Shadow and National Western Bronc Riding

Just as we were leaving for the Stock Show, I looked up and there were Hank and Shadow heading over the ridge being total goobers.  It's been pretty cold, so I'm thinking with breakfast in the bellies, the sun out and the temperature heading towards mid-40's, the boys thought it as good as time as any to get in some play time.  So there they are, Hank and Shadow just on the top of the hill, dorking around to beat the band.  I couldn't NOT take pictures.  "The boys!!"  As pictures prove, Hank is cuter than cute - however, this time Shadow as a silhouette alone (without Hank dorking with him) was just a bit more stunning ... in my opinion. And so.... Shadow's silhouette.

He looks so grown up - when the heck did that happen?!!  (Stay tuned for baby pictures ....Not mine - the )horses!)

So I got my pictures of the boys and off we went to the rodeo finals at the National Western Stock Show.  As always, a wonderful show with hard working cowboys and equally hard working horses, cattle and sheep (mutton busting competition).  The only thing that works harder than a cowboy is the cowboy's horse ..... and in this case, nothing works harder than the cowboy's bronc.

I won't apologize for the quality of the pictures - I will however, offer the note that I'm still learning about camera settings to take a good clean rodeo action shot.  Mostly my goal with these shots is to capture the action of the event - in this case Bronc riding .... to show the cowboy - his focus and tenacity and skill and strength while at the same time, and to capture the glory (pure magnificence) and strength and beauty of the horse and to illustrate how ding dang fast they are moving.

If nothing else, the blurs give you an idea of how quickly both cowboy and horse are moving .....