Silver City's Wild Wild West Rodeo: Day 2- 060923

Photos and article by T.A. Niles

If you measure success by the crowd's size and enthusiasm, Day 2 (Friday) of the Casper Baca Wild Wild West Rodeo at Southwest Horseman's Park in Silver City was an unmitigated success. That's no surprise given that we are in the southwest and that the rodeo offers something for anyone remotely connected to or interested in southwest culture. Ah, not to mention food, drink, and merchandise in vast variety.

I'm relatively new to the southwest and brand new to rodeo, but it's clear that as much fun as it is, the organizers, the participants, and the spectators take all elements of rodeo seriously…while having a blast, of course. From the git-go, it smacks you right in the face that pomp and circumstance are not just for graduations. The rodeo kick-off features the national anthem, flag waving, an invocation and participant processions (including the livestock). It is quite a spectacular sight.

While Day 1 was full of bull and testosterone- after all it was a bull fest with only male riders, Day 2 injected some estrogen into the festivities. Ok, I confess. There was plenty of cowgirl action on display in the opening ceremony on both nights. And those ladies can ride! They played a more substantial role on Day 2, which included Breakaway Roping and Barrell Racing.

I had planned to attend this event specifically for Barrels and Breakaway because I was anticipating watching Clair and Amy Biebelle, two of New Mexico's best young rodeo talents. Given that this is my first rodeo, I wasn't prepared to be there past 10pm, especially with a ton of photos to edit. Sadly, that means that I missed both girls, who must not have ridden until past 10pm. Amy is only 11 years old, so I can imagine how she felt going on that late on a chilly night.

Both Biebelle girls are tougher than I am it seems, but I think you must be to be a successful rodeo athlete. Nevertheless, I'm gonna be there for the long-haul Saturday night regardless. It was great to catch Ava Packouz's 3.67 Breakaway ride. That was tops during the "performance." She features prominently in a piece I am working on about the top ten girls rodeo athletes for the New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Association's (NMJHRA) 2022-23 season.