Beyond the Boots: A Century of Rodeo Life & Legacy
By Cardi Mendez
Bright and early, as I step foot on the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, I take in the perfectly coordinated hustle and bustle—a routine that clearly demonstrates something that has been perfected over the course of a century. Take away the livestock, and the amount of leather in the vicinity and it would have you thinking everyone is gearing up for a Judas Priest show in the 80s. As the chutes started to fill and the gates swung closer to opening, one thing was for certain: there was a uniform, and those who didn’t abide by it surely stuck out.
The bleachers began to pack with eager spectators of all ages—and I mean all ages. From newborns to some that were surely closer in age to the actual rodeo itself. As if the back-to-back-to-back sold-out shows weren’t proof enoug...
