A Grand Entry, Indeed!

Last night we spent our evening at the Fort Worth Rodeo. Just in case you're wondering, no I have not turned into a rodeo queen despite the fact I HAVE been known to wear Justin ropers, Wranglers, and a Resistol cowboy hat (really, are any other brand worth wearing? I mean George Strait wouldn't endorse just any brands with that gorgeous face and nice booty!). So why after 30+ years in Dallas would I make the trek to Ft. Worth to go to the rodeo when I have never been before? To see my brother ride in the Grand Entry, of course!

My brother is a member of the Ft. Worth Stock Show Syndicate (FWSSS) which is a group of 100 distinguished business men from Ft. Worth who according to their website are "the largest single financial supporters of the Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. They do this by buying all the animals exhibited by all the youth exhibitors." The grand purse is the biggest in the business and is typically $100,000 for the grand champion.

So how does a distinguished businessman from DALLAS get into an organization limited to only 100 men from Ft. Worth? By raising an obscene amount of money, that buys a lot of youth livestock, which sends a lot of youth to college. Money still talks and big money to buy livestock talks a lot...this is Texas, after all! In fact, being one of the largest donors, buys you the honor to ride in the Grand Entry of one of the biggest and oldest rodeos in the world.

Me and Mini-me, Dinner at Reata:

Hats off to Uncle Bubba:

Waiting on the Grand Entry to begin:

Is that Uncle Bubba?:

Here they come! (my brother is on the last horse in this pic):

High Five from Uncle Bubba:

A honor well deserved:

Rodeo Queens:

See y'all at the Rodeo!