It was a hoot and a half watching the kids. They were having a fine ole time riding ponies, ropin’ cows, toasting marshmallows for s’mores, and making their very own bolo ties.
All of this happened Sunday afternoon, June 13, in the parking lot of the Discovery Museum on East Jones Street. The museum held a Rodeo Round-Up to give kids a chance to
experience the ranching culture. The spirit of the Elks Rodeo lingers on!
The museum’s large parking lot was transformed into a rural ranch with a pony ring,
portable campfire, and huge bales of bedding straw donated by Lemos Brothers. These were just the ticket for sitting while toasting marshmallows over the campfire.
Roving ranch hands from the Noontime Kiwanis provided cooking, serving equipment, and manpower for setting up and serving. These congenial cowpokes included Randy Beal, Jim Burubeltz, Dan Cavanaugh, Bob Doyle, Dick Hermann, Rolland Miller, Glenn Prezkop, and Maynard Silva. Grilled hotdogs, beans, andlemonade were on the menu.
Most of the youth were decked out in jeans, boots, and cowboy hats. Pink cowgirl boots are very popular with the young cowgal set. Happy Trails brought four ponies for unlimited pony rides by ticket holders.
Judge Art and Carmen Garcia moseyed on in to enjoy a cowboy lunch and check out the action, while Discovery Museum board member Claudia Freitas and her cousin Lori Maldonado watched Lori’s three boys, Nick, Marcus, and Dino, do some mighty fancy roping.
The Maldonado brothers were guest performers and helpers. They supplied the kids with lassoes and showed them how to rope a cow. The kids loved it. They looped the rope (sometimes manually and up close—forget this lasso stuff) around the mobile “cow’s” neck and giggled gleefully while pulling the “cow” around the area.
Discovery Museum executive director Kelly White O’Neill enlisted the assistance of husband Jim, who was the official staff photographer and the audio guy. He was responsible for the recorded cowboy music wafting over the crowd.
But Jim wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the many cute photo opportunities. Moms don’t travel without their cameras! They photographed their young ones on the ponies, at the helm of the “ship” inside the museum, inside the big whale, and at the
cow-on-wheels.
Allan Sutterfield told me his daughter Kate loves rodeos and horses. She is already looking forward to participating in the Elks Rodeo’s mutton bustin’ event next year. She wasn’t old enough for the mutton bustin’ that just passed.
Most of the activity took place outside, but the kids were allowed inside to use the exhibits. They were also provided with crafts materials with which they made bolo ties.
This lots-of-fun event attracted about 65 adults and kids. To its credit, the Discovery Museum has been experimenting and sponsoring a host of new programs, like the very successful recent kite festival and this round-up. And executive director O’Neill is very excited about their upcoming drama camp, which starts in July. PCPA star Kitty Balay will run the camp, during which time the participants will learn their parts for a Discovery Museum musical, Seussical, Jr.
For information on this opportunity, call the museum at 928-8414. Noontime Kiwanis meet on Thursdays at noon, of course, at the Minami Center.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helen2342@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Jun 17-24, 2010.