After the Hard, Cold ride. Before the Parade
Trail riders converge for a night in Memorial Park
February 27, 2015
By Leah Binkovitz
Houston Chronicle
"The rodeo doesn't start until y'all hit Memorial Park," the trail ride committee chairman Scott Baumann told the bosses and riders gathered at one end of the park for the awards ceremony. Though the Northeastern Trail Riders Association was hoping for a spirit award this year after a hard year, that honor went instead to the Salt Grass and Texas Independence rides. A new award for safety went to Valley Lodge.
But awards aren't what it's about for Anthony Bruno, trail boss of Northeastern and the some 3,000 riders who participated in the rides that met Friday in the park.
For him, it was a bittersweet return to Memorial Park. Northeastern is one of 13 rides that travel to Houston every year — some from as far away as Reynosa, Mexico — to open the Houston Livestock and Rodeo with a Saturday parade through downtown. It's been a long, cold ride, and one haunted by the memories of riders who weren't on the trail.
"It's been a difficult week," said Kevin Joe. His father — a founding member of the association — passed away during last year's ride, only a day before from the trip's conclusion in Houston. But returning to the trail ride this year, said Joe, "was something we knew we had to do."
The trail rides filed into Memorial Park Friday, each taking its place and setting up camp to cheer on the next group. Even with a few faces missing this year, riders from every group recognized each other as the park filled with horses and wagons. The cold didn't diminish people's spirits as folks set about fixing up their wagons for Saturday, and building campfires where they could catch up with each other.
"You know everybody, being in the rodeo life and the trail life," said Lacee Brown-January, who rides with Northeastern's KTG riding club. The seven-day trip has felt like a rolling family reunion, with nightly dances and plenty of food to go around. Once the trail riders converge on Memorial Park, the family only seems to get bigger. The Northeastern riders talk with friends from other groups, country music playing from a distant camper. It's been a hard ride. There are war stories to tell.
But the big event is the parade, when all the groups join together, thousands of riders strong, as they travel through downtown.
"It doesn't last but even five minutes," said Brown-January, "but it's the best five minutes of your life."
"That's your reward," said Birdie Sion, one of the flag bearers for Northeastern. "You rode for seven days and you get to go downtown and show your face and show out. You won't have no voice when you're finished."
Brought up riding, Sion had quit the trailride life for awhile. But when her father insisted on getting back in the saddle after his stroke, her family convinced Sion, a nurse, to ride with him again and watch over him. Even after he got well enough to go it alone, Sion stuck with it. "It's great," she said. "It's home."
After a week of reminiscing, busting chops and braving the elements, the parade is both a thrill and a heartache.
"It's bittersweet," said Brown-January. "You won't see these people until next year."
Trail riders converge for a night in Memorial Park
February 27, 2015
By Leah Binkovitz
Houston Chronicle
 |
| Trail riders converge for a night in Memorial Park photo credit Leah Binkovitz |
But awards aren't what it's about for Anthony Bruno, trail boss of Northeastern and the some 3,000 riders who participated in the rides that met Friday in the park.
For him, it was a bittersweet return to Memorial Park. Northeastern is one of 13 rides that travel to Houston every year — some from as far away as Reynosa, Mexico — to open the Houston Livestock and Rodeo with a Saturday parade through downtown. It's been a long, cold ride, and one haunted by the memories of riders who weren't on the trail.
"It's been a difficult week," said Kevin Joe. His father — a founding member of the association — passed away during last year's ride, only a day before from the trip's conclusion in Houston. But returning to the trail ride this year, said Joe, "was something we knew we had to do."
The trail rides filed into Memorial Park Friday, each taking its place and setting up camp to cheer on the next group. Even with a few faces missing this year, riders from every group recognized each other as the park filled with horses and wagons. The cold didn't diminish people's spirits as folks set about fixing up their wagons for Saturday, and building campfires where they could catch up with each other.
"You know everybody, being in the rodeo life and the trail life," said Lacee Brown-January, who rides with Northeastern's KTG riding club. The seven-day trip has felt like a rolling family reunion, with nightly dances and plenty of food to go around. Once the trail riders converge on Memorial Park, the family only seems to get bigger. The Northeastern riders talk with friends from other groups, country music playing from a distant camper. It's been a hard ride. There are war stories to tell.
But the big event is the parade, when all the groups join together, thousands of riders strong, as they travel through downtown.
"It doesn't last but even five minutes," said Brown-January, "but it's the best five minutes of your life."
"That's your reward," said Birdie Sion, one of the flag bearers for Northeastern. "You rode for seven days and you get to go downtown and show your face and show out. You won't have no voice when you're finished."
Brought up riding, Sion had quit the trailride life for awhile. But when her father insisted on getting back in the saddle after his stroke, her family convinced Sion, a nurse, to ride with him again and watch over him. Even after he got well enough to go it alone, Sion stuck with it. "It's great," she said. "It's home."
After a week of reminiscing, busting chops and braving the elements, the parade is both a thrill and a heartache.
"It's bittersweet," said Brown-January. "You won't see these people until next year."
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