Spencer with CochiseBrandi with Jesse
Aly with Buddy
Bresia and Jennifer with Cisco
Napa Valley, California Rodeo
After visiting the wrong fairgrounds, the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls arrived at the Napa Valley performance. With a few hours to spare, the girls introduced the horses to the sights and sounds of the fair. The Riata horses have been exposed to just about everything, but sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry when in a new environment. Cisco had a small sensory overload which Jennifer helped work him through in order for Bresia to trick ride on him. All of the horses did very well on the straight away pattern, Cochise especially excelling.
The group number down to four for this performance, Bresia Aguleria was asked to step up to the plate and was given the oppertunity to perform in the trick riding and roping, for the first time. Having little practice in the roping, Bresia did a great job making sure all the horses were in the station and lined up. She rode extremely well under the circumstances, with lots of help from the older team members.
About 8 p.m., the team loaded back up and headed down to Tehachapi, California for a PRCA rodeo.
Tehachapi, California PRCA Rodeo
Back again to Tehachapi for another great rodeo with better friends. It was like spending time with family out in Tehachapi, with Dale and Carol Miller of Miller Photo, and "Uncle" Mike Hayhurst, the barrelman/rodeo clown, as well as the great folks from Dodge.
After experiencing some highly stimulating circumstances in Napa, Cisco calmed right back down and became his old self. The parade started at 10, which meant girls had to be up by 7:45 to be parade ready. After driving all night and falling into the trailer at about 5 am, the girls put on the makeup and rode with their regular, cheerful greetings to the audience and kudos to Brandi for Texas Skipping on top of the trailer!
The first night was both trick riding and trick roping, seperated. Bresia did amazingly well again, remaining cool and calm under pressure and catching on to the intricate dance steps quite quickly. The horses ran smooth and sure, Cochise and Buddy needing a little guidance with the transition from straight away to normal trick riding pattern, but they pulled it together and rode it right.
The second night was strictly trick riding, and boy, was it a good one. All tricks went really well, Bresia even doing the suicide drag for the very first time in her first show! Everyone worked communicating with the audience and really selling the act to them. Overall, Tehachapi was a great performance, a lot of fun times singing around the camp fire with people we consider family.
Life Lessons Learned on Horseback
Driving down the road gives the girls a lot of time to think upon their lives and where it's going, what's happening in it and how to get where you need to go. Jennifer gave a great thought while driving up to Tehachapi; sometimes oppertunity knocks when you least expect it. Referring to Bec leaving, Jennifer remarked that even though it's hard to close that door, you have to
in order for the next to open, because you never know, it could be a greater oppertunity. Bresia received oppertunity this weekend, because she was at the right place and the right time and look what happened; she proved herself a quick learner and a cool head that prevails.
Look out Moses Lake, Washington. The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls are headed your way!
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