These Women Rock

They still have it, these Rodeo Queens and Princesses from the 70's and 80's.  There they were, in all their finery, riding in the Cochrane Labour Day Parade -- the second-largest in Alberta, after The Stampede Parade.  To qualify as a contestant a woman has to be able to ride a horse, or as the English put it, "sit a horse".  These ladies remain completely cool and still gorgeous...


Cindy Morres, Rodeo Queen in 1976, still gorgeous.

Too bad you can't see these Queens' faces, my fault, but they were very cool.

This year's Queen and Princess -- note the gorgeous chaps!


The parade also featured the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the most senior regiment of the British Infantry, formed in 1656.  Quite a coup for Cochrane to get these chaps from across the pond....







 

The bearskins they wear are made from Canadian black bear.  Apparently, they tried to substitute synthetic fur, but it just didn't work.  Each hat (not to be confused with the busby, which is much smaller) is made from one complete bearskin and costs more than $1,200.  Animal rights activists want the use of bearskin discontinued, but no such luck.  Approximately 100 skins are taken every year by Inuit and native people, who operate under government supervision to keep numbers under control.

 

The pioneer women of The Wild West were also featured.......

Toting the necessary weapons of the day.



 

Grandson, Reed, was keeping up with the marchers.......or trying to...............

 

We had a grand time.