nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Sept 8, 2014 14:12:06 GMT
We live near Calgary and I've been to Spruce Meadows plenty of times. We used to be members in a colour guard group that would do guard duty where we'd stand around in a group on our horses and people would pet the horses and take pictures. And I've gone there lots because there's so much to do other than just watching show jumping. There's huge venues with people selling products and international foods and all kinds of things to see. Jumping horses come from all over the world to compete. Here's a link for anyone who is curious about it.
sprucemeadows.com/
The Masters is this weekend which is the biggest one of the year. They also have what they call the Battle of the Breeds where groups of horses from different breeds compete in everything from barrel racing to jumping to driving and the winner is the group with the total highest points. There's a Team Mule and Team Shetland Pony as well as the obvious such as Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, Morgans, Saddlebreds, etc.
Friends of ours were given tickets to see the show jumping from a covered box and it includes lunch so it'll be really nice and they've invited my daughter and I! I'm really excited! The times we've watched the show jumping we've had to sit in the rain or sun and you have to get there early to get a seat. Being indoors will be really nice. And our friends have never been so it'll be fun to see how much they enjoy it all. There's always additional things like the winner of the name the foal contest for one of the Hanoverians raised there. One year they had a well known dressage rider give a performance and another time they had the guards from London that wear the shiny metal (brass?) armour. One poor guy's horse bolted up a steep hill and he came off on the downhill side so he dropped really far. With all that heavy metal on it must have been awful for him. It's really fun and I'm really looking forward to going.
And I'm feeling better again so it shouldn't be too much for me, yay! It seems like I get better and then I plateau for a couple of weeks and then I get better and plateau again. Yesterday I was able to do a bunch of things in the house that I've been putting off so I feel good that the house is clean. My husband has been trying to take care of things but he does 'guy cleaning'. |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Sept 8, 2014 14:46:26 GMT
Sounds like a lot of fun! I'm sure you will have a great time. Take some pictures for us.
My son "cleaned" the house one day. He threw everything behind stuff so it looked clean on the surface but then you find all this stuff crammed where it doesn't belong so I ended up with an even bigger mess. Oh well, he tried (I guess).
Glad to hear you are feeling better. One more surgery right? When is that planned? Do you have more chemo/radiation scheduled?
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nhg
Junior Member
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Post by nhg on Sept 8, 2014 16:09:01 GMT
Thanks for asking MM. The last surgery won't be until the new year because they have to wait for a while after the chemo. I still have four months of chemo coming up but they can't start that until the hole in my stomach heals up. I don't know if I mentioned that complication. My incision had an infected area and it tunnelled under the incision line and then opened up five weeks after surgery. It was shockingly big but is healing and is quite a bit smaller now but it's still a deep hole with a tunnel. I can't have chemo until it's healed because the chemo will slow down healing and inhibits my body's ability to fight infection. They like to do the chemo within three months of surgery but that's not going to happen.
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Post by horselover4life on Sept 8, 2014 16:20:57 GMT
Sounds like a fun day out...and exciting to watch too.
I remember other people from the other place mentioning things about Spruce Meadows...I've only seen it on TV...looks awesome!!
You're healing with a few bumps in the road...my sister did too from her abdominal surgery...same kind of thing.
It takes longer but it heals...you're on your way to that end now too.
Don't overdue...go slow and steady and enjoy feeling better.
Have a great time at the show...and I agree ... Pictures please!!
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Post by diamondgirl on Sept 8, 2014 18:05:26 GMT
How wonderful. It sounds like so much fun. And yes we would all love to see some pictures, but remember to enjoy the experience, and don't let taking pictures get of the way of having fun..
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Sept 8, 2014 18:30:28 GMT
Don't worry Diamond, I won't take pictures of my food!
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Post by horselady on Sept 8, 2014 19:40:19 GMT
You go and have a great time and remember to eat. i have been to invitation only for a pavilion viewing of show jumping and it is an amazing thing to watch. especially if you have a program and see the names of people you know went to the olympics.  |
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Post by Shelly on Sept 9, 2014 16:40:30 GMT
I've always wanted to go watch that show! that and go to the stampede... One day I'll be able to check those off my bucket list!
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Sept 9, 2014 17:11:44 GMT
I've been to the Stampede many times but I don't go every year. There are some really great exhibits including western art and things like that, though. The rodeo is world class but the only other big rodeo I've been to is the NFR in Las Vegas and it was only about an hour and a half long. Other than that I've only been to small town ones so I don't have a basis of comparison. There's an evening show that's pretty good and that's when they have the chuckwagon races and some fabulous fireworks. The town we live in has a smaller rodeo and it has the running of the bulls which is really entertaining. Also chuckwagon races.
