I NOD MY HEAD

The moment before the run when competitors wait anxiously to start their run.

Bareback Riding

The National Anthem comes on over the speakers. My heart starts racing. As it plays the horses stomp in the chutes, waiting anxiously to emerge. 
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As the song finishes, excitement washes over me. I finish clasping the straps on my chaps. I approach my beast of a horse. Head swung over the chute staring at the crown. Hair wild in all directions and muscles bulging. My riggin' looks like tiny toy upon his back. 
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The first cowboy goes. The music blares and the crowd roars. The announcer hypes everyone up talking about the ride happening before them. I'm next. I settle down on the beast's back. I wedge my glove into the handle, and the announcer calls my name. 
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It's go time. The horse fights and rattles the chute, anxious to get me off his back. But I stay put. My fellow competitors gather around to get the horse standing. The gate men get ready to pull. The noises around me all fizz out and all I can hear is my heart racing in beat with the animal below me as he finally stands up.
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I NOD MY HEAD.

Breakaway Roping

I fiddle with the bright pink string between my fingers. It frays a little as I watch the calves bolting from the chute and down the pen. The start. What is the start? 
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Some girls are right there, and others a mile off. I'm up soon, so a make my decision and hustle back to my trusty steed. I tie that pink string on to the end of my rope, tighten my cinch and tuck my shirt in for the billionth time. 
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My name is called. I'm in the hole. I step into the saddle and instantly the world falls away. My horse senses my anticipation and starts the move forward towards the arena. I swing my rope around, feel the weight of the tip, the hum of the swish. 
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The start. That's all I'm focused on. I walk into the box, my pusher drops in behind my calf and the barrier is pulled. I turn around, cock my rope and start slowly backing my horse into the corner. My calf is a black fuzzy thing, fighting the pusher every chance he gets, but I wait. My horse tenses but doesn't move. We wait. The calf looks forward... the start.
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I NOD MY HEAD.

Steer Wrestling

I stand in the box and grab the horse's breast collar. I pull him up as he leans to the side. My buddy sits on him staring a hole in the steer's head while he waits for his horse to stand straight. 
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One moment my hand is on his shoulder and the next he is gone. A bang of the chutes, the crumple as the dirt flies and the roar of the crowd. I don't even get a chance to see it but I know it was good. 
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I clap my hands as I walk out of the box and wait at the gate for the hazer to bring my horse back. My buddy tips his hat to the crowd, pretending that's he won't be bragging about this run the whole way home.
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The hazer brings me my horse. I swing the reins over his neck. Adjust my stirrups and swing up onto his back. He prances sideways towards the box. One buddy slides in behind my steer while the another walks in the back of the box to help me.
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I step into the box, adjust my reins and wait for the judges to get ready. I look over my shoulder... the stage is set. I turn around, step my horse forward and then let him back up. I hit the corner and...
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I NOD MY HEAD