Rodeo trail riders enjoy nice weather

Trail-riders into Day 4 of ride to the San Antonio Stock Show, Rodeo

Rodeo trail riders have seen rain, wind, cold, sleet, and, at times, all the above when they hit the road each year.

2013 is already making for a remarkable rodeo season for its lack of remarkable weather conditions.

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Trail Boss Dave Wiedenfeld, with the Alamo Country Kickers out of Kerr County, says it feels like God is smiling down on the trail riders this year.

His small band of chuck wagons and riders began on Saturday and enjoyed a day around Camp Bullis. Eventually, they will spend the night in Bracken.

On Saturday, all the trail riders will convene in grand fashion at the AT&T Center.

"We will ride about 125 miles and we will do it in seven days," said Weidenfeld, who has been in charge for the last five years.

He says this is a tradition some families carry on from generation to generation, in good weather and bad.

"We don't know if we are just die-hard trail-riders or just a bunch of fools.

"We just haven't figured in out yet," he joked.

Tuesday's ride takes them into Tejas Rodeo on Obst Road for a long break, which, in this warm weather, includes plenty of water for the wagon mules and trail horses.

Hailey Burnhard may be the Kerr County Queen, but she lugged water to her horse with her sister. She says she's been doing this since she was 3 and there are a lot of memories.

"Oh, there have been so many," she said. "Just riding in front of my mom, just having fun ... spending it with my little sister, just being on my horse. That's home to me."

Some 3,500 trail-riders have joined in for 11 different trail rides in Texas, all on the road to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.


About the Author:

Ursula Pari has been a staple of television news in Texas at KSAT 12 News since 1996 and a veteran of broadcast journalism for more than 30 years.