Saturday promised to be the most exciting of the three days in Omaha. Not only was it the final night of the rodeo, it was also the main day of the fair and carnival at the Qwest Center grounds.
One of the specialty entertainment acts attending the rodeo was Priefert Ranch Equipment’s
Texas Thunder.
Texas Thunder consisted of six enormous black Percheron horses, beautifully trained as a team, pulling a white wagon. The presentation was the highlight of both night one and night two. The horses, not unlike the Budweiser Clydesdales, are groomed to perfection.
The horses had their own portable stables north of the arena. I walked over to take a closer look and these huge creatures. Johnna wanted to do a small report on them so she came along as well.
We learned the Percherons are all geldings and they are all approximately 18.2 hands which is 6’ 2” at the shoulders and around 2,200 lbs. On closer inspection, they’re not entirely black, but have some brown hair mixed in. We were able to meet “Ross” who was out of his stable for a shower and a drink of water. The horses are gentle and well-trained.
The next event I checked out was the Sugar Arts Show. Basically, it is a fancy cake and cookie decorating exhibition. My inner domestic goddess insisted on checking out the cakes. I still have yet to master baking cake at 7,200 ft. Omaha at 1,030 feet does not have the same kind of air/sugar/egg/soda complications.
The show did not disappoint. It included a cake that took 4 years to make, commemorating the state of Nebraska, among other cute and creative offerings. I left the hall with a bad sugar craving.
The sugar craving then turned into a need for coffee, which would not go away. Staying up until 1 a.m. two nights in a row was taking a toll.
Back in the press room I sat down in front of the computer and started preparing for a busy evening, without coffee. My phone rang. I looked down it was Richard Hayman. His family came out to Colorado for a Weimaraner puppy in 2002. I had told him a few weeks back I was coming to Omaha, but I was almost convinced I wouldn’t have time for a visit.
We chatted for a few minutes and I told him of my plight – being stuck in the basement of the Qwest center, no coffee and no rental car. It turned out he had the dog and 30 minutes to come make a whirlwind visit and escort me to a downtown Starbucks (YES!).
Pheobe, the Weimaraner, was as beautiful as ever. She stuck her head out of the top of Richard’s BWM sun roof like a tank commander and was disappointed when we made her bring her head back inside. For those who follow the web site, she is Jubilee’s littermate. It was great to catch up with Richard and hear about his kids who were going to homecoming festivities at their high school that night.
In the dog show world, you can make friends and find friends anywhere. I was truly feeling this was the case, all the way out in Omaha. Thanks Richard, you made my day.
Armed with a huge triple-threat latte, I returned to my cave for a night of rodeo action. The livestock actually woke up by night three. The bucking horses and bulls had been, in my approximation, rather tepid the few nights before. Being the finals, they must have saved the liveliest and meanest stock for the big show.
The highlight of the night was watching Cody DeMoss make a 91 point ride on the back of horse ironically named “Miss Congeniality”. The lowlight of the night was when Wesley Silcox was taken to the hospital after suffering a head-butt from a bull. It was odd how the normal busy atmosphere in the press room turned into crisp tension after his injury. We later learned he had a broken jaw.
The next morning we went home, uneventfully. After working for three straight days, you feel hung-over, even without alcohol. This was a preview of what will be waiting at the next big rodeo – the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. It will be 12 days of non-stop fun. I hope there is a Starbucks within walking distance.