This year's North Idaho Fair and Rodeo has come and gone, and not without some fantastic weather. There's nothing like a day of fun in the sun sans heat to drag you down.

Growing up in Central Montana like I did, you can bet I've seen my fair share of fairs and rodeos. Big or small, I always loved the atmosphere: People enjoying themselves, catching up with friends and relatives during a day filled with rides, unique foods and plenty to do and see.

My dad was a big rodeo fan, and naturally I tagged along more often than not when one came near us. I've seen some of the stars of the national rodeo circuit through the years, but it really didn't matter to me if it was an enormous event like the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, or the Podunk County Fair rodeo.

As long as there were cowboys and cowgirls leaving it all out in front of the grandstand, I was impressed.

The events themselves are interesting, and the competition that unfolds can get pretty intense.

Take the steer wrestling, for example. Here a cowboy jumps off a perfectly good horse, and somehow manages to avoid a set of horns. All the while, he's trying to get a good grip on the steer to stop him, then twist him down to the ground - all in a few seconds.

Some of the guys do it so effortlessly, you'd swear you could do it yourself.

Just don't try it.

Believe me, those horns are no joke, and sliding off a horse at speed and gripping a steer takes months of practice, something I was never willing to endure. Nope, the only horn I'm going near resides inside a steering wheel.

Next, you have tie-down roping and team roping. Seems simple enough, huh?

Uh, no.

Remember, you moving at speed, trying to lasso a moving steer. A little bit different than sitting on a stationary horse and roping a plastic head poked into a bale of straw. This is why these events pay money - they take some skill, and a whole lot of practice.

Speaking of skill, don't enter the bull riding or bronc riding unless you have plenty. Staying on a bull for eight seconds and scoring well on a bronc takes untold physical talent and endurance. These events are so hard, many cowboys get hurt just trying to get off the animals.

The girls get in the action with barrel racing, and again, skill and athletic ability are the name of the game. Granted, a great barrel horse can make up for an average cowgirl, but you still have to stay on as the horse winds its way through the course at top speed. There was always something about a cowgirl in a pair of Wrangler jeans that piqued my interest. Giddyap, indeed!

Watching all the events was great, but keeping an eye on my dad was sometimes more fun. This was a guy that loved the sport, but when it was nap time, the dozing came quick. He fell asleep at some of the most raucous events around, and the most memorable was a John Anderson concert in Vegas during the National Finals.

About halfway through John's set, dad's head was leaning forward, and from then on, the only time he woke was at the end of the song, when everyone would cheer. To his credit, dad's hands came together almost as soon as everyone else's.

Hey, when it's time for some shuteye, don't fight it.

Unfortunately, I was not able to take in this year's rodeo at the fairgrounds. But I'm sure the stands were packed, the competitors' efforts were impressive and ...

... someone fell asleep.

Jerry Hitchcock is a copy editor for The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, ext. 2017, or via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com.