This weekend Cherokee, Iowa, hosted its 49th edition of its PRCA rodeo. There was rodeo action each of three nights beginning Thursday. I attended the Saturday even which turned into an all-day affair. From Sioux City it’s about an hour and a half drive, and meandering through some backroads was a nice way to get there. The rain held off that day it unfolded with a number of events, more of them I will post later. But the rodeo is the main attraction and it was fairly action-packed with the animals racking up more wins than the cowboys much to the chagrin of the latter. Rodeo’s always present the possibility of nice images, and not all them “action’ kinds of photography. I photographed the event with a Fuji XT-1 camera and some primes and one zoom. This camera is not a camera to use for sports. But for hanging out in Cherokee most of the day it was nice to have an carry, being much lighter than my Canon gear, and still providing excellent images.
Jerry Mennenga
Sioux City, Iowa
- Sometimes the bull riders are barely out of their chutes and the bull tries to dispatch its rider as seen during the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A bull rider attempts to hang on while rodeo hands scramble for safety during the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A barrel racer cuts close to the first of three barrels during the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- Spectatores watch a contestant rein in his horse after lassoing a calf during the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- Calf roping competitors make it look easy as they dismount their horse who is stopping to rein in the calf as the cowboy runs to it to bind its legs during the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A calf roping contestant prepares to tie up his catch at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A bareback rider rolls back and hangs on as his mount tries to buck him off at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A contestant hangs on for those few precious seconds to score during bare back bronc riding at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A bareback rider strains to hang on for a few more seconds at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- Two contestants talk prior to the start of the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A contestant attempts to hang on during the bull riding competition at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A contestant ends up under his mount with his foot still in the stirrup during the saddle bronc competition at the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- A parade of flags at the beginning of the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- Various rodeo queens and princesses wait to greet people attending the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)
- Contestants wait in a holding area prior to the start of the Cherokee PRCA Rodeo, in Cherokee Iowa, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)