Frontier Days round-up

Last year, I was assigned to one camera crew that does filming for Frontier Days each year and consequently spent every, single day behind the chutes.

I watched a lot of rodeo, and it was awesome!

This year, for the first couple of days I've had a different assignment: Channel 4 news out of Denver. It's been super fun, but I've watched precious little rodeo.

Instead, I've spent the last two days setting up sit-down interviews, helping their cameraman get video, suggesting locations and interviews for live shots, showing up at 4 a.m. at the Depot to tell them where to park their satellite truck for the free pancake breakfast...etc.

I haven't had much of a chance to take photos, but I've squeezed in a few. Here's some of what I've been up to minus the pancake breakfast. There will be photos of that up soon...

A bull rider!


This bull was so stubborn! It took the pick-up men (all the guys in blue who help the riders and keep the animals in check) FOREVER to get that thing rounded up! He really dug in...


And this is what becomes of stubborn bulls...Rocky Mountain Oysters. Just kidding. I didn't take this photo of that bull's balls on purpose. I just happened to notice the incredible size of his package later! (I'm getting pretty crass!)


I took Eddie, the cameraman, right behind the chutes so he could get some cool shots above the cowboys as they were getting ready to ride.

These are the HEELS. Frontier Days is pretty much put on by all volunteers. You are eligible to make a HEEL after about 10 years of service. There are about 480 registered HEELS, the oldest of which has been serving for around 50 years! They did a big photo to get ready for next year's 75th anniversary celebration of the organization...

This is Dan Taylor, the Chute 9 chute boss. Chute 9 is where all the timed events like team roping, steer wrestling, etc. come out of. He's been doing this since '61 or '62. He is such a character!


This is Michelle Griego, the reporter I was with. I got her "written in" to the Cheyenne Gunslingers's skit. She had never held a gun before, but by the time she left Cheyenne she'd handled three...


Michelle demonstrating gun safety by shooting (with a blank) a pop can...



This is Richard, the sat truck driver. I was sitting up front chillin' while we waited for a live shot...

And me in my cowgirl garb by the truck...