Hey! It’s May

May is slipping through my fingers — just a few days left — and honestly, I’m still trying to catch my breath. Spring has been a full‑blown whirlwind with high school rodeo. When you’ve got kids practicing all week for six straight weekends of competition, life turns into a steady rhythm of hauling, saddling, cheering, and doing it all over again.

Between team roping, pole bending, calf tying, goat tying, and breakaway, there’s always something to fine‑tune. Always another run to practice. Always one more loop to perfect or one more pattern to shave a second off. And somehow, even with all the chaos, it’s the best kind of busy.

One of my favorite parts of rodeo season is watching the horses — really watching them. Their minds, their grit, the way some of them love to compete every bit as much as the kids on their backs. They’re remarkable animals, each with their own quirks and talents. Some horses practically drag their riders to the arena gate, ears up, ready to work. Others are thinkers, calculating every step like they’re solving a puzzle.

And of course… the gear. I can’t help myself. I’m always checking out saddles, tack, and all the ways kids show off their personalities. Custom saddles, trophy saddles, flashy pads, handmade gear — it’s a whole art form in itself. Rodeo kids don’t just compete; they express who they are with every piece of equipment they haul into the arena.

Summer is shaping up to be just as exciting. I’m headed to Sun Valley and the Blackfoot Ranch Rodeo — more stories to come on that soon. Let’s just say it’s going to be great, and I can’t wait to share the adventures as they unfold.

For now, I’m soaking up these last days of May, and feeling grateful for what’s ahead.