A night of dance
A popular feature of the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo is back this year in full formal dress.
Wes Kenney, a Colorado State University music professor and conductor of CSU’s symphony orchestra and the Fort Collins Symphony, will lead the music portion of “An Evening of Dancing Horses” on Wednesday and Thursday.
The program is full of formal dressage, freestyle reining, drill elements and other equestrian disciplines. It also will include world-class horses, equestrians and musicians.
Petting zoo a hit
The petting zoo was a big hit Sunday for the family of Jay and Tonja Roth.
Their children, Dylon, 6, Logan, 3, and Alena, 2, along with their niece Haley, 8, were excited to cavort with the baby goats, pigs and alpaca in the petting zoo.
There was just one problem.
Tonja was holding the food, which meant the animals followed her whereever she went, leaving the children grasping at air when they went to hug a furry neck.
No matter.
“The pig! The pig!” Dylon and Logan said excitedly when asked what they liked best about the stock show so far.
Wild city streets
Bill Duke, 64, of Heber City, Utah, came up like he always does for the National Western Stock Show.
This year, Mother Nature complicated things, with snow and single-digit temperatures.
“You get on those side streets of Denver, and it looks wild,” he said.
Wilder even than the broncos that thrash during the rodeo events. He plans to leave this morning, with the bull he bought during the stock show. It was too cold to leave Sunday night.
“It’s going to get 26 below in Craig,” he groused.
Shop and stock
Jared and Melanie came up from Alliance, Neb., with their 9-month-old son, Keaton.
They own a ranch, and this is their second year to come to Denver for the National Western Stock Show.
Unlike some ranchers, they didn’t leave with any new livestock.
Rather, they got a new bedroom set to take back home from American Furniture Warehouse.
“You can’t beat the prices,” said Jared.
As for livestock?
“We use the Internet for that,” he said.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
7 a.m.: Collegiate Meats Judging Awards Breakfast (Closed to the public)
8 a.m.: Denver National Maine-Anjou Show; National Red Angus Pen Bull/Female Show; Simmental Pen Bull Show
8 a.m.: Charolais Show
9 a.m.: Hunter Classes
Noon: National Red Angus Mile High Classic Sale; Shorthorn Female Show
1 p.m.: Super Dogs
2 p.m.: ProRodeo
3 p.m.: National Red Angus Junior Stockgrowers Activities
4 p.m.: Simmental Sale
6 p.m.: Junior Market Swine Showmanship
6 p.m.: Martin Luther King
African-American Heritage Rodeo of Champions
7 p.m.: $40,000 Jack Daniels Grand Prix
