The Redding Rodeo Association (RRA) has always had a desire to bring joy to the young kids.  From rodeos with clown acts to the awe they perceive watching the many fast paced events the rodeo offers.  Many come with hats, boots, chaps, you can tell they are as big a cowboy as the bull riders.  

Early in the RRA's history many members felt to many youngsters were not able to enjoy the experience of sitting on a horse, petting its soft hair or feeling its large nose blow big breaths of warm air on them.  They began taking their horses to the different schools for all to enjoy, regular kids, poor kids, handicapped kids, well off kids it made no difference they all loved the outing and went home with great stories to tell, teachers included.

This is how our special kids day started and grew into a day in the arena were members bring their horses, the different schools transport in their children, others arrived from different schools transport in their children, others arrived from different homes and we all begin to enjoy the day.  Preparation begins, arrangements with the schools on date & time. CDF & USFS will help with Smokey the bear, neckerchiefs and helpers.  We work with a sponsor to assure there are cowboy hats for 300 kids.  The asphalt cowboys who co sponsor this event are arranging for Pepsi Cola to provide soft drinks for all, McCalls ice cream to have plenty of ice cream on hand and provide each youngster with either a Polaroid picture of them riding their horse or more recently a short VCR tape of them riding around.  Both clubs are busy helping set up and taking down of chairs, helping kids on and off of horses as well as staying with them on their ride to assure safety, filming is sometimes helped by local news media.

We need Rodeo Clowns, Princesses, Auxiliary, RWRA and Juniors to help.  Children need to be moved from the arena to the bleachers after their ride to enjoy their goodies and sometimes a special treat performance from our specialty act or a show of rodeo stock from our contractor John Growney.
The children proclaiming that they want a horse just like that one, or this one is mine, look at me with my hat, scarf and horse, I want another ride and the child who won't touch the horse but doesn't want to leave it's side until the horse puts it's head down and touches the child first and then he decides he will go for a ride.  Some come back year and again proclaiming which horse they will ride and what an old hand they are.  Even the ones with the most sever disabilities will give up their wheelchairs and summon up the courage to get on that horse for a ride.

When the day is finished and we go home with pride there are more memories that will always be with us.