Boots N' Saddles

The Phillips County Boots and Saddles Rodeo featured a different layout for the 2019 season, having held it's only events of the year on last Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14.

Though the event was contained to one weekend, there were 60 kids present.

"We are going to do a two day and see how it goes and how everybody likes it," Boots and Saddles Secretary Kendra Green said. "We just don't have enough time in the summer. Everybody is busy. We have 4-H and we have so much going on. All the people that help are all involved with everything."

The rodeo is a family affair for the Green family. Kayden and Casey both sons of Kendra and her husband Marcus Green, ride in the rodeo.

"It's amazing," Green said about seeing her boys ride in the rodeo. "It's awesome. It makes me feel so good because I trained (them)."

Green's oldest son Kayden Green, a ten-year-old, has been participating in Boots and Saddles rodeos since he was three years old. He had just finished his run in the pole bending races.

"I was a little scared and a little nervous," Kayden said. "Because everytime I practice poles I knock over a pole."

Kayden rode a quarterhorse named Red for the first time in a competitive event. He also rode his primary horse Sailor in other events.

"This horse is way faster," Kayden said. "And when I first rode him, I was so afraid of this horse but now I have gotten used to riding him. My mom says that I should start riding barrels with him and I did that."

He went on to say that it took a while to get him to slow down but it has been fun working with Red. He also mentioned that the Arena Race was his favorite event.

"They go faster in an arena race," he said.