Holding On For Glory…And For Dear Life!

By CHRISTOPHER KING

Moapa Valley Progress

Before she went into the loading chute, her dad told her to just remember one thing. If she forgot everything else, he wanted her to just hold on tight, and no matter what happened, don’t let go! And that is just what she did.

A few minutes later, the gate clanged open and out came a charging ewe lamb with seven-year-old Evelyn Reid holding on for dear life on its back. The sheep charged full speed all the way across the junior rodeo arena. Evelyn held on tight for an entire eight seconds. When her ride was over, the arena attendants had to pry her hands off of her wooly mount because she still didn’t want to let go.

The ride won Evelyn the first place championship in the Friday night Mutton Bustin’ finals at the Clark County Fair!

Mutton Bustin’ has become an annual favorite at the Fair. It is a junior rodeo where the participants ride bucking sheep rather than bulls or broncos. Participants of this event are children between the ages of 4-7 and all must weigh 60 pounds or less. This rodeo is made complete with junior rodeo clowns, barrels, and junior chutes made specifically for the bucking sheep. Contestants are given helmets, protective padding and receive assistance from the event organizers when needed.

Every day of the fair brought a fresh field of competitors. More than 100 youngsters clamored to participate in the event. Most were from the southern Nevada region. But some came from as far away as Squaw Valley, CA; Kanab, UT; and Gilbert, AZ to give it a go.

The participants all had applied prior to the start of the Fair and paid a $15 fee, all of which went into a pot of winnings for the competitors.

Each daily group ran between 15 and 18 contestants. Daily afternoon qualifying rounds led each day to the final championship round in the evening.

Contestants were judged on their skill and style. A full ride on the sheep was anything over 6 seconds. In the qualifying round, the top 5 riders moved on to the championship round for the chance to win a $100 belt buckle sponsored by Lins Marketplace.

Every contestant was guaranteed a minimum of a $5 prize and a Mutton Bustin’ T-shirt. Contestants that placed higher earned more prize money. One hundred percent of the money from the application fees went back to the kids.

The skills required for success in this event are very similar to the skills needed by their adult counterparts: determination, a good grip, and a little bit of luck. Even the best riders need luck with their mounts. The sheep involved in the event ranged from speeding out of the chute, zigging and zagging across the arena, to taking a leisurely stroll around the arena and casually waiting until its rider climbed off.

Thursday’s champion Jaxson Fritz wowed the arena as his sheep shot out of the chute like a bullet and sprinted around the opposite end, making a sudden sharp turn in an attempt to throw its rider. Young Jaxson held on to complete his ride to victory!

Event organizers were pleased with how Mutton Bustin’ went off this year. “It was a very successful event,” said event coordinator Stuart Riggins. “We had around 120 participants who put on a great show. Nobody was injured, the crowd enjoyed it, so it was a big success.”

The Clark County Fair and Rodeo would like to thank Lin’s Marketplace, Washington Federal, and Stotz Equipment for sponsoring this year’s Mutton Bustin’ event.