Shamrock, TX to Amarillo, TX

Is this the way to Amarillo? I had found out that Morag had not seen the movie "The Breakfast Club", so we spent this drive listening to John Hughes 80's movie soundtracks - 'The Breakfast Club', 'Pretty in Pink', 'Some Kind of Wonderful' and (of course) 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'. To clear our heads, as we rounded the corner (on a Sunday morning, dah dah da dah) we played Tony Christie's classic song repeatedly.

About 50 miles north-east of Amarillo is Boys Ranch (a home for wayward and abused young people), where we attended a real live rodeo! On the drive there at 70mph (120km/h) we saw a spider (it must have been a Tarantula) the size of a dinner plate go under our car. It gave us the creeps for the next couple of nights, and we checked our shoes carefully before putting them on! As we entered the arena, the national anthem was played (most texans seem to know the words), and the spoken-word Ragged Old Flag (by Johnny Cash!) was played, as the Stars and Stripes was paraded on horseback.

The rodeo is set up for young and old - these tots must have been only about 3 years old, but they still participated in the 'Stick Horse Races' - going around the three barrels as quickly as possible. Some didn't quite know what they were doing (wrong directions, circling barrels multiples times, etc), but fortunately everyone got a prize. Awwwww.

After some 'Mutton Busting' - where the slightly older little 'uns attempted to ride sheep - it was time for 'Junior Calves' - where ballsy young tweenagers grabbed hold of artificially irritated small cows.

This is the first video I've tried, so let me know if you have problems - and it will only work on the website (push the fullscreen button to see it properly). This is 'Bareback Broncos' - where growing young lads try to stay on top of a sexually constrained horse. This is why it bucks. Still - you gotta admire their bravado.

A group of young girls (I think one of them was about 8) competed for 'Cowgirl of the Year', and this event was called pole-bending. A few of them were complete naturals - they looked like they were born in the saddle!

Another 'Cowgirl of the Year' hopeful - I think this shot depicted the passion and grandeur of the day, with hair flowing in the wind, beast and rider acting as one...