July 20, 2005
Riders kick up their heels
Interlochen Eagles Mid-States Rodeo features bull and saddle bronco riding
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Winding strip after strip of tape around his right wrist and forearm, Scott Ervay prepared for his second of four rodeos last weekend.
Just 21, the Shelby resident rides the circuit with Mid-States Rodeo to pick up extra money and revel in the beloved sights, sounds, smells and action of rodeos.
A saddle bronc rider, Ervay travels around the state and Midwest weekends all summer to be pummeled and pounded, hanging on for dear life to a frenzied bucking horse. He came to Interlochen after competing in two rodeos on Friday and was riding in another Sunday in Vassar.
"It depends on if you need money or not, how often you ride when you're hurt," said Ervay, who works as a mechanic during the week to have a guaranteed income.
"I'm trying to prevent a sprain," he added of his wrist doctoring Saturday.
Ervay and other professional rodeo riders took the ring Saturday and Sunday afternoons during the Rodeo-Fest 2005 in Interlochen. The annual the three-day event was held Friday through Sunday at the Interlochen Eagles F.O.E. Aerie 3503.
More than 5,000 attendees came for a range of amateur, youth and professional competitions as well as games, food, music and dancing. While a lively crowd filled the stands Saturday afternoon, organizers estimated that attendance dropped some this year because of the heat and another horse event in town.
As for Ervay, his pre-ride ritual also includes donning chaps, kevlar vest and neck roll as well as meticulously checking the horse and special saddle. These activities take many times the eight seconds he must stay on the bronc's back. Remaining aboard during that wild ride requires a combination of timing, strength, leverage and a little luck.
"The time it seems like an eternity," said Ervay, who was disqualified Saturday because his other hand touched the saddle during the ride.
Junior high school buddies got Ervay started with rodeos and he has been saddle bronc riding competitively for seven years. He also rides bulls and has roped once but mainly sticks with the "faster" horses. He owns a few saddle horses but does not use them for training, instead honing his skills at rodeo after rodeo.
"Once you do it once, you're hooked," Ervay declared of bareback riding.
The Interlochen Eagles have sponsored the rodeo for at least 20 years, donating the proceeds every year to area charities. This year's recipients will be Catch a Reinbow, a 4-H therapeutic riding program, Children's Diabetes Camp, Benzie County Sheriff's Department, Doc Dunlap's Kidney Fund, Max Beuer Heart Fund, the ARC and food baskets for local families.
Ciarra Engstrom, 11, has been participating in rodeos her whole life. Her parents own Flying Star Rodeo based in Reed City and they put on the Interlochen event for Mid-States. They also are the contractor for numerous rodeos around the state.
Engstrom competes in barrel racing and serves as the flag girl, carrying the American flag in the ring during the National Anthem as well as the flags announcing each event. She rides her appaloosa horse, Molly, during both competitions and flag duties.
"Barrel racing takes a lot of skill," Engstrom noted. "Turning around the barrels is hard and you have to know how to keep them going, the horse wants to stop sometimes."
The mother-daughter team of Sandra May and Stephanie Carsten, both of Traverse City, tried their hand at the monkey tire event. Horses are a way of life for both women and Carsten also competed in other amateur challenges such as barrel racing and cloverleaf.
Growing up playing with My Little Ponies instead of Barbies, Carsten said she briefly considered training for the rodeo circuit.
"But no, I don't want to get hurt," Carsten said.
May seconded her daughter's decision, noting: "We like the saddle and we like to stay in it. When we get off, it's because we want to get off."