Typically, this type of column bragging up my latest extra-curricular activity would come in early June. Rodeo season really gets ramped up in June, along with a ton of amazing auto races.
This past year, I was lucky enough to photograph two Indycar races in Edmonton and Toronto, one World Superbike race, the World of Outlaw sprint car series in Edmonton, and the Kananaskis Rally in well, Kananaskis.
In addition, I spent time in Sundre, High River, Innisfail, Strathmore, Airdrie, and five days of the Calgary Stampede to get my rodeo fix. That’s a pretty great summer if you ask me.
It dawned on me that while the snow is on the ground here in Canada, there is still one more huge rodeo about to get kicked off in Las Vegas - The National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The United States’ version of our Canadian Finals Rodeo.
NFR is run by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and features the 15 best competitors from each event over 10 days of competition. We even have some Canadians participating this year, with Okotoks’ and 2011 NFR Barrel Racing Champion Lindsay Sears taking part, and even our former Miss Rodeo Airdrie, now Miss Rodeo Canada Gillian Shields representing our country at this American event.
I have some holiday time banked up, and figured lets cap 2012 off by visiting the biggest rodeo the U.S. has to offer.
I have booked my flights and hotels, and have decided to start counting down the days. I will be photographing at least one of the 10 nights of rodeo in my five days down there.
Then I got thinking. Vegas? By myself? That doesn’t seem incredibly fun. I called up my friend Chris to see if he wanted to treat himself to an early Christmas gift and head down to Sin City with me - automatic yes.
I was talking about the trip at work, and realized that a lot of my vacation time surrounds going to various events, but instead of buying tickets, I will arrange a photo pass and get the best seats in the house.
The Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie has graciously allowed me to assist Eric Hvidsten in teaching one of the groups photography, which I find after only a couple weeks to be an absolute blast.
My message to those students, and even the aspiring professional newspaper photographers out there who may not be in Airdrie, use photography to experience the world.
I will not become a millionaire doing my job, and in today’s media world, my employers will not be sending me to Syria, all expenses paid, to cover the ongoing civil war there. But what it allows me to do is bring my cameras, get photo passes and experience some of the coolest events our world has to offer, from the best seats in the house.
When everything is said and done, not only will you have the experience in the back of your mind forever, you will have the photos to remember it by as well.
I have the urge to liken my trip to Hunter S. Thompsons Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I am heading there to cover a sporting event.
I am bringing my attorney, er, best friend. I plan on drinking and having some interesting evenings along the way. The only thing missing will be a suitcase full of illicit drugs and a big red convertible. Maybe I will experience the American Dream, but what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right? I just hope I don’t lose Chris on the roof of the hotel.
