The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The sixth

annual Bulls and Barrels sponsored by the LCM Honeybears drill and dance team

was one of the best rodeo shows in the area this year. There was a book of 17

bull riders, 14 barrel racers in three categories, a dozen or so tried to ride sheep

and a herd of sheep and calf scramblers went after the ribbons on the animal’s

tail, and eight teams of calf dressers tried to put lingerie on unwilling

calves.

Dillon

McNeil led off the first session of bull riding and drew a bull that was a

little more than he could handle. From the time the gate opened, until McNeil

hit the ground, the bull had control. McNeil is a good rider, but he had an off

night.

Carl

Hillstock got into trouble early in his ride and had the worst thing happen that

can happen to a rider, he hung up! Hillstock’s hand was hung tight enough so

that he was hung and flung and flopped like a rag doll on a string. The

bullfighters, led by Bubba Tacker stayed in the melee and managed to get

Hillstock loose after a few minutes that seemed a lot longer to Hillstock.

Tim Murphy

was the last rider of the first session and managed to hang for the required

eight seconds. Murphy made a decent ride, but was a little short on the control

side. The judges gave him 64 points.

Mutton

busting, or sheep riding, was probably the biggest event of the night. Young

riders from about age two to age six tried to hang on the sheep’s neck, back or

any other body part. Most were successful to some degree. Some hung long enough

to slide down the sheep’s side and continue to hang and be drug like a plow. It

looks as though Orange County has a good crop of rough stock riders coming

along if this night is any indication.

A frantic

herd of 20 or so kids chasing two sheep or two calves in the scramble events is

just what it sounds like. The animals go into heavy panic mode and the kids get

frantic while chasing the animals. The goal is to pull the ribbon off and get

the prize. The ribbon is tied around the base of the tail of the sheep or the

calf. The scrambler has to pull the ribbon off, with the knot intact. It takes

a fast run and an accurate grab to snatch the ribbon. It ends with some tired

kids and grateful to be finally left alone animals.

Barrel

racing is always a crowd favorite. It is the speed event of rodeo and this

night’s action was one of the best of the year. In the senior category the

times ran from the low 17s to the mid 15s. The barrel pattern in the Orange

arena is a close short pattern. It gives the rider the chance to really show

how they can control the horse. The

junior racers were keeping the times within a few seconds of the seniors. It

was a good night with only about four barrels being knocked over in both categories.

Pewee barrel

racers may take as long as 40 seconds or even longer to run the pattern. The

crowd pleaser here is to see the young racers control the horse. They will ease

into a turn and lean their body and pull on the reins to urge the horse around

the barrel. The other half of the team, the horse, is usually willing to follow

the orders. Often the sprint for the line after the third barrel is more of a

fast trot, but these young riders could care less. They have made a good run

and are ready for the next show.

The Honeybears

showed their dance ability when they grouped in the center of the arena and did

an impromptu performance of “The Wobble”. It was entertaining, lively and

showed that the Honeybears can really wobble. Unfortunately the center of the

arena was a little wet, thanks to the efforts of the Bridge City Volunteer Fire

Department. The BCVFD had spent time getting the arena ready for the show. This

involved wetting down the dirt. The center section was a little past wet, it

was soft when the dancing started and was getting muddy when they finished “The

Wobble.”

Having prepped

the crowd, the Honeybears brought on the star event, the calf dressing. For this

event the calf is loaded into the chute, outside the chute is a team of four

with a set of oversized lingerie, bra and panties, to be specific. One team

member opens the gate and the other three try to grab the calf and hold it securely

enough to get the front legs through the bra straps and the bra hooked across

the back. The hind legs have to be put through the panties and the panties

pulled up.

The first

four teams were very unsuccessful. The next group of teams included the

Honeybear team. Dainty young ladies are not likely to mugg a calf. This night

was no exception. The Honeybears calf got loose and ran like the wind with one

Honeybear in pursuit. Three Honeybears, just stood looking dainty. Finally the

calf was chased back to the corner of the chute area. It appeared that two

young cowboys joined the fray and mugged the calf and penned in down. The four

Honeybears then jumped in and got the dressing done. The calf was then

presented to the judge, who ignored the assistance of the cowboys and declared the

Honeybears the winners. It was their rodeo, so it was Ok that they won.

The second

session of nine bull riders went down with a score of cowboys one, bulls eight.

Eight riders went off so fast that there was no strain on the watch. The successful

rider was Cody Wilson who drew a bull that spun like a record on a turntable

and gave Wilson a challenge. Wilson met the challenge and ended up winning the

show with a ride worth 85 points.

The 2011

edition of the Honeybears Bulls and Barrels looked like a great success judging

from the number of contestants and the reaction of the fans. The Honeybears

have hit on the right combination to produce a great show by any standards.

This is the main fundraisers for the Honeybears and they go out of their way to

not only raise money but to also give the sponsors and fans the most for their

money. This is a “don’t miss show” for local rodeo fans.