Mutton Bustin'

This happened a long time ago, but it was so ridiculous that I needed to document it here. Sylvie participated in mutton bustin' at Golden's Buffalo Bill Days. Mutton bustin' is rodeo for the five- to seven-year old set. The firefighters organize it. They pen a herd of sheep on the ballfields near downtown Golden. Then three of them force-walk a sheep out to the main field. Then a fourth one lifts my kid (wearing a hockey helmet and flak jacket) onto the sheep. Then they all let go and my kid holds on until she falls off.

Watching it, I felt alternatively proud, terrified, and like a neglectful parent. She got dumped off the sheep and scraped up her forearm. But she wants to do it again next year!