Well what a busy time I have had since last updating this !! Two weekends ago was the world famous Quamby Rodeo. An event which I attended last year before I came home. This years event was bigger and better . . as is tradition the committe members all turn up at the grounds to prepare a week in advance. This year we had to build yards, and run the stack through the arena, pick up horses for the bronc rides and grneral trimming up of the arena. Usually this was followed by a can at the pub, just to check that the preperations were going ok there. The day before rodeo (Friday) the water truck arrived to spray the arena and I was given the lesson on how to use this. Everything went fine and it was decided while I was driving that I would do this again in the morning. The Friday evening we all went to the pub for a relax before the big day. I was required to be up at 5am to fill the water truck, and be in the arena at 6 to spry. Events started at 8. I was just crawling into my swag at the pub when a car pulled up to pick me up. Back to the rodeo grounds to start work. No sleep !! 23hrs now. Spraying went well and I was in the first event. Ladys Barrel Race. . . an event in which you have to race in a pre set order around 3 barrels. Ladies only. I was the last lady in, dressed in mini skirt, wig and hat. Unfortunatly I didn't win !! Later in the day I was also in the Wild Cow Ride, and the Donkey Ride. In the cow ride I did a little better than last year, but didn't manage to hang on for the required 8 seconds. More practice required !! The Donkey ride is the last event at the rodeo and is really good fun. I was shifted from competitor to official with the job of opening one of the gates. A simple but crucial job. The second time I had to open the gate the donkey took a liking to me and bit my hand, which it then proceeded to hang onto for a good few seconds, (the only way I could get if off was to poke it up the nose and in the eye) not one to let a little accident to stand in the way of a good time I continued working the gate. Then time for drinks at the bar till 9pm before heading back to the pub to check on progress there. I eventually got to bed around 1am. 43 hrs after my last sleep !! Work began clearing up at 7 the next morning.
Last weekend was the Cloncurry Merry Muster - another rodeo in town. Another good weekend catching up with people and generally having a bit of a laugh !! A few beers and a bad sleep near the railway lines !
This weekend is the biggest rodeo in Oz, in the city next door. Mt Isa. I am setting off tomorrow and will be back hopefully on Sunday. It will be a weekend of having a laugh, having a few beers and grenrally meeting the same people I met last week and the week before, but I'm sure I'll still have a good time. In between all the weekend fun, I've done a bit of work and enjoyed myself.
Hope all is well int he UK and congratualtions to Skel & Amanda, Tim & Nicola & Joe & Andrea on the engagements. Please co-ordinate the stag do's into one weekend. Skel you can have the Thursday night, Tim the Friday night and Joe the Saturday night. Now thats sorted, I can go !
Photos in a couple of weeks of some of the action
Ed
xx