On Labor Day Will and I decided to be different and not "labor". Usually that is our day to work in the yard etc. to start getting ready for winter. We changed our habit permanently! We decided to go to the Chuck Wagon Races in Nashua, Iowa. Mom and Dad have been going for years with Uncle Leonard and Aunt Marion and have always wanted us to go, but things never worked out.....this year we went. What a blast!
Ok, so for those of you who don't know me all that well....horses are one of my "loves". I have ridden for about 40 years (man it's scary being able to say that). In high school and after I worked on a horse farm helping to train Arabians (volunteer) and have owned horses before. I love them, love their attitudes, love their looks. I feel at home the minute I walk into a barn. Given the right circumstances, I think I could have easily worked on a horse farm all of my life. God had different plans though and I'm fine with that.
Suffice it to say that the minute that I sat down on that bleacher and the first horse appeared, I was happy. Then they brought out the wagons. WOW. These wagons are pulled by retired/rescued race horses that love to run. The minute they step out onto the track they are pumped and ready to go... I don't know how the drivers hold them back.
Four horses pull each wagon and then there are 4 outriders that each have a job to do. They have put the wagons in a line and they pull out this tent type contraption from the back and set the poles in the ground like they would have in the cowboy days. Then there is this (pseudo stove) on the ground too. One guy stands at each of those. There is another outrider holding his horse and the other two while standing on the ground behind the wagon. The fourth outrider is standing at the heads of the horses that are pulling the wagon.
So the gun goes off and the guy grabs the stove and throws it into the back. The guy holding the stakes throws them and the tent into the wagon. The guy holding the team has already let go and the team is already heading out. They run forward and circle a barrel and then turn back and head out onto the track. Meanwhile the outriders are all busy sprinting for their horses and trying to throw themselves into the saddle before the horse is gone, because the minute that the other racers hit the track the outriders horses are ready to be there too. The track is 1/2 mile long and the wagons are FAST. The outriders race to catch up to their wagon. When the wagons cross the finish line, all 4 of the outriders have to be within 150 yards of their wagon or there are penalties.
Now this is fast and total chaos. When you hear about it, you think that you will be able to follow it all, but the truth is that from the time the gun goes off until the time the race is finished is about 1 minute. By then you as the spectator have your heart thumping in your throat and are holding your breath. I don't know how it happens, but you are hooked immediately. It was great!
They had races of single riders that were riding racehorses with tatoos (proving they had been racers) and then there was a farmer's race that was horses that were not tatooed. Man did that go fast. The one race was 1/2 mile in 46 seconds. There were chariot races and then the outriders raced their horses. There was even a "powder puff" race which was women driving wagons with a 2 horse team instead of the 4 for the men. That was great and I could well imagine myself being an outrider (man did it look fun). Will kept saying "No", but I can dream can't I?
All in all it was wonderful and we are already planning next year's trip to include a sightseeing trip and 2 days of racing. Right now I think I would make the 3 hour trip to go again today if they were there. What a Blast!!!
Have a great day.
dea
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