Photo By Rick Emert | COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Ryan, acting senior commander, 4th...... read more read more
By Amber Martin
Garrison Public Affairs Office
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The 79th Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo honored Fort Carson July 10, 2019, at the Norris-Penrose Event Center.
The rodeo was a weeklong event that began with a parade in downtown Colorado Springs. The 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard, 4th Inf. Div. Band and Fort Carson leadership participated in the reception and parade to kickoff the rodeo.
“I think this is really important because … it highlights the importance of the relationship between Fort Carson and all the other military installations and the Colorado Springs greater community,” said Command Sgt. Maj. T.J. Holland, senior enlisted leader, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson.
The mounted color guard began the evening by presenting the colors in the middle of the 51,000-square-foot dirt arena on their horses Tank (Guardian), Trav (Traveler), Junior and Dalton. The mounted color guard presented the colors every night of the rodeo.
“The thing that I enjoy most about the rodeo is the pride you feel being part of the mounted color guard and presenting that history and preserving the legacy,” said Sgt. Jordan Jaeger, mounted color guard. “(Presenting the colors) makes you proud to be an American. You kind of (swell) with pride.”
As the mounted color guard presented the colors, Staff Sgt. Katherine Bolcar, vocalist, 4th Inf. Div. Band, sang the national anthem from the balcony above the stadium to the thousands of attendees below.
Bolcar said, as an Army musician, it is incredibly important to do the national anthem justice. She said it is everyone’s song, and when people thank her, they are thanking her for the way the song makes them feel.
“Every time I sing the (national) anthem, it is a little bit terrifying and a little bit amazing. Partly, because it is such an important song to so many people,” said Bolcar.
Rodeo attire that evening was both patriotic and western, including cowboy hats, cowboy boots, belt buckles and clothing consisting of red, white and blue to represent the American flag and show support for service members.
Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Ryan, acting senior commander, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, thanked and acknowledged all service members and those serving in harm’s way, including Maj. Gen. Randy A. George, commanding general, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, as well as Fort Carson Soldiers, the community and service members’ Families, for their support.
“I am extremely proud to be here tonight,” said Ryan. “Thank you for hosting us; thank you for taking care of all the Soldiers and Families that live out here in Fort Carson and Colorado Springs.”
Fort Carson service members and the Colorado Springs community shared an eventful evening filled with roping, wrangling and riding. Competitors included the top talent in professional rodeo competing in seven standard events: bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and barrel racing.
Holland said he enjoyed the team roping event, and said the event showed the dynamic relationship between the rider and the horse to become one, as well as proves the team’s skill to synchronize and “hit a moving target that does not want to be wrestled to the ground.”
His description of the event demonstrates the parallels of being a Soldier and competing as a team in the rodeo.
“You can see, as a senior NCO, that teamwork is important, and knowing each other, supporting each other and not wanting to let each other down. It’s almost like our Army values and our ethos,” said Holland. “Never fail your buddy. I think that’s what I associate about it the most.”
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.27.2019 12:57 |
| Story ID: | 357420 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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