National Western Stock Show Denver

The National Western Stock Show takes place every year in January at the Denver Coliseum. I went there almost three years ago and by a first impression, it looked like the Fiera Dell'Artigianato in Milan, Italy. The main difference is that this fair is full of stands that sell anything Western, from hats to boots and stuff like that. I had Mexican food for lunch and then I also had an interesting ice cream which was composed of tiny ice spheres.

Anyways, after my friend, my American brother and I walked around the coliseum to see everything they had, we went to the rodeo which started at three-thirty in the afternoon. It was cool to see one for the first time, but one of the guys got really injured. The loud music drives bulls and horses crazy and this guy was the unlucky one, he fell from the horse he was riding on and the animal first stepped on his leg, and then near his head. The music stopped immediately and everyone came to the guy's aid. Once the rodeo resumed, Greeley Stampede won the Barrel Race (Cowgirls).

They also had a few bands playing in different areas of the fair but what has been cool was that they also had animals, like alpacas and cows. At some point, while my friend and I were walking, I saw some of my Italian friends that were also living in Colorado at that time and I started chatting with them for a little bit. Italians are always everywhere.

One thing I liked about the event is that they had an international room with a huge map where tourists could put pins on the city they are from so that the map could eventually be covered in colorful pins. When I arrived Milan was already covered so I put a pin in Rome. They also gave me a pin to keep so I put it on my Rotary blazer to remember this day. It was fun I even took a picture with a huge bull.

- Cristian

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