Day 14 (2/19/23)
Headed for Stephenville, Texas to see my Cousin Dean, and his wife Rachel! Dean was a professional bull rider, who now raises bulls for those that ride them! We had a very special welcoming committee! We were told by Dean and Rachel that they like to chase you! We relied on Rachel to take us back and forth from the chutes to the house!!!
Howdy Dean! Haven't seen Dean for SO many years! He looked a little older, but still has that sparkle in his eyes! Love this kid! (by the way, he probably thought WE looked a little older too!
This is Dean's wife, Rachel! She is as sweet as can be and welcomed two (well strangers since we haven't seen them in SO many years) with open arms!
Dean said they were planning on "bucking chutes"! Well I really didn't know what that meant, but soon found out and MAN is it a production! The basic idea is they strap on a weighted robotic "dummy" which simulates a rider! These are soon to be broncs that will eventually have riders on their back!
Sorry, I still haven't figured out how to upload videos on this blog, but here are a few pics (hopefully you can get the idea)!
Dean is the one on the left....Jerry is on the right. Jerry owns these wanna be broncs and Dean helps by letting him use his chutes and gear! I can't really remember how many "baby" broncs he brought, but it was ALOT!
And man, do they buck!
After what seemed like quite awhile and much bucking, we broke for lunch! Now, Dean and Rachel knew some of the folks that were there to watch, but not all! Talk about a sense of community! Everyone was there to help out if needed and the couple that owned the broncs invited everyone who was there to come and eat some barbecue!
Hard 8 barbecue....YES Ernie and I both ate meat! How can you NOT!
Me and Rachel enjoying a cold beverage!
I didn't know they made Bud Light Texas cans, but it was kind of cool (Yes Reed Fichter, I drank Bud Light)!
Dean's business!
After a great lunch and quite a few more broncs in the chutes, it was time for the big dogs!
Dean's forte!
Now these are CALVES, they will get ALOT bigger, but they sure looked big to me!
Dean WORKED ALL DAY without much of a break (except for a beer now and then) but he sure had a smile on his face!
He left home at 18 to become a professional bull rider.....a shot of him in his glory days!
Who does that........choose to become a bull rider! Dean Wilson that's who!
Just a few of his winning buckles!
Here are is a classic sign that I think I might get for OUR house! Makes me chuckle...
Ended the day, and it was a long day, with Rachel finally putting her feet up (she has several stress fractures in her foot and ankle and is supposed to stay off of it, trying keeping her off of it) and Ernie "helping" Dean do all the feeding! After such a long day, he still had chores to do! No rest for a cowboy!
Woke to a beautiful sunrise, hot coffee, and a smile on the face of that sweetie pie who I will always think of as a grinning little boy!
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