. stalkerish...but here you are! i miss you guys so much! i hate that the boys grow up and i barely see them...so sad. but we'll see you in just a couple of months! love you guys! kirsten
Beth- Ok this was hilarious, even more funny IF I WEREN'T LIVING IT! Jk-but I do have to see these moms/highschool seniors and wonder when I will get mistaken for a grandparent. I would also be shocked if someone from my family (Ayric's side of course) was not there or even participating!!!Can you imagine how hard it would be to keep telling Jackson he couldn't "mutton bust" everyday. I have recently gotten weary and let them go on a tractor ride with Uncle Adam. We went to the circus and the big event of the night was the (ADULTS) gypsies in front of us stealing cotton candy and light up toys right off the stand! Brooke asked us what a redneck was when we moved back here but poor Blaire, I think she is one! We often question our choice to move back here. I mean it all seemed so normal living it the first time around. Are you guys coming in for the Four States Fair? Yea- I'll save you a seat at the rodeo.
okay...you need to ask my mom about the "Goat Dressing" contest that she did while we were in Winnsboro. Where were y'all in Mount Vernon? Yes, I did just write y'all...I did grow up just down the highway from there.
Ah, memories of my childhood, growing up in Jasper (is that deep east?). I think I must have been around 1 1/2 though before I participated in these types of activities.
So, what's the big idea bustin' my favorite sport ... rodeo? I DID participate in Goat Dressin' in Winnsboro at a rodeo, and it smelled worse than mutton. After all, I owed Susie Berry a favor since she kept my horse, Sunkist, at her place for free. As far as the CPS goes, what about people who let their offspring play football, baseball, ride their bikes without helmets, etc.? Don't they get stepped on and cry just about anywhere there's more than one kid around? I saw this mutton bustin' event at the Austin Rodeo, and they certainly didn't have any kids in the 1-3 year-old age bracket. They were all cute, and none of them cried. Maybe all these little babychildren of mother/daddy/sister/brother/highschoolseniors just aren't tough enough to hang.
I'm just kidding about some of that, but I'm not kidding about riding bikes without helmets. Adults should wear helmets always too, and some of us should even wear them in the car.
Now, tell Jackson that those sheep are really stinky and covered with bugs.
Will you let me take him to the rodeo next year? I promise not to let him bust anything.
I am not appalled by the posts here. All people who are posting a negative comment about mutton bustin' have children who are helpless. Yes helpless. These children who are mutton busters, they are tough little kids. They grow up to be the people in our society that make great, and strong leaders. These are the kids that know that hurt happens, but you have to grin and bear it. Those that "appose" or "disrespect" this sport of rodeo are the ones that raise quitters. Life is not always easy or beautiful sometimes hurt happens, you have to get past that. I have a Mutton Buster. We raise bucking bulls. We are pro rodeo over at PovertyCreek Farms.
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