Buffalo Bill & a Bull’s leg to the Head

I told you I would get to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and I have kept my word. I can honestly say, the BBHC is the largest museum I have ever been in. It is a must see! The center is so large that your ticket is redeemable over two consecutive days.

A bronze sculpture of Buffalo Bill Cody greets you at the front door. Upon entering the BBHC visitors get a sense of the larger than life atmosphere the staff has created. The center features five separate museums under one roof. The museums include: Plains Indian, Cody Firearms, Buffalo Bill, Natural History and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art as well as over 20 bronze sculptures situated around the center.

Jamie and I were in awe of the Plain Indian displays. The bald eagle is my favorite bird and to see the craftsmanship of Native American head-dresses, war bonnets and other authentic creations incorporating the bald eagle was a real treat for me. I could literally spend an entire day in the Plains Indian area alone and not see everything.

Check out the website for the BBHC and learn more about the 2500+ gun collection that makes up the Cody Firearms Museum. All firearms are beautifully displayed in rooms, wings, and hanging from the ceiling. It is a must see for all gun enthusiasts. I promise you that if it was made, it is on display. Guns dating back over 300 years grace the walls and visitors can read information about each individual item.

The Cody Firearms Museum was so large that my brain could no longer process the information I was taking in. I would venture to say it could easily take a week to get an adequate feel for all the guns on display.

The last area within the center we walked through was the Buffalo Bill Museum. Buffalo Bill, a “true friend to the Indians,” was an accomplished military scout who later set his sights on creating the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. His creation of such show made the cowboy a true American hero while also employing numerous Native Americans in re-creations of various Indian wars. Thousands of memorabilia items from the show are now on display for visitors to enjoy. Among them are several silver show saddles weighing in at over 75 pounds.

Before I close, I do want to send out a report regarding a little injury I received last night while performing at the Cody Stampede in Cody, WY.

While protecting a fallen rider, I was hooked by a bull and forced to the ground. While still on the ground the bull’s hind leg caught me in the head and briefly knocked me out. I was able to stagger out of the arena with assistance. After being checked out by the Justin Sports Medicine a CT Scan was performed at the Cody Hospital.

Results show a concussion and a contusion. I did spend the night in the hospital last night but hope to be released today. I am currently awaiting the results of a second CT Scan.

Good news is I will be able to fight bulls at Cheyenne Frontier Days later this month.

Please pray for Jamie, our families, and me. I’ve been here before but I do know the toll it takes on family and loved ones.

Take Care,
Jeremy

Cody Stampede & Extreme Bulls

Jamie and I have been non-stop since we arrived in Cody, Wyoming. It is always my intent to partake in the activities made famous by each town I travel to while on the rodeo trail. In Cody, Wyoming, there is always something to dive into.

Whether it is the Cody Stampede PRCA Rodeo & Xtreme Bulls you want to see or the parades, river rafting, shopping, museums, hiking or fishing Cody has it.

As soon as we arrived, it was off to book a rafting trip with Wyoming River Trips. The in-laws were with us as they too wanted to witness the Cody Stampede and enjoy the friendly Cody atmosphere. All total, there were 10 eager beavers ready to ride the rapids! We elected to take on the Lower Canyon of the Shoshone River. This 12 mile trip usually takes 2 ½ - 3 hours but thanks to the record levels of moisture this year the water is higher and the currents are faster. Currently it is taking closer to 1 ½ -2 hours to travel the same 12 miles. Faster waters not only equal quicker trips, it means bigger rapids and more excitement!

We all had a great time riding the waves with our guide, Joe. He is was an excellent guide helping us spot over 60 Mule Deer and of course keeping us all in the boat! Our trip was certainly a family bonding experience as we toughed out the cool temperatures, waited out a thunderstorm all in the name of fun.

After drying off, it was time to relax and get ready for the first performance of the Cody Stampede. The Stampede is a huge 4th of July rodeo featuring the best professional cowboys on tour and a $300K purse. With so much on the line, I wanted to be rested and ready to perform at the highest level.

The rodeo started just as another thunderstorm rolled in. It was violent lighting and cold rain. The good news is the storm didn’t last the entire rodeo! Kudos to the Stampede committee for being flexible on the fly as lights, timers and scoreboards all needed power reestablished after losing it momentarily due to the storms. Without missing a beat the rodeo continued.

Bull Riding was the last event. Believe it or not, I had been waiting for this day since I was fourteen years old. It was at that time that professional bullfighter Donny Sparks became my hero; he is the sole reason I wanted to be a bullfighter. Donny has been a superstar at the Cody Stampede for 15 years now and although this will be his last rodeo before he hangs up his cleats, it was the first time we performed together at a professional event. This will always be a highlight in my rodeo career. It would be similar to a young basketball player getting to play with Michael Jordan.

The rodeo went well; thankfully there were no accidents that we couldn’t handle. Thanks to World Champion Wesley Silcox for putting on the best ride of the night…he was 88 points and sits on top of the leader board. There are still three performances left so only time will tell if he is the 2008 Cody champ.

Stay tuned to the Blogging Bullfighter as I plan to tour the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in downtown Cody, Wyoming.

Forever West,
Jeremy