November 2021
The Star-Spangled Banner at the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo. (Image courtesy: Gogoal Falia)
When someone thinks of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is a cowboy on a horse with his cowboy hat on. Well, you are not wrong, but you would be surprised to hear that there are cowgirls, and let me tell you, they are as amazing as the boys! Also, what if I told you the Mutton Busting Champion at Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo this year was a 6-year-old aspiring cowgirl? Surprising, isn’t it? Life is full of them, and even though you can expect to see cowboys, cattle, and food at a rodeo, it's much more than that.
For my friends and I, it was our first rodeo. As expected, the fairground was lit up, there were various rides for adults and kids, plenty of food – fries, corn dogs, slushies, chicken strips, and of course, beer. There was a solitary longhorn at the fairground too, but there will be no further mention of Texas Longhorns on this blog. Yet, beyond the obvious, I saw young families enjoying their evening, young parents taking their kids to meet the animals, elderly grandparents taking time to partake in a tradition with their grandkids, perhaps reminiscing about their times in the field with their grandparents. It is a tradition that’s decades-old in these parts and people are proud of it. From the very first moment I entered the rodeo arena, I knew it would be epic. The strong smell of manure brought with it memories of my childhood at my grandma’s farm in India. Although thousands of miles apart, the country, the farm, and the people don’t change. The warmth in the hearts of those who live doesn’t change. The love for their culture and traditions doesn’t change.
One of the most memorable moments of the night for me was the mutton busting. It is an event held at rodeos like bull-riding or bronc-riding, in which children between the age of 4- and 7-years ride or race sheep. Watching those young kids riding the sheep while thousands cheered for them was exhilarating. I remember cheering for all of them at the top of my voice, as if I was in that very moment, Texan and proud. Three of us – a brown guy, a woman of color, and a Taiwanese national – represent the best that Aggieland has to offer, and we were glad to have been able to witness some of the best Texas has to offer. Often students and residents from outside Texas or the U.S are apprehensive about events like the rodeo, which have been portrayed in an unfair and biased light by media and movies, but let me assure you there is no better event to see what Texan culture is all about than at the rodeo – family, entertainment, and deep-rooted values of life in simpler times. It is very likely most of you won’t be here in two years, leaving Aggieland on adventures beyond the Lone Star State, but if there is one thing I wish you take with you – apart from Aggie values – would be the rodeo experience. It is worth it.
As for me, I’ll be wearing my Aggie maroon at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March 2022. See y’all there!
Gig ‘em!
– Gogoal Falia
Gogoal is a first-year Ph.D. student in the School of Public Health.
When someone thinks of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is a cowboy on a horse with his cowboy hat on. Well, you are not wrong, but you would be surprised to hear that there are cowgirls, and let me tell you, they are as amazing as the boys! Also, what if I told you the Mutton Busting Champion at Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo this year was a 6-year-old aspiring cowgirl? Surprising, isn’t it? Life is full of them, and even though you can expect to see cowboys, cattle, and food at a rodeo, it's much more than that.
For my friends and I, it was our first rodeo. As expected, the fairground was lit up, there were various rides for adults and kids, plenty of food – fries, corn dogs, slushies, chicken strips, and of course, beer. There was a solitary longhorn at the fairground too, but there will be no further mention of Texas Longhorns on this blog. Yet, beyond the obvious, I saw young families enjoying their evening, young parents taking their kids to meet the animals, elderly grandparents taking time to partake in a tradition with their grandkids, perhaps reminiscing about their times in the field with their grandparents. It is a tradition that’s decades-old in these parts and people are proud of it. From the very first moment I entered the rodeo arena, I knew it would be epic. The strong smell of manure brought with it memories of my childhood at my grandma’s farm in India. Although thousands of miles apart, the country, the farm, and the people don’t change. The warmth in the hearts of those who live doesn’t change. The love for their culture and traditions doesn’t change.
One of the most memorable moments of the night for me was the mutton busting. It is an event held at rodeos like bull-riding or bronc-riding, in which children between the age of 4- and 7-years ride or race sheep. Watching those young kids riding the sheep while thousands cheered for them was exhilarating. I remember cheering for all of them at the top of my voice, as if I was in that very moment, Texan and proud. Three of us – a brown guy, a woman of color, and a Taiwanese national – represent the best that Aggieland has to offer, and we were glad to have been able to witness some of the best Texas has to offer. Often students and residents from outside Texas or the U.S are apprehensive about events like the rodeo, which have been portrayed in an unfair and biased light by media and movies, but let me assure you there is no better event to see what Texan culture is all about than at the rodeo – family, entertainment, and deep-rooted values of life in simpler times. It is very likely most of you won’t be here in two years, leaving Aggieland on adventures beyond the Lone Star State, but if there is one thing I wish you take with you – apart from Aggie values – would be the rodeo experience. It is worth it.
As for me, I’ll be wearing my Aggie maroon at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March 2022. See y’all there!
Gig ‘em!
– Gogoal Falia
Gogoal is a first-year Ph.D. student in the School of Public Health.