Backpacks and Lunch Boxes: Adventures in Cowtown

Yesterday M was home from school, but L still had nature school, so it ended up being a special M Day. On days like these, I like to try new things that might otherwise be somewhat difficult when there's an ornery three-year-old in tow. So, we got up early and headed over to Fort Worth to check out the going's on of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is the nation's oldest, continuously running livestock show and rodeo. I believe the first stock show took place in 1896 and in 1918 they hosted the very first indoor rodeo.

Quick Disclaimer: I grew up over on the "Dallas side" of the Metroplex, so when we moved to Colleyville in 2008, I wasn't too familiar with Fort Worth. By now, we're quite at home on "this side" of the Metroplex and enjoy going to the Fort Worth Zoo, the Colonial Golf Tournament, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Yesterday's trip to the Stock Show was my first and I'm glad I could enjoy it with M. Here's what we did.

Our first stop was the Watt Arena to watch a few rounds of the Longhorn Cattle Show. We caught the Texas Longhorn Breeders of Tomorrow - Youth Division, which meant that the people showing the cattle were kids. One little girl was in third grade, at most. Seriously, the cow was taller than she was. I'd like to say that M was impressed by the little girl's achievement, but when you can witness cows ~~going potty~~ making fresh cow pies, then nothing can really compete with that. One poor boy had trouble with his heifer - she laid down on her side and refused to get up. The boy, the wranglers, and even the judge worked for a good 20 minutes before they were able to get her out of the judging area. I'm pretty sure we had that cow for lunch. After the excitement of cowpies and lazy cows, we moseyed through the barns and took a gander at all the animals.

M would NOT stand next to the Longhorn. He wasn't afraid of being poked or speared, rather he feared falling into the ginormous cow pie.

Do you think a five-year-old can resist crowing like a rooster when he's surrounded by cages of crowing roosters?

Goats are crazy.

After we sized up the animal barns, we hit the carnival and midway. The Stock Show was very much NOT crowded, so we were pretty much the only ones in the carnival and midway section - which meant that the carnies and the barkers had only us to do carnie stuff at and bark at. In spite of that, M had a blast because he never had to wait for a single ride.

What do you call a non-Dumbo elephant ride? Kind of creepy.

And there's nothing wrong with the name "The Dragon Wagon," either. Right?

Thankfully the petting zoo and pony ride area were a bit more populated. I discovered that M is generous, if somewhat naive, when it comes to feeding animals in the petting zoo. We spent nearly 20 minutes and two cones of pellets feeding the four fat goats that hung out by the entrance. Those goats totally owned him.