I’ve lived in Loudoun County (Viriginia) for 13 and a half years, but until this past weekend I’d never been to the famous Loudoun County Fair.

Happily I can no longer make that claim.

There was the usual carnival rides and cotton candy, and I also witnessed for the first time in my 43 years, a professional bull riding event, coupled with cattle-wranglin’ and calf-ropin’ and all those thing foreign to people from northeastern cities.

It was my first rodeo.

You know how most times when you see an athletic contest, no matter the sport, you think, wow, I wish I were there on the field competing?

This one I was glad I was in the stands.