Sunday, January 25, 2015

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Cowboy Christmas Gift Show

I didn't really plan on doing this, but I went to the Wrangler National Finals Cowboy Christmas Gift Show the day after I arrived for my Las Vegas vacation.

Having arrived late Friday night, I went there (Las Vegas Convention Center) on the last day of the show, Saturday, Dec. 13. It's only the second time I've been to the gift show, having stumbled on it a couple of years ago. In fact, I just found out before leaving home that it would be rodeo time when I got to Vegas.

It's an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours walking around and feeling all yeehaw-ish.

"Binding Contract" by Bradford J. Williams
The aisles are full of ladies walking around with fringed leather jacket like the ones Gen. George Custer and Davy Crockett used to wear, with skinny jeans and leather vests draped over their Western girl shirts. The guys are all tall, with closely trimmed beards, wearing faded blue jeans, tucked-in plain or plaid long-sleeved shirts, and big belt buckles.

Oh, and boots. All kinds of boots. Oh, oh, oh! Cowboy hats too, mostly black, brown or white. The women are into boots and hats too, by the way.

(Boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants and boots and pants.)


There's Western music playing throughout the day, and rodeo stars signing autographs. You can buy clothes, ranch stuff, art, stuffed ferocious creatures ... If it's Western or country, it was being sold.

Check out some of the pictures I took:

Cowboy Classic Cutter Saddle Made in Texas, Reg. $1,995, Sale $1,495






It was a fun day until I left the show and tried out my new "Find My Car" app on my phone. The parking lot was very big and jam-packed with cars. My memory's so bad, I'd probably be searching for my car until late at night. Surely the app would help.

Nope. It isn't like a GPS with precise directions. The best it could do was tell me how far I was from my car, not if it was in front, behind, to the left or right. Stupid app. I felt ridiculous walking while holding the phone in front of my face like I was taking a selfie, using it like a Geiger counter and swearing loud enough for a mother and daughter in front of me to turn around and sneer at me.

I deleted the stupid, useless app.

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