I have to say that some of the rodeo events are disturbing to me. I hate seeing the calf roping and watching the poor little things running full tilt and then being hauled to a stop by their necks. And even the wild horse race bothers me. The horses are so scared and upset and the guys can be quite rough. Where do they get the poor things that they're so wild? I know the wild pony races are ponies supplied by the local native reservation. The ponies are little bastards, can I say that on here? My friend kept her horse out there for a month at a friend's place so she could ride in the hills with him and the ponies he had kicked the crap out of her horse's legs. They were like a nasty little gang.
Spruce Meadows is a beautiful place. Its lovely to just walk around in. In the winter they have a wonderful Christmas light display.
We're lucky to be so close to so many horse venues and events. |
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Sept 9, 2014 18:10:01 GMT
Good for you that your feeling better. applauseThat you get to go to Spruce Meadows!! I would love to go to the Stampede but probably never will. Enjoy have fun and yes pics are a must!!! jumping-horse
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Post by horselover4life on Sept 9, 2014 22:06:16 GMT
I've never been to the Stampede but was supposed to go once as a kid on family vacation...
Does that count?? 
I've been to "real" rodeos and "fake" staged ones...there is a difference.
I was at the one in Cody Wyoming on fourth of July...this one was "real".
After talking to the people in town, many of them the cowboys from the ranches that came in to have a meal and some fun on a Friday evening after getting their weeks wages we were tipped off where to go to and what to stay far away from for "Rodeo events"....so the next night we went to the "real" thing. It was so much fun.
I don't remember there being wild horse events or chuck-wagon racing, but there was something the horses pulled and the cowboys had to stand and stay on as they raced around a course...
I do remember the calf roping, bronc riding and bull riding. Also the barrel races.
There was something with kids and tying ribbons on a goats{?} tail and greased pigs to catch. Cowboys rode ostriches and steered with a broom next to the head, were disqualified if you hit the animal...it was a great night of entertainment.
I would love to see the Stampede as a adult and see some of the competitions at Spruce Meadows....the pictures I've seen of both are incredible.
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Sept 9, 2014 23:45:09 GMT
I haven't seen anyone riding ostriches but that sounds like fun. The one here in town has mutton busting which is small kids riding  . It's fun to watch. In the running of the bulls they fence off a small racetrack in the infield and a bunch of guys are standing there, often in costumes, and they let a bunch of rank bulls out of the back of a trailer and the bulls run around and chase the guys. The competitors can win money. They also have bull riding and both saddle bronc and bareback bucking horses. |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Sept 10, 2014 0:00:19 GMT
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Sept 10, 2014 18:36:52 GMT
That looks like fun MM! We also host the gay rodeo here in town. I haven't been but I'd love to go. I've heard they have some really creative entertainment and is a lot of fun. Next year for sure!
Now I'm hearing that the show jumping at Spruce Meadows might be cancelled this weekend. With the unseasonal dump of  we've had it'll need to melt and dry up pretty quickly. |
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Post by diamondgirl on Sept 10, 2014 18:48:09 GMT
I haven't been to a big rodeo or horse show, but we do have a ranch rodeo here every year. I like the race where the 4 cowboys have to cut a single calf, out of about 20, move it around the outside edge of the arena, then open the gate on a stock trailer, load the calf, and the horses, close them in, then all the cowboys have to get into the truck. The time starts when the first cowboy crosses the line to cut the calf and stops when they are all in the truck. The best part is watching the cowboys trying to pile in or on the truck, as fast as they can. 
nhg I feel sorry for the calves too. They are just babies after all. |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Sept 10, 2014 19:25:44 GMT
That sounds like a hoot DG. I would love to see that.
NHG - a gay rodeo? Is that what it sounds like? I bet that is quite funny too!
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Sept 10, 2014 20:31:34 GMT
Yeah DG, that does sound like a fun event to watch. I forgot about another one where the bullfighters sit around a table pretending to play poker and a rank bull is let out. The last guy still sitting at the table wins. The bulls will usually run right to them and knock the table flying first thing. Does everywhere call the guys that help the bull riders and dress as clowns bullfighters?
And yeah MM, it is what it sounds like. There's an association of gay professional rodeo cowboys and they all come to the rodeo here in town. I'm sure they also compete in the regular rodeos. The rodeo has all the regular events plus some fun ones specific to them. There's one involving pigs. I think they have to put something on them and whatever it is is frilly like a garter or something, I can't remember. Much of the audience is gay and are so much fun. I was determined to go this year but couldn't because of being sick. Every other year they've been here everyone talks about how much fun it was. They only started coming to our town about 5 years ago and didn't know what kind of reception they'd get. Small town, lots of rednecks. But everyone was so great about it they say they'll come back every year. There's also a beer garden and the people are lots of fun. Gay men are wonderful! |
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. It's fun to watch. In the running of the bulls they fence off a small racetrack in the infield and a bunch of guys are standing there, often in costumes, and they let a bunch of rank bulls out of the back of a trailer and the bulls run around and chase the guys. The competitors can win money. They also have bull riding and both saddle bronc and bareback bucking horses.
we've had it'll need to melt and dry up pretty quickly.