Running Barrels at C-C

Posted on Apr 27th, 2010 | 0 comments

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No event brings back memories quite like running the barrels at C-C Ranch.

My first horse was a buckskin Quarter Horse gelding named Trouble. We bought him from my cousin in Simpsonville…a horse I’d known and had been riding for years whenever on family vacations at my cousin’s house. Soon after Trouble moved here, one of our neighbors, a cowboy named Jack Cudd, was often seen stopping on the side of the road whenever passing by, to speak to the new horse in the neighborhood. Soon, Jack’s neighborliness extended to the whole family, and before long, he was inviting me to ride in the kid’s rodeos he often held at his place.

Back then, most of our neighborhood was still rural farm land. I didn’t have a horse trailer so would ride my horse the couple of miles up to his place for the shows and rodeos. My mother was terrified of the idea of me riding up there alone so she made my dad follow close behind us in the car, though in those days, there was very little threat to my safety on that short ride. My dad understood my embarrassment at my mother’s over-protectiveness, so would park the car a ways up the road and give me time to get to the arena before he drove up as a spectator.

The events I rode Trouble in were barrel racing, pole bending, and western pleasure classes. We even won an egg & spoon race once. I remember that my times in the races were good, but I can’t remember how many actual wins I had. Riding at the C-C arena was never about winning for me, it was about having fun. I was proud of my horse…all sorts of cowboys were always trying to talk me into selling him to them…I would’ve sooner sold my mother than my horse. I just loved the opportunity to ride and show him off.

By far to this day, I remember the best part of running barrels and poles was that home run…that all-out mad dash or the finish line after rounding that last barrel. It’s all or nothing, wind and dirt in your face, then that lock-down stop where you’re never really sure if you’re going to go over the arena wall or not…and don’t really care as long as your time was respectable.

Jack Cudd and C-C rodeos and shows have been making memories for countless kids for at least a couple of family generations now…and STILL going strong. It was fun having the opportunity to record the making of some of those memories this past weekend.

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