Kindergarten Rodeo

What is this unusual shadow you ask?

It is comprised of this lovely stick horse

And this lovely child.

The occasion was the Kindergarten Rodeo at Broadmor Elementary School at the end of March. With a little assistance, Amelia managed to make a cowgirl hat out of paper bags and a stick horse out of a sock, buttons, paper and ribbons. Amelia's horse mane consisted of red ribbon and had sequin eyes, but she insisted that it was a boy. A boy named Horse.

She decorated her hat at school, and got a little upset when it wouldn't stay on during the stick-horse barrel races.

She was very excited to see a police officer on her horse in the back corner of the field.

And she was just as excited to have two of her good friends, Berkeley and Holland, assigned to her rotation group.

She was trying to smile here (it looks a little painful) after being upset about her hat blowing off. She soon realized that the wind was taking off everyones' hats, so she didn't get so worried.

The students dug for gold with pie tins in an inflatable pool filled with sand, water, and real gold- painted nuggets. Amelia stood watching the demonstration with her thumbs tucked into her jeans like a real cow girl.

(The days' numerous "Howdy's" and references to chaps, spurs, and buckaroos must have had an effect.)

I wish this were clearer; I love the candid laughing shots.

And here's the final shot at the last rotation. The girls were dusty, wind-blown, and well-informed about all things rope, horse, barrel, and leather.

Happy trails.