Clare Rodeo

$20 entry, free camping, and $5 sausage sandwich is enough to draw almost any kind of crowd to a place like Clare... but throw in a rodeo.... and you have an entirely different situation altogether. We were told that the Clare Rodeo is a "small" event, relatively speaking, when compared to other rodeos, but what it might lack for in size, it made up for in "wow factor". From ferocious bulls covered in spittle trying to hurl a cowboy from his back, to the sight of a truly "country AND western" band doing all manner of covers from the country music scene (that's right, all your favourite country hits from the 70s and 80s in one night!... and Cold Chisel's Khe Sahn twice!!), this was a day and night of enjoyment and amusement. At one point, my prolific photo-taking was interupted by a couple of locals who wondered which newspaper I was working for (and when I asked if I could take their photo, they quickly realised I was a tourist!) and later in the night Jase and I were swept away by the all-night-western-dancin' concert and even found ourselves dancing cheerily amid toe-tappers and boot-scooters. Aah, but the actual rodeo events... absolutely amazing. To see a (perectly-normal-looking) man hop on a bull and let his brain be rattled and testicles squashed by a furious bull for love and money...?? Absurd!!! Please enjoy our photos.....

And a very happy birthday to cousin Lee!!!!!

Here's wishing you are spoilt rotten and covered in kisses on your special day!!